And suddenly it’s fall. Did anyone else lose track of the seasons when the pandemic started? We’re allowing faint touches of the season into our lives – the weather hasn’t really shifted so it doesn’t quite feel true yet. Rémy pulled together this cute bouquet from one of our trips to Trader Joe’s and I grabbed this one tiny pumpkin. The bouquet has lasted over a week and a half and I’m impressed – I normally have a hard time justifying spending on fresh flowers, but they’ve been so cheerful.
We’re also starting to have dinner on the deck more at home. The dogs have picked up on the slight shift in seasons and can’t get enough of being outside, so we’re joining them. Rémy grilling chicken and vegetables for fajita night over the weekend helped.
Meanwhile, I’ve moved into week six post-op, after ACL surgery. I’ve started to feel bogged down in the slowness of recovery, even though I know it’s totally normal. But being in a brace still at this point and learning to walk again normally and confidently (it’s insane how hard this is) has been incredibly humbling. I’m working to light the fire under my optimism again, while acknowledging that I don’t feel like myself, with my limited mobility.
It helps to get out. I checked off two adventures with friends over the weekend:
Coffee and art! My friend and I met up for coffee on Saturday morning at the Not Just Coffee on Providence Road, which shares a. space with Tabor men’s clothing and Soco Gallery. I didn’t expect: A full-blown coffee shop (I assumed it was just a counter and the other brands would dominate the space), parking, a little hidden jungle-like patio to the side and wide-open gallery doors. We grabbed drip coffees (so good) and wandered the gallery a bit. Huge pops of color lit up the white walls – with one particularly bright piece oddly labeled Untitled (Pain, Depression, Anxiety). I get it, though. Sometimes you have to push out that bright exterior despite what’s going on inside – a fake it ’til you make it kind of approach. It’s almost like it’s saying: That bright exterior will take over again – keep trying, friend.
Beer and skyline views! A group of us wrapped up the weekend with some fall flavors and IPAs on the patio of Petty Thieves Brewing Co., an eclectic brewery just beyond Uptown Charlotte. Rémy pointed out that the patio resembled a Turkish market, all brightly colored furniture plus fabrics overhead. Loved the vibe. Also loved the beer names – my pick was called The Capriciousness of Tiny Gods. We’ll definitely be back.
