If there was a prize for 'Worst Blogger in the World' I'd probably win it right now. I have so many half-written posts and a mountain of photos to share, but no motivation to publish any of them. That's not an entirely bad thing though, as it reflects the fact that this month's motivation quota has been spent elsewhere, deliberately away from a computer screen.
Instead, July has been a month of reconnecting. It was a month spent catching up with friends (some of whom I hadn't seen since Hogmanay!) over ice-cream in the rain and coffee in the sun, over karaoke and Geocaching and picnics in the park. It was a month spent engaging with the 'real' world again, pushing myself to face the things I've been avoiding for too long: horribly scary, terrifying things like.. wait for it.. going to the supermarket or visiting my church! It was a month spent re-focusing my mind on the idea of work, sneaking along to holiday club at my previous work place, applying for lots of jobs (and chickening out of the interview for every single one) and beginning to ask big questions about what I'm capable of, what I'm passionate about and what I want. (No answers as yet.. and that's okay.)
July has also been a month of celebration. My nephew turned 1 (already!) and we enjoyed an amusing evening spent watching his laborious unwrapping of unending gifts, followed by a sunny afternoon of BBQ'd food, surrounded by his closest family and friends. My sister turned 24 and we surprised her with a little indoor picnic (because Scotland = rain) full of sandwiches, scones, Prosecco, tea, freshly baked cakes and her annual ginormous strawberry tart. My Nana turned 75, meaning an impromptu family gathering and an excuse to eat yet more cake and tart! My friend Lesley turned 26 and we spent the evening eating Italian food and playing mini golf. And one of my oldest friends got married (!!!) and we got to join her in marking the beginning of a new and exciting stage in her life.
July was a month of new things too. I started going to a meditation class, which has quickly become the highlight of my week; I went to my first yoga class, which I loved; and I went along to a service at a new church, followed by a very kind invitation to join them in a picnic in the park. I also spent a considerable amount of time nursing some baby birds to fledgling point, which is a bit of a long story but certainly a first!
Finally, July was a month of exploration and adventures! I spent numerous afternoons investigating parts of Aberdeen I'd never visited before, both for practical purposes and for pleasure, driven by the discovery of the beautiful Wild Dolphins - a series of 50 life-size sculptures that popped up all over the city. Then there was an afternoon spent wandering up Mormond Hill near Strichen, admiring its white quartz horse; and another spent hiking up Bennachie, lunching over the beautiful views at the 'Mither Tap'. And then on Wednesday, just sneaking in at the end of the month, there was a road-trip to Anstruther and a boat-trip to the Isle of May, where my uncle and I spent the afternoon surrounded by the largest puffin colony in the North Sea. Amazing!
All in all, July has been a rather excellent month. I'm tired out from the sudden increase in human contact and my knee is well and truly busted from one of the walks, but my heart and my head are full of "warm fuzzies" over memories of a well-spent summer month.
I hope July was kind to all of you too. Here's to August and whatever it might bring.
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