First World Problem(s).

I got caught in a downpour on my run this morning. The really hard stuff started just before the halfway point and I was soaked by the time I made it back home. My immediate concern was for my phone. but all seemed fine when I checked it out in the garage - fine enough that I ventured back out into the driveway to take a quick photo to share on Instagram. 

(I was especially proud of the time I clocked for my four mile run - a personal best since I started running again in April!)

A half hour later, things weren't seeming at all fine. I buried the phone in rice (and geez, I hope brown rice works - it's all we had!) and started thinking about what to do in case it doesn't work. The new iPhone is rumored to be coming out September 16. I briefly considered simply waiting until then - I'm due for an upgrade (and I have a birthday, anniversary and Christmas coming up) - but then remembered Tuesdays with Charlie and my upcoming trip to Florida. I need a phone.

So I found my old one (wow, it hasn't even been two years but it seems really old), charged it and was pleasantly surprised it seems to still work. I took it to the AT&T store this afternoon and - even better surprise! - there was no charge to reactivate it. Five minutes later I was out the door with a phone. 

Now I'm waiting for the latest iOS to install (and hoping it will!) - and then I anticipate a few hours for my latest backup to restore.

Hope your week is off to a smoother start...or maybe I need to consider that mine is actually off to a pretty good one, all things considered!

First world problem(s), right?! :-)

five things (for June).

...inspired by my One Little Word. Play Grace*. have fun. be light-hearted. channel Grace Kelly.

welcoming sunshine and the colors of summer | june 4, 2013 in my front yard.

1. Get my camera out again. For the past 3+ months, I've been taking all my pictures with my phone. It's easy and "in the moment", but I'm ready for better. I used my camera to take the photo above (also used in the new Summer 2013 banner) and it took me a few tries to remember where the buttons were. Yikes!

2. Train for the Peachtree Road Race. It's a 4th of July tradition in Atlanta and I'm excited to take part for the first time ever, especially since Katie & I are running together. And while I'm not worried about the 10K distance, the heat and humidity (and the crowds) are going to be a challenge. So I'm lowering my expectations and running at least once a week in the mid-morning sunshine (which means temperatures in the mid-seventies). ...remembering the goal here is to have fun, not to set a record!

3. See The Great Gatsby. I re-read (listened actually, Tim Robbins did a wonderful job!) the book back in April to prepare. I know it hasn't gotten great reviews, but I don't care. I want to see it for myself on a big screen!

4. Read along with Books on the Nightstand the June short story.  I'm going to start by listening to it (I downloaded the New Yorker Fiction podcast from January, 2009 where it's read by Thomas McGuane). And I hope I love it because everything I'm seeing and hearing about James Salter's new book (All That Is) makes me want to dive right into everything he's written.

5. Watch Madmen Season 6. The first 10 episodes are queued up on the DVR just waiting for Marc's next trip to Asia...which starts on Monday. I can't wait to actually see firsthand everything I've been reading about, especially the costumes. and Bob Benson. and get myself caught up to join the millions of viewers who will be watching the season finale on June 23.

What are you hoping to enjoy this month?

*June's original intention was "See Grace"with actions related to photography, but the iPhonography class I found starts July 1. And just so happens that July's intention was all about Play, so I've swapped the two months.

2012 favorites.

...inspired by sara to share my favorites for this year. it's a fun way to look back. and it really does make me realize (yet again) what a wonderful year it has been. thank you to everyone who's reading this for being part of it!

of course sara told her story in words, but I'm telling mine in pictures*.

favorite photo of the three of us.

favorite photo of the two of us.

favorite photo of the two of them.

favorite person to hold my hand for a 30-mile walk.

favorite dinner when marc's away.

favorite thing I knitted for a baby.

favorite thing I knitted that surprised me. this one is also a favorite because it's for someone at the nursing home. and knitting with the ladies there on thursday afternoons is one of my favorite blessings of the year.

favorite cocktail party.

favorite thing(s) I knit for someone else.

favorite thing I knitted for myself.

favorite field trip.

favorite recipe I created.

favorite purchase.

favorite long-time documentation habit. (I'm now into year seven and journal #17.)

favorite new documentation habit.

favorite iphone app.

favorite tv show. and how cool that I watched the first two seasons on my laptop. (this was a hard choice... I also considered boardwalk empire, homeland and mad men but DA wins because I share it with all my girlfriends. and because it has maggie smith.)

and one last shout out to my favorite book of 2012, erin morgenstern's night circus. apparently, this one never made it to my flickr feed!

*click the photos to see them in flickr and read a little more about them.

wordless wednesday.

wordless wednesday.

enjoying.

vsco cam photo

...two dozen pink tulips, very artfully arranged (thank you katie & sara!)
...a new iphone (sara and I both upgraded to the 4s - woot!)
...a new iphone photo app (probably the best $0.99 cents I've spent in a very long time)
...time with both girls. home together for a week. (sara leaves for europe next monday and katie flies back to LA the next morning). sadly, marc leaves for asia tomorrow, so he has a lot less time to enjoy. but I love that he loves it all the same.

marc's message friday evening after we picked up katie at the airport

texture tuesday. black and white.

...no ten on tuesday prompt today (poor carole is under the weather... please join me in wishing her a speedy recovery!) so - since I haven't played around in photoshop - or used one of kim's lovely textures in way too long, I decided to link up with kim classen for texture tuesday. today's theme is black and white.

I started with a february photo of the roses marc gave me for valentine's day. I took the photo with my iphone, not in very good light, so it's plenty grainy. love that for black and white.

going with the valentine's day theme, I add kim's texture madlove. desaturated. overlay blend mode. done!

click here if you want more info on texture tuesdays, or to join in the fun!

happy 4th.

at hembree park this morning

happy 4th of july! not much of a breeze this morning and it's already 75 degrees. guess we're well on our way to the forecast high of 95.

I'll be spending most of my day inside - a few house chores, then knitting and (re)watching john adams (we started it last night but I fell asleep before the first episode ended!) while marc plays golf. we've got steaks to grill and fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil for my favorite salad. and once it gets dark, we've got sparklers and fireworks on the dvr.

enjoy your day!!

the second lap.

...hoping the cooler temperature and lower humidity, combined with the fact we hadn't been to the park since friday might give holly the energy for two laps. nope. she made it about half-way through the first, walked a bit, and then pretty much gave up. I figure carrying her means more exercise for me, so maybe it's a win-win?

but after the park we went to the vet (time for that super unpleasant semi-annual tapeworm check) and she got weighed. 8 pounds and a few ounces - wow, that's a half-pound gain in just six months. I'm thinking she needs the exercise more than I do!