If the delay in writing this post is any indication, summer has been bananas for us—but in the very best of ways. July highlights were many, including ample pool days with Charlotte and Mac before they went back to school and a very exciting new business we’re launching (more on that below).

I spent eight nights out of town in July in three different states, and I saw so many of my favorite people as a result. It was the best of times.

The Highs

We went to San Francisco for a wedding. It’s odd returning to SVV’s hometown (and my former city) as tourists, but we did just that for four nights over Independence Day. Our friends from Mali, Thailand, Indonesia and DC flew in for the event—though the bride noted that the most exotic locale represented was, of course, Tullahoma—and we had a heck of a weekend celebrating Amanda and Gui.

We also got to see SVV’s brother and our nephew Jack, as well as one of my nearest and dearest, Ryan (#1 fan of this blog), and take him for his first Giants game on the 4th of July game, aka SVV’s birthday.

I wrote about the Natchez Trace Parkway. Readers of this blog know how much time I’ve spent on the Parkway over the past four years, so I loved getting to share my knowledge in this piece for Garden & Gun.

I also wrote about how to experience Knoxville like an adult for Garden & Gun. You know Knoxville is one of the most sacred places on Earth to me, so this article was really special to get to write. And just in time for football season, too!

And I talked about a few of my favorite summer destinations like Knoxville on Local on 2. You can watch the segment here!

My sweet cousins came to visit for nine days. McKayla (15) and Margaret (almost-13) have been spending a week or two with us every summer since they were toddlers, and it’s simply my favorite time of year. They’re the best, and to add to the excitement of this summer’s “Camp Jeje,” McK got her learner’s permit and SVV taught her how to drive!

I went to Louisville with my friend Kelly to see our pal Emily. The purpose of the trip was Beyonce’s Renaissance tour—and what a concert it was!—but we also had a pretty epic 48 hours of exploring Louisville, a city I love but haven’t visited in a solid six years prior to this trip.

We got a new cat! I mean, sort of. Yard Cat as we long called him showed up sometime in early summer and started hanging around the porch with our other felines. When he had a consistent schedule, we trapped, neutered and vaccinated him, thinking he’d be too traumatized to return after that. But nope, he now lives in the yard permanently. Meet William. And yes, that’s four cats in four years (plus our OG girl Ella) for those keeping track at home.

We are opening a new business! Long-time readers of the blog know that we dabble in investment properties, and after selling one commercial building last year, we bought another at the beginning of this year. We thought it was going to be a medical office rental, but—plot twist—we decided to create a coworking space in Tullahoma instead. As I write this post, we’re hoping to soft-launch in the next week or two.

The Challenges

I don’t have too much to complain about lately, other than some minor travel woes—the airlines suck more than usual these days, am I right? I’ve spent no fewer than 10 hours on the phone with British Airways the past few months for flights they’ve canceled—and a local city government determined to burn my hometown to the ground, all of which seems quite trivial in comparison to what’s happening in the world (fires, shootings, hurricanes, coups).

My Favorites of the Month

Favorite book: Happy Place by Emily Henry

Favorite audiobook: Beartown by Fredrick Backman

Favorite podcast: Books, Beach, & Beyond by Elin Hilderbrand

Favorite TV show: The Righteous Gemstones (season 3) on HBO Max

What were your favorite memories from summer? You can read all my past month highlights here.