I haven’t done a Top Ten Tuesday in a long time. But, seeing as this is the last Tuesday of August and I’ve had a pretty wonderful summer, I thought it time to share my favorite things of Summer 2016. It started out where I was a little stressed, a little restless, and a lot sick of cold, but it’s turned out to be a summer where I’ve truly felt loved and blessed. So here ya go.
Top 10 Favorite Things of Summer 2016:
1. Fourth of July. This is always my favorite holiday, spent with my crazy family at my aunt and uncle’s cottage. This year’s theme for the boat parade was “Anything Goes,” and since my uncle is the Loon Ranger for their lake, this happened. Oh, and one of the flags fell off the back when my aunt wasn’t paying attention, my cousin-in-law started playing “Taps” on his phone as it sank, and I jumped overboard to pluck it from the mucky bottom of the lake. Pretty standard times.
2. This little girl entered our lives! My parents used to raise Weimaraners when I was a kid, but we’d been without one in the family for far too long. Ghost is probably going to be a bit spoiled as a result.
3. My bridal shower. I hate being the center of attention, but that wasn’t a problem considering we had 19 kids staying. My mom’s side of the family hadn’t all been together in like 3 years, so I was happy to be the excuse.
4. I’ve read a lot of amazing books from fellow authors. I also beta read more than I usually do (meaning I read an advanced copy of a book an author is preparing to release into the world), which was a great opportunity. You can see some of these books I’ve read here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/16027170?sort=date_read&view=reviews
5. I moved to a super cool apartment that is slowly but surely getting filled so it’s less echo-y in here.
6. The Fiance and I celebrating knowing each other for 2 years. Honestly the first thing to remind us was Facebook. He was training for an upcoming Ironman all day, I was working, I went to McDonald’s to get us dinner… It was “special” but worth noting.
7. My bridal crew helped me pick out a wedding dress. Now, I’ve had a deal with my mom since I was 7 years old that I would elope. However, since the diva groom wants a wedding, that means I had to find a dress. I didn’t cry when finding the dress, but it meant more to me that these people were there. (Our little Dutch souls did cry at the great deal I got, though.)
8. Reviews from authors I respect. I’ve been slacking on the whole “book promotions” thing, but it’s been wonderful to have occasional kind words come in about my books. It especially means a lot to me when other authors whose work I LOVE have something nice to say. Here’s one:
9. The Haymarsh Benefit Shoot. For almost 2 decades, our family’s hunt club has hosted a benefit shoot for a local facility that helps families with their needs. It’s always a time I use to catch up with my many adopted-uncle-types. It’s also a time when my dad, my brother, and I frantically prep to get things ready. This year was no different, and it’s nice some things never change.
10. I found a quiet peace of heaven. Our apartment doesn’t have a balcony, but there’s this weird private courtyard down the hall that leads to open sun, open air, and astroturf. It’s the quietest place you can imagine while living downtown, and it’s great for relaxing and unwinding…which means reading.
Sunshine Somerville 
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