Got a lot more done than I expected, considering how late I was with last month's report. That is, as long as I focus on what I completed, rather than what I didn't. Which is exactly as it should be.

The balance I try to maintain, between doing things and writing about doing things, has swung too far in the doing direction. Sure, there are good reasons, like wanting to get the new theme for this site up and running before Friday, but I've got so many little notes scribbled that really wouldn't take much more than half an hour if I put my mind to it in the moment. Onward

Oh boy, am I on top of my game, or what?

It has been an absolutely delightful month. There was some hot weather, and some wonderful thunderstorms. The neighbourhood was empty, which pushed us to discover some nice new (to us) places for morning coffee. They won't replace our bar, but it was fun to be somewhere new. The terrace was blooming wonderful.

Life has been good.

Not at all unhappy that this report covers two months. June and July we enjoyed a lot of travelling, some of it the very time when I might have been writing a monthly report, so. Travels to Ischia, Wales and Puglia, each of them wonderful in its own way.

One definite discovery, which I sort of knew but hadn't really thought much about. When I'm away on holiday, I sometimes have to do a bit of work. If I set aside a couple of quiet hours early in the morning, I can get as much done then as I can in almost a day at home. Knowing that in a couple of hours I will have to be ready to go to the beach, or sightseeing, or shopping for that day's dinner, prevents me from prevaricating like nothing else.

I began this monthly report on the first of the month, full of good intentions and excuses. That it took another five days is proof the excuses are real.

"Excuse" always seems to carry such a freight of negativity. They're not reasons for failing to accomplish what you set out to do. They just excuse you, and that's just beating yourself up. Myself. So, no more excuses. Reasons!

Onwards.