The Weekend Edit No. 27
Photos from our 4th of July, the new book I'm bringing to the beach, and PJ's bag everyone can't stop asking about
Happy Fourth of July! What are you up to this weekend? Any fun plans?
We spent the day at PJ’s aunt’s pool, complete with a cookout and homemade ice cream. This is the second or third year she hosts it at her house, and it’s something we always look forward to. She is the sweetest, most hospitable host and always makes sure everyone has everything they need to have a good time.
Our kids absolutely love the water. At the beach, you can’t get them out of the ocean. They’ll entertain themselves for hours in the sand and the waves. At the pool, they’re even more obsessed. I remember being just like that when I was their ages; PJ too.
Today, though, I mostly laid out on a lounge chair for a few minutes before having to hop in the water. It was so damn hot that you couldn’t be out in the heat for more than a couple of minutes at a time. We got to catch up with his aunt and his mom while relaxing in the shallow end.
If I’m being honest, I’m not feeling especially patriotic this year (you, too?), but any excuse to get together with family is a win in my book.
In other news, we’re heading to the beach next week in what will probably be our last beach trip of the summer. We can’t wait! I got a new beach read that has over 286k ratings on Goodreads, so I have high hopes for it. I’m only a little ways into it, but I’m already hooked.
Stay safe tonight, friends, and have a wonderful holiday weekend. We’ll see you on Tuesday.
Also, and this happens pretty much every Weekend Edit- this newsletter is too long for email, so you may want to click through to Substack see the whole thing.
Have a cozy weekend, friends. xoxo
WATCH
The Old Guard 2 (Netflix). We loved The Old Guard when it came out in 2020; part action movie, part immortality drama, and Charlize Theron being Charlize Theron (which is to say: perfect). The story follows a group of centuries-old warriors who secretly protect humanity, healing from fatal wounds and living in the shadows, until a new immortal is discovered and everything starts to unravel. The sequel picks up where the first left off, with more backstory, bigger stakes, and even more emotion behind the fight scenes. If you're in the mood for something fast-paced, a little moody, and surprisingly heartfelt, this is a great weekend pick.
READ
“American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history”. This article stopped me in my tracks. For decades, the U.S. led the way in science and innovation, but that’s shifting fast. Major budget cuts and the closing of key institutions are threatening the future of American science in a way that feels…apocalyptic. The piece compares it to when scientists fled Nazi Germany, and the rest of the world benefited, only now, it’s the U.S. losing its grip. It’s an eye-opening, insider look at what’s happening behind the scenes. Read the whole article here, via BigThink.com.
LISTEN
Episode 759: “Before Things Went to Hell” – This American Life Podcast. This one’s all about the little moments before everything fell apart: the text you almost sent, the dinner you didn’t know would be your last normal one, the feeling you get right before the shift. It’s funny, moving, and quietly heartbreaking in that way only This American Life can pull off. I listened to it on the treadmill and just…kept walking. One of those episodes that stays with you.
Every time we post about PJ’s Away Mini Crossbody bag, we get a million messages asking what it is and where it’s from. It’s a hardshell and the perfect size for his phone, keys, AirPods, and wallet. I have one in red that I am excited to use for upcoming trips!
Oooo, Guillermo del Toro’s new movie Frankenstein looks so good.
PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Loved this interview with Sabrina Carpenter for Rolling Stone’s cover story.
I’m really not feeling like celebrating the Fourth of July this year. It’s a very scary time, and it’s disheartening to see so many people who are supposed to be leaders in our country demonstrating nothing but cowardice and a lack of backbone. Either that, or they’re showing just how despicable they are, and allowing the people who support them to also show that they are equally as despicable. I feel like the country is at the precipice of disaster, and it terrifies me. I don’t at all like feeling this way, and I’m hoping that somehow this gets turned around. Nowhere near certain, but hoping.
Im glad yall have had an amazing fourth filled with lots of family time. On my birthday we celebrated by playing our new favorite game, skipbo. We also celebrated my dads retirement. But most of all we had alot of family time with relatives that drove up from oregon.