Happy Labor Day Weekend! This week leading up to the final summer holiday has definitely been a doozy. Like everyone, I’ve been glued to the news for updates on the flooding and devastation wrought by Harvey; and here in LA we set heat records with temps soaring above 100 degrees for several days in a row. Last night as we stood in our yard and looked at the ridge line only miles from our house, we could see the flames from a wildfire that started burning on Thursday and has since grown to become the largest in LA’s history. Sometimes it feels like so much is coming at us from so many different directions, I can’t even wrap my mind around it all. But we do what we can, take it a day at a time, count our blessings and—most importantly—share those blessings with others. So here’s some things to be grateful for this week:
- If you’re looking for opportunities to support victims of Harvey, the New York Times had a great list of ways to support after Harvey, and Kate from Wit & Delight also assembled a roster of under-the-radar relief organizations that are in need of donations.
- I’m always especially touched by stories of animal rescues during times of disaster. So many pets were lost or abandoned in the wake of Katrina, and it warms my heart to learn that many agencies are doing their best to ensure the same doesn’t happen in Texas. I myself donated to the Houston SPCA—every little bit helps!
- Food, water, and shelter are always first on the radar during a disaster, but one essential that often gets overlooked is menstrual products for women. Here are some ways you can get involved with providing essential hygienic care for women displaced by Harvey.
- An update on things chez moi: Our kitchen renovation continues apace! Cabinets and floor tile are going in this week, and all of it’s being done while we’re away in Toronto visiting my parents. So excited to return and have a big chunk of the work awaiting our appraisal!
- En route home from Toronto, I’ll be taking a detour to Seattle to speak at the Create & Cultivate conference there. Writer and producer Issa Rae is a keynote speaker, and I’m definitely planning to embarrass myself fangirl-style if I run into her backstage!
Okay, I’m off to enjoy a bike ride along Lake Ontario with my family. Have a wonderful last unofficial day of Summer, everyone!