And I'm Back!

Hello and happy August, dear readers! Thanks for bearing with me while I got my health sorted out. Here's what's been going on with me the last six weeks or so.

Health

The surgery went very well and I was up and about the next day and back at work the next week. For the first week or so, my abdomen was sore—almost like I'd done too many stomach crunches—but the prescription meds took the edge off the pain and swelling. I've also been listening to my body and its need to heal, working shorter days or staying home when I'm too tired instead of pushing myself. My post-op check-in is in a couple days, after which I'm expecting the all-clear to return to a normal schedule and Bar Method.

The down side is that the doctors officially confirmed I have endometriosis. At this point I don't know whether this means I'll need more surgery or a treatment plan, or whether this might throw a wrench in our plans to start a family. But I'm going to try to focus on the positives: I have a diagnosis and my doctors are taking it seriously; Canada's universal healthcare system ensured I could get the surgery and care I need without worrying about my finances; and every day that I feel good and happy and healthy is a good one.

Life

Other than post-surgery recovery, my summer has been really enjoyable so far. Normally a big chunk of the weekend is devoted to photographing products and writing new posts, but without the blog looming over my head I was free to fully slip into the lazy rhythms of long summer days. Think evening walks for ice cream, date nights, rereading favourite books, fresh Caprese salads with basil from our herb garden, and taking a nap whenever I felt like it. I've also been making coffee and dinner dates and reconnecting with old friends I haven't seen in ages, which has been so much fun. Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project and Happier podcast fame calls this "reviving a dormant friendship" and it's been like a healing balm for the soul. Otherwise my social calendar has been pretty quiet, with the major highlights of the summer so far being an intimate cruise with the BeautyMark crew and seeing Much Ado About Nothing at Bard on the Beach. (Highly recommend!)

The other big news: we've finally booked our honeymoon! Two weeks in Italy this September and going to Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Rome. At first planning this trip seemed like a big drag and just another thing on the to-do list, but now that we've booked flights, accommodation, and trains I'm getting more and more psyched. This year hasn't always been the easiest and I'm realizing now how long it's been since we've taken a major vacation together.

Blog

We still have at least a month of summer left, and to that end, I'm going to be covering some product faves that are going to carry you through from now until fall, including some new launches and transitional gems. My health diagnosis has also reaffirmed my commitment to a cleaner, greener, more natural beauty routine. While I may play fast and loose with colour cosmetics and anything that gets rinsed off down the drain (like cleansers, shampoos, and conditioners), I'll also be featuring more natural skin and body care picks going forward.