Hi friends.

I know, I missed a week. I’d like to say I have a list of worthy excuses, but I don’t really. I’m going to chalk it up to that mid-challenge slump and look ahead to a new month of kicking some serious bucket-list booty.

This week, I had my second skateboarding lesson! I have been putting these off for a variety of dumb reasons, mostly involving footwear. In these photos, I’m wearing my flimsy (but cute!) old sneakers, but right after this lesson I purchased a new pair of neon yellow Converse low-tops, so from this day forward I’ll be skating in style.

I’ve finally started to push and roll around on my own — which means without holding Eliot’s hands or t-shirt. It’s still surprisingly hard to not fall down. I thought it would feel more natural (probably because I watch the tiny tots skate around like it’s no big thing all morning…) but I constantly feel like I’m going to topple to one side. Here I am pushing (slowly) around the park:

It may look like I’m standing still, but I’m moving. I swear.

At one point, I got cut off by a seven-year-old, zooming over the concrete hills and making me look like a pansy. I may have accidentally swore in his general direction. Here I am trying to laugh it off:

(The helmet’s a good look, don’t you think?)

You may also be worrying about Evie during these “lessons.” Is she just wandering around by her lonesome? Sometimes, but usually she’s stalking her dream boyfriend, Austin (a junior counselor at camp.) She likes to pick out extra-special twigs and rocks and offer them to him all morning long, and he keeps them safe in his pocket. Here they are having a chat:

Young love. Can’t beat it.

In other challenge news, I’ve been making some good progress on a short play I’m writing (#4). It’s only a 10-pager, but it feels good to be writing straight dialogue again.  Next week, I’m finally going to take a dance class (#7) and next weekend, my three best college friends and their partners/kids are coming for an impromptu reunion (#9)!

Elsewhere, I got some exciting news from the publicity crew at FSG. The final final Tumble & Fall hardcovers are in, and I cannot WAIT to hold one! Here’s the pic I saw on twitter. So shiny!!!

Here’s to a busy next week in Challenge land. I’m hoping my new kicks will help.

Happy weekend!

xoxo

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