Back at work, after a long break. Had two very nice weeks off. Spent time here, at the lake and spent time in Rhode Island, in the Ocean State. Saw a LOT of people I'm related to. There were, apparently 40 people at camp the day of our annual meeting. 20 people staying at camp for a few days, then 17 for a few more days. Then we left. I drove to Rhode Island, back to the Adirondacks, to Burlington three times, back to Rhode Island, then home. I got to be with my sister for 2 solid weeks with pretty much enough time apart. I got to see my nieces, and got to spend days and days with my sister's daughter. I NEVER get to see her and I really enjoy being with her so I loved that. She is great. Jenica and I had our standard let's-be-librarians-together time, but we got to have Drew too, which made it even more fun. We all sat on the dock a whole lot, and stood in the water to read as well, since we had day after day of broiling hot weather. That weather, however, was nothing compared to what happened when we got to RI. It was in the 90's and terribly humid when we returned there on Thursday. Too hot to swim in the ocean, I think.

Anyway, it all made me happy to be part of my family, and it all made me think of my brother and miss him very much. I am thankful to have the family I have left and I love them very much. I did not go to the cemetery but my sister took a lot of digital pictures of his grave, other graves, my mother planting flowers, etc., so I feel very connected to it all and that makes me feel good. It made me feel sad to think of going there so I didn't want to go. Next year I will be stronger and will plant flowers on my brother's grave. This year I could not.

It was raining when I got home, and I was happy to see that but I feel really bad that there is no rain in Rhode Island. They are in desperate need of rain and I hate to see that. Drought is something that really frightens me. It was in the 60's last night, very cool and comfortable. Only in the 70's today here--what I consider to be NORMAL temperatures. Very pleasant.

I wrote my first review for Library Journal today and emailed it to them. I reviewed the book The Storm Gourmet: a guide to creating extraordinary meals without electricity. It's a good book, except it's clearly written for hurricane victims: at one point the author instructs the reader to pick up the tropical fruit that's fallen in the neighbor's yard. Lots of mangos and avocados in the recipes, but some useful stuff as well.

I also sorted through 348 emails, most of them spam and online newspapers. I read plots of the last 2 episodes of Six Feet Under, since I found out last night when I watched it that one of the main characters had died while I was gone. Only one more episode left in the whole show. Didn't realize I'd been watching it for 5 years.

Got my med. situation straightened out with my doctor. He'll give me samples to tide me over until my prescription can be filled on 9/9. Guess the pharmacy shorted me the whole bunch of pills I needed between now and then--2.5 pills a day. Disconcerting.

The day has been pretty quiet, all in all. Internet was down for most of the morning so I sorted through my paper work--journals, notices, bills that have come in while I was out. Read my review book. Contemplated my August schedule. Tomorrow I can start cataloging again and can put together a massive book order, since I'm way behind with that.

I looked at a bunch of pictures from Colorado--we've all posted our pictures on the same site, accessing our images via our own emails and passwords. I ordered some prints of other peoples' pictures, some nice group shots. They were pretty cheap, about 12 cents each.

And now I'll start reading book reviews. yawn.