Mark at the beach.  I had a really nice trip to RI, with lots of beach time and plenty of visiting.  We went to the town beach but Mark has decided that Moonstone beach is the best.  He may be right--when we went there on Monday there were 2 other people there.  The water was wonderful, it was sunny and warm.  Really wonderful.  I had nice visits with my mother (who LIKES these dogs...) and she is just fine

Joe Pye Weed at the beach.  My father had a real thing for Joe Pye Weed.  Why?  I've never figured that out, it's pretty enough and nice to see but there are more spectacular wildflowers.   Anyway, my family is closely tied to Joe Pye Weed.  Mark even has it around the pond in my mother's yard.

And this is Gwen, Jenica's daughter.  She's a cutie, all right.  Now a toddler and more interested in what's happening in her world.  She liked the water at Silver Lake, which certainly pleased her mother and reassured me.  She has Jenica's dimples and our diastima (space between our front teeth--both Jenica and I have "cured" that).  A nice little girl.  Jenica and her college roommate were here for the weekend and I got to spend some really nice time with them.

Then my cousin Rob & his wife Betsy (yes, another one) were here and I had some really nice time with them.  We went paddling around the lake on a beautiful morning when the lake was glassy and you could see the bottom.  Wow it was magic.  They love my dogs, which makes both me and the dogs happy.

The pace of summer life is sort of settling down but there are people here to see, and more coming soon.  I had lunch with 2 different friends this week, nice to see both of them.  Dogs are doing well except for poor Tess who is suffering from her ragweed allergy.  "Oh, I itch, I itch so much."  I'm going to try spraying her with cider vinegar, based on different things I read.  I tried soaking her with watered-down vinegar today but all she did was lick it off.  OK, tomorrow she gets full strength.

Tomorrow I'm having coffee with friends, then at night am picking up Rush at the airport (probably).  Linda is having a campfire with friends.  I hope to see the Neels before they leave on Saturday.  Next week I have a hair appointment (which I thought was this week, until I took a closer look at the calendar).  Duncan and Sue come (can it be September already???).  I have to pick a date for my contribution to Sunday dinner.  Sunday night I host book group at the boat house, which will be very nice.  I read a wonderful book while in RI, The 100-year-old-man who climbed through the window and disappeared.  It was grand, I loved it.  Now I'm reading an old Nancy Thayer book but boy the print is small!

Weather has been good, still warm especially for August and the lake is very warm.  We could use a little rain.  I mowed some of the lawn--finally got my mower back from being repaired for 3 weeks.  Wow the lawn was long.  I tried to hit the ragweed to help Tess but didn't get it all, I'm sure.  She'll let me know when I do.

Summer can't be ending.  It's just too soon.