Almost August

Hard to believe we're saying goodbye to July but tomorrow will be August, wow.  I'm having a good summer, maybe a little too busy but full of people I enjoy being with and things I enjoy doing.  My friends from DC were here for a while and we walked every morning--Bear felt that's the way life should be lived, Treasure was less interested in a daily walk but she went along.

I slept in the boat house earlier this week and it was very hot so I slept poorly--VERY poorly.  Finally got up at 5:30 and came home.  Yes, it's nice to be there but it sure is more fun when my sister is there with me.  Lately I've been spending a couple of hours on the porch there, relaxing in the cool breeze, reading and doing crosswords.  I did have friends come for dinner the night before they left for home in Minn., that was nice.  Yesterday I drove them to the airport in Burlington and treated myself to a trip to Trader Joe's on my way home.  Oh my I can always find things to buy there!  There was a big storm on my way to the ferry but the ticket seller said they got nothing like that at the ferry landing.  That was a relief, I envisioned a bouncy, wet ride on the boat.

I made my plane reservations for my September trip to the Homeland, maybe I already posted that.  Anyway I'll fly to Minneapolis on Sunday, Sept. 8 and will return on Saturday the 15th.  Meanwhile I board the dogs for a long time, will drop them off on Saturday and pick them up on Sunday.  They'll be fine, this is the kennel they always stay at but it's been a long time since I've boarded them.  I don't worry about them, I just feel bad that they're not sleeping on my bed every night.  And it's expensive.  Oh well.

I'm watching a Cream concert, their last concert I think, a reunion from 2005.  They all look and sound wonderful.  Man that Ginger Baker can tap the drums! 

What will August bring?   My trip to RI next weekend, a nice visit with my mother.  Some friends' birthdays.  I don't have anything big planned for the month, my calendar looks forlorn and empty.  Friday I take my car to the dealer in Plattsburgh, hoping they'll replace the front brakes under warranty (car now has 35,400 miles on it).  Saturday night is dinner with friends, Sunday is a shoreowners' association social at the bar/restaurant at the foot of the lake.  Those evenings are nice, it's good to see everyone.

Work has been fine but a little dull--we're not scanning the most interesting images lately, and many are repetitive.  Ice storm.  Forest fire.  Where are the photos from the early 1900's?  Those are the most fun to do.  Well hell maybe we've done them.  We've scanned 5000 of the 6000 in the collection.  More projects are coming up so we have job security for the rest of our lives I think.

I still haven't returned to the thrift store.  Do I feel guilty?  Slightly but mostly I'm enjoying the time not spent there.  Today I have no obligations and have paid bills, done laundry, done dishes and will soon go to camp to collect more dirty dishes and a huge number of beer bottles I promised to make disappear.  Cousins galore arrive tomorrow, will stay until Tuesday I think.  These are the "youngsters," in their 20's or so, the newest generation.  Good to have them interested in using camp.

I may go for a swim with a friend this afternoon, if it doesn't rain.  I do need to take stuff to the dump (always) so may take a run there too.  or instead.  or not.

Hey, where did she go?

OK, so it's been a month--a very busy month.  My sister arrived in Montreal on June 22, I met her at the airport and we spent 3 1/2 weeks together.  It was a wonderful, wonderful time.  We were here for a couple of days then went to my mother's in RI for 9 days.  That, too was wonderful.  We had some of the best beaching we've ever had there, bright sunshine with clear clear ocean water and small surf that was easy to get through.  My mother is fine and was happy to have her daughters visit so it was all good.  We came back here and spent the rest of our time at the boat house with a few nights here at my house.  I got to see my great-niece quite a bit and that was a treat, she is a very nice and special young person.  I saw both of my nieces--my sister's daughter was in RI for a conference and it was a rare treat to spend days with her plus she had a good visit with my mother.  That meant a lot to both of them.

Now I'm home and almost settled into my summer fervor of a life.  I went back to work last week, scanned more images and dealt with an application for an archival assessment project.  I haven't been back to the thrift store in more than a month, oh dear will they recognize me?  Yes they will but they've been well-staffed I hear.  I don't enjoy being there in the summer as much, it's too busy and gets hot and hectic.

Many summer friends are here and around, I've visited with a few of them but haven't spent as much time socializing as I usually do.  That's OK, it's still July, but oh my! it's nearly August! 

I had to have my water heater replaced (and trained myself to call it a "water heater" instead of a "hot water heater"--what other kind of water heater would one have?).  That was high drama after it leaked half an inch of water in the laundry room and hallway.

I need to take my mower to be fixed, it's missing a vital part that holds the top on the engine and when I try mowing with it it sprays oil all over the place.

I took my car in for its almost-final-under-warranty work.  It's fine.

The dogs are well but Bear has a lump I need to have the vet look at (OK, not look at, but rather feel and palpate).

I had my wood for next winter delivered, only bought 4 cords this year because I still have 2 cords left from last year.  I used to burn 8 cords a winter but now it's more like 6 cords.  I love my stove.

Life is good.  Weather is not.  It's been hot here but I can't really complain because hot is a relative term and I live in the woods and near a lake so I have access to cooler places.