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.