August Bleah...& visitors on the way

I wish I had something nice to say about August..it's not February???? That's about it. It is the much-mentioned hazy, hot, and humid. For those of us who wear glasses, this is the day that you can't see when you go out because the glasses are so fogged that you have to grope around without them until they adjust to whichever extreme they are currently not allowing you to see in. I could bitch and moan a bunch but what's the point.

Today, after my glasses allowed me to see, I did some errands that I could not put off. Pharmacy, grocery, post office, Pick up mail at Food Pantry. I'm now having a large glass of cool water and a chef salad and trying to get my energy up to clear away the funk around the house. My brother Pete, his wife Dawn, and my adorable niece Alicia are coming to visit this weekend. They are going to a high school reunion and Alicia is hanging with me on Saturday. They will leave Sunday morning to return to their house in Pennsylvania. We usually go to Borders to see what I can get for Alicia. Last time she wanted to read Great Expectations and I bought her a copy of Jane Eyre as well. She's a good reader and it was fun to direct her to something that might hold her interest(she loved it)in the way of literature. Alicia is a very talented pianist. She went to visit relatives in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and came home with cat collars for her 3 cats. The button-down looking collars have little neckties attached to them-very funny.

Not a lot going on besides the clean-up crew and trying to stay as cool as possible. I really feel bad for my son James today. He is working in this heat without benefit of air cond. These, however, are the days that I hope solidify in his mind the need to get another job in which he can better use the college education that he just got. If a day like today doesn't convince him-I don't know what will. We are thrilled that he got a job but both agree that it isn't a job we want him to have for long. First, it comes with no medical insurance since it is a very small place. He is learning a lot but God forbid, he gets hurt somehow. Right now we are still carrying him under COBRA which costs around $500.00 a month. I hear an audible groan coming from Roger when he has to write out that check. James is looking for his own insurance but since he is 23 and feels invincible, in that youthful abandon way, he doesn't think he needs to worry. We try to explain that it doesn't matter if he thinks he needs it or not. If something happens without insurance, we will not stand by and watch him bleed without assuming said bill. Ah Youth! and OH Stupidity!!!! We didn't have medical insurance when we were his age but them times were simpler and you didn't loose your shirt over an illness back then either.

So anyway, that's the scoop from Deeville. I hope you are staying cool and happy.....and well.

Monday....again! Oink

We all fell off of the diet wagon this weekend but it really started on Thursday night when Pam made "Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding" for the Thursday night quilt group. Wow! Then we had Lobster rolls and corn on the cob Saturday. Then BIL Bob picked up littleneck clams to steam when he got the lobster so we had them as an appetizer(???, cause you really need something to make the lobster go down better, RIGHT?) Then, last night we had beer-can chicken,homemade macaroni salad, corn on the cob, and a veritable food-induced coma followed. It was a lovely weekend and now I need to not eat a thing for about 6 days.

I want to thank all of you who commented on the last entry regarding the tone of some comments and censorship. It hasn't happened to me but I'm sure it will in time. A few of my close blog friends have had very unpleasant experiences and it just made me wonder at the venom in some of the remarks. Thanks for all the nice things you had to say.

Speaking of nice things and people-if you have the chance and a few moments, stop by my friend Sarah Ann Smith's blog, Art & Quilting in Camden and have a little looksee at the show she is participating in at the Camden, Maine, Public Library through the month. Sarah and her friends are The Frayed Edges, a group of artist-quilters who have been getting together for a number of years to compare, critique and share there wonderful talents. Deborah Boschert of Deborah's Journal is another member who has moved to Texas but remains an active and productive member of the group from afar. All of the women do wonderful work and there is much to be admired. Sarah Ann has a link to all the members on her blog. I wish our trip to Maine was sooner but by the time we will be there in late Sept. their show will be history. The group also had some work shown in Quilting Arts Magazine last year. This is what I talk about when I say how nice it would be to have a group of like-minded women to bond with over this type of artwork.

Other than hauling laundry and waddling around doing some housework, I don't think much will get done today in the way of anything quilty. It's still very warm and humid but then that's the lethargy that is August here. I wish I felt more like exercise but I have to be honest-it's the last thing on my list right now. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Have a great day!