Sunny day – yahoo!

Tuesday we did spend the afternoon shopping – scored some good deals on binders for the girls for school, at good will. Got C a few things she loved there, but nothing for B. Sigh. I hate that clothes are not made to fit real bodies. Or they are ugly.

Yesterday was spent at Craig Pond – almost no one there, the water was crystal clear. It was one of those gorgeous days with the big puffy clouds that might shower on you, (and they did) with bright sun in between. Both girls spent the afternoon in the pond, catching tad poles, newts and really disgusting creatures I prefer not to think about when swimming. Needless to say, I floated on a raft reading a book, then stayed on dry land reading a book while they wore themselves out.

Today is a BIG BIRTHDAY! We are celebrating it by hanging at home getting things done that need doing, then heading over to their dad’s house tonight for cake and ice cream. Then they will stay there for the weekend, and I will do my normal Friday things.

C and I went for a short bike ride this morning while B hung at home enjoying peaceful time. It was hot, so we didn’t go far. But A and I are planning a longer bike ride on Saturday, maybe with L in the Bangor City Forest.

Meanwhile I found some quiet crafting time to start planning my Christmas cards. I think that I have an idea for one that I can make that will be easy to put together, but that I can use different papers and things for so each one will be unique. but I can’t post a picture of them here, because then you will know what you are getting. I would hate to spoil the surprise! 🙂 Also have done a little knitting – finished the front and back of my St Andrews by the Sea/ Adrienne Vittadini sweater, and am casting on for the sleeves today. I think it is going to be beautiful, I just hope it will fit like I plan.

meanwhile… here are those photos I promised of the bride and groom. I can’t believe I didn’t get a full front shot of the bride… oh well, trust me, her skirt matched her top and fit beautifully!

M and B after the ceremony

B in his new tie... so it's a little short, he's a good sport!

M and B during the ceremony

on vacation for more than TWO weeks!

It’s only been 4 days, but it has been FULL! Drove round trip to CT on Friday to get the girls – it was HOT, and long. Seems like everyone in Massachusetts was on 495. We finally got off and took back roads through NH and got back on the highway in Gray – peaceful sailing after that. But it was 16 hour day for me, in that hideous heat – I was wiped out. Thank Goodness for the AC and GPS!

Needless to say, Saturday we spent chilling, getting settled, swimming in the pool. And I of course was finishing the ties. I didn’t get to the bow tie, but I did finish the regular one and the ascot. B was impressed. 🙂

Sunday was the big wedding, and it was great – the air totally changed, it was much cooler and drier, and just gorgeous. The outfit fit and looked fabulous, and B actually wore a tie from his new selection for part of the ceremony! I’ll get my pictures here later. (yes, I am lazy, the camera is downstairs and I am not.) C and N did a great job with the music, and little E helped everyone – musicians, minister, photographers. She did not sit still for more than a moment. She did hold the bouquet at one point, but didn’t stick around to give it back. Luckily her dad had saved it.

It was great to have most of the family there, and to get to know B’s kids and grandkids a little bit more.

Nieces B and C and I stayed over night, slept in the RV, which was fun, and had breakfast with the bride and groom and my new brother before heading home to spend the afternoon with A.

Today is rainy, so we will have a quiet morning at home, then head to Ellsworth for some school and Grasshopper shopping. The girls always look forward to that!

The grownups are now in negotiations with the teenagers about getting together for a sleep over. the teenagers prefer to do it next week when no parents will be there. The grownups are thinking it would be better done a different way. D is talking to N to see if tomorrow night will work instead of a night next week. I haven’t broken the news to the teens on my end of the phone yet, but I will when they wake up for lunch. 🙂

Now that was HOT

Yesterday was the kind of summer day I don’t normally appreciate. Too hot. Too humid. The Maine AC (ie fresh cool breeze off the water) was not working. Ugh.

But yesterday I went on a road trip down to York Beach. Never been there before, it’s a pretty busy place! Visited with an old friend for a few hours, and that was very special to see her and her family. Swam in the ocean for longer than I ever have in Maine – the water was chilly enough that we took our time getting in, but it was fabulous, given the temperature out of the water! Felt good to be in salt water again, after pools and lakes for the last few years. It has to be really hot for me to go into the Atlantic Ocean these days. Is it because I am old and getting wimpy? Lordy, I hope not! It’s definitely partly because A doesn’t like swimming, and she sure doesn’t ike swimming in salt water. If I can get her into a lake once a year, it is amazing. I bet if I had been home, yesterday would have been that day. But I wasn’t so she stayed home and catered to the cat and cleaned the house. Can you believe THAT? Vacuuming and mopping would NOT have happened if I was left home alone yesterday.

Anyway, it was a long hot day, and a short not very cool night, and here it is Monday morning again. What’s the great thing about Monday?

Why, it’s that I get to go to work on another sticky hot humid day and sit in blessed real AC, where the temp stays relatively cool (if we shut the blinds when the sun comes around) and it is definitely dry.

I do love summer… except when it is too HOT. I am so lucky to live here where we maybe get three or four days like this all summer. I know that before too long, this will break and we will need those blankets at night again. Like we did last week. 🙂

Saturday, but no park!

Another beautiful day, weather-wise… although the humidity is creeping up there. A and I did the usual Saturday chores, since I goofed off on Friday. Dump, grocery store, dishes… then I got into my swim suit and cleaned the pool. Great day for that chore! We watched some TV, I figured out that I can read a book on a float in the pool without drowning or soaking the book. So I was cool most of the day. We went for a short bike ride after the sun headed down. My gears are working just fine now. I love my bike! I still hate hills, however. There aren’t enough gears to make them fun for me. Going down them makes them fun for me.

I ironed Mom’s outfit – it is already for the big day! It looks really nice, I am so glad! Always nervous though, until she puts it on and walks down the aisle. I did not do any other sewing today. I did some knitting while we watched some of our DVR’d shows. Almost done with the back of the sweater – then it is just the sleeves to go! It is moving along. Nice to be working with a mid-range weight and good sized needles for a change. That lace shawl that I have hidden in a project bag is too alarming, on those number 2 needles. BUt I should finish it. It’s been over a year in process now…

Have to make a few cards this week, and get organized for my visitors. While I am not looking forward to a same day round trip to CT, I am anxiously awaiting their arrival. I hope they have as much fun visiting me as I have having them here!

Tomorrow I go to York Beach to see an old college friend who is visiting from CA. I think I haven’t seen her in about 15 years. That will be fun, although the drive won’t be. One forgets how big the state of ME is until one has to drive to the very edge to do something fun! Tomorrow is supposed to be hideously hot, so I hope we get into the ocean. Either way, I know we will get all caught up on what has been going on with each other. Better than just our christmas cards and occasional emails.

Need another swim before bed… missed the before dark part, but I think I can find my way to and from the pool.

ides of July

Was this a gorgeous day or WHAT??? I went to the Stonington Farmers market, which is the biggest market around here. Not strictly farmers, lots of crafters as well, but a vibrant fun place. Got some goat cheese and chocolate, what else is there in life? Had lunch on the deck at Seasons, tide was high, island was blooming, it was truly an incredible day.

Came home and picked raspberries in the front yard – got about a pint, plus the last of the strawberries and the first of the blueberries. There is something to be said for living on the edge of the woods with no real yard. All kinds of wild berries to be had.

Then I made up two guest beds – the girls arrive on Friday – I can’t wait. Got their rooms all cleaned and ready for them. Just have to add flowers Thursday night so they are ready for them when they arrive. I wonder what will be available for flowers by then? Queen Anne’s lace looks like it might be opened enough by then. And there are some Black-eyed Susans just coming. I LOVE SUMMER!!!

Just have time for a quick dip in the pool before bed… and before dark.

long week

for a short week, it’s been a long one! I found a repairman who would fix my sewing machine, and took the machine up there Tuesday night. Mom brought hers over on Wednesday, so I was back in business – worked on the dress late that night and Thursday night, but got the machine work done in time to have a fitting with the bride Friday evening. It fits! It looks nice! I am so happy. All that is left is the hemming. And I’ll have time tomorrow to do that in the car – we are making a flying trip to Boston. 12 hours in the car should give me lots of time for that. We are heading down to attend the funeral of a family friend of A’s. She fought a brave battle against cancer for 5 years, but as so often happens, the cancer won. So we will go off for the day and see lots of friends and A’s family, then make the long drive back here so we can be at work bright and early Monday.

But 12 hours in the car means not only time for hemming, but als for knitting. I am making a sweater with that yarn I got in Canada… an old Adrienne Vittadini pattern I have had forever and never made. Hard to imagine I want a turtlenecked wool sweater, but I know it will feel wonderful this winter!

So anyway – Friday, my big day off – A was also off, and we had plans! They involved Bangor, and a doctor’s appointment, and shopping, and then a dash down to Mom’s for the fitting. And a stop in Searsport for our new bikes! We were psyched!

Well, nothing goes as planned. JoAnn did not have the “bow tie kit” called for in the pattern I am using for B’s tie bonanza. A wonderfully helpful young woman helped me figure out an alternative, but I am not convinced…

The pool people were unhelpful except to say they did not have the filter hose I need to replace the one that burst on Sunday. They said I have to get it online. Great, that means shipping waits.

Dick’s did not have ANY basketball backboards for mounting on a garage, can you believe it? So that will also have to be ordered online, unless we can get one at Sears or something…

The book A wanted is not yet out in paperback, so she didn’t get it.

The doctor’s visit went fine. Phew!

Which was good, because the bike store owner, who knows a whole lot about bikes but nothing about customer service principles was not as ready for us as he said he was, so we did not get our bikes last night.

But pizza was good, and as I said earlier, the wedding outfit fit. So the day, long as it was, ended on a good note. Oh, and my sewing machine was all repaired and we picked that up while we were out. We got so many chores done, it was a good day, even though we didn’t have all the luck we wanted.

Today was better – we went back and got the bikes, and came home and did our favorite kind of day – do a chore – read a chapter. And A’s sister L came over, we all went for a bike ride – getting used to the new bikes. Mine needs some adjustments on the gears, but it feels really good – shocks on bike are wonderful! I did have a strange thing happen, after a couple of miles, I didn’t feel well – pulled over and got off the bike, was just sort of standing around resting and got really dizzy. I lay down for a while and it passed. Not sure what that was about, unless it was because I had missed lunch. Anyway, I made it home safely, drank some water, hopped into the pool to cool off, and have been good ever since. I hope it was random, as riding a bike is one of the things I looked forward to so much about losing weight, and we just made this huge investment in the bikes!

So. Now we have a few random things to get ready for the week ahead, since we will be gone all day tomorrow. Not the weekend we planned, but feeling like we are accomplishing lots, doing things we need to do and still had time for a day at home a bike ride and swim in the pool.

But next week, with no holidays or vacation days will feel really long…

strawberry jelly and jam yum yum

A and her sister L are here today making strawberry jam, and for me, who hates the seeds, jelly. They are experimenting with freezer jam, jelly, jam. Then they will move on to raspberry. The raspberries are frozen, but soon we will have them all over the yard, tiny wild ones, so we will make our own jam from our own berries. Our strawberries are delicious, but we only get a few a day, so we can’t make a whole batch of our own jelly. But I notice that the plants love where they are, and are sending shoots out to fill the raised bed they are in. Maybe next year there will be enough for a batch.

Meanwhile, while they are doing that, I was upstairs ruining my sewing machine. Not intentionally. But I hit a pin and now it doesn’t work. A little bit frustrating, since I am in the midst of that wedding outfit. GRRR. Mom will come to the rescue as she always does, and bring her machine over on Wednesday. But I had hoped to have it all done but the hem today. Pretty disgusting, if you ask me. The needle goes up and down, the thing that is supposed to carry it around the bobbin thread goes around, but the thread does not go with it. Clearly, something isn’t right underneath. I’ll fnd a repair man, and hope it isn’t a major issue to fix. Just when I am getting back into sewing, and needing clothes, I break the machine. And honestly, I think I have sewn over about a million pins with this machine, so I am not sure why it chose NOW to break.

Since I couldn’t sew, I went outside and planted the last of my vegetables – not too bad – plant them before the 4th, they will bear fruit before Thanksgiving, right? I put in some spinach, which will hate me for waiting so long, and swiss chard, and carrots and pumpkins and zucchini. It has been such a funny spring that I never had time to get everything in. And things I did get in have just been sitting around not growing. Tomatoes are finally growing, but no sign of blossoms. Peas and beans are up, but that is about it. Lettuce is up and has its first tiny leaves, not interested in growing more. Maybe if the sun would come out and stay out? I can water, but I can’t sun!

Speaking of sun.. .yesterday was just so gorgeous! A and I went to do our regular Saturday errands, made a detour to the bike store in Searsport, just to see what they had, and OF COURSE we bought bikes. They should be ready for us to pick up next weekend, I can’t wait! Haven’t had a good bike in years. And it will be fun to mix up the exercise this summer. Then we came home, and I scooped the bugs out of the pool and went in for my first dip. It was cool, took a minute to get all the way in, but I was cool all night. And I did the one thing I swore I would do this weekend – lay on my new chaise and read my book while I dried off. It was heaven. That is what we are supposed to do in the summer.