Summer in the City

Can you believe this summer?! Hot, baby, hot! Reminds me of the Watson's ad that says, It's hot, you need a pool. Of course if you don't know the Watson's girl and haven't seen it, you can't enjoy it's full meaning. But nonetheless, it is HOT. The humidity is overwhelming. Let's hope it cools off as the summer goes, because August in Memphis can be a killer, literally. Well, you know I'm old when I start off with the weather!

Life continues to be busy--we have had such a hard time of it. Our townhome in Nashville was flooded during the May 2 flood there. It's been a struggle to say the least. We had sold it but had not closed yet, so of course, the buyer backed out of the sale. We did not qualify for any aid of insurance, so we are doubly stressed. Fortunately, we had great help with the cleanup, drying out, and gutting and best of all, we hired our friend's son who has just started his own contractor's business and he is on target with the renovations. Merrill Construction Group of Nashville rocks. I highly recommend them.

We are expecting a great July---spending the fourth at our hometown with parents, the next weekend in Destin (oil or not) for husband to give a talk to a medical assn., the third weekend at the Bone-Frazer Family Reunion at Pennyrile State Park in KY, and the last weekend in July getting things reorganized in Nashville.

During the week we will be here in Memphis trying to catch up.

But, we are really looking forward to our vacation in September at Eagle Nest, NM in northern NM near Taos. Rejuvenation for me, fishing for husband.

NOW, to reading and knitting! I was thrilled to go to Stitches South in Atlanta in April. Took 18 hours of classes--loved them all, but most of all loved the Market and a chance to get some new yarns and plan new projects. The most fun will be the jacket from Jane Slicer-Smith's book. More on that when I actually start it this fall.

I fell in love with a knitting booklet--The Fine Line and have made one "practice" shawl called The Volt out of KnitPicks lace yarn but plan to knit it with Isager wool and then to knit The Dawn out of another Isager colorway. Right now I'm finishing some simple already started things to get some FO's. I've knitted some socks out of Berroco Sox that I bought at Stitches and a scarf from Morehouse that daughter gave me for Christmas. I finished a sweater in the spring and am working now on another Morehouse wool shawl and scarf. And of course, socks, always socks!

Reading---recently I've finished A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick, House Rules by Jodi Picoult, and Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom--all very good. Loving my Kindle, I have two pages of books downloaded for the summer.

It's been a spring of sad news about the oil spill, the economy, and the flooding both here and in Nashville--did I say my new car flooded here in Memphis a day before our townhouse flooded in Nashville--OUCH! But through all that we persevere and know there are always reasons to laugh and love.

A special enjoyment has been the grand opening of the LeBonheur Children's Hospital here in Memphis, where husband works. It is a beautiful, massive place and will be a special place for the children of TN, AK, and MS.

Looking forward to our family reunion and seeing all my many, many cousins and having my children there--reason to celebrate, too.

Keep knitting and reading and enjoying family. That's the way it is, here in Memphis in June.

And as a good friend always says, Peace out.