The Ugh of Summertime

The way things are going in the country right now, we don't even need a weather report like this, but it's not far off the truth. You know, the kind of weather where you get out of the shower and towel off, only to find that you need to start over. Ugh.

The other day, The Tim said, "Fall will be coming, right?" - and that's when you know it's bad. He's not a fan of summer, but mostly suffers in silence. 

I've been trying to decide what I can work on that won't make me want to pass out or throw up. For once, I'm in the mood to do some of the projects I have around the house that have been on my list for a while, but since we don't have great air-conditioning, it's not really worth even starting. And forget doing stuff outside - I've been forcing myself to go out for my morning walks, but other than that, I stay put inside because it's the kind of weather that actually makes me physically ill.

So there has been more reading than usual, as well as knitting. But I've also been really conscientious about balancing the checkbook (which if you know me, says how desperate I am), and organizing the linen closet. I think I'm wearing out the towels and sheets I've been fooling with them so much!

Anyway, I'm a bit uninspired with my knitting. I have the puppy project, which I showed you recently, that I'm enjoying. But I don't feel like working on that every day. I am on the body part of a Relax Tee, by Aimee Sher, and if I could make myself work on it regularly, it could be finished. But contrary to the name, I do not find the pattern relaxing. 

I have been wanting to make this pattern, and even have yarn chosen. But regardless of the size needle I use, I keep ending up with too many stitches to the inch in the gauge, which I find suspicious, especially since no matter what size needle I try, I get the same numbers! - but there you go. There's a part of me that is tempted to start it anyway, and see how it goes. But I don't want to do that because even if I've done only 10 rows, it will be too disheartening to rip it out.

I guess I'll pull out some sock yarn and wind it because then at least I'll have a project that I can pick up and put down without causing problems. 

Sometimes, it just seems like everything is too much work. For me, that almost always happens in the summer. And really, it's never too much work in reality. So I'm gonna look for a skein of "extra special" sock yarn to use, because that will inspire me.

What about you? Any exciting projects going? Let me know, I'm happy to live (knit?) vicariously!

Thinking of My Mom Today

Today marks 37 years since my mom died. That's a long time ago, but I still think of her - and often talk to her - every single day. 

I love this picture. She said she was probably about 4 years old here, and that people used to bring ponies around the neighborhood when she was a little girl and parents would have their kids photographed on the ponies. When I was a little kid, I used to think my life was supremely lacking and unfair because no one brought a pony - or any other animal - around the neighborhood for any reason, ever. To be 100 percent perfectly honest, if someone brought a pony or a horse or a donkey, or any other out-of-the-ordinary animal to the neighborhood today, I would want a picture with it - even if, for the animal's sake, I wasn't *on* it. 

WHERE HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PONIES GONE???

Anyway, my mother was a lot of fun. After my dad died, and my middle sister finished college and got married and moved away, it was just the two of us for about 10 years. They weren't easy, since we didn't have a lot of money, and she had health issues, but we did have a good time, and I have the best memories of spending time with her. 

This is, I think, her high school graduation photo. It's nice to think of her being so happy and having so much ahead of her, before things that come with adulthood had actually arrived. 

She pretty much always looked like a version of this photo, so I could always recognize her in the bazillion pictures she had from friends and family. 

Though towards the end of her life, when she was probably about a year or so from dying, she had lost a LOT of weight and though she still had all of her hair, it was cut very short so that she didn't have to fool with it much. At the time, she lived with my sister and brother-in-law, and their four kids. She was confined to a wheelchair, so didn't get out as much as she had for all of her life. 

My sister and brother-in-law were invited to a barbecue at a country club where their friends were members during this one particular summer. The friends knew my mother as well, and told my sister to bring her along, since there would be people there that she knew, and it would be a chance for her to get out, etc. So they all got ready and headed to the country club, and for a while at least, things went well. Then a woman who knew my brother-in-law through his work (he is a labor lawyer) came up to talk to him, and he introduced my mother. Well, apparently this woman was one of those types who sees elderly people - particularly those in wheelchairs - as infantile. So she started talking to my mom like she was a little kid - you know, "Oh how ARE you sweetie? Is this fun for you?" And my sister could tell my mom was getting annoyed. 

Then the woman said, "Oh I know who you remind me of - Nancy Reagan!" and my mother responded, "Well that's not good." To which the other woman said, "Oh that's a compliment, I love her and think she is so beautiful." To which my mother said, "Well, then you're a damn fool."

And then they went home. Like, *right* after that. 😂😂😂

That, my friends, is a perfect story about my mother. She could be perfectly nice, and pleasant to anyone and everyone. But she did not suffer fools gladly. When my sister told us about this, none of us were surprised even one small bit. And she had always been like that, it's not something that developed as she got older. 

Yeah, I've got a million stories, and of course she also had a bazillion sayings and expressions, some of which I've shared here. So although I miss her every day and would love for her to be here still (but she'd be over 100 years old, and The Tim said he doesn't think he could take that, LOL), most of my memories are happy ones, or of fun things we did together. She believed that life was to be enjoyed, and as far as I can tell, she enjoyed her life for the most part. 

I know I am like her in a lot of ways, as are my sisters. But there was only one person who was actually her. So raise a glass today and do a "goddam toast" in her honor. 

That is, if you can bear it, since it's "hotter than Billy be damned." 😉

Puppy Love

Hello and Happy Friday! I've been fairly productive so far today, which pleases me because for a change I can clean up some things without feeling like I'm going to pass out.

Besides the summer top I've been knitting (more about that another time), I started another project that is a little bit fiddly, but fun. Many years ago, I purchased a kit from Barrett Wool Co., to make the Waffles Puppy. Then, just like many things I think would be wonderful to make/do, I put it away and kinda sorta forgot about it. When I did a stash review in April, I came across it again, and decided that I would definitely make it over the summer. I even set it where I would see it to make it handy to pick up and get going.

And all during June, it just sat there. And I would always be ready to start, but not really. Then last Thursday, I decided it was time. I found the needles I would need, and got started. Now, I can't remember if the yarn arrived in the kit already wound, or if I had actually wound it up when I received it, mistakenly thinking I'd start it soon. But in any case, once I had the right size needles, I had no excuse but to give it all a try.

I spent a little while knitting, and finished the head, including adding in the safety eyes and nose that were included in the kit (and that was quite a project itself, let me tell you!). 

I love that little face!

Then yesterday (what is it about Thursdays so far?), I tackled adding the ears. It was tricky, because a) I'm not good at picking up stitches "on the right leg of a stitch" in general, and being that it was on a stuffed part of the project, it was challenging for me. But you know, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and all that. 

It didn't take long until that sweet little face had some ears to give it more of an identity:

And once I got past the first couple of rounds of knitting the ears, it was pretty quick. It was a good thing to be doing (and I thought, appropriate) while I was transcribing voicemails for PAWS,* the organization that I volunteer for a couple of times a week. 

Next up will be the body of the pup. I've looked ahead at the instructions, and much like the ears, it looks pretty straightforward, once you pick up the stitches on the bottom of the head and get going. 

Now, if you look at the photo of the Waffles Puppy, you'll see that he has both a hat and a sweater. I'm not convinced that I'll have it in me to knit a tiny sweater once I'm finished with the puppy. Maybe a hat, but I've decided that since it's summer, a hat and sweater would be too hot anyway to wear. So maybe that will wait until cooler weather, when a sweater and hat would be needed. 😉

*****

What are you up to this weekend? As far as I know, we don't have any specific plans, other than the usual things we do on a weekend, which is fine. The Tim will likely be busy working on setting up his new computer that arrived the other day. And I will be busy staying out of the way because I am not an idiot! 😂

I'm kind of hoping that I can get The Tim to take a couple of days of vacation sometime soon. Not to necessarily do any real traveling, but maybe a day down the shore, and/or some other day adventure. It would be a nice change for both of us. We have a plan for a long weekend in Rehoboth Beach after Labor Day, which I'm really excited about, but it would be nice to just have a few days to poke around places in the next few weeks.

Here's hoping you can find some happiness and joy over the weekend, and have a chance to relax. I'll be back next week, take care!

*PAWS = Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society

Recipe: Cold Cucumber Soup

Hello all - while I'm at my volunteer gig, taking care of kitties, I thought some of you might enjoy a recipe that is perfect for summertime - provided that you like cucumbers!  This is something I've been making during the summer for years, and it's always good and especially welcome on a hot day. So for those of you who are cucumber-friendly, here you go!

Cold Cucumber Soup

2 medium cucumbers (or 5-6 of the small type)

2 cups buttermilk

3 green onions, sliced 

Pepper and dill to taste

--> Wash cucumbers, and cut them into 3/4 inch slices. Reserve six of the slices for garnish, by wrapping them up and refrigerating them.

Pour 1/4 cup buttermilk into a blender or food processor; add half of the cucumber slices and blend on high speed until smooth. Add remaining cucumber slices, pepper, and onion. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining buttermilk, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and no longer than 48 hours. At serving time, garnish each serving with reserved cucumber slices.

Needless to say, you can add any additional ingredients you may like, and you can use both fresh or dried dill and still get a yummy result.

I hope if you try this, you'll enjoy it. 😊

July 4, 2025

How to Celebrate the Fourth 

of July When America

Is a Constant Disappointment

Build a little banned books library for the neighborhood

children. Hoard Plan B for your sisters & daughters

& nieces & friends. Forgo fireworks & provide comfort

to shelter dogs frightened by the noise. Plant explosions

of rose & dahlia across your yard - make your lawn

a rainbow welcome mat for pollinators & love.

Learn & acknowledge the names of Indigenuos lands

where you stand. Sing Joan Baez. Read Langston

Hughes. Dance to Bruce Springsteen. Boycott Amazon.

Savor the fireflies while you still can.

-- Danielle Coffyn