It's the beginnings of the Must Have Cardigan.  I love the pattern, and love the color of the yarn.  Together?  Not so much.  It's been frogged, and I'm swatching with some lovely green tweed Irish wool, bought on eBay years ago.  It's a heavier weight yarn, and needs much larger needles.  That's a good thing, because I have less of it and no way to get any more.

The replacement camera just arrived, so there should be photos tomorrow!

On the plus side, I did find a new doctor whose philosophies agree with mine.  The weather has been lovely all week.  Fifty-two of the 62 roses in the front yard have been heavily trimmed and fertilized, so beautiful blooms should burst forth in the next couple of weeks.  

On the minus side, the replacement camera has not arrived, so no photos today.  (The old camera is playing with me again.)  The weather is predicted to start warming over the weekend, and to continue that trend until Thursday or Friday - getting near 100* again.

Tomorrow is Saturday.  SuperSlow weight training at 9, then a visit to OSH for new perennials.  That sounds like a good start to the weekend! 

This is the Omnivore's One Hundred list of foods the gastronome Andrew Wheeler thinks everyone should try at least once in their lives.

The rules of the meme: bold those you have tried, strikethrough those you wouldn't eat on a bet; add comments if, like me, you can’t resist.

1. Venison (We ate venison, especially as chili, when I was growing up.  Hunters, you know.
2. Nettle tea (Allergic to nettles, so, no.)
3. Huevos rancheros (My favorite breakfast or dinner!)
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp (Same as whitefish, which I love smoked)
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho (My meal of choice when it’s raining and cold)
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (dirty water dogs on Wall Street in NYC)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle (wasn’t impressed)
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (I’m up to my ears in them right now!)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (but once was enough!)
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas (A favorite snack – can’t eat too many at a time!)
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float

36. Cognac with a fat cigar without the cigar!
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (chocolate covered ants in elementary school)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu

47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear (both the green part – nopalitos, I think – and the red fruit)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (tried it once, don’t have to do it again)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (not by choice…)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV (I’m not much of a beer drinker!)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads (another one I don’t have to eat again)
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake(all of the above, lol)
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho (made it, too!)
72. Caviar and blini (Yum!)
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill (not that I’m aware of, anyway)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail (too busy picking them off my plants and killing them!)
79. Lapsang souchong (the Chinese tea)
80. Bellini (every bit as lovely as it sounds)
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict

83. Pocky (or something similar).
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers (Violets and rose petals candied, nasturtiums in salads)
89. Horse (as long as it wasn’t one I knew…)
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (but no more, despite its use in sushi!)
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish (prefer farmed over wild; milder, less muddy flavor)
95. Mole poblano (preferably in New Mexico)
96. Bagel and lox (preferably in New York)
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake (My brother swears it tastes just like chicken!)

OK, so I’ve tried 68 (well, 67 ½  since I didn’t smoke the cigar with the Cognac) of the 100!  Living in the Bay Area has its good points – food from all over the world, for one – otherwise the list wouldn’t be nearly so long!

• I've found and bought a camera like mine on eBay.  Photos will resume as soon as it arrives.
• As luck would have it, the old camera has decided to work just fine today.  I knew this would happen, but have my doubts about how long it will continue.  Proof?

• Weather this summer has been just plain strange.  There've been more hot days than usual (4 weeks worth so far, and we're heading into our warmest months: September and October), and the rest of the time it's been cooler than usual.  The fog comes in at night and doesn't leave until about noon which is normal for San Francisco, but not so normal for Fremont.
• I've been in a decluttering, cleaning, getting-rid-of-excess-stuff mood all summer.  I don't seem to be making a dent, but the garbage and recycle bins are full every week and I've made several trips to St. Vincent de Paul, and we left out 8 garbage bags of clothes for one of the charities that picks things up. 
  
• The garden is growing like crazy.  Next year I want to plant more different vegetables.  Ken will eat veggies we grow even if he normally professes to dislike them.  I can deal with that.
• My projects-other-than-knitting list is almost as long as my knitting-projects-in-progress list.  I need to focus on a couple of each and get them finished.
• I've lost the pattern for my turquoise sweater AGAIN.  It seems like I lose this pattern every time I touch it, which might seem life a hint!  I'm loving the sweater and the knitting, so this constant misplacing is making me crazy.

We went to see the old and beautiful cars at Hot August Niles after Ken and Darrell finished on the roof.  Joan and I looked at antiques and yarn while the guys looked at cars.   We had lunch at The Nile.  I picked tomatoes.  

Sunday was more of the same.  Ken volunteered for Golden Spike again.  I got a pedicure, worked in the garden, visited with Joan and Will, and watched the Olympics.

(Because I have all the doo-dads for my current camera and haven't had the time or the urge to actually upgrade my camera, I'm watching several of that model on eBay.  Buying time for proper research into a new camera, while using one that's familiar and meets most of my needs is the best approach for me.  With luck I'll have a replacement by late this week.) 

The last competition was Canon vs. Cannon, and it's predictable: Pachelbel's Canon vs. The 1812 Overture.  I love both pieces and enjoyed hearing them today.  I was transported back to high school band in west Texas and our performances of the 1812 Overture.  This flashback revolved around the explosions at the end of the piece.

We had a cannon in the courtyard of my high school, Civil War vintage (presented by former student Laura Welch's family - you know her now as the First Lady, Laura Bush), but of course, we couldn't fire that. 

Instead, members of the percussion section brought in their own shotguns, with minimal loads for safety, and those were fired into buckets of sand.  

Can you imagine kids bringing their shotguns to music classes and performances now?

Can you believe that we thought this was the way anyone performing this piece would handle the explosions? 

To us, this was normal. 

I did grow up in Texas, and got my first gun when I was 12.  Like everyone I knew, there was a pistol under the front seat of my car when I learned to drive.  My parents cannot believe I don't have a gun in my car now, but CA requires a concealed weapon permit which is not easy to get.  In TX you take and pass a class for a concealed weapon permit and both my parents have one.

My purpose in writing about this is not to create controversy or pro- or anti-gun comment.  It is meant solely as a reminder that many of us did grow up in more innocent times, and that in some ways it's too bad that life has gotten so much more complicated. 

1. I've spend much time the past week or so trying to find a new doctor.  My old primary care MD is no longer part of my insurance plan, and this is a great opportunity for me to find one I actually like.  One who won't leave me dressed in a paper sheet for 90 minutes without a call or an update because she's waiting on paperwork at the hospital next door.  One who won't tell me she doesn't have time to answer questions because she's running late.  That sort of thing.  I did find one whose office appointment hours start at 7 a.m., rather than the more common 9 or 10, and made an appointment for a consultation to see if she and I can work together.
2. I'm working on a list of questions to ask.  If you have a favorite, please leave it in a comment.
   
3. One of my antique ivory earrings is missing.  I'm crushed; they were old enough that issues with ivory hadn't been raised when they were carved and imported and now one is gone.  I'm going to get a flashlight and look under the armoire.
4. I really need a jewelry armoire.  If you have one, leave me a comment and tell me what you like about it and what you don't like.  I've collected jewelry for years (it's my favorite memento from travels) and have a mixed bag of stones, wood, metals , vintage pieces, beads.  Bracelets, rings, earrings, pins and brooches, necklaces - you name it.
5. It's been hot again this week.   I'll be so glad when it finally cools off and rains.
6. There's this sunshine yellow mohair in my stash (dyed by Lisa Souza) and I gave in to its begging and started a new sweater Friday night during the Olympic opening ceremonies.  This is not an Olympic challenge, RavelryOlympics or anything of the sort.  It is my way of having something tangible to show for the hours spent watching swimmers, divers, gymnasts and other Olympic competitors.
7. The delphiniums have just about finished their 2nd bloom cycle for this summer.  The poppies are done; I'm hoping to dry the seed pods and plant the seeds for next year.  I've also started a bunch of perennials to plant later this fall when the weather is cooler. 
   
8. That's it.  I'm off to watch athletic performances.

There's this tank-ish top made of teal tweed that just needs the finishing touches and I can wear it. Of course, the finishing touches involve crochet so there no telling when it will be wearable.

There's the mystery project I teased a couple of weeks ago.  That's just looking for an appropriate model.

There's the hat and scarf set made from oddballs.  The ends are woven in and it's blocked - ready for the holiday gift box.

I'm anticipating time very soon to take and upload photos of these Finished Objects. 

And, there have been a couple of new projects started!  Imagine that! 

We were underwhelmed by the main stage performers this year, in fact we were headed for a museum to while away the 3 hours until our train when we heard that the New York Police Department Jazz Band would be performing on the Big Band Stage (also known as a the Silicon Valley Stage).  As Mr. Ken is a former New Yorker, we thought we'd give this a shot.

WOW!

They were fantastic!  Every performer could be a professional musician, but all are active duty New York police officers.  I cannot begin to describe the quality of their performance, but will say that I didn't knit at all. 

I knit everywhere.  Heck, I even knit at my own wedding reception.  I was so blown away by the music and the voices of the singers that I couldn't concentrate on my knitting.

If you ever have the chance to hear this group, I urge you to run to the performance.  I know I will. 

Tonight they opened on a night when they're usually closed, and had a Recession Special dinner, one very reasonable price for all-you-can-eat.  The food was the sort of home-cooking that I wish I could do, the staff was attentive (if a little overwhelmed) and attendance was amazing!  There were many new faces - people who've never tried the restaurant before - and some old friends (people like us who eat out too often).  The Niles Merchant's Association and Essanay Silent Film Museum were sponsoring dinner and dessert for National Night Out; many of the merchants and docents came by for dinner after the events concluded.

We had Dave's Moms Meatloaf (a real winner; I'd like to see this on the regular menu), macaroni and cheese (ditto), spaghetti and meatballs, sweet potato fries, ratatouille, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh green beans, salad with my tomatoes, and garlic bread.  

The desserts were incredible:  root beer float (a real crowd favorite), apple pie with crumb topping, and fresh peach cobbler.  Mr. Ken had a root beer float and I had peach cobbler.  We agreed both were good, but preferred our own choice.   I'd love to see these desserts on the regular menu too.  Their desserts are good, but often a bit fussier than my preference.

Essanay Cafe is planning the Tuesday night "Recession Special" through August; if you're in the area check it out!

So, welcome August.  I'm looking forward to some pleasant times with you.  In that spirit, a few Random Things:

• Check out Twist Collective 's premier issue, just available today!   Autumn is my favorite season, in large part because I am all about the sweaters (yet another reason Summer is not my friend: I've never liked summer clothes!) and cables and tweeds and socks.  This issue is just packed full of designs that make me salivate.
• We're awash in tomatoes!  I took a whole basket of heirloom tomatoes to a favorite restaurant because there's no way we can use these in the next 3 or 4 days.  I kept the Italian sauce tomatoes and it looks like I'll be making sauce this weekend.

• Tomorrow is Fremont's Festival of the Arts, and I'll be there looking for Mother Goose and her eggs at 1O a.m. sharp!  A local musician and friend is performing at 10, another couple of friends are performing at 2:30.  Love it!
• I finished the stealth project!  It's blocked too, but I haven't found a good way to display it.  Here's a sneak peak, taken while it was all pinned out and blocking:

Stolen from Cake Wrecks , by way of Cabezalana . 

There are many funny, scary, sad cakes to see, but this one made me laugh until tears rolled down my cheeks and Mr. Ken rushed into the office to see what was wrong! 

I've felt really low energy and resentful about almost everything since May, to the point where nothing much was getting done, other than what has to get done.  The 3 weeks of excessive heat before mid-July was a major cause, especially when we usually don't have that much heat all summer.  Smoky air from the fires around us activated my usually-controlled allergies which made breathing a real luxury.  The smoke also makes my eyes burn, and at the request of health agency officials we've also taken our exercise down a couple of notches.  

The past week and weekend were much cooler, weather-wise, and I amazed myself.  I accomplished things.  I worked on my to-do list (it's long, and unfinished still), I made food, I knitted.  It was wonderful. Cooler weather also means that the roses are blooming and the blooms aren't crisp within hours of opening.

First, the food.  I harvested mostly tomatoes this week, and there are a lot of them.  I gave up on the currant tomatoes about 1/2 way, but they'll get picked soon.

Clockwise, from the Panhandle:  Roma, Green Grape, Garden Peach, Donatella (just above Garden Peach) and Black Krim.  The Currant tomatoes are in the separate basket.  I'm getting this many tomatoes (some different varieties) every day!

We went to the Farmer's Market, to round out the veggies for the week, and bought some beautiful peaches, brussels sprouts, onions, lettuce and okra.  I took our purchases home, and started prepping for the week. 

I made coleslaw, sauerkraut salad and carrot-raisin-pineapple salad.  I made muffins for breakfast and cupcakes and chocolate zucchini cake for desserts.  I made fresh vegetable soup - sort of a minestrone without the pasta and beans - from the less than stellar vegetables bought at the previous  Farmer's Market.

It's wonderful.  All we have to do for dinner is cook the meat or meat-substitute, choose a salad or 2, and perhaps cook another veggie.  If it's hot, we're good to go with the grill.

Next, the to-do list.  Mine is long and involved and sometimes more of a wish list than a to-do list.

1. I finished the laundry, including the blanket and comforter which are now packed up until Autumn.
2. The ironing is done.  Complete.  Finis.  This is the first time since before Christmas 2006 that the ironing board has not been resident in the front room.  I also used the wonderful ironing board cover purchased at Stitches West, and it is as good as advertised.  (25 shirts, 8 pants, 6 skirts, 3 jackets!)
   
3. Bags of clothes and things for St. Vincent de Paul are now there, not in my front room.
4. The dining room table has been cleared off, the front dining room table has been cleared, and the great dining room table move will commence shortly.  I switched tables in March for Passover dinner.

The knitting continues.  I finished the first sock of a pair:

Monkey sock; yarn is OnLine Holiday, I think.  The second sock has been cast on and the first pattern repeat is complete.

There is other knitting.  I have a couple of "stealth" projects that are almost complete, and progress is being made on the projects started earlier this summer.  Of course, startitis continues, and a couple more projects have been started.  That's a good thing! 

2.  The garden continues to produce like mad, and now the tomatoes are joining the parade.  I've been getting tomatoes on the vine at the grocery, and they're good.  I had forgotten how good a tomato grown in your own yard, still warm from the sun and perfectly ripe tastes.  It's almost a different fruit entirely!

3.  Knitting continues, and so does startitis.  I'm enjoying it, and will forge on with the projects that hold my interest, if all of them don't.  No real downside, as all the yarn is from stash so far.  

4.  Finishing continues too.  Latest finished item is a pair - two, count 'em - of socks.  Nice to have new socks when Autumn finally arrives and brings cool nights and mornings.

The yarn is Ditto, in shades of warm browns and a bit of dark red, size 1 Crystal Palace bamboo needles, standard 3 x 1 rib.  The cuff is 8 inches long, the foot about 9 inches long, and there's lot of yarn left in each skein.

5.  A rant:  What has happened to Knitter's Magazine?  Why so many designs by the Knitter's Design Team?  Aren't other designers submitting good designs to them?  The last couple of issues have reminded me of the awful "created by loving hands at home" that so many crafts suffered from in the 60s and 70s, and not the artistic handcrafted look that's been the highlight of the past 15 or so years.

There's 1 design in the summer issue that I'm interested in knitting as is and perhaps a couple I might modify a bit (the Deborah Newton plaid sweater is fine, but should be longer and perhaps have long sleeves; ditto the Kahlo inspired sweater - it's quite cheerful but needs real sleeves) and that's the afghan knit of sock yarn.  I might even make that from stash if I have enough coordinating yarn, otherwise I see an order from KnitPicks, Herscher's, Webs or Elann in my future.

6.  Our air quality is just awful.  The photo on July 4 was the last time the sky was clear and blue; since then, the weather patterns have shifted and the smoke plume from fires north of us is keeping the sky gray and dull.  We've had spare the air warnings all week - 6 days this summer so far, and last summer we had only 2 all summer - and my allergies are majorly tweaked.

7.  It's hot.  Saturday and Sunday were in the mid-90s, but the nights cooled off and the fans cooled the house at night.  Monday it was 100*, Tuesday 102* and today it was 98*. At night the temperature drops to about 67*, much warmer than the average 55* or so.  The house is only cooling to about 74* each night, and that's with our double thick walls and extra ceiling insulation.   This is the third week of hot weather we've had since May, and I'm really getting tired of it. 

Aside from the spare the air days (on which we're asked not to drive and not to use charcoal in the barbie) we've also been flex alerted.  That means power use is near the maximum, and black-outs and brown-outs are possible.

8.  I'm grumpy - can you tell?  The heat, the allergies, the smoke...I'm so ready for the rainy season to arrive!  Last night after the sun set, I trimmed one geranium that had grown to gargantuan proportions.  It took less than 15 minutes and I was soaked with sweat.  Not my idea of fun.  The flowers are suffering, the cats are miserable in the afternoon, and I'm not sleeping well.   

9.  Good news:  there's a new fast food dining emporium in town, and it's good.  It deserves a better introduction than this grumpiness, so I'll post about it later in the week. 

Finally dye the white yarn I keep buying with the dyes I keep buying.  This should be a fun activity, even though it will be solo - none of my knitting friends is even remotely interested in dyeing yarn!

Also dye the jeans that have faded so much that I refuse to wear them.  They fit well and make my butt look good!  Why am I procrastinating?

Poison the blackberries again if the wind ever stops blowing.  (Never fear, these are wild blackberries which are determined to take over my whole yard.  The berries aren't even sweet.)

Work jigsaw puzzles - we can leave them set out in the front room (at least until we have a party) and it's a great way to wind down and relax.

Learn to make cioppino.

Finally, complete the self-improvement makeover program started this week.  I'm not ready to go any more public than that right now, but in a few weeks details will be revealed. 

Don't get me wrong; there are parts of summer that I do like, but as a season?  Not so much.

I like growing things, and some things - tomatoes, for example - grow best in the summer.  (I'm often pulling productive vines out at Thanksgiving, because I can't stand dealing with them anymore.)

I don't like hot weather.  I don't like dry weather.  

I do like fog.  Summer in the Bay Area tends to be cool - the average summer high in Fremont is 78* and that's even a bit warm but tolerable.  It's too dry - we won't have rain again until late October, if we're lucky (otherwise it may be late November).  Fog is, however, really good.  It's natural air-conditioning, and it keeps things cooler and greener without rain and humidity.

I've never (as an adult) like taking vacations in the summer.  We don't have kids, and don't want to travel when people with kids are traveling.

All in all, I prefer fall and spring, and perhaps even San Francisco Bay Area winter to summer.

That said, here's my summer will list:

1. Paint the front room.  Really, finish painting the front room, because half of the room is done.  I almost want to choose a new color, but at this point it's not going to happen.
2. Eat on the patio as often as possible, and invite people over for dinner every week.
3. Visit open houses and get ideas for updating ours.
4. Declutter.  Every room needs it, and it really isn't that hard.
5. Garden.  A little every day makes a big difference.
6. Knit (see above) whatever I want.  Start project.
   
7. Read. 
   
8. Work of staying healthy, not so much focus on losing weight. Eat lots of wonderful in-season fruits and veggies.  Ride my bicycle for fun, not just for exercise.
9. If I choose, to once again pursue arts and / or crafts that I've enjoyed in the past, besides knitting.  These include: needlepoint, embroidery, crewel, sewing, quilting, pottery.  And perhaps, to finally learn to crochet.

And, here's my summer won't list:

1. Read books just because they made a best-seller list.
2. Be pressured into travel because it's "the season" for it.
3. Obsess over the state of the garden re-design - it's a work in progress!
4. Worry about my tan, or really, worry about my blindingly white skin.
5. Force myself to read "literature" - mysteries are good, and relazing.
6. Pack every moment of every weekend full of activity, just because it's summer.

Knitters on the various lists of which I'm a member constantly debate the merits of project faithfulness and bemoan startitis* as an ill to be overcome.  If you've read this blog for any length of time, you already know that I'm rarely faithful to any project and that I love to start new projects with complete and utter abandon.

Today, I'm going to celebrate my startitis and show the projects I've started in June.  Some of these will be completed soon, others will be frogged, still others will languish in the basket and get worked on by some occasional whim.  Still, I'm happy with each of these for various reasons, and don't regret starting them at all.

I love having a stash that allows me the ultimate knitting pleasure of finding or creating a pattern I really want to knit, and being able to find enough yarn that will work just waiting patiently for its big scene.  

I love being able to "see" what a yarn wants to be - same with fabrics - and then letting us create that together.

I love Mr. Ken because he not only doesn't care how much yarn I have, he thinks I should buy more!

I love the fact that I do finish at least 12 sweaters and 12 pairs of socks just on BART every year, and finish more while watching TV (even just a couple of hours a few times a week = a sweater every month or 2) and open mic listening.

I love (and hate) the fact that my creativity ebbs and flows, and that I have to take advantage of every creative opportunity I get.  I'm still creating from doodles made 10 years ago - it's a good thing I keep my old DayTimers and notebooks! 

A note of explanation:  I love knitting cables and such, however, I cannot count for anything if I'm even a little distracted.  We go to a lot of live music events - open mics, mostly - and I knit.  For those times, I need relatively simple stockinette patterns.  Several of these sweaters are based on the West Side Raglan pattern from Oat Couture.

1: Forget-Me-Not.  The yarn is Wendy Rembrandt, bought a few years ago on eBay. In the skein and knitted, it reminds me of my yard in early spring when the grass is green and the forget-me-nots are blooming in drifts everywhere.

2: Tangerine Dream, yarn is from stash (I think it's called Tricadie, and I have it in a sage-y green and mellow as well).  The yarn is a knitted ribbon, very easy to knit, and quite stretchy.

3: Southwestern Sky, also stash yarn.  I bought this yarn at the Yarn Barn in San Antonio 12 or 14 years ago to make a Chanel-type jacket.  Love the yarn, but I know now that it would be wrong wrong wrong for a jacket of any type.

4:  Pearlspun is the yarn - creamy cotton with shiny coppery rayon bits.  Some from eBay, and some bought from Lee Wards in the going-out-of-business sale about 1993!

5:  Indian Corn, yarn from stash (what a surprise!) bought at Stitches West in two batches a year apart (maybe 8 years ago?).

6:  Autumn Colors, more stash yarn bought at Stitches West sometime.  It's a knitted ribbon tube, and feels like a t-shirt.

7: Too Teal, a Naturally Designs sweate, knit in Paton's Classic Merino.  Color is Too Teal, which is really a rich turquoise color.  I cannot get even close to the right color on my monitor.  This will be relatively mindless soon, because the diagonal pattern is a simple repeat.  I suspect I'll need a cheat sheet for the cable always.

8: Must Have Cardigan from Paton's Street Smarts brochure.  Yarn bought from Stash! just for this sweater, and I never thought I say this:  I wish the sweater was charted!  I'm going to have to chart this puppy or I will love what remains of my mind knitting it.

9:  Zig Zag Top: Yarn from stash, Horstia Tweed bought from Knitpicks back in the days when they didn't have their own yarns!

That's it for the sweaters.  There might be a shawl, a hat, and 2 or 3 socks too, but they managed to escape the camera.  In fact, there are still a few days left in the month, and there are a few more stash yarn projects I'd like to start!  I need to poke around in the attic and bring the yarn down stairs...

*Startitis:  The overwhelming urge to start new projects before existing projects are completed.   

Yesterday it was 100*, today 105*.  Tomorrow is supposed to be hot too, but not quite as hot as today. 

Sunday should bring blessed fog, and blessed lower temperatures - perhaps mid-70s - for at least a few days.

I know this is nothing special to folks who live in much of the country.  It's not even special to my family in Texas and Georgia.  My Dad reported that my 97-year-old Grandmother was feeling the heat recently when there were several days of 110* and higher.  He even allowed that he and my Mother thought it was hot.

We have so few (really, they are few and far between) really hot days that most people in our area don't have any air conditioning other than open windows, fans and cross drafts.  It's effective most of the time. When it's this hot, life pretty much stops - lots of knitting and reading instead of gardening and house projects. 

I knew there was an upside to the heat.