Here it is Monday night.  May 28, Memorial Day here in the US.  Traditionally, the start of Summer in everyone's mind if not quite on the calendar.  I remember Memorial Day BBQs when I was a kid when the temps were not so warm but if a pool was handy, we went swimming.  Memorial Day meant swimming.  Now, it means time.  We try to use our vacation time to stretch the weekend out.  And it means taking the time to remember all those who have served our country.  PK is a vet but he doesn't make much of it.  We weren't officially at war when he was in the Navy.  It was the time when our embassy was overrun in Iran and our people were held hostage.  It was a tense time and with no email, skype or cell phones, our contact was limited to letters.  I waited for those pieces of paper that let me know he was ok.  I still have a few of them and they bring fond memories of a much younger us.

So, we stretched out our weekend.   Peter Kevin and I took Friday off and we took tomorrow off so we have one more day left.  The other four disappeared in a flash.  We managed to spend time doing what we wanted (which may have included naps and watching bad movies) and spend time visiting with family and spend time working on projects.

All despite the increasingly hot and humid weather.  We are in the middle of a bona fide Heat Wave.  Yes, it deserves capital letters. The temps have been horrid and the humidity is unbearable.  This is mostly since it's the first one and no one is used to the heat yet and we are not handling it very well.  If this were July or August?  We could do this standing on our heads.  In May?  Not so much.

But here's some photos of what we did this weekend.

This is one end of the lake that my brother's house sits on.  It's a good sized lake but not good for swimming.  The turtles who call it  home would bite.  And I have a feeling it's pretty slimy.  But, it's beautiful to look at and has that good, clean, earthy lake smell.

We putzed around the house on Friday and Saturday, doing some chores and playing with our hobby equipment.  (I finished spinning the yarn for my sweater!).  We went to dinner at my brother's house on Sunday night.  It was humid but there was a breeze and we sat in the shade and laughed the evening away.  My niece pointed out a book she was reading called Zombies vs Unicorns and told me I should read it.  I skimmed it but politely declined.  She then challenged me to a Words with Friends game and has been gleefully sending me her moves.  I love the fact that she wants to play with me.

Today we went to Valley Forge for a picnic.  I was a bit nervous about this since it was predicted to be another nasty humid day but we went anyway.  Everyone brought something.  Pk and I made cannoli along with some mac salad and cucumber salad.  The cannoli were delicious, we'll definitely make them again.  Kate brought drinks and Em brought lunchmeat and rolls.  El contributed the paper products. 

We set up at some picnic tables in the shade and within sight of the Memorial Arch.

Since this is a national park, everything is a Memorial to someone or something.  It's one of the encampment places of the Continental Army during the American Revolution.  There are statues of George Washington and other generals and cabins.  There are cabins that soldiers (probably officers) used.  There was some reenactment going on today.  We saw some tents and some men in uniform.  If they were at all realistic, those poor men were wearing wool.  And it was a brutal day.

Our spot under the trees was cool enough and there was often a bit of a breeze.  I used the opportunity to take some "action shots" of my newly spun yarn.

I have actually started a sleeve.  Three times with different results.  I finally decided tonight that it has to be because I used a different set of needles to do the swatch and these are nominally the same size but I'm not getting near gauge.  I know that the yarn is not perfectly consistent, it is handspun and not mill spun, but it's not that off that my swatches should be so different.  I'm going to try with some smaller needles to see what difference it will make.  It's going to be warn, the kind of cardigan you throw on when you're cold, not just to look pretty.I put it aside for the time being.  It's just too hot to play with right now.  I think that the weather is predicted to break sometime Wed/Thurs so maybe then I'll play with it.

I also want to play with the lace whorl for my wheel.  My tour de fleece goal is to spin a two ply laceweight, something I've never been able to do.  I have some gorgeous roving just waiting but the idea of putting the wool next to my sweaty skin makes me itch.  It will wait.  In the meantime, I'll finish baby sweater number two.  It's a yarn I bought from a Piece of Vermont a long time ago and I love the greens and greys in it.  I am halfway through the second sleeve and then just have the collar and button band.  Then I think I'll make some baby socks for a coworker who is technically not one of our employees but she's been there for months doing a research study and is having a baby in August.  I haven't decided if she's sweater worthy but I'm leaning toward Yes. 

Nothing too strenuous.  I've been off the computer (unless I was watching something) since it's too hot to hold onto it for very long.  This is getting too warm and I'm thinking it's time to close up for the night.

Happy Memorial Day to all those who celebrate.  Happy Monday for everyone else.  I hope you all take the time to thank a member of your armed forces.  They have a hard job and need all the appreciation they can get.