We are hopefully coming to an end of over a week of "heat warnings" today but the temps are still in the 90's (it was 85 at 6 o'clock this morning).  I spend time each summer reminding my clients that they should use good sense in the summer.  Medicaitons can make you more vulnerable to the sun and getting heat exhaustion.

But do I listen to myself?  Apparently not.

We had a very warm (record breaking) weekend and our a/c (which is only in the bedrooms) had a hard time keeping up.  On Monday when I was coming home from work, the train car had no a/c.  It was unbelievably hot and I could feel my bod reacting to it.  I got headachy, nauseaus, dizzy.  Did I pay attention?  No.  I kept on doing what I needed to do and went to bed.  When I woke up Tuesday morning, I had a blinding headache and the room was spinning.  I called out of work and spent the day  drinking and eating lightly and binge watching Call the Midwife.  Today, I feel a bit better but not great so I am once again home.  If today were noticeably cooler, I might have gone to work but since it is another day over 90 degrees, I am going to be kind to myself and stay home.  My bedroom is cool and comfortable.  I keep a glass of unsweetened decaf tea or a glass of water at my side and drink all day.

When it's this hot, we don't open the front curtains to keep out the sun.  As a result, Pk has a crop of rather large yellow mushrooms growing in his fern.  I have no idea what kind they are or if they're poisonous.  They just look funny growing there.

I got in on a swap that I have wanted to do for a few years.  Molly at Celtic Swan Forge makes hand forged needles.  They are beautiful.  One year I bought a paiir of strights with rose quartz on the ends for Emily.  Molly likes handknit socks but doesn't knit.  She offers a set of 5 dpns in exchange for a pair of handknit socks.  I think this is a good deal!  I enjoy making socks and would love a pair of her needles.  I am making a pair of purple socks for her and will get a pair of size 2 dpns in exchange.  How cool is that?

I finished this pair for Kate's birthday.  The yarn is a single and the colors are fall-like.  The pattern is Stout Grove from Fiiberwild's Sock of the Month club.  This year is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service so all of their selections have something to do with National Parks or trees.  These are wonderfully soft and will be warm when this summer finally lets go and winter moves into the neighborhood.

Two of my three girls have moved out and have homes of their own.  We are tying to find new holiday traditions to accomodate this very natural part of life.  We used to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve and then get together the next morning to open our presents.  This means that Em and Kate don't get to enjoy Christmas morning in their homes.  We tried the "open the presents on Christmas Eve" but I didn't like that so much.  It felt rushed and not relaxed and joyful. I am pondering other options so that everyone can enjoy the holiday and have it stll feel specal.  It feels funny to talk about it while it's still so warm but it will be here before we know it.

I am also working on a Saroyan for my sister in law for Christmas.  It's an easy pattern and I'm using a skein of Zen Yarn Garden't Serenity Silk (merino, cashmere, silk).  It is so pretty and so very soft.  This pattern is a small shoulder piece and will work well under a winter coat.  I am keeping the scale close by because this is measured out in percentages.  The increase are 27.5% and the middle is 45% and the decrease is 27.5%.  I weigh the skein and keep going until I reach the percentage I am aiming for and then begin the next part.  It's a new way for me to knit.  I'm used to just eyeballing it but this yarn is so beautiful that I want to use it all.

NOAA says it's 85 degrees with 67% humidity with storms headed this way tonight.  There is not a breath of air outside.  I think I am ready for summer to be over.......

We are planning to go to brunch at Smithville Inn this Sunday.  They do one of the nicest  brunches around.  They are in the middle of a "village" of shops.  I like to get some scented soaps for Christmas stockings and they have a coffee/tea shop that is filled with imaginative food stuffs.  I also never miss a chance to walk through the Christmas store.  It's a lovely way to spend a Sunday.  

How do you end summer?  Kids going back to school (I admit I miss the smell of new notebooks)?  Vacations?  As much as I enjoy the relative ease of summer's lighter schedules, I look forward to the days shortening and wearing sweaters and cooking (I cook as little as possible in the heat).