the chill we've all been waiting for....

If you haven't noticed, I like weather. Here in central New York state, we have had 13 days in a row with temperatures 80 degrees or higher. The past three days were 90 or above, making it an official heat wave. Then last evening, the wind picked up, the leaves swirled off the trees, and the temperature dropped. This fine morning, it feels like autumn. 59 degrees, breezy, pleasantly and cozily overcast.

The sunshine and warmth was a gift, of course it was. But in keeping with The Grass Is Always Greener mentality, it was too hot, and we longed for autumn. It was humid and sticky. The girls in Real School were really hot and sweaty. It feel nice now, refreshing.

Last evening, Evelyn and Sonja accompanied me to Kohl's in the small city. I needed sneakers. I needed to try them on and make decisions. Shoe shopping is not fun when you have the feet of a woman who has born many children...feet that stretched right out to ensure the balance of the larger body. These feet can be squished into flats, for instance, but look hilarious. But the real mystery is why shoes that felt okay in the store hurt in various surprise places when they are walked in, in Real Life.

I tried some wide width Nikes for $65. They were wide where they needed, but pinched in other places. Then I tried a pair of Fila because they were only $25, and voila, they fit! They weren't even wide width. But. They didn't exactly pass the Going On A Walk test this morning. They were tight across the wide part, pinched in a few places. blah. I want shoes that feel like marshmallows. The ones Grandma gave me a few years ago were perfect, but they got chewed up by a visiting puppy. (They were comfy shoes, even glowed in the dark, which made them super fun but if someone was ever chasing me in the dark, how could I hide?)

Anyway. I found my shoes, found one nice shirt for my Ireland trip, and bought a pillow for $2.99, and gave it to Evelyn. And Sonja found a five dollar shirt. No evening trip out is complete without a stop at the grocery store, I wanted flour for the huge-0 package of yeast I got at the warehouse store, and some fresh fruits and veggies, and paper towels.

Anne is here this fine chilly morning, playing a blanket on the floor with a toy computer. She keeps me hopping, but she is sweetness, and joy. She is learning words and has absolutely no fear of puppies or kitties. She is cautious though, and could be walking if she wanted to.

Ten days until Ireland!!!!

It's hard to sit here and write all sunshine-y and glad when one of our very close friends is suffering. Dave has been battling cancer and all of it's accompaniments for years now. It started in his esophagus, and now, nine and a half years later, with some recurrences in between, is showing up in his lung. He and his wife are absolutely dear and faithful friends, they have eight kids who are all friends of my kids. This is heart wrenching. We do know that the very hairs of our heads are numbered, and that God knows the big picture, but still. Keep them in your prayers.