no, please, summer, don't go!

 The pool was cold today.  It was partly cloudy, and only 75 degrees out.  We would have delighted at that in May, or maybe even June, but in August, we want heat, sunshine, and a really warm pool.

The nights get cooler, the water gets cooler, and summer starts waning.  It happens every year, and we know there's not a thing we can do to make it last longer.  The barefoot mornings of weeding the garden, wandering around in the dewy grass, feeling the sun already baking my arms, are numbered.  The shadows are getting longer, and nightfall coming sooner.  

Of course the plus to all this is: Yay, Autumn!   Pumpkin season is not too shabby.  It's absolute beauty doesn't compare to floating around in the pool watching the puffy little clouds float by, but it is a pretty good consolation prize.

This fine morning, I organized on closet...okay truth:  I did a half-rear-end job because Kathryn was on her way over to pick me up by the time I had everything out and sorted, so I rather shoved it all back in willy-nilly, but it is better than before.  I vacuumed, so happy that I washed the vacuum's filters yesterday, and they were all dry and clean today, and the vac worked so nicely!  

Kathryn came to get me, she needed a few things from Walmart, and okay, I would go with her.  I got to see Achilles and Rhys!  There was this ducky, a waddling duck, for seven dollars...you push it, it quacks and walks, and they loved it.

I got some bins for the big project coming up downstairs, a bag of coffee beans, a few grandchildren outfits, some Scotch tape, and that's about it.   We got a really good coffee from the little coffee hut, I like iced Americano with heavy cream, no sugar, no flavors.

Home...ah, home.  I vacuumed, and cleaned the room that Abigail is going to stay in for the weekend.  I have been washing bedding, and bagging up extra bedding to donate.  We simply don't need it all.  I got all hot and sweaty, then went in the pool and froze, then talked to my sister on the phone...then, time to make dinner:  chicken soup, as per Camille's request...it was SO good, we make the noodles on the side, so they can eat as many as they want.

Tomorrow, after physical therapy, Char and Cam are going to help me organize our big storage room.  My plan is to purge.  I want to get rid of at least half of all the decorations, and some of the toys, and lots of the other stuff down there.  We want to work for two hours, then take some stuff to the thrift store.  They have other plans in the evening, as I do.  (I'm helping Emily unpack and sort a Sysco order for the weekend's food, food for 450 youth who are going to be at the conference).  (I will be helping make brekky and lunch for them on Friday, and dinner on Saturday)

Anyway.  There never seems to be enough time for these things, but we need to make the time, eek out a spot, and get it done.  I really want less stuff, it that makes sense.  When we had 18 people in the house, we needed all the extra bedding.  Now, why do we still have the ballerina comforter and the Space Jam comforter and the dinosaur bedding?  Do we actually need 20 or 30 extra blankets, and all these sheets?  The towels, too...for years, they seemed a precious commodity, we ran out of them all the time!  Now, the closet is full, and there are actually only five of us now, on a day-to-day basis!  We need lots for when people come over to swim in the pool, but in general...no, we don't need them all.

After dinner, rushed out the door to bring Char to clean a camper, as a fundraiser (she drove!  poor me!). But ahh, that rainbow!

I walked in the door from that excursion, and these three had an idea:  let's go for ice cream!

You can clearly see that I said YES.  (I didn't have any...but I didn't say anything about how hard it was, I just sort of pretend I don't really want any, so they feel fine and free to enjoy theirs.   I love it, but it makes me feel yucky.

Anyway...it has been a day!!!!