July turned into a whirlwind month, started with reasonable temperatures and ending with impossible ones. The air conditioners whirred constantly, little dollars signs ticking steadily away. But it was impossible to function without them. By mid-afternoon, the dining room where I have been spreading out my work, would bake with heat from the ceiling only marginally combated by a frigid breeze from the AC. Although the ceiling fan worked hard to mix the air streams, I still felt baked on the back of my neck and grateful the fresh breeze in my face.

The critters all felt the same way. My laptop is put away in this picture, and six of my kitties are grouped under the ceiling fan. The dogs camped out on the floor at my feet, till my dear old Matilda puppy discovered that she could fit her little speckled body onto an old desk chair. This made her up high enough that Ebony, the lab, couldn’t get in her way when she got pettings.

Professionally, I was finishing up teaching two freshman college classes and writing craft articles. Of course, since the weather was unbearable, more than two thirds of the article were knitting or crocheting — moving toward holiday how-to’s, I guess. Some of the techniques I had already practiced while making clothing for my children while they were growing up; but I encountered some new things, as well.

Among the fun things I learned were how to crochet a flat pineapple lace pattern, use a knitting loom and how to knit socks two socks at once from the toe up. I scoured the internet for the pineapple lace pattern; the only really comprehensible one that I found was a You Tube video by Mikeyssmail called How to Open Stitches & Lace Work. This turned out to be a series of videos that take you step by step through the process of crocheting the pattern. I love the knitting loom. I can’t imagine why I have never invested in one before. It makes simple projects even more simple and allows beginners to knit without dropping stitches.  The two-at-a-time socks were nearly a disaster! I had to learn the long-tail cast-on for two needles –which is really pretty cool if you want to knit something round that needs to be closed at the bottom–and discover how to cope with two skeins of yarn and a circular needle. Let’s just say the whole process made knitting three-color patterned sweaters seem easy.

The best part of July was visting my youngest son in Las Vegas in order to be there for his wedding. More of that later. It was lovely, the bride was beautiful, and no one fainted from heat exhaustion. My boy looked handsome in a bleached linen suit, and so besotted with his lady he seemed likely to pop! I’ll write a full account soon–this little paragraph is just to round out my list of busy, busy, busy.