End of summer + wild mushrooms.

Suddenly, summer has turned to the limbo season that is chilly mornings, fog, and lots of rain. Huge wild mushrooms that weren’t there the day before simply pop up over night. Over the past week, I’ve picked two five gallon buckets of them from my garden. They even grow boldly through the crushed rock — no soil necessary.

I’m starting to count the days until Eric comes home. So excited.

Dean and Grant start school again next week. Allen begins preschool a week after that. I’m loving my semi-retired work schedule and plan to continue working only for myself — which is the best kind of work imaginable.

Oh, and these two coordinating scarves are for my parents. No reason required to send beautiful gifts. The yarn choice was inspired by — you guessed it — wild mushrooms.

The pattern & yarn details can be found on my Ravelry page.

It’s a boy.

Earlier this week I got an email with a photo of my long-time friend William’s four-day-old baby, Christian. He and his wife have four daughters, and now a son. I’m so happy for them.

And now I have a home for this baby blanket I started about nine months ago. Hmm. Nine months ago . . .

The pattern & yarn details can be found on my Ravelry page.

Let the sun shine in.

Nothing like a little sunshine to lift the spirits. And then suddenly you notice all the dust you couldn’t see before and are seized with the compulsion to clean!

Can’t win.

So, the most noteworthy news first. With the military’s usual perfect timing, Eric left for Afghanistan last week while I was at my brother’s wedding. I had a feeling it would happen when I made my plans to travel but for a while it looked like everything would work out perfectly. Then, boom. They moved his deployment up a week. He’s at Bagram now working 12 hour shifts with another Radiologist. Living conditions are spartan — including lots of plywood, fungus infested showers and an outhouse! And if I think the dust in my house is bad, I can only imagine being there. He’s going to be there for the next six months. We miss you, Eric.

And the second biggest news is my baby brother Rich got married! Welcome to the Dutton family, Michele! We are going to enjoy getting to know you. It was a lovely wedding and reception and I was super pleased to have been part of it and see them so happy.

And with that quick update, I’m out to enjoy the rest of the sunny day.

Hurry up and wait.

One more week until due date. The big question is: Am I capable of going into labor on my own? Let’s just say I’m thinking the odds are probably not that good. I did get a killer prescription for heartburn on my last O.B. visit, so I just might make it.

My (professional) workload has been unusually light the last few weeks. Good, in that I can take cat naps and avoid swollen ankles from sitting too long. Bad, in that I could really use something to occupy/challenge my mind right now.

But never mind all that, here’s the part I’ve been wanting to write about… I got an email from my long time buddy Jeffrey (from our years in Benecia, CA) the other day and tonight we got caught up on the phone after about three years of losing touch. He’s now living in Napa, married and has a baby girl born on the best day of the year — September 4th — which just happens to be my birthday. I’m not sure this counts, but I consider that news a pretty cool belated birthday present.

The house is coming along. Next week they begin insulation and sheet rock. I’ve been busy making the final interior choices in granite (kitchen countertops), drawer pulls, lighting fixtures and paint. Now, just the wait to see how it all turns out.

Wait, wait, wait… I’m getting lots of practice lately.

San Antonio.

I’m basically apologizing right and left every time I write here, but here goes again. Sorry, I’m skipping San Diego (that deserves an entire page, don’t get me started) and going straight to posting a few photos taken last weekend in San Antonio with our friends Doug and Cindy (Doug’s behind the camera). Our weekend was fantastic and I could go on and on about it, but won’t . . . Thanks for sending the photos Cindy, they’re great. We were down at the Riverwalk, a perfect place for a romantic foursome.

(Shame on you, that’s not what I meant.)