What a month it’s been! August has been jam-packed. The last stretch of summer reading programs at work. Birthdays. The final weeks of camp for the kids. Yesterday morning I felt such a sense of peace and relief as I enjoyed a leisurely (and indulgent) breakfast outside.
Do you see that donut? It is huge! It was leftover from the boys’ birthday party on Sunday. Instead of cake or cupcakes, we opted for their favorite donuts this year. Jake got Boston Cream and Noah got raspberry filled Jelly. And no, they are not from any chain. I asked my parents to bring them on the day of the party to save time, so they ordered the donuts from Chmura’s Bakery in my hometown of Palmer, Mass. They are probably the best donuts I’ve ever eaten!
Hard to believe these guys are now 15 and 12! Where does the time go? Anyway, I had yesterday morning to myself because Noah and Laura were spending a few days at my mom’s, and Jake was at Drew’s mom’s. It was lovely to just enjoy the sights and sounds of late summer in the backyard. This is one of my favorite times of the year. All of our commitments are done and there are still a couple weeks left until school starts again. It’s time to enjoy a slower pace, reorganize things, and get ready for the fall.
My last big library program for the summer was this week — organizing an eclipse viewing party. Oh my goodness, it was fantastic! I worked with a member of a local astronomy club and made viewers from No. 14 welding glass plates, so we had those in addition to some of the viewing glasses (that I checked and rechecked and rechecked because I was so nervous about the phony ones going around). We set up a live stream of the NASA eclipse feed in town hall. People brought their own pinhole cameras, colanders, and viewers. It was an amazing community event with such awesome energy.
That’s me and my friend Denise. I couldn’t resist taking an eclipse selfie, LOL! Here in the Hudson Valley we only saw about a 65% eclipse, but it was still remarkable when you looked up and saw the various stages of the moon crossing paths with the sun. I honestly don’t know how anyone can’t be somehow moved by it. I left work with such a positive feeling in my heart that day!
Yesterday (after I ate my ginormous donut), I puttered around the house for a bit. There were still platters and such to put away from the party, laundry to be folded, that sort of thing. Then I ran out to pick up my team’s Battle of the Books t-shirts (and got lost while driving to an unfamiliar library, ugh) and then pick up Jake at my mother-in-law’s. Since there is an A.C. Moore on the way I decided to stop because… well, craft store HELLO!
They had the Premier Yarn Sweet Rolls and Candy Shop on sale. Honestly, the colorways in the Sweet Rolls weren’t doing much for me, but when I saw “Necco Wafer” in the Candy Shop yarns, I scooped up the last three they had.
Oh, it is so soft and squishy. Not entirely sure what my plans are for these, but definitely something wintery. I still have to finish up my Atlanticus blanket before I can even think of another project. I am so far behind because there just hasn’t been time to crochet.
So, with the summer craziness behind me, I am looking forward to getting back into my hobbies: reading, crocheting, futzing around with my Silhouette, and — yes — blogging!