Roasty Toasty

We are finally having a nice summer heat spell, even if it only lasts 2-3 days. It was hot back in late April, but not much above 65F for all of June so far. For me, this is most welcome. I love the sunshine and heat. And if it means you can go to the beach (because kids are now out of school), all the better. Mind you, the ocean is still a very brisk 52F, which is too cold for even my toes, but there were some crazy fools (my kids included ) that went into it.

I blew it all off today. No house cleaning (ha, like that really happens regularly!). I sewed for an hour before the kids got up, but payed no attention to getting home by Sophie's normal naptime. I'm fried today. I have quilted the past 2 days with a malfunctioning thread break sensor. It beeps continuously, and is just about enough to drive me mad. A techie is coming some day next week to investigate the issue. In the process of bringing my LA to have the tensioner discs reinstalled on Wednesday, something was moved out of whack (or busted) in the disgnosing we were doing on the machine the day before. They checked the machine out w/o the computer on Wednesday so they didn't hear the continuous beep. I have done 2 quilts with it beeping and it's enough to make me crazy! So, today is all about playing.
We are heading to the white sandy beaches of western Florida in just a few weeks. I am so looking forward to soft, white sand and not the dark and dirty, rocky beaches that we have here. It was low tide much of the time we were at the beach, so this is about as long as the beach gets. And it's always wet, so I couldn'y lay on my towel. To have been on dry sand would have meant allowing these two not-so-trusting cherrubs free reign to do whatever because I'd be too far away to do anything about it! Furthermore, with three on one, I cannot take a snooze or daydream. They are a full-time job. Or these two are anyways (AKA Trouble One and Trouble Two). Miss Sophie reassures me every day that I am her favorite Mama. Watching her is easy peasy.

After several hours on the sand, we took a walk on the rockier area of this state park, exploring some of the tidal pools. They found several of these little guys! In retrospect, we should have done it first, when Sophie's feet were fresher, but then. It was fun. I'm so concentrated with getting her feet & legs strong enough to visit Disney, any exercise whenever in the day is a good thing.

And with each passing year, the cooperation to get all three in a nice beachy picture together gets progressively harder! Two out of three not gawking at something else is not that bad :-)

By the time we were leaving, the beach was packed. It's your usual Maine beach: loads of kids and lots of white (not racially white, but pale, pastey, paper white skinned) folk. Much of the time, Sophie sat and played in and near a small tidal pool (4'x2' puddle!). Before we left she needed to go to the bathroom and I was NOT taking her into the surf, and the bathroom facility was clearly too far away. So I told her to just quickly sit down in her puddle and do it. I was busy packing our stuff up. A minute or so later I glance over and she's stripped off her swimsuit bottoms, has her top hiked to her armpits, and is examining what she's peeing into the puddle as it fountain sprays out of her. Oh good Lord, raising kids will kill me! They really do not have any discretion or inhibitions, do they?! I pity the next folk to sit near our puddle...

And I'll leave you with my favorite shot of the day. Sometimes the best picture is taken from behind .

Coming soon...

1. Fraternal twins - the story of two similar, but different quilts

2. A finished Birthday dress

3. several other customer goodies

Have a good weekend and Father's day~