I can hardly wait....

for several things:
1) My mom is on her way up to visit. Unfortunately, her DH only comes for a chunk of fire. I'm sure he will be ready to head back home before breakfast has a chance to congeal on the plates tomorrow.

2) A cold front is supposed to be coming through. While we are in the storm zone... all of the rains have missed us so far. But being 25* cooler will be very welcome...

3) Positive Changes.
Things have been going on in the lives of my older children. DS#1 has a better job, which he starts in just a couple of weeks. DS#2 just moved to a new apartment with his wife and baby... and got a raise in his income. DD is expecting baby #2 in October. DS#3 is hoping to go visit DS#1 soon- #3 hasn't been much of anywhere (except a quick trip to Becky's) in nearly a year. DS#4 likes his job- a trade he began to learn in May.
DH is back to looking for a house for us. Oh, and our 25th anniversary is 3 weeks from yesterday.
4) A new Kitty.
We all miss Al so much. Mr C is not ready for a new kitty. He says NO! and I am under direct orders NOT to bring home another kitty. But some day we will get a new one.

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I feel as if we have actually accomplished something this summer- even if it is just that we have canned jellies and jam. I very much enjoyed our Ohio vacation, and quick little trips to get Becky.
Seems like the summer is about over- but we are really not quite to its middle yet.
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It is "funny" how much a part of our lives Al was. I have found myself several times putting things in 'better' locations, so Al won't knock them over. Or looking for fresh catnip plants. Reaching cautiously onto high shelves. Al always had a knack for being where you least expected her. Nothing like teetering on a box in the closet to reach the top shelf, only to come face to face with a warm, furry "Meow".

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We got our baking done this morning. A fresh blackberry cobbler, plus two loaves of banana bread. (The banana's had to be used. We added cherries just to see how it would come out. YUM!) Now the house is trying to cool down. I hate baking during the heat of the summer. We cook out most nights, just to keep down the heat in the kitchen. (The kitchen/ dining/ and living room areas are one large room. So cooking heats up the whole living space).

I got a couple of eggplant to fix for supper. Mom loves eggplant, and Daniel really wanted to try it again. I am thinking I will lightly 'bread' it with egg, and rice flour. Then saute it. I will make a tomato based sauce with basil, garlic, onion, and maybe a dash of italian seasoning. That's the plan, anyway. (Also doing grilled steak, and mashed potatoes.)