The weeks before and after a holiday are always crazy at work. Everyone is anxious to get a long weekend; then they wish it had been longer. Add to that the fact that the office air conditioner went out and it was 89* in my office for two days with no fan. Got a fan and the air conditioner repaired about the same time. Oh, yeah, the 89* temp was up from the normal 86* is has been in my office this summer when the AC was working. Meltdown!

Terry & I have started a little tradition this summer that we’ve enjoyed. Most afternoons when we get home from work we cut a watermelon (or take the other half out of the fridge) and dig in before supper. We don’t eat a lot (who needs the tummy ache), but we sit where it’s cool & share the day. He has spoiled me by cutting out bite-size pieces for me. We had a few watermelons in a patch at his sister’s house, but the weirdest thing was the voluntary vine that came up under our bedroom window and grew out over our patio. There were a couple of tiny watermelons on the vine, but we also had one at 55 pounds and another larger than that which he didn’t weigh. (Sounds like the fish that got away, doesn’t it?! But other people saw these melons & will testify.)

Our chief chef has been at my house cooking. Laurie is enjoying having all the boys in school. Carter goes to kindergarten every day, and Aaron & Marcus go to preschool Tuesday & Thursday. Those days give her a much-needed respite and some special time with Marlee. Anyway, cakes and pies await me, as well as spinach artichoke dip. Let me tell you….NO ONE can make spinach artichoke dip like Laurie can. Oh drat, every stinkin’ bit of this has lots of calories and loads of fat, but if I divide it up in tiny pieces to dole out sparingly, I can continue the slow pace of weight loss.