Update II

Did some mid-summer garden maintenance earlier this week in the heat and 100% humidity, so I've been quite happy to return to the coolness of the sewing room, sipping sweet tea and listening to stuff via iPod.  I did just download from my library one of Edward Rutherford's monster-sized books (Paris: A Novel), but I've never read any of his other works - historical fiction stuff, looks like.  Oh well, easily removed if I decide I hate it.  I'm on the wait list for Brown's The Inferno and Carl Hiaasen's new one Bad Monkey.  I'm hoping that one might have something to do with the real-life monkey that was on the loose in the Tampa area for something like nine months last year, just hiding out in back yards and suddenly appearing on balconies and scaring the bejeezus out of people.  Oh Florida, you are such a freaking gold mine of you-can't-make-this-stuff-up stories.

I have turned to downloading podcasts quite a bit when I can't find a good book and I'm currently mining the archives of The Nerdist.  Though generally not big on watching stand-up comedy shows, I'm really enjoying listening to Chris Hardwick interviewing/chatting with other comedians.  Most I've never heard of, but sometimes he talks to people like Alton Brown or Mark Hamill or Lily Tomlin and the conversations get crazy funny.  Recent ones with Tom Hanks and Mel Brooks and Billy Connolly are just hilarious.  Good thing I'm alone in the house - laughing yourself to tears at the sewing machine is probably a very strange sight.

I've sorted through all the pictures of our June-July gatherings with family and friends all up and down the East Coast and will start tomorrow with a little travelogue.  I'll get the popcorn all ready.

Evie and Isabella riding out a Florida thunderstorm on the sofa with Grandpa and Grandma.  --cds