As August begins, I realized that I’ve only got three weeks left of summer vacation. I’ve been busy with lots of stuff, and yet in many ways, I feel like I’ve done absolutely nothing.
I did try to get starting on my collection mapping project, using the data from recent reports and a spreadsheet I got from my cooperating teacher in June. (I worked with her when I was in undergrad way back in Spring of 1992. I can’t believe I’ve been out of college that long!) She’s written a book on collection mapping which she’s getting ready to update, but that really doesn’t help me for my goal this year. There’s still plenty of work to do, and the data I entered may be a bit off because of the fact that items that are missing are probably still included in those numbers. Since no good inventory had been done in my library for more than 10 years, I know that the computerized records were inaccurate. That’ll give me something to work on this year.
The summer reading program is in its final days, drawing to a close on Thursday. I’ve read several of the books from my last order that arrived two weeks before school let out in June. I’m glad my principal was able to get that order through, because the books >have all been great! I read Marcus Zusak’s I Am the Messenger which was very powerful and the Printz winner, Looking for Alaska. (Good golly I hope I didn’t botch that title as badly as I think I did!) I’ve also read a few Debbie Macomber books, Dark Paradise by Tami Hoag and have some others waiting to be read—Robin Cook’s most recent paperback release, Perri O’Shaughnessy’s Case of Lies, and a few my friend Cari shipped off to me about a month ago.
AM and I did some fun trips to local yarn shops and I found patterns for some really cool felted bowls and vases that I’ve been working on. They’re from Patons and have been working up quickly and easily. I’m also working on White Lies Designs “Shapely Tank Top” and am learning a lot AND enjoying knitting for myself, something I rarely do. I had been using the Sugar’nCream yarn for another sleeveless sweater, but found this pattern and promptly (ok, it took me a week to decide to do it) frogged the original so that I could use the yarn for the Shapely Tank instead. I can’t wait to see how it comes out. I hope there’s not more frogging in my future. I will try to take some photos of this work in progress, so that others can see how the short-row shaping is coming out and what it looks like. I found some great instructions at Knitty.com and emailed a knitting group and about 4 other people I tracked down online who have done the sweater, designed the sweater, or written about the short-row shaping. Hopefully, I won’t mess up the directions I got and it will work out.
AJ was supposed to start swimming lessons today (a day with a heat advisory and over 100 degree temps) but when we arrived at the pool they told us they’d been cancelled because today was National Night Out. I’m not sure what that is, but there was free admission to the pool and a lot of emergency response groups (Red Cross, National Guard, EMT, animal rescue) were there with tables set up and freebies and information. We were there, so we swam for about 40 minutes before packing it in and heading out. I still haven’t gotten the email stating that the lessons were cancelled. The joys of relying on the internet will never cease.
We’re going to Niagra Falls this weekend and planning to tent. I sure hope the heatwave breaks or we’ll be dying up there! John’s never been to the Falls, and of course, neither has AJ. It should be a fun and laid back trip.
I guess that’s good enough for a nearly-two-month-hiatus-catch-up post!
