Laowai

Summer is clicking along. Today I took Brian and Bea to the airport. They've had a trip to a wedding in Singapore planned for a long time but this week they found out that Brian also needed to go to Sydney for work. So they are combining the trips – first Australia and then Singapore. Claire and I opted out because 20 hours of travel for such a short trip sounded unappealing to us. So now Claire and I have a few fun things planned at home and you can expect some photos from South of the equator soon. Here's what else we've been up to in the last couple weeks.

Bea has been flying the drone and posting her very cool videos on her YouTube channel.

We've been enjoying late dinners outside lately. I tend to complain when we have late dinners that I am too tired to finish all the dishes. I often fill up the dishwasher and leave a few pans for morning. It's not what I prefer because who likes to wake up to depressing dirty dishes in the sink*. And then as I do the dishes in the morning, my mind wanders to Spain. Yes, Spain. The few time that I have been to Spain I noticed that they really do eat dinner late. And then I think who is the poor person washing all the dishes at midnight?

* This whole line of thought makes it seem that I am more fastidious than I actually am. 

– We went to Ravinia with the girls. 

– I started a new dress – a pattern I've made before – and I didn't realize I cut out the wrong size until I was about to put in the zipper. Stupid, stupid mistake. I was so mad at myself. Might be able to salvage it but I'm still in the cooling off period where I keep my sewing room door shut.

– I took a walk at that little gentleman's farm north of us. I got inspired by their big beautiful vegetable garden. 

– We've had some good clothes drying weather lately. Lovely hot days that are a little less humid. Also, I've been enjoying the super bright and saturated colors that seem all around this time of year. Things like my vibrating-color geraniums (I had to take a photo of the dead headings). The first tomatoes from my garden. And the magenta flesh of some plums – I made an upsidedown cake. 

– Started harvesting beans from my own garden.

– I've been getting to the Chicago Botanic Garden nice and early for my weekly walk. Often, I have to dodge sprinklers but I kinda like dodging sprinklers.

– As is usual for this time of year – I am awestruck by the prairie at the botanic garden. 

– We brought some chocolate back from Switzerland. I get this bar out of the cupboard now and then. I stare at it and I think to myself "It's so good! and If I eat it – it will be gone" and so I put it back in the cupboard. 

– I'm doing some frogging – do you know that's what knitters call it when you unravel something. It's because you rip it, rip it like a frog says ribit. Anyway – the second sweater I made is really too big. So I'm trying to make it into something I will actually wear. 

– July means Tour de France watching and we have been diligent. Brian and I laughed really hard the other night and I had to take a photo. When the riders are climbing a big mountain the crowds get crazy and they come close to the riders. The guy in the photo chased after a rider and offered him a pizza. You never know what you're going to see on the tour.

– Have you seen these collectable Heinz ketchup packets? They each feature a state and a local food and the design is really nice.

– My neighbor sent me a picture of a painting she did of my house years ago. It's the view out her window.

– Last but not least. If you ever eat doughnuts with Brian. Whatever you do, DON'T CUT A DOUGHNUT IN HALF. He hates it.