Dog Days of Summer

Summer has finally seemed to arrive in the Pacific Northwest...at least the summers I remember. It's a toasty 81 degrees outside at the moment, although the weather guessers projected 90. Which is too hot, in my opinion. I haven't been complaining about the 70+ degree weather we've been having...it always amuses me how quickly I acclimate so that 55 degrees requires a hat and gloves. In February 55 will be shorts weather.

The mutt has been suffering in the heat a little. 4 or 5 frisbee throws is all he's good for before he looks like thisAccording to daycare (yes, we send the mutt to daycare twice a week), he's a bit out of shape. While Mr. Monkey has been unemployed, we've only been sending the kid to daycare only once a week. Apparently his girlfriends (yes, plural...we're so proud) can run circles around him.

In other news, I had the fun opportunity of rear-ending someone last evening. Am cursing myself for not getting the brakes looked at on the Pathfinder. I basically couldn't stop in enough time. The other guys car has a very faint outline of my license plate on his bumper...didn't even chip the paint. He had made a comment about not calling it in, but he did and is going to get an estimate and blah blah. His bumper had other scratches and paint issues, so I'm betting it's just to get a new bumper. I did learn something about insurance though. Apparently, if you aren't getting your car fixed, you don't have to pay a deductible. There's no deductible on liability insurance. And since I'm not planning on getting the Pathfinder fixed, it is the beater truck, I'm not out of pocket for anything. I fully expect my insurance premiums to go up, but that's the price I pay for not getting the brakes checked out...which I'm going to go get an estimate for this afternoon. Sigh.

In knitting news, I have made good forward progress on the Tangled Yoke cardigan. I'm still planning on leaving off what makes in tangled, the celtic knotting along the yoke. Wouldn't show up well in the yarn I'm using. I have the body done (picture doesn't show the ribbing detail at the bottom very well) and have started on the sleeves, which I'm doing in the round, two at a time, so hopefully they will go rather quickly. I'm excited/anxious to get this done, as it's cotton and I want to wear it whilst I can. And I'm still plugging away at the mermaiden socks. I'll need to get started on mom's b-day present (oct. 2, but we would like to be ahead of schedule) and then probably start the christmas knitting so I don't go insane waiting until the last minute.

Ooh, Stitch 'n Pitch is tomorrow night. Apparently there are booths set up and yarn for sale...I feel like trouble is a-coming. And with no yarn money in sight (i'm scared of the visa bill this next month...3 plane tickets, 2 nights hotel, and god knows what else is on it). Hopefully I won't see anything I will need. I'll go play in the stash to make sure I'm still feeling overwhelmed by it.