My grandfather was right all those years ago when, after hearing me wish for the umpteenth time that I was 18, he said that after I turned 18, life would fly by. Well, it certainly has and he was ever so right! I could never tell you how much I miss him because there are just no words.

Now I find myself married with no children living in this house. Suddenly it seems big, empty although it really is not. Phil is here. Clementine is here. I am here. We are cat-less for the first time in my life and that feels very odd. Empty. No purring, furry kitty but it is just as well now. Phil is so allergic to them.

I worked a lot in the shop this summer, more than I thought I would. I love it there but hated the heat and all the dryness of this now past summer. I bought air conditioning for the house not being able to stand the heat. I could not handle colored pencils or yarn with all the heat trapped in these walls.

I made tons of jewelry this summer and was totally blessed and a bit dizzy with delight when I realized most of it sold. I did not get to my bench to do much metal smithing but oh, did I design and make earrings, string necklaces, bang out bracelets. I dipped into my years and years of stash and collecting and made fresh, wonderful things with some very old and delightful beads. What fun!

I read into the wee hours of the morning under the ceiling fan in the bedroom turned on high spin. Dizzying high spin. I read of Chicago in the late 1800's, Missoula's current headlines, bear attacks, mountain climbing, People

 magazine and Vanity Fair. I fell in love again with the writing in Vanity Fair and took mental vacations with People.

I lived on cherries for about two intense weeks mid summer. I love cherries! The color, the shape the feel of the little colored balls of firmness and sweetness in my hands could send me over the rainbow!

Dreaming, I didn't forget. Planning, I didn't forget. Wishing away the days longing for fall, I didn't forget and now, my absolute passion for all that is fall begins on Wednesday as the season officially changes. I'll have to write updates on fall for my blog. I'll make lists of all I like to do during the cooler, wet days of fall.

For the rest of this half moon night, now very early morning on the 22nd, I'll go to bed and read. Transport myself here and then into my dreams.