Oh, My God....the Dog days of Summer are upon Us!

Honestly, my butt just wasn't designed to withstand the heat and this heat is hitting even thin people. I'm not sure what temperature I'm really built to withstand (problem the Antartic), but summer just kills me. By the end of the day my feet and ankles become one....my ankles are so swollen you can't find them and the thong sandals are buried in a sea of fat. It takes all night for the swelling to go down and then I'm up and out again. Tonight is Stitch 'n Bitch and Sara and I are trying to figure out where to hold it so we will have a/c because without the a/c I won't be attending. So...for those wishing they were by the sea...wish no more...there is no breeze...the beach is filled with hung over high school seniors who couldn't care less if they are disturbing you so you are better off holding up in your house in a/c. The water is still lovely however and in a couple of weeks we will be the destination du jour. The seniors this week have been a nightmare and the police are invisible to us all. Calling them to quiet partying seniors is futile and we are all ready to kill the little buggers. We pray daily for the ability and patience to get through the next 2 weeks and then we're home free. The event weekend went really well and Lauren was an absolute delight, as usual. Debbie L. & Phyllis Y. left yesterday around 3 after being treated to the practice air show. The actual show was today and frankly it was too loud. First I'm putting up with the heat and then I was trying to work with a sales rep..(who was distracting to begin with) and then the noise from the planes dive bombing...honestly....heat and noise...too much. Now, of course, mentioning the sales rep has distracted me (child with shiny objects you know) anyway, ladies...this is for you. Don't be ashamed to wear the proper size...don't squeeze into clothes 3 sizes too small because you do nothing for your appearance except bring attention to the fact that you've gained weight apparently or you borrowed your smaller daughter's clothes. This rep's blouse was not only being pulled apart at the buttons so you could clearly see the girls...but she couldn't even begin to button the very bottom button so there you saw her muffin top hanging out over her slacks. Now, let me say this...this particular sales rep. is new to us. So I didn't know what to expect, so while she was probably younger than I am (most assuredly)..she would have been considered (in my opinion) attractive, perky, cute...something but certainly not ugly...but all we discussed was her blouse, stomach hanging over her pants. I may have been the only one who actually looked at her face...although Mary said everytime she looked at me I was staring at her stomach. If she had worn a loose blouse or top no one would have even seen her stomach or boobs...and her pants weren't too tight. Anyway, wear something you fit in comfortably...I don't know how she could be comfortable. Honestly, she was one red hot mess! Weather here is almost comfortable...a little warm for me so a/c is absolutely necessary, but I'm alright with that. The sun is shining...people are getting burned....everyone but my crew is happy. We, of course, are having too much interaction with high school seniors. Last night, which was a late night as we're now open at nights which means I'm on night shift..as we walked to the parking lot...I have that long 2 block commute...and I say to hell with gas prices...2 cars of kids stopped at the parking lot sign, read it...Lankford Parking all other towed at owners expense..and still pulled in to park. One car had already parked when Sara, not too politely asked if they had a permit to park. This is when they act considerable more stupid than I really think they are (and I think they are stupid so keep that in mind)...and said they didn't realize that...(so now we know they can read...but they cannot comprehend what they are reading)...so Sara told them in no uncertain terms they had to get off the parking lot, and then of course she had to stand there while they threw obscenities at her, the little jackasses. Then I pull out of the parking lot only to be stopped by another high school senior checking in next door. She pulls her car into the alley in front of the hotel and parks it in the middle of the alley. Meanwhile there are seniors everywhere around me in cars acting like I was the problem, so I moved to the side and let them get by me at which point they realized I wasn't the problem. Then Sara walks up to me and says, "Mom lay on your horn." To which I replied, "I never do that Sara, I'll just wait but it is so rude of this girl." Then the girl finally appears outside and then stands there looking out over the parking lot surveying her options to park...but still not moving even though there are 3 cars waiting for her to move her car. That's when I said, "O.K., I'm revising my plan" and I laid on the horn. Then seniors walking by said, "Hey, dude, there's no reason to blow your horn." Well dude and dudettes, I've had it with you, your entire class, and your partying...stay out of my way or I will go to Walmart and purchase a gun, which I protested against their carrying a few years back. Ocean City is going to be the next Dodge City with citizens arming themselves and Vernon with his stun gun, which thank the Lord hasn't arrived yet. You can only take so much before you blow...and I'm almost there. Thankfully the firemen arrive this week and I'm pretty sure they will take on the seniors in a manner I can agree with....beat their little behinds until they run home crying. Moving on....the first night open since last September went well. I played games, read my book, and had to interact far more with the foreign student working Sea Trader than I wanted to. I do not train the girls normally, because I don't have the patience. I tend to do the job myself and let them watch (it's faster). I give them credit for coming over here to work not knowing the language...and believe me, regardless of how they tell you they are fluent in English...they either don't understand the concept of fluent or they don't understand English..one or the other..but they are anything but fluent. It takes me 3 weeks to even understand how to pronounce their names...there are no Sally's or Sue's in this group. But if I do it phonetically by the end of the summer I'm getting close to what it is suppose to be. I'm sure they just look at me and figure at my age I'm lucky to be standing upright and not drooling and so they tend to ignore me. All the foreign students think Sara owns everything so they ignore me often and go to her. They won't even hand me the money bags...which always has amuzed me....until I want them to do something and then I have to go through Sara who tried to tell them they have to do what I tell them to do....and they smile and nod but we all know what that means...they aren't fluent in English and haven't a clue what Sara just said! Michael is out of school as of yesterday and thank God we have kids staying here that play with him, but every 5 minutes he's bored. I remember it well but honestly, less than 24 hours out of class and he's bored, and dragging the tenants child in it with him. Oh, it's going to be a long summer.....By the way, I know you are just dying to hear about it, but I'm having an issue with the camera and the pictures so hang on...wait until you see what I got....I have wonderful friends who treated me really well...but you'll see....hopefully next week. But I haven't forgotten. We got some new things in the shop this week, but nothing that screams "I have to take this home." I'm still working on finishing Renee's gift as her birthday is coming up, and then I'm working on something out of the stash bag which has been started...yes I'm making a promise to myself to get some of this mess cleaned up. I love these pieces but just didn't finish them, and of course, I have to get back to my ABC Sampler to put in the next section and also my Shores of Hawk Run which is sitting there waiting for me. Summer sure does have a way of making me get behind on things...which seems impossible since I'm working in the shop 7 nights a week. But there you have it. Have a great day....stay cool....and enjoy your stitching.