Lost Summer

The summer is nearing it's end and classes resume next week at the University. Julie returned to work yesterday.

This, in some ways, has been a lost summer. Late last January I returned to work full time for the first time in about five years. I anticipated 24 hours per week to become 40 hours per week but that was a mistaken expectation. Quickly the 40 hours turned into 50-some. As a result I gave up on summer projects and a garden. I had no desire to sit down to a computer in the evenings so this blog has been on hiatus.

I've regretted the loss of the garden. I bought onion sets and some peppers after starting a few tomatoes and red cabbage in the greenhouse as well as some flowers. After putting these in the garden I acknowledged the lack of time and decided not to do more. We watered the few plants until the first of July when the monsoon season began. In the last seven weeks we've had about eight inches of rain -- more than we received in the previous 12 months. It was a perfect summer for a garden that could have been.

The system upgrade at the University is nearing it's completion and work is slowing down. Last week I put in 44 and 1/4 hours and my thoughts are turning toward getting the greenhouse ready for the fall and winter. Julie and I are compiling a list of projects for the winter months. We have little work left inside and the house will be fully remodeled. Last weekend I built and tested a pattern for drawers for the pantry. Soon I hope to buy materials and construct four draws for the bottom half of the pantry that will pull out and make it easier to find boxes, cans, bottles and packages. It's interesting how rewarding and satisfying it is to have a list of home projects and make progress as compared to working full time and making extra money.

We did have a few adventures this summer. I hope to write about them over the next several days.