Catching up

We had a weird, volatile June, but now that July is here I think things will begin progressing in more of a normal pattern--hot, busy, summery, and hot again. Because, yes, today is the second day in a row of three digit temperatures. Yesterday, after about an hour of indecision about the best way to a cool dinner, we finally decided that turning on the oven was better than standing outside by the grill. If you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing a sticky DC summer, I'm not sure you can imagine what today's record breaking heat index feels like. Actually, I can't imagine it either, since the air conditioner in our office is so effective that I have the space heater on and am drinking tea while wearing a sweater. Regardless, it's hard to remember what this was like, only a few months ago.

It is recess this week (and the angels are singing), so I have some ambitious plans to:

• reintroduce myself to Jillian Michaels, since I have been a Workout Slacker (capitalization necessary) for over a month now and would like my summer clothes to fit again.
• finish the next draft of my thesis, which has been hanging around like a really annoying click in my car or a headband that is too tight or the fact that I briefly took off my wedding ring last week and STILL HAVEN'T REMEMBERED TO PUT IT BACK ON and it is driving me crazy.
• cook things, like grilled salmon and sauteed squash and purple beans that turn green when you boil them. I love food in the summer, and I kind of want to massacre all the birds who have destroyed our first four (four!) tomatoes of the year. If you see me on the deck with a BB gun in hand, don't judge me.
• read things, like the new Bon Appetit and Provencal cookbooks and maybe something else that is not related to France or food or thesis or Harry Potter (how unexpected!).
  
• catch up on this blog. In the next bit here, you can expect an update on our CSA experience, a few pictures from our outdoor movie adventure, and a report on our recent trip to Oregon for the Fourth. Ambitious but doable, right?

I also intend to, you know, write a set of talking points and a press release and maybe a few constituent letters, so don't think the week is totally going to waste. More to come...