I"M BACK…Refreshed and happy!

We arrived back home on Saturday to the Chicago heatwave. We could feel the sweltering air as we drove home. Today the temp was around 98 degrees. On days like these, my favorite possession is my central air unit. I feel terrible for people who have no source of cooling. Even fans don’t help on days like these, they just blow the steamy air around and don’t offer much in the way of relief. Being hot and sweaty is definately something I dislike very much. Being overheated also makes me feel very sick.

My vacation was restful, and quite nice. My husband and I didn’t argue once and that alone was a welcome change. I got to town on Thursday for a girls’ day of touristy shopping in Minocqua and found a few things in the shops I really had to have. For one, I bit the bullet and purchased the book Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart full price–even though I have it on order at my library. I couldn’t wait! This shows you how much I longed to read this book. I got a few other things I couldn’t live with out and went on to have lunch with a ‘camp friend’ whom I only see once a year during my vacation. We had a delicious meal at the Thirsty Whale, a charming lakeside restaurant with yummy food and a fun atmosphere–well worth the 1/2 hr wait for a table. I got home after shopping around 4pm and started reading my new book. I was finished the next day around dinner time–I just devoured it.

Based on the memoirs of Marjorie Hart, the story takes place during the summer of 1945 when Marjorie and her friend Marty, two University of Iowa girls, spend their summer travelling by train to the big city to seek temporary work and loads of excitement in New York City. WWII paralleled the story and through it we got flavor of more wholesome, frugal times in America. It’s was enjoyable to read about their Saturday dates with midshipmen, and follow along with the funny things that happen to them while they work as the first women pages at Tiffany. It was definately a ‘girly story.’ As a side note, I truly believe I got misplaced in time and should have grown up during this era. The only thing I would have hated was the heat. These poor gals (as well as everyone else, I suppose) had a heck of a time keeping cool in their little New York apartment. With one window facing a brick wall, there wasn’t much chance for cross ventilation. Of course they had no air conditioning, and as far as I can tell, no fans either! I recommend this book to anyone who loves the 1940’s genre and about life in general. Have your daughters read this, it’s a quick, easy read.

Today, my first day home proved to be a productive one. Feeling fully rested and ambitious, I tackled the stacks of toys and games that have been invading my space for weeks now. We have to go through this stuff–residuals from the clean out taking place in my husband’s grandpa’s house. We have to sell it, so going through stuff is an essential part of getting the job done. I spent a good eight hours working on this and I have another day’s worth to go.