The weeks of summer are flying!

Summer is speeding by before my eyes! It is amazing how fast it is going with all our activities keeping Pat & I so busy.

Since my last blog about the heat, temperatures have cooled off considerably. Can you believe we've had 50 degree nights in July! The days have been great also. Since the heat wave in June, we've had mainly SEVENTY and 80 degree days all month ... which has been wonderful, especially since we've had so much company!

I spent the last week of June and first few days of July getting ready for our 4th of July party. It is our one big party of the year ... with food & fireworks.

Pat & I went to Big Lots to get some kind of tent or cover for the patio table. On our way we spotted a place that sold gazebos and stopped there on our way out of town. We both fell in love with one of them and he talked me into buying it. It is beautiful! I'll have to share pictures of it on the blog soon. Everyone at the 4th of July party just loved it.

I served pulled pork and chicken salad on the 4th. Several people brought other goodies ... we had more than enough food. We had a good, if smaller group this year ... 13 people. Party-goers started arriving around 4:00 p.m. and Jim & Jackie were the last to leave around 2:00 a.m. Pat's son-in-law did the fireworks again this year and did a great job. I think most, if not all, had a great time. I know that I really enjoyed it.

Pat was off the week after the party. We spent three days putting CWF on the wood of the gazebo and then putting a layer of polyurethane on the floor, railings, benches and swing. We bought some seat cushions, three hanging baskets that I planted with impatients and begonias, a couple of flags with poles, rope lights for the ceiling, two tiki torches and some tables to finish it out. It looks beautiful. Pat and I will probably put another couple of coats of poly on the floor. Then all it needs is a weather vane on the cupola and it will be complete.

The following weekend Jim & Jackie came over to see what we had done with the gazebo and for some Chinese food. This time it was I who had the "laughter headache" after they left. The guys are just so funny when they get together. Jackie swears they give her a stroke from all the laughter.

Last weekend it was a visit from the "hair-lip dogs", as Pat calls them. The two Mark's came to visit on Saturday and I got to meet them for the first time. They have been friends with Pat for years. The last time Pat saw them was last year's fishing trip ... and I stayed home to hold down the "fort." We sat in the gazebo, listening to music, while the guys drank beer, then they went out back for some target practice. It was great to meet them and I hope we can get together again soon.

Pat's daughter, son-in-law, and 3 adorable grandchildren came out for the day last Sunday. Those children are just precious. I always enjoy when they come out. It is so much fun to spend time with Pat's daughter and her family. As you can imagine, we spent almost the whole day in the gazebo while the children scampered around with all the energy that children have. I think those three were worn out by the time they left ... I know that Pat & I were, LOL.

Tomorrow Pat & I will be doing yard work and putting more poly on the floor of the gazebo. Saturday is Pat's neice's wedding and his two oldest grandchildren are in the wedding party, so we are off for St. Louis for the day. I bet those two are going to look adorable!

I hope we have a weekend soon when we can rest! Although I do enjoy spending time with friends and Pat's family, it is exhausting. Although right now I am wondering what Jim & Jackie are doing on the first ... hmmmmmm. I must be a glutton for punishment, but summer is flying so we need to make the most of it while we can. We can always rest in the winter, LOL.