Mockingbird Hill Cottage

• It rained all day yesterday and, though we’re experiencing a lull at the moment, it will rain for several hours today. It should be partly sunny tomorrow. I’m anxious to see how this has changed the water level on the river. It was shockingly low last week. Hopefully, the amount of rain we’ve had will make a difference.

• I coach today and tomorrow, most likely for several hours each day. Since my brain feels foggy today (sinus) I’m sure hoping that I sharpen up soon! Long days, and then long days on the road on Friday and Saturday. I’ll be glad when my work on Jane Eyre  is complete. I plan on relaxing for a couple of days after I return home. And then I’ll have two days of coaching next week.

• We just passed the 31st anniversary of my brother’s death. I always think of him, of course, but especially in the early days of September. He had cancer, as you know, and while I was chaperoning a group of BU students at the Edinburgh Festival, he took a turn for the worse. My mom held off telling me because she didn’t want to upset me, at least, not until they knew more. I returned home before Labor Day and mom told me what had been going on. I immediately called my brother in the hospital. He seemed to be hanging in there, but he told his girlfriend he was tired of fighting. One night, he sent her home, insisting she get some rest. He died that night. He was only 44.

I didn’t meet Don until 3 years later. I wish they had had the chance to know each other.

• More experimenting with hats for the girls; a lighter weight yarn, some tweaking of the pattern, and here is the latest version.

Zoe is wearing her back-to-school clothes. I think she looks quite fetching in that hat.

Although, I was in such a hurry to get a photo in the late afternoon that I put the right hand where the left should be, and the left hand where the right should be!

I didn’t realize until later when I was trying to figure out why her hands looked weird.

Don sometimes calls me Dr. Frankenstein when I do something like replace eye chips. I think this little error qualifies. Don’t worry, the hands are now in the right place!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.