What I did last summer

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Well, summer's essentially over...and this kind of encapsulates my summer of 2011.

--Books...I did a LOT of reading this past summer! That's one thing about an empty nest...you definitely have more time.

--Storms--Our area of Northern Illinois seemed to be wracked with storms this past summer, several leaving people without power for long periods of time.

--Pools--Honestly, I didn't get to spend as much time in pools as I would have liked to, except for when we were in Texas. I wish I had more access to pools here, because of the...

--Heat--which was often brutal, especially for our area in which we can normally count on a fairly mild summer.

--"Fringe"--After my husband got the first season for Father's Day, we were hooked, and spent the summer watching all 3 seasons so far. Yes, it's often weird and sometimes disturbing, but it's never less than fascinating, and I love the characters.

--Family picnics--What can I say? I love getting together with extended family members for delicious food and fellowship.

--Sonic Diet Cherry Limeades--I seriously could not have made it through the summer without these ambrosial tonics of refreshing deliciousness.

--Texas--Of course, people thought we were crazy for going to Texas in August! But we went because of the many people we dearly love who live there, and that trip and...

--My 33rd wedding anniversary...

...ended up being the highlights of my summer.

Farewell, Summer of 2011! May the autumn be a good one.