Dog Days of Summer

It is now approaching mid-August in Memphis and has been unbearably hot. This summer has thankfully been a little less dry than last, but I'm definitely ready for fall. Although summer means vacation, and winter means Christmas (two of my favorite things to look forward to during the year) there is nothing like crisp fall weather and fresh spring weather. My moods are heavily affected by the weather. This is why I couldn't live far north where there's not enough daylight or warm weather. The past couple of days, it has dropped down to about 90 degrees and it feels heavenly. That sounds crazy, but when the humidity is like a wall and the temperature looms at 100 degrees, it's like walking out into an oven. However, take away just some of that excrutiating humidity and drop a few degrees and it feels like a spring day. I'm not crazy though...my dogs notice it too. When it's painfully hot and I open the door for them to go potty it's like they are saying, "Are you serious?" "I'd rather stay inside and pee on the floor." But yesterday when I came shome for lunch, they seemed to say, "Yippppeeee!!!" "Please don't make me come in!" Banjo had fun galavanting around.

So, unless you have a pool, August is a good time to find some enjoyable indoor activities. Like a book signing. Or like watching the Olympics. Yesterday I attending Leslie Kagen book signing at an independently owned bookstore in Arlington, TN called Cover to Cover. If you are like me and don't enjoy TV reruns, go pick up a book. I recently read Whistling in the Dark by Leslie Kagen in preparation for the signing/reading. It's a short, amusing, funny and quirky read set in the 1950s about two 10 year old sisters who have experienced some traumatic events. One sister in particular is out to catch a "murderer and molester." Although it does deal with some serious issues, it is more a light, funny read. It is written from the perspective of one of the 10 year old sisters. I laughed out lough several times throughout the novel. Since I enjoyed the first one so much, I am going to start her newest book (and the one she was promoting), Land of a Hundred Wonders.