The Trees Are Turning
As you may have surmised, I have survived the South, no thanks to giant cockroaches and the southern sun. (But with many thanks to the wonderful cooks who populate the South and need to learn that the North is just as good, but without giant bugs or terrible burning sun and with snow and me.)

We swam in the ocean. We swam in the pool. I read 10 books. I fell madly in love with Seamus Heaney, though William Butler Yeats will forever have my devotion, still. I didn't get around to rereading Chaucer or the Nibelungelaid like I wanted to - but Charles de Lint distracted me with his shiny books. I ate lots of fish. We visited Savannah. Mostly, the trip was a trip to do nothing. And by nothing, I mean read and swim and eat, because that's basically all we did. Despite my 50 sunblock, I did get burned, but I'm mostly healed now. I also got mildly sick from overeating and still somehow managed to lose weight on the trip. I'm not sure how this is possible since everything I ate was also deep fried. As this seems to be a universal problem in my mother's family, I am going to blame genetics, but it isn't fair to get continually smaller. My brother has suggested that I shop in the teen boy's section for pants because they might fit me better than women's and have more coverage than junior's.

I did a bit of black and white photography while I was down there. Some was in Savannah proper and some was out on the islands at the beaches and of the shops. I'm hoping it comes out well. I think I'll bring the old 35 mm (yes, I use the camera my parents received as a wedding gift since they don't want it) to school. Philly and the campuses should be great through the year for photography.

Today, I was slightly more productive. I renewed my driver's license. I am somewhat concerned because the piece of paper the lady handed me says "Not Valid for Identification" but she also wouldn't give me my old license back. (Just as a note, the Massachusetts DMV is sort of like Hell's waiting room and arguing to get my license back was sort of like the damned arguing for their souls - it doesn't work.) Then my brother and I went on a going-back-to-campus run, buying things like soap and instant cider and, in his case, coffee.

I also just bought a bunch of yarn online to be shipped to school. My brother declared that he wanted a Life Aquatic Beanie for his birthday, so I purchased the yarn and needles for that. I also purchased a Super Simple Shawl pattern for myself because I currently need something that will not be a WIP for months - I rather desperately need a new FO, sad as that is. Since I bought a heavy worsted weight yarn to knit it in, I should be fine. I hope. I just think I really want an FO (though the beanie will most likely be the first FO, it will be shipped to Boston post haste).

I'm thinking about being Sherlock Holmes for Halloween. Even if I plan to have purple hair then, I think it would be a lot of fun. I already have the cape and pipe. I know of a place online where I can get a relatively cheap deerstalker. I'd have to go out and buy a pants-and-vest set and button down shirt, but I'm also fairly sure that I'd find another use for them (like when I get a job in The Real World). And I have the cane, anyway.