Hello everyone and Happy July!

Happy July everyone! Can you believe it's already July? WOW. The year is already on the downward slope toward winter. (And knitting season!)

Married life is going very well. We've settled in and still giggle to call each other "husband" and "wife." Life isn't too different, but is good. :)



My job is going fine, and I got some great feedback from my speech in Salt Lake City. They asked me to submit proposals for next year, which I already did (two of them!). They contacted me today to say they're looking for a speaker for a presentation on medical literacy and plain language writing for patients. I don't know a whole lot about it (yet) but I did go ahead and offer my speaking services for it. It's so fun to do presentations like that. The conference next year is in Orlando though, not someplace exotic like Salt Lake City. But. It's good for my professional life to get this experience.

So I've been busy here (as you can imagine) doing some sewing, knitting, and even crocheting. I finished a dress tonight but was lazy and didn't take a picture. It's a blue cotton halter dress with a big full skirt. I've never been able to wear dresses like that (til my surgery) so it's exciting to have one now that I think is really cute. :) It looks a bit like the red one in this pattern:

http://www.butterick.com/item/B5029.htm?tab=list/dresses&page=all

I also am making a hat for the beach that looks like one of those Vietnamese rice paddy hats. You know the ones I mean:

I love these hats. But. They cost nothing to buy, except the shipping, which can be slightly pricey, since these things don't exactly fold down. And they're 16 inches across. So! I'm making my own, but out of fabric and felt so it's nice and squishy, but stands out like it's supposed to. Also, it's teal. Schweet. Joe already hates it. heh. And if my version doesn't work? I'm going to buy the green one above. Because they are so super cute!

This weekend for the 4th, we're driving up to my mom's in NC. She's hosting a wedding party for us for the extended family - it should be fun or at least interesting. Joe will probably be overwhelmed with all the new people. But the food will be great! We will take pictures, and yes, I will post them. Eventually.

Time for bed. Happy Fourth of July!