what happened to summer?

I know, there's just no pleasing me

for several weeks you heard me whine and complain about how hot it was

well, yesterday we set a record for the LOWEST high temperature ever

seriously!

it was rainy and cool and gray

but what better weather can you possibly ask for to put up peaches?

this is yesterday's work

all lovely, pretty colors, lovingly preserved for winter eating

and sticky!!

today's chore will be getting the outsides all washed off, labeling the jars and packing them into a box to go off to my dad -- all of these are for him --

we still have some to put up for us, but I'll be doing those in a different syrup


this is what my sewing machine SHOULD be doing

imagine my frustration when I got all ready to do some embroidery only to discover that the touch screen (the rectangular box on the right side) which controls EVERYTHING is dead

so basically right now I have a very pricey sewing machine that is stuck on the stitch configuration that I used the last time the touch screen worked -- which is a basic straight stitch, about 11 to the inch, suitable for doing simple seams on cotton fabric

meantime I'm told it will cost in the neighborhood of $250 to have it repaired -- the issue being that I can't take it to just anybody because Viking will not sell the touch screen part to someone who is not an authorized Viking dealer -- no garage mechanics allowed here -- so it also means I will have to deal with a store that I am less than fond of

to say I am not a happy camper is an understatement -- all things considered, I wonder if I should have put the $$ I spent on this machine somewhere else

(Ever notice how sewing machines have come to resemble automobiles? The more bells and whistles we get the more it requires a "certified" mechanic at higher and higher prices. I have a Brothers sewing machine which was my high school graduation present. I've made hundreds of things on it and it's never had to go to the shop because it was simple enough for me to clean it and oil it and replace it's belts. The days of being able to do that are long gone.)

ok, I'll get off my soap box now and go see if the rain has let up enough that we can go to the farmer's market!