Heat wave

Ugh, the misery of heat. Portland usually has at least a few days a summer of yucky heat -- mid-90s and up -- though some summers it never manifests and I was hoping this would be one of those. No such luck. We're right in the middle of a string of 90-100 degree days, and I HATE IT. I know, many of you probably live in hotter places, but you also probably have central air. No one here does. Well, we did just have an a.c. installed in our bedroom, thank god, and we have one in the studio, which is where I will be today, still trying to de-clutter.

Agh, clutter. At what point do you just shrug and start tossing everything in big garbage bags? I mean, that's one way . . . Just toss it all. So many books to sell to Powell's and donate to libraries! I'm terrible at getting rid of books, but in our little house, there's just no way to keep them all. I must be ruthless, keep only the ones I love.

Speaking of books I love, I finally finished the Attolia trilogy by Meghan Whalen Turner. I don't know why I waited so long! I'd read The Thief last year and liked it a lot up to the ending when I suddenly loved it. I bought the remaining two books but they just sat there on the nightstand for ages. Well, I just read them in two days and WOW -- they're awesome. So full of intrigue and suspense and -- unexpectedly and quietly -- romance. I highly recommend them.

Okay, to work! To conquer the clutter. Cheers!