Summer!

We've been in Alabama for two months now, and life has settled into a very comfortable rhythm.  The weather over the past couple of weeks has been very hot and sunny, prompting us to look for somewhere to go swimming.  We found a couple of good spots, courtesy of some of our neighbours, and went out with a small group to watch the sunset over the water on Memorial Day.  The water temperature here is already warmer than it ever gets in Ontario - even by the end of the summer, so I was perfectly happy!

But all that heat also brings spectacular storms, charging through the hills and along the river valleys.  We've been caught out once or twice, and soaked to the skin in minutes.

Lurch continues to freeload, and the swallow eggs have hatched.  No pics of the babies, I'm afraid, as they are way down inside the nests, and invisible to us.  Mum and Dad dive bomb anyone who looks like they're getting too close!

We went back to the drag races last week, and Roger, who was racing 2 cars, won first and second place!  That apparently hasn't happened in 10 years, so he was, understandably, very happy.  Here he is, at the helm of Copper Queen.

Repairs and renovations are coming along nicely.  We have a newly upholstered love seat, and are just waiting for the tub chairs to come back.  We have new furniture for the aft deck, and are very near to completing the plumbing, treatment system and new water heater.

We have a deadline now, in the form of a group excursion to Guntersville City Harbour (about 20 miles away), to see Taylor Hicks of American Idol fame perform on the 30th of June at the Alabama songwriters festival .  We will travel there and back in a watery parade of sorts.  One of the very experienced locals has volunteered to lead us all home in the dark, but it promises to be a lot of fun.