Another week has come to an end. Before I know it Fall semester will have begun again. Thunderstorms this afternoon so I have the air conditioning going in the living and bedroom to cool it down in here in case the power goes out again. It is so close and muggy when the weather is like this. Dark and dreary out there too. And, the mosquitoes are terrible. We walked down to the beach after Steve got home from work yesterday. It was a nice leisurely walk as it had cooled down some. We were walking in the rocks at the end of the cove when Steve had a crab run over his foot. Glad it was him and not me - I probably would have gotten startled and fell in the water! We just sat and listened to the waves for a bit, hoping we would get to see one of the cruise ships going out, but it didn't leave until we had walked back home. There is the coolest flower growing on the hurricane damaged waterfront lot Steve and I drool over as a building site. But, no flower is worth the 2 mil the guy is asking for the lot! Like we could afford it anyway - so I'll just have to enjoy the nature made floral arrangement when I walk by.

One of my favorite YA authors, Lara M. Zeises, has a new book coming out in November - Anyone but You. As she always does, Zeises has created very unique characters, this time a pseudo brother and sister whose hormones are reminding them that they are also sexual beings and attracted to each other. The issue of what can happen between teens who grow up in blended families where there is no blood relationship between them is rarely addressed in YA novels. It smacks a bit of incest, but is it really? This is different than Block's Wasteland, as the two teens in that novel believed they were blood siblings. Seattle (Sea for short) became a part of Critter's family when she and her father moved in with them when they were little kids. When he left, Sea was left behind and became Jesse and Critter's sister and Critter's best friend. They happily did everything together until the day Critter sweet talked their way into a rich neighborhood pool. There is no reason Sea should be so insanely upset about Critter falling for the preppie lifeguard chick, but she is. And, when Critter catches her with Scott, the skater dude visiting from the West Coast, well he is mighty upset too. Jesse is the level headed one who works a part time job and tries to keep the family together when it seems to be coming apart at the seams. Frank, Sea's dad, has decided he wants back into her life, but the angst ridden emotional basket case that Sea is isn't about to let that happen. The novel is told in two voices - Sea's and Critter's. And, Critter is the hormone driven boy all mothers want no where near their girls. :-) This is a gotta have book in a YA collection, just as the first two Zeises YA novels - Bringing Up the Bones (for older teens) and Contents Under Pressure (the book to give to every girl who is going into high school!).

Steve has already informed me tonight is his chicken friend steak night at Molly Malone's so I had better finish up the projects on my desk so I can enjoy myself. It is always fun to watch the tourists, and the regulars, that frequent Molly's.