I have nothing to say as I haven't finished reading the post. I just wanted to be first.
Yesss! (I need a life)

Oh, in college (history major) we had a theory that your butt actually grows to fit the size of your chair. Now, I have no scientific proof of this except to say look at the asses of most professors or other people who sit in chairs all day long!

Mindy, hence my fitness goal ;) LOL

Hi Jeannie!

I can't help with the knitting problem, but I DO understand the too hot to touch fabric. In lovely Houston we are currently enjoying temps in the mid 90's with humidity not far behind. I say "enjoying" because this is only June. It gets even better in July. And August. And September . .

Maybe your sprinklers stopped working because they were attached to a cell phone?? Or is the phone a gift from Francisco? (Call me! I am Francisco!)

dang! i had been checking in to make sure i would be first, but then this work thing called me away from my seat, which incidentally, i am working hard to shrink out of.

hiking need not be an ordeal. here in pdx we lurves our outdoors, even if it's a walk around the river. the key is having a goal to walk toward. like a yummy wine and cheese snack or perhaps a cold beer. of course, it only gets to nine thousand degrees on *some* days here. but hey! no humidity.

I had a difficult time figuring out what he was doing with that pile of pliers, elbow joints, cellphones (!!) and paint (!!) but after all, HE IS FRANCISCO.

I couldn't get a pic of him. Maybe next week, LOL.

"Valet of the Dolls" *snicker*

I'm knitting washcloths/dishcloths. Tiny, cotton, and they're meant to be washed, so if you sweat on it, who cares?

I am worried about your square watermelons, though...

First hiking and next yoga...

http://www.yogabeans.com/

How Madonna of you!

The last guy I dated, things ended after I made the comment that "I would never go hiking." His response was "Really? That's big." Huh? Whatever, 'cuz I wear heels to Disneyland all the time...and I'm comfortable.

How do you get out of hiking? You LIE, of course. Lie like a rug, lie like a dog, hell, lie like a man. You have a bum knee/hayfever/hives, WHATEVER. You can do it, I have faith.

Laurie,
i am *so* with you on the sweat thing. I sweat during a snowstorm. Layering?? No-can-do that particular fashion technique (1 shirt is more than enough to raise my temp). And I live on the East Coast where the summer should be more aptly named Is This Earth Or Some Ungodly Ball Of Fire/Heat/Humidity.

But I do like summer freckles though, in a pre-adolescent-Molly-Ringwald-kinda-way. If you got'em, flaunt'em!

Can't help you with the heat (I live in S. FL!), but just wanted to say that you need EURO sunscreen. The crap they sell in the US doesn't filter out the aging (wrinkles,dark spots, freckles etc.)UVA rays, it only filters out the burn rays (UVB). Well thats not entirely true, the avobenzine in most broad spectrum US sunscreens will protect you from the aging rays, that is until you step into the sun at which point they begin to break down because they aren't photostable. Brilliant isn't it?

Also in Europe they have a rating system for the UVA rays which we don't have here.

I thought its worth mentioning, from one freckled girl to another..

I say in the summer, it's all about cotton -- clothing and knitting.

And are you sure that Francisco is not a former engineer? My dad would have had about that much stuff left over after "fixing" the sprinklers and would have said, "Those were unnecessary parts."

take one canadian, transplant her to san jose (aka the armpit of civilization) and watch the sweat roll. there is not a month i don't sweat in.

lace. one must knit lace in the summer. ask yourself, "what would scarlett do?" she'd knit lace of course.

I knit with ribbon and latticey kind of yarn in the summer. Francisco frightens me. Whenever you mention him, I think of Murphy Brown and her housepainter.

Maybe you could get out of hiking by saying you have a bum knee that goes out of its joint when you walk too much? You could always embelish it by saying you injured your knee while dashing to catch a kitten that had just fallen off a 10th floor balcony. Or you could use an excuse that I once used (and the dumb boy actually believed it!). You could say you injured your knee when you went to the racetrack to watch the ponies run, and you had a little too much to drink, and you were leaning on the rail, fell over it, into the tack,and got trampled by the horses....

I share your hatred of sweat. I never minded doing it at the gym, but now that has changed as well. I think "ass smaller than chair" is pretty much in line with my fitness goals. How is it that we hate sweat so much but were born during the height of sweat season? Irony!

I think you should take up sock knitting. It requires small amounts of yarn (which can even be hot-weather-friendly cotton!) and gives you a chance to practice many knitting techniques. Plus, by the time the weather gets cold (cool?) again, you will have all sorts of pretty socks to warm your feet!

Ariana, where did you hear about this sunscreen issue and specifically what would you recomend? I am extremely sensitive to the sun. I typically use 50+ sunscreen. I once got sunburned in the shade (in Greece on a black volcanic beach).

I think you should take up sock knitting. It requires small amounts of yarn (which can even be hot-weather-friendly cotton!) and gives you a chance to practice many knitting techniques. Plus, by the time the weather gets cold (cool?) again, you will have all sorts of pretty socks to warm your feet!

Whoops, how did my comment post twice?

(D'oh! Monster post- sorry!)
Ariana, as the only freckled albino in captivity (also in L.A.) I am AGOG to knwo: where do I GET EURO SUNSCREEN?????

Also, Laurie, my darlin' one, knit teeny things. Catnip mice to appease the furry ones, glittery lurex yarn ipod covers for your near and dear come Xmas-tide, gloves and socks w/ circular needles (I'm working on a pair with lovely cool cotton yarn right now)there's a GREAT book a friend of mine gave me, called "Socks Soar on two Circular needles". She's an amazing knitter- the first time we hung out and she taught me, she made this glove grow MAGICALLY from her needles as we hung out. I'm still in awe.

As for hiking...um, I hate that crap. But then, I'm the asthmatic who is the POSTER CHILD for "How not to manage your Asthma" ie- I hate swimming because hello? Chlorine + Blonde = NEON GREEN HAIR (or frizzy broken off hair from those damned de-chlor shampoos...)and I hate sweating or anything involving moving that doesn't includedance music. Butt-sitters of the world unite!
I say you lure your buddy over the day of the hike to "pick you up" offer them a beer while you "make some trail mix and pack a few things" and SPIKE THAT BEER WITH VODKA!! Get 'em so drunk and happy that they'll gladly forget their evil plot and stay at chez hissy fit to ass-sit and gossip with you as the day passes by and the hike-threat possibilities wane.

You should totally go hiking, for two reasons: #1 Freckles are hot, and #2 Sweat is hot (this applies to fresh sweat only.)

OK, I'll tell you what to knit, but you won't like it: cotton socks. With or without lace. (Remember your faggoting scarf? yo, k2tog, repeat until you're done? Lace is just faggoting with extra stitches. Really. And a sock is just a really skinny elongated hat with bulges in it. Resistance is futile.)

Laurie - I hear you on the freckles! Ten minutes in the sun and freckles I never even knew I had are popping up!

As for knitting - I'm knitting cotton wash clothes and lined hand towels now that the famous Midwest humidity has set in.

lace, dishcloths and purses. i've been on a purse kick lately.

as for the sweating... i know how you feel. we have oppressive heat and humidity here. i mean, it not only makes me sweat, but it makes my hair curl which is not my ideal way to wear it, but from the first april shower through october, i just wash and go and let it curl b/c no amount of blow-drying, ironing or de-frizz gel can conquor my hair. i wear it flat in the winter and love it... until it rains :) count your non hair curling blessings that freckles are the only issue. i have them too, and i can't tan... EVER and it is sad b/c i want to. oh well, my skin will thank me later i'm sure! as will yours... keep outta the sun and no sweating... you'll feel better for it!

David, "hot" may not be the word you want to use here. Just saying.

Gina, It's cuz our parents hated sweat too... thus, they didn't conceive duing the sweaty season! (but poor mom, bet she rethunk that one once she was 9 months prego during sweaty season!)

I heart Purl ... cute hats can be fun and freckle limiting in the summer... and cute, I heart cute, too!

Dude. Cotton. Or better yet, bamboo yarn. Seriously. Go look here (click Fiber Underground): www.sldknitting.com

The Tiki is bamboo and to-die-for gorgeous. I'm swatching a scarf (yeah, it was suppose to be a swatch but really, if I'm putting that much energy into it, it's going to be a FO when I'm done, I'm just sayin')... so yes, bamboo is your friend in summertime.

I am also blessed with the 'sun kissed' look.
Although somehow I seem to ignore them most of the year, I'm always reminded by someone.
This season, I have watched 3 separate people have epiphanies regarding my 'cute freckles' and how they never noticed them before.
I usually get along with my freckles just fine until they start to darken on my eyelids and upper lip as the natural shading makes me look more like a battered, mustache laden woman than a sun kissed goddess.

I sweat like a construction worker myself, so I can totally relate.

Here's the answer to what to knit in the white-hot heat of summer:

* SOCKS! I just learned how and am now a "where's-the-Kool-Aid?" convert. I think that's what a lot of knitters knit who don't want to handle bulky wool things in summer.

* Or else a tank top in a non-wool fiber like cotton or rayon or nylon or silk or some blend of the above.

* Or hey - you can still keep knitting scarves, but in cool, non-wooly fibers, (see above).

* Or, even better - dishcloths! So quick and easy, and usually always in a cool cotton. Such a satisfying little knit. And there are tons of very cool, free patterns - I have several free dishcloth pattern websites listed in my blog's sidebar. They make nice little gifts, too.

There! Summer knits!

Knit socks. And go hiking. Seriously. Yes the sweat part is icky, but when you get to the end of the trail and can tell yourself you've already walked off enough calories for mucho extra beer and munchies, it is good.

So, does the cellphone detonate the rocket ship?
I'm with the previous commenters...
socks, dishcloths, (honestly, Mason Dixon made me a convert) cute baby bibs (another MD addiction), and maybe some cute hats (they're small!)
I can't wait for my favorite addiction, Big Brother, to begin so I have some TV knitting content. I tend to drop stitches when I solve the puzzle on Wheel of Fortune and have to blurt it out before the husband.

Hi Laurie! I hear ya on the sweat thing. Ick.
I have a gazzilion freckles but I sure don't look sunkissed - I look pale and freckly. Ah, well.

I'm knitting a lacy garter stitch shawl - easy and light, not hot:
http://knitfit.typepad.com/knitfit/2006/04/morehouse_farm.html
[The picture doesn't really do it justice].

This will not help your cause to avoid hiking, but if hiking is inevitable, try to relax and enjoy it, and join Margene and Norma in their knitting/hiking along: http://zeneedle.typepad.com/trekalongwithme/

Socks are great for summer. Oh, and Alchemy makes some stunningly gorgeous solks, bamboos, etc. Oh, and take something really easy & go to the movies!

I can't help you with avoiding hiking, because I enjoy it...

but in the summer.. I knit socks. They are small and lightweight and you don't mind so much.

If you want, I can bring you some of that Euro sunscreen from Italy that Ariana mentions.

LMAO - Farncisco's left over sprinkler parts include a cell phone? Your lawn may never be watered again!

In summer, knit cotton, rayon, linen and all those other vegetable fibers that slip off your dry cold fingers in winter. I am headed your way from Boston in the first week of July and I'm planning to bring a cotton/rayon blend to knit. I may even turn up at your Thursday night knitting group! Are you meeting July 6?

Knit a parisol to shade you when hiking. Make it frilly and pink so your fellow hikers know you are dainty that way and they will give you several breaks along the way to rest and have a beverage. I love to hike and sweat, I'm weird that way. Maybe it is the reward I give myself after a good workout. Guiltless food and beer.
Fransisco, we need engineers here at work. I think you might qualify.....

Freckles are hot because: they look like leopard spots. They're so much cooler than a boring old tan.

Sweat is hot because: okay, sometimes it isn't. Like when a hobo walks past you and you find yourself spitting on the ground because you can actually TASTE the b.o. But under completely different circumstances, like going out for a hike in the summer, a girl glistening from heat and exertion is totally hot. Or am I just a weirdo?

In summer, knit cotton, rayon, linen and all those other vegetable fibers that slip off your dry cold fingers in winter. I am headed your way from Boston in the first week of July and I'm planning to bring a cotton/rayon blend to knit. I may even turn up at your Thursday night knitting group! Are you meeting July 6?

I'm thinking it's time to stash the wool and get out some cotton and I'm kniting something with big holes - The Saturday Market Bag from the latest Mag Knits -

Laurie, my husband recently convinced me to start hiking/walking a wooded trail with him. Yes, there is sweating involved, but the trail is mostly wooded and therefore shady (but still not cool 'cuz this is Texas). I take medicine that makes me photosensitive (sounds cool, but just means I get a nast rash if I get too much sun), so while I don't freckle, I sympathize with the SPF challenges. But for all the ick factor in this walking/hiking thing, my bod is getting smaller! Not a huge difference. Just no holding my breath while zipping up. Which is actually pretty priceless. So call the "hiking" "walking" (doesn't sound so exercisey), buy some mid-priced footwear and get out with a friend and go for it! You may find you like it so much you start a walking/hiking/sporty blog! ;-)

Hi Raurie!

Knitpicks carries a wonderful cotton/modal (modal: read tree fiber) blend yarn that is great to knit with in summer:

http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/itemid_5420140/yarn_display.aspx

It's soft and slides through the fingers in the summer heat. There is a great review of it here too, if you are nervous about trying new yarns:

http://www.knittersreview.com/article_yarn.asp?article=/review/product/050505_a.asp

I'm not sure what all you would want to make out of it, but it comes in a baby-weight too, in case worsted cotton doesn't thrill. I'm making a baby blanket from it, but I don't know what else since I'm usually a wooly girl.

Good luck avoiding hiking!

You are too delicate to hike. You're a Southern Belle and must not be allowed to do anything too taxing. Plus the ice would fall out of your drink if you went hiking and we cannot have that.

Here, they are called freakles. They get huge and I freak. I look like a Dax by mid-summer and not in a sexy kinda way, either.

How about knitting a panta... or six. Cotton yarn. Simple knitting. Can be used to help fight the sweat once done.

Or socks. Nothing says you have to wear them right now. You could do socks while daydreaming of winter.

What to knit in the summer? two words:

Beer cozies.

Think of it as a sock for your beer can/bottle/mug. soaks sweat from both sides.

Cheers!

Combine knitting cotton and lace and knit Orangina! (Glampyre's pattern). I'm eons behind everyone else who knit this last year, but I dig it.

Don't give up on hiking! Just go in the morning, let your sweat roll, and then drink some water and later have a beer and a good burger. Trust me, in the end you'll feel good about it.

My ex, who did sweat quite a bit (unrelated to why he is my ex), always said his body was more "efficient." I think you coudl adopt this idea.

Cotton yarn! Anything with lovely, light cotton yarn. I'm making myself an adorable (light, non-sweat-inducing) hole-y cardigan. Perfect for strappy tanks or dresses. Especially those longish dresses that are all flowly and hide my ass. Love them!

He is...FRRRRANCISCO ROCKET SCIENTIST!

when i was little and we lived in california, my mother would call me freckle face strawberry because of all of the freckles i would get.

as for the hiking, one of your fans said that you were a southern belle and that you shouldn't be hiking at all. and i have to agree. i mean would scarlet o'hara hike? no. even during the war, when she had to had to take care of everyone, and had to birth babies and all, you didn't see her hiking. just saying.

as for the heat, that's why i live in new england. where the 90 degree day is rare and even when it happens i still have central air. i was built for winter. the thick layer of blubber is proof of that.

a

Francisco is amazing - it looks as if you have a cell phone amongst your sprinkler parts! Who knew???!

As a member of the Inevitable Incineration of the Epidermis Society (thanks to my red-headed German grandmother, but I still love her), I salute you.

Summertime knitting in Alabama will consist of socks for moi. Small, lightweight, portable. YES YOU CAN TOO KNIT SOCKS!!! I just started knitting in January, and if I can do it, you can too! If socks don't appeal to you, try those Mason-Dixon dishclothes in Euroflax linen, those are on my ever-growing list.

Take green tea extract to minimize sunburn, bring lots of sunscreen, bugspray, a big hat and GO HIKE! :o) The woods are much cooler than the asphalt jungle. The air is cleaner and the green just *feels* cooler, ya know? Plus, you live close to some of the prettiest places to hike - you like, owe it to those of us not lucky enough to live in California to go, or something like that.

BTW - a belated thanks for your photo tutorial on making fried green tomatoes. I made some last week and never would have thought to slice the tomatoes vertically, but I think it made them hold together better. My husband, who is a born-n-raised Southerner, had never had them before! He (and I) LOVED them! Thanks!

Laurie, maybe you should consider moving to Munich. It's June, but for the whole of the past week it's been raining (with the exception of Saturday), with temperatures hovering between 9-14 centigrades (that's about 48-57 fahrenheit - even on Saturday!), perfect condition for staying indoor and knit. :-)

You must take the plunge and learn to knit socks! They are the only things I can even consider touching in the steamy, sticky, buggy soup that is NC weather in the summer. The yarn is extremely light weight, they are very portable, and they really aren't that difficult to get the hang of. Or perhaps a shawl? Although my first attempt at that might seriously tip the scales to alcoholic status. ;}

Wow. Francisco is multi-talented, in his own unique way. Are the sprinklers still working?

It is such a comfort to know that I am not the only one who hates the outdoors. This weekend all I did was to go out to take a few flower photographs and now have an oozing clump of insect bites on my leg.

Summer knitting prescription: cotton yarn for scarves we can actually wear in California. And if you are not a baseball fan, add Netflix.

My face gets sweaty, too. I hate it. Especially because it means I have to keep reapplying sunscreen to my face, and then it gets in my eyes, and then ouch. AND the other day I decided to give myself bangs, and I have now realized they don't go well with the sweaty face. Tragic.

For people looking for European sunscreen, try zitomer.com, then under brand, choose Laroche-Posay. Or you can do what I did -- wait until your fiance's brother goes to Paris and make him find it there.

As for summer knitting, Blue Sky cotton is light and soft. I'm making a scarf in Kidsilk Night right now, which is lighter than air, but so delicate that I'm afraid I'm going to break it.

Here in Florida, I crank the A/C (my house is tiny and tree covered, so it really stays cool without using too much power) and knit anything! You just cannot step outside of the house with knitting or you'll fling your project away and never knit again. I want some of that Euro sunscreen, please.

He is Francisco!
(I can't resist. It's the answer to everything.)

I agree with the lace/cotton/lace+cotton faction; Knitpicks also has a bamboo yarn. And I am glad to see that you are at peace with your freckles as I have LOATHED mine for decades and only now have made peace (sort of) with them as when you are in your 40's they go back to looking slightly youthful. As for the sweat, if I were ever going to do Botox, it would be in my pits to halt the sweating. Yes indeed. I work graveyard shift so the sun exposure isn't that big a deal for me :) but keep in mind that less-than-desired results with sunscreen may be due to not applying enough and not re-applying after swimming or sweating and I think also not applying it before sun exposure. And remember, if we didn't sweat we might temporarily smell better, but we'd be dead, and get REALLY stinky. Francisco is the MacGyver of lawn care.

I love freckles! I'm a freckleless twin whose other half was blessed with freckles. Of course, she doesn't share the same sentiments over them as I do. Freckles remind me of sunny, happy days spent outside in the summertime. I share your sentiment about knitting in the summer, though. The yarn gets all hot and crumply. Plus, in the beginning of June, I don't want to think about mittens and scarves. Definitely GO on that hike! Be an explorer and write about it afterwards! I've never been to California so I'd love to hear your take on it.

Knit low-top socks--yes, in wool! Believe it or not, wool socks are more comfortable in sweltering summer than cotton. I'm in Las Vegas, I know from heat! They don't mat down when wet, and they're the best blister protection there is.
Also, for my excessively sweaty forehead, Botox stops excessive sweating! Really. Look it up. I've had it done the last 3 springs, and I don't go around with sweaty bangs all the time anymore. It ain't cheap, but by golly, it works! Anne

I spent the weekend in your neck of the woods. Farging surface temperature of the sun is a better way to describe your weather. Bless the lovely fog of the Bay Area!! Bless you fog! Bless you!

As for the face sweat. I can help. Actually, I can't really help because I'm not about to follow you around mopping your face. However, it's L.A. and you could probably find someone willing to do it. Alas, that's freaky.

So try this really cool matte stuff I got at, I think, Sephora. It's called Max Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel. Freaking awesome and no face sweating.

I use it and SPF 50 - because I love it Casper calls for beauty tips - every morning and so far? No face sweat. Well at least not this weekend in the land of the farging surface temperature of the sun.

I like knitting with bamboo or soy silk. I hate to spin the suckers, but at least they are cool with a lovely not-insulating feeling. And they are shiny!

Knit Socks! They are a great portable project. True we do not need them right now in sunny southern California, but we will be ready for the "chilly weather" this winter (hee hee). Anita

David --you are a wierdo....sweat is not sexy....dripping wet hair is not sexy...and soaking wet clothing is not sexy......on men either... ick.

as for how to get out of hiking...buy one of those little air splint thingies at the drug store and fasten it to your ankle..."sprained ankle you know...can't go hiking"..."you'll never believe how it happenned,I was trying to medicate the cats and the one ran and I tripped right over the darned thing...." "I am so lucky it isn't broken"...

Hiking??? Wash your mouth out, woman!

Go hiking!! There is great hiking out there and really? You'll feel great afterwards! Plus it's cool to feel like you've earned all that beer/wine/tequila you'll drink when you're done. Or maybe that's just me... hey! Maybe that's why hiking has NOT helped me in the ass-size department. ;-) Go. Hike. I mean it.

Yes, I am freckly and sweaty also. Try Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunblock in SPF 55 -- it's not EuroBlock, but it's not greasy at all and it's very blocky. They probably have it at Target (good excuse to go).

The last time I went hiking in the Fall, I got poison oak. Then I got it again a month later, because I apparently didn't get it all washed out of my clothes, or it got on my car seat, or something. (Not as bad as the time I got poison oak on my bikini line, but that's another story.)

BUT, do not fear "hiking" as it is really just walking NOT on concrete. Wear sneakers and a big floppy southern belle chapeau, and tell your friend that you must start out slow (like only an hour total hiking time -- then a nice brunch at a cafe with cool frosty beverage).

I actually heard a commercial on the radio for those who suffer from "excessive sweating". And it was Botox. I would have to botox my entire body. I'm sure there would be something on the label about that not being a good thing.

David - totally. There's nothing better than a nooner after a long sweaty hike or a bike ride. Actually, there's nothing better than a nooner, period.

Laurie, as to knitting, silk is great to knit with in the heat. Mostly I knit for the littles (3 and 5), nice small things in cotton that are done quickly, even if I really hate knitting with cotton. And I pretty much only knit after dark.

The littles getting too old for naps have unfortunately put a damper on nooners. And hiking and biking. Sigh.

Laurie, here's how I knit in the summer: baby powder. Lots and lots of baby powder. Keep a little bottle of it with your knitting supplies, and before you start knitting, slap a whole bunch of it into your sweaty hands. (Remove rings first, unless your hands are so swole up that this is not possible. Greetings, fellow Southerner!) Repeat as necessary. Also, if your needles are bamboo, rub some baby powder onto those needles, too. And don't worry about the yarn; it can handle some baby powder. Give your finished piece a good whack against the kitchen counter and watch the baby powder fly!

My mother, who is extremely freckled, informed me that freckles camoflage other skin defects like wrinkles, zits and bruises from lipo and botox injections. Embrace the freckles.

You do not have to hike....Just tell your friend " I do not hike. I am Laurie." If nothing else simply uttering I am Laurie as a response to hiking may just scare off your "outdoorsy" friend.

When it's this hot...Knit socks!!

Well, you could knit cotton warshcloths, but I think you're ready for a challenge. How about socks? There are cotton sock yarns, or cotton/wool blends. Whatever you knit, make it something small that won't sit in your lap and make you hot and sweaty.

Laurie: Don't listen to all those people who are telling you to go hike! They don't realize that "hiking" here in suburban LA is not a walk in the woods where it is cool and shady! Hiking here is walking in the full sun, on rocky, dusty trails, watching out for rattlesnakes, tarantulas and bobcats. There might be great views occasionally, but you might not notice it through the blinding sweat pouring into your eyes. Stay home and knit, it is way safer!

don't sucumb to the dark side of hiking. stay inside and knit. hiking is bad...not fun. knitting is good...relaxing. nancy regan once told me "just say no (to hiking)".

When it's too hot to hold your knitting then crochet! Seriously, you aren't holding so much the fabric, and you can do thread crochet, and that doesn't stick to your hands.

And I use SPF 60 and I'm in Scotland and I still get burned, I think I won the fairest skin lotto!Even the albino guy who works up the road has pinker skin than I do. Except I have very red cheeks (blame the hormones).

Hiking bad; strolling better! Strolling suggests the possibility of pavement cafés, hiking suggests the possibility of falling off a cliff, which I have done, and really do not recommend.

You are so lucky. I wish for summer but in the Southern hemisphere we are freezing cold!
Mia

it IS a thousand million degrees here at the butt end of NOHO and I thougth I was just having another one of those pesky personal hot flashes till I noticed that everyone around me is sweating too.....if I turn on the airconditioner I will have to pay with it on my credit card...uh...that is 1/8 on each of 8 cards....because I am that near the limit...help...I've been divorce now since 1997 why haven't I figured htis out yet?? two master's degrees...two fairly normal children...and two adorable ( much cuter than cats!) dogs!! what the h is wrong with HOLLY??

Laurie, how can you have time to hike when Fran-ce-e-e-e-sco so obviously needs knitted accessories. One of those mutli-pouched organizers that fit over a 5-gallon bucket, knitted with something flirty and summery would be a nice because he does seem to have a lot of spare "parts."

Also, consider a summer-weight tool belt for Francisco that would have a special little spot for his cell phone. Perhaps in hot salsa colors with a little sparkly eyelash for a sweet summer shimmer. A dingle-ball fringe would be a suitable enhancement. I see much summer knitting in your future ...

I have a *gasp*-- mole that used to be a freckle and I need a dermotologist to excise it demon-style. Ick. As for sunburn, watch your buns if you go snorkeling. I couldn't sit so well the last time I went. Ouch.

Trust me, if you think you won't like hiking...you won't. My friends dragged me to the Grand Canyon. We hiked to the bottom, stayed overnight three nights, then hiked out. 5000 vertical feet...7+miles and 9 hours to get out.

It was fun, only for the extreme beauty. But there is no way on God's green earth I am doing it again!

At least you don't have a pool. Chlorine just makes those freckles BIGGER. Ask me how I know.

Frickin' nature!! >{

Beware the Extra Parts Syndrome!! Everytime I have to call a repair person it is because my husband has "fixed" something and it turned out to have "extra" parts!!

Hi Laurie,

Socks are good for summertime knitting--small, nothing in your lap. And you can daydream about those cold L.A. winters.....

I agree that socks are fun and good for summer knitting. Socks aren't that hard, really. Once you've knit a pair, you'll have the method down. As for hiking...I'd rather be launched into the sun.

Botox for sweat? I'd have to buy a 55 gallon drum of the stuff for my dermatologist to inject me all over too. Nothing grosser than a hot, sweaty, red-faced neon-white-skinned lawyer- especially when all the exertion it takes for me to start dripping is walking about a block in the Southern US heat carrying a briefcase. ICK. My hair gets soaked and my bangs get drenched and curl up into sausage-like lumps and just thinking about it makes me want to jump in the shower.
I need to get a haircut but I've ended up just letting the mop grow ( for years!) so I can hike it up into a ponytail and get it off my face and neck.
Anybody have ssuggestions for a cool comfortable haircut- other than a mohawk or a buzz cut? I'm desperate enough to spill my secret for the bestest fake tan possible- it doesn't streak, you can't screw it up, ( I've tried just to see what would happen) and it even blends with freckles and renders them invisible.
My secret is a brand called " Fake-Bake" and it's worth every penny to this whiter-than-white, too old to pass myself off as a goth or emo lawyer-chick.

Strolling....that's a good pastime....strolling....with sweet tea ....lots of ice.... and neutrogena sun block (the powder finish kind...ultra) great stuff....

Seriously, I'm on edge to know what is the state of the square watermellons. Did they survive or are they no longer with us? Please tell.

Does JINGLES sweat?? I think not. Ask for her advice..riiiight...hahahaha

Hon--I can understand your disinclination toward hiking. But sweetie--keep in mind you're in Southern California!! You can go hiking within 2 minutes of a Starbucks! I swear (unless it closed--it's been a while since I've been there). If you head west on Sunset I think it is (right, it's on the backside of UCLA campus?), past BelAir, keep going, then eventually you come to a cute small (expensive) town who's name escapes me at the moment. There's a park on the west side of town, just across the street past Starbuck's. If you happen to lock your keys in your car, a nice doctor from Beverly Hills will offer to help you and take you out for dinner (ask me how I know--er, may not!)
Anyhoo--good luck with Nature!

(okay, I tried Google maps--I can't tell if it's Will Rogers State Park or Temescal Canyon--a bit far from the Valley, but remember--it's almost always cooler on the coast!! Less sweat!)

You can too knit while walking. Just do something small on circulars. Or crochet. I had my yarn in my belt pouch and I crocheted granny squares while I did the 5 mile March of Dimes WalkAmerica this spring. This trick also works to while away time while waiting in line for roller coasters, or waiting for dear daughter to come out of the play area at the zoo/mall/McDonalds.

For all who asked, the best place to get Euro Sunscreen is tubotica.com. I personally like the La Roche Posay - Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics spray SPF40 PPD18. PPD is the UVA protection Rating, the higher the better.

If you want to learn more, Makeupalley.com is the best source of info, particularly this page:
http://makeupalley.com/user/notepad/sunscreenFAQ/
and this page: http://www.makeupalley.com/user/notepad/Sunscreens

I say knit something linen or cotton. Hang in there! I live in Florida so we have hot here like 9 months out of the year. Turn on the air close the doors and windows tight and experiment with some cat nip and yarn.

Knit edging on a danty hankie to use to wipe the sweat from your face.

I live in Queensland (Australia) and wouldn't survive summer without cotton hankies in my pocket to wipe off sweat. Personally I crochet my hankie edges but I reckon you could knit them as well. Would be a new lace skill to gain using tiny needles.

PS you have mentioned at various times your daily commute to work. What time you do leave in the morning? I used to do 2 hours door to door by train (ie 4 hours daily) and my leaving time was 5:45am to get to work at 8am.

When it gets hot out, I just stop knitting altogether and switch to other craftiness. It is just too unpleasant, plus there's no gratification because it's too darn hot to wear anything I finish. Little beaded bracelets and kicky fabric tote bags can be utilized when it is hot.

Being from Texas and 98% humidity 6 months out of the year, I feel ya. I agree with all the recommenders of knitting socks. (1) They are small and not likely to puddle on your lap, creating heat. (2) Position a fan so that even yarn on fingertips doesn't create much heat. (3) Tiny needles made of steel are perfect for stabbing any masochist lunatic that wants to make you hike!

I had a Jazzercise instructor once who would say "Women don't sweat; they glisten."
I sure hope your watermelons are faring better than mine...

I am in lovely Houston, and no way will I give up knitting in the summer. Right now I am knitting a lacy shawl from a yarn I picked up at Maryland Sheep and Wool. It is a fingering weight cotton/rayon blend, and I think it's the perfect yarn for summer knitting. You might also consider some socks from a cotton blend yarn.

Oh, and get a big floppy hat and never wear a sunscreen with less than a 45 SPF! Neutrogena Age Defying is my favorite.

So if he is building a rocket ship, the cell phone is to contact the home planet or perhaps the mother ship? Knit cotton socks. They are small so they don't ooze all over your lap and make your legs sweat (and if they do- cotton=absorbant), there are tons of patterns out there (dpns, 1 circ, 2 circs; easy-peasy to "oh, H*ll, put away the wine this pattern requires a clear head to follow", plain and fancy; tee-tiny 1/2 socks to wear under your flip-flops to anklets to thigh high fishnet stockings) and loads of sock yarn (solid, self-striping, variegated; silk, cotton, cashmere, wool; hand wash, superwash). And also there are little bags out there that you can hang on your belt and knit while you hike (but you perhaps don't have to tell your hiking friends that "back off people- I need quiet and A/C to execute this really hard sock stitch!!"). So, cute, colorful, cotton socks- the perfect summer knit. Or, there's always cat toys. So that maybe they'll forget about all the medicating?

As long as you are knitting little things, why not pop over to thepreemieproject.com and knit up some teeny tiney little caps and booties for these guys? Fast and easy - instant gratification! And who could insist on hiking when you are doing charity work?? I mean, there are tiny babies out there that NEED your knitterly kindness, so just have a sit down, pop the top on a cold one, and get busy! Can't go hikin' tody, uh-uh, sorry!

I keep reading all this stuff about high SPFs. Do y'all realize that once you hit SPF 30, you are not really getting that much more protection? Seriously. It's just a way for companies to try to get more money out of you.

Hmmm. That one sentence was a little off. What I meant is SPF 30 is the maximum for any real protection. The rest above it is rather farcical.

Maybe you don't need another phobia, but if there are mosquitos where you will be hiking, getting bit may expose you to the West Nile Virus. Albeit an admittedly low risk, but is any risk of WNV worth it? I think not.
I love the outdoors but really hate the flying, creeping and/or crawling things that live in the outdoors. My deck is adventurous as I need to get - and getting that adventurous involves sprays and creams, candles and zappers.

Just say no.

My genteel southern grandmother used to say that Men sweat, women perspire and ladies glow. I never really understood that until I moved to Charleston where I'm surrounded by women in full makeup are glowing in August's hottest and most airless humid days. Meanwhile, I sweat at the prospect of exercise. As for the knitting, last summer I knit cotton tank tops and this summer it's socks.

My advice? Knit cotton. At least it's not wool, you know. Also, you might like hiking. Give it a try. But definitely buy some good tennis shoes for the activity. Blisters are not fun.

Hi Alice-
My summer hair solution is to get a cute chin-length bob with long under-layers that angles up in back enough to allow for a teeny bit of tapering up at the back of the neck Keep the front edges juuuust longer than your chin, then you get to still pin the the front hair up and back, but you get that all important cool breeze and cooling spot on the back of your neck. Also- a trick I learned in college when I dressed the poor characters at Disneyland in 99+ degree heat (heat stroke was a common risk): If you're heading to a meeting where you HAVE to go out in the heat, but want to appear cool and collected when you step into the baord meeting: slip two zip-lock bags into your briefcase. One with a damp washcloth with a slosh of alcohol based bodysplash and some rubbing alcohol on it, a teeny travel spritzer with 1/2 h2o and rubbing alcohol in it, the other with either a chemical cold pack or a frozen gel pack. Get there early, and duck into the nearest ladies room and grab a stall. Spritz yur face and hair with the spritzer, rub down your sweaty torso and neck with the washcloth and PUT THE COLD PACK ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD. I don't know exactly why, but an ice pack on that exact spot just seems to suck all the extra heat out of the body in no time. The alcohol in the spritzer will cause the sweat on your face and in your hair to evaporate really really fast, and the washcloth with the same on it will do the same for your torso (blot your bra with it too if it's all sweaty- it works a treat!).
I used to use the cold packs and this trick on myself after doing parade prep in hot HOT gritty summer back stage, and it never fails. I'm neon-pale and get beet-red in the heat too. :-)

Turn your air conditioner waaaay down, chill your living room to 65 degrees and knit a 100% wool freakin' afghan, California-bloody-king sized. Hike to your kitchen to find the corkscrew to pop open another bottle of Cab. That's my recommendation for Summer Fun.

Allergic to heat and humidity (yes I am! just ask my acupuncurist!),

How about cotton socks with Fortissima (or other) cotton yarn, 1, 2 or more colors. Come on! You can already do a hat on dpns. Socks are a really just a long narrow hat with a heel in the middle. And if you do tube socks, no heel!!

Beats the crap outta hikin' . . . in ANY weather . . . up or downhill.

I have been having the same issues. I can't sit at the ballpark watching my son play with a big ol' pile of wool in my lap. It makes me sweat just thinking about it. And forget socks. I don't want to deal with teeny tiny pointy needles. (It would be unsafe for you to try teeny tiny pointy needles until Kitty Med-Fest is over. They could get a hold of them and use them as weapons during med time) I've been knitting hats and a cotton t-shirt with a wool cotton blend because it feels less like knitting with rope that hurts my hands.

Comment hog alert: Sorry for two comments but the hiking thing has to be addressed. Ways to get out of hiking:
1. You don't want to hike because people tromping all over nature can't be good for the enviroment (they'd buy that in Crazyville)
2. You heard hiking increases testosterone production leading to a lot of waxing of stray hairs later.
3. Allergies (you don't have to tell them the thing you are allergic to is hiking)
4. A groin injury
5. Your Pilates instructor has asked you to avoid any exercise that will build muscle mass while she's trying to stretch your muscles in Pilates.
6. Southern girls don't hike.
7. Give in but buy the necessary shoes on sale as you'll only use them once.
It kills me that people in Crazyville won't walk a single block to the mini-mart but will buy $150 boots and drive someplace to hike. Gotta love L.A.

Susan:

I'd send you this via email but your address doesn't show up .
THANK YOU!!!!!

I already have the cold paks in the freezer (we keep them there for Mr. Alice's lunch bag and we won't miss one) so now it's off to the store for a spray bottle spritzer.

The sheer thought of wearing DisneyWorld/Land costumes, even in cool weather, makes me perspire.

I may keep the hair long and boring a while longer. The ponytail up and off my face ( I loop it so the " tail" is shortened and doesn't hit my neck) is too easy and comfortable to quit. Regardless how dorky it looks...

But HE IS Francisco. So he's allowed to have extra parts... :)

Oh, is that what Francisco is doing? I thought it might be medical waste. Maybe I need a new prescription in my reading glasses, or perhaps it is the perspiration. Laurie, don't let Francisco anywhere near the A/C.

Cotton, linen, silk or ribbon yarns. Tanks, camisoles, shells, for patterns. Anything small is good too. Socks, mitts or gloves.

But really, a shawl is the ultimate summer project.

um, how do we know francisco is real and not just one of your personalities?????