108 degrees...

That was the high temperature in Houston yesterday. How would one take a picture to illustrate that? No. Don't answer that. It would make me hotter just to think about it. I read this morning that the high pressure system that has settled over southeast Texas will probably remain in place 'til the end of the month. Then, after the Caribbean and Gulf waters have heated up to a toasty warm soup, the pressure will move away and leave us vulnerable to the landfall of hurricanes that just thrive over warm water.

Time to work on lots of indoor projects, then. Yesterday, as the world boiled outside, I spent a day working on an inventory of our Teaching Collection, an 800-piece array of hands-on objects for engaging people on American history. It is quite a journey to go through all of those boxes - clay pipes, lanterns, oil lamps, dipped candles, pewter tea services, carding combs, redware and salt-glazed ceramics, fifes, 200-year old books, clay marbles. It's like digging in some one's attic - a very substantial project. That's why it has not been undertaken by anyone in years!

It's' an interesting irony to be unpacking and re-packing all of these accoutrements of life in another time while sweating inside of an air-conditioned building with water fountains and restrooms just down the hallway...and dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and sandals.