The baby swallows hatched yesterday evening, and the parents have been flying back and forth tirelessly catching bugs to feed them. These are the shell remnants I found on the patio under the nest. There were apparently three eggs but one was completely shattered. These were in better shape before I accidentally banged the newspaper down on them this morning. Can't hear any peeping yet, but it might be drowned out by the obnoxious racket all the baby ducks make. They're pretty damn cute but really noisy, from early in the morning to well into the night because it's been so hot the past few days. Today is not as bad--only in the high 90's now at 4.30.

When the full force of afternoon sun hits my apartment the only thing to do is close all the blinds, crank up the a/c, and hunker down. I've been knitting obsessively the past few days and managed to complete a pair of black merino handswarmers that Cathy wanted (yes, it's May but the a/c in her office is really cold) and the hat I started making for her mom back in November. I'm also close to finishing the Debbie Bliss reversible bag I've been working on for over a year since I decided I can't start anything new until some of these languishing UFOs have been taken care of.

I caught up on Lost while knitting today. Hurley and Ben sharing a candy bar in the previous week's episode was one of the best scenes ever. I've given up trying to figure out the show otherwise; just going to let it unfold in its own sweet time. I did catch an ad for the new Mole series, which will hopefully be as good as the first.

Tomorrow I go to LA for a press tour. I hear it's cooler there.