Our Mantra "RECALCULATE! RECALCULATE!"

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Sunday, July 28, 2013

Been busy busy


Didn’t realize it had been so long since I posted. Busy watching races and enjoying the wonderful weather. Going down into the 50s at night and not above 75 during the day. Love every minute of it.
Watched the truck race on dirt Wednesday night – lots of fun to see. Hope they do it every year.
And last night Kyle won the Nationwide race and today came in 10th in the Cup race. Races this weekend were in Indianapolis.
Went to the Farmer’s Market again Friday and got a bunch of sweet corn – that’s all we’re having for dinner tonight! YUM.
Tomorrow we are supposed to get the Water Heater installed. That will be nice. Not having to run down into the basement to turn it on every time we want hot water.
And we have a new great grandson – Born Wednesday night – a whopping 8 lbs 12oz. Have to package and mail his blanket to him. And I’ve finished the barn quilt I made for a friend. Just have to put one more coat of weather proofing on it. BUT I had to rip out my knitting – made some horrible mistake I couldn’t fix. Oh well – more practice.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Perfect Weather

Today is a beautiful day. Blue sky, slight breeze, low humidity and only in the high 70s – my kind of weather.  And this evening is a NASCAR race – the trucks on dirt – can’t wait – should be really fun to watch.
Worked on the barn quilt again – only have one more color –blue - and the weather proofing to put on it. Looking real nice.

And Bill has been busy in the Alfa – he finished putting the tile in place of the wallpaper border – that was falling off
And he even made himself a shaver holder with the tiles.
Finished product. Looks good. 
I’m still getting rid of things we’ve never used in the 10 years we‘ve had Alfie.
We are still waiting for the new water heater – having to go down to the basement and turn on the old one every time we want hot water is getting to be old. Especially if we forget before we get ready to get into the shower! The water heater is in – just waiting for the plumber to find time. Heard from plumber he'll be here first of next week. Goody Goody.
And we got a price on replacing the two windows – the replacements must be made of GOLD - $350?!?!?! For only two windows??? Maybe we’ll just live with the broken glass for another couple of years.

Talked to a Realtor and got an idea what we could sell this house for but have decided we won’t. Now that most things are repaired and the raccoons are gone we are enjoying being here again. 
I'm starting to get the hang of my new knitting project. But I've found out I really have to pay attention to it. 
It's going to be a head scarf 25 more inches from now - IF I don't have to tear it out again. 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Lots of rain and humidity but cooler temperatures

Monday evening....Right after I posted on Saturday a long storm moved in. It started to rain about 1:00 in the afternoon and rained until 9 or 10 o'clock. Not a whole lot of lightening but lots and lots of thunder rolling through the hills and shaking the house. Yesterday it was cloudy and overcast most of the day and today we've had quite a bit of rain off and on again. All the plants look really happy again. And the temps have cooled off some. Only reached the low 80s here today but still really muggy. Tomorrow we expect more rain and a cold front. Going down to the 70s during the day and low humidity. Sounds like a good time to finish painting the bathroom trim....doesn't mean I'll do it but it sounds good.
Still waiting for our great grandson to be born - he is a little over due. At least the blanket is done and waiting to be mailed.
Now I'm working on another barn quilt for a friend. And this time I used a smooth surface wood and the green tape works wonderfully - nice straight lines. But this time I picked out some brightly colored paint and didn't read the can before I bought it. It's not water based so have to use mineral spirits to clean the brushes and hands. Ick. Also takes longer to dry especially with the humidity. But it is coming along.
And started to knit a scarf with a knit purl pattern. Did fine for about four inches long then got interested in the TV and the birth of the baby in England and lost my place in the pattern. Didn't realize I'd skipped a couple of rows until I looked at what I'd done. Need to figure a simple way to keep track of what row in the directions I've just finished. Still don't know how to correct that so am just going to leave it and try to make the same mistake in a repeating pattern. Yah, sure!
Bill is busy working in the Alfa - got some glass tile for the bathroom today. The old wallpaper was falling off the walls - don't know how many times I've already re pasted it. So it will be gone now. We've got almost everything back in it and found lots of stuff we forgot we had in there. And lots of stuff that's been in there for years that we've never used. Three vegetable graters???? Why???
A nice electric frying pan - completely forgot about it. Shoes that never fit and I've never worn. Good Will...
Also found out there is something wrong with the satellite dish - it's not getting any power or something. Won't even make a sound or wiggle when we try to raise it and make it search.  Something .must have come loose or something over the winter. Bill went on the roof to check but didn't see anything obivious. Always something else it seems.
Fixed a different dinner last night. Talapia breaded with corn meal, cooked in fake butter and covered with parsley, capers and lemon juice. Delicious! Will do it again.
Watched the Nationwide race yesterday but just isn't fun when Kyle isn't racing. Next weekend they race in Indianapolis. But rain is forecast for both Saturday and Sunday. Last year it was well over 100 for race day. Wednesday night will be the truck race on dirt. Should be interesting.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Bean Blossom Market.

Yesterday was a day of pleasant surprises.  Started out hotter then heck and so muggy it was hard to breath. So we went into town early for grocery shopping and breakfast visiting.
Around three o’clock a STORM moved in. One minute it was bright and sunny the next it was pouring buckets with thunder and lightening. Lasted about an hour. But as it was ending – sill raining hard the sun came out. Caught these pictures of rainbows in the yard. This is the back yard
And this is over the pond. Look from the bird bath to the tall plants on the other side of the pond. Kind of hard to see.
As soon as the sun was back out it was steamy hot again. 
On the way over to the Bean Blossom Farmer's Market I took this picture. Forgot the camera was on black and white again. But I like the way it turned out. 
This is a building right across the street from the market. 
Saw such good stuff there last week we had to come back this week despite the rain just ending. Squash, big tomatoes and sweet corn. 


This week we bought some huge delicious smelling tomatoes, fresh baked bread from a local bakery and locally made bratwurst.
So when we got home we had for dinner – bratwurst cooked in cast iron skillet with green peppers and red onion (which we bought at farmers market last week), sliced tomatoes and some of the bread. Delicious. How different the vegetables are from store bought.
Getting off the subject but….we have Direct TV and saw an ad on it for a new channel that will be starting in August – Dog TV – yep that’s right Dog TV. You leave it on to keep your dog company when he is home alone. Wonder if they’ll show Lassie and Old Yellow? Or sing Doggie in the Window?
This morning we've been out in the Alfa putting stuff away again and getting rid of stuff we’ve never used. So much of that. 
By this afternoon we should be getting more rain and cooler weather. I hope. 

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Tree in the woods goes CRASH

7:30 in the evening. Just heard that our granddaughter is having contractions so guess I finished the baby afghan/knitted blanket just in time. The finished deal.
Knitted squares with fleece backing.
We picked up the money pit (Alfa) and brought it home again this morning. Everything we took it back for works fine – refrigerator is cold, batteries are staying charged, closet latch is fixed, hot water and stove and awning all working. So everything is okay right? Well nope. The satellite dish won’t go up. Refuses to move. CRAP – but glad we found out now. Will have someone come out and check it out and either fix or replace it. As I said Money Pit. Probably got damaged during the winter spent in the storage lot.
Does a tree make a noise when it falls in the woods? YES it sure does. The top of one of our trees broke off yesterday and came crashing down. 
The one just in from the right side of the photo. All that's left of it. Took the top of a couple of other trees with it. At least it didn’t fall in the street just next to it. 
One part of one of them got hung up in another tree.
No wind or anything just broke and fell down.
Still don't have the new water heater - it is in at the store but the plumber has to make time to pick it up and install it. Someday.....Also called people to fix the broken windows - they'll be here next week to measure them - then will have to come back to install them. WHAT??? Calling a Realtor tomorrow to see about selling the house. Maybe if the price is right.............
Not spending much time up here in the computer room – just gets way too hot up here. We are having a stretch of miserable weather 95+ with heat indices of over 100. It is more like swimming outside instead of walking. Supposed to rain and get cooler by Saturday though. Thank Goodness. 

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Not much going on


Beautiful out this morning but it is going to be a blistering day. 90 but will feel like 100 – good reading under a fan day. Or working on my afghan/quilt in the basement where it is always cool.
It’s now afternoon and I got all the sewing machine sewing done on the quilt – just some hand work left. While down there I was looking around. Where do all the bugs come from? Had to vacuum the carpet in the basement ‘cause there were little dead [thank goodness] bugs all over it. Then I noticed that everything needed dusting. So got that done.
Updated the Home page of our web site – www.movingon1.com - the one about the trip we took to South America in the 24’ motorhome with five kids in 1978. Added links to all the blogs of our winters spent in Mexico.
And got one of the new pieces of quilt square wood primed on one side. Too hot to stay in garage very long. Will turn it over and do the other side later. Then have to decide on a pattern for it.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Good weekend races

Wow. Bill had to water the outdoor plants for the first time in a long time. And no rain forecast until the weekend. And the heat is turning up 0 supposed to reach the 90s for a few days. ICK. And the humidity is on the way up again. Can’t have everything I guess.
Put a new picture in the header – looking towards the north from the back porch. Just to the left of the tall center tree is where the fireworks from Indy displayed.
Over the weekend didn’t do too much. Worked on the quilt some and watch three races. My favorite driver won one and came in 2nd in one. And the three trucks he owns came in 2nd, 6th and 7th in the truck race. Not too bad of a weekend. Though he was upset he only came in 2nd.
Didn’t make it to the Art Walk cause I got interested in the races - next month maybe.
Went to town this a.m. to get some more wood and primer to make a couple more barn quilts. They were fun to do.

Still waiting for the water heater to be fixed – had to order a new one and it hasn’t come in yet. When it does come in the plumber will pick it up and come up to install it. And that will be one more thing we can cross off our list. Still have to get the two broken windows replaced. 

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Yesterday was a perfect day.

Yesterday remained a great day activity and friends and dinner.
My bread turned out perfect – except should have had bigger pans so it wouldn’t be so thick. And could have used more olive oil and rosemary on the top. Here’s the recipe. It’s from the book “A Thousand Days in Tuscany” by Mariena de Blasi. And the book is a good read too with lots more recipes in it.

Schiacciata  flatbread

1 TBS active dry yeast or 1 ½ small cakes of fresh yeast
1 scant teaspoon of dark brown sugar
2 ¾ cups tepid water
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons fine sea salt
6 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
2 TBS fresh rosemary leaves, minced to a powder
Coarse sea salt optional
Additional olive oil for baking pans, drizzling and glossing

In a large bowl, mix the yeast an the sugar into the tepid water, stirring until the grains of sugar are dissolved. Cover with plastic wrap and let the yeast activate for 10 minutes.
Stir the oil and salt together and pour it into the yeast mixture.
Begin adding the flour a cup at a time, stirring well after each dose. Add the cornmeal all at once and mix to form a soft dry dough.
Add additional flour – a tablespoon at a time – if the dough feels sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 10 minutes. Place the dough into a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for an hour, or until its mass doubles.
Release the air in the dough with a firm punch, divide the dough in two and stretch each piece onto the surface of a lightly oiled 12 inch baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal. The dough will fight a bit but don’t be tempted to use a rolling pin. Using fingertips push the dough to the edges of the tin and let it rest.
Go back to it in a few minutes and stretch it to the edges again. Dough will have relaxed sufficiently by this time and should behave nicely under your hands. Cover the prepared bread with clean towels and let rise for half an hour.
Preheat oven to 450.
After the second rise, press your fists knuckles down all over the breads, squashing them and creating indentations.  Drizzle the tops with oil and sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until deeply golden.
Cool on wire racks. Using pastry brush paint the breads with a few drops of oil.

In the afternoon we went to a Farmer’s Market in Bean Blossom – yes that’s the name of a little town near us. Such delicious looking stuff and all of it smelled so good. Unfortunately I’d just bought produce at the market the day before. [wanted to throw it away and buy more – but didn’t] You can bet next Friday we’ll be there to shop. Some of vegetables piled on the stands looked like still life paintings. I took my camera with me but forgot to use it!
We had two friends over for dinner – the bread which everyone loved – I even like it and I usually don’t care much for bread. Tore it off in hunks and dipped it in olive oil and put some sauce with sausages on it. The sauce was just onions, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, white wine and cut up Italian sausage. So yummy. And we ate at the table outside in our all cleaned up plexiglased and carpeted back porch. Talked and watched the fire flies flit around in the woods.

Today is going to be another great day weather wise – maybe later this evening we’ll go into our little town for the Art Walk a monthly event. 

Friday, July 12, 2013

Almost everything is done. Cooking Italian (I hope)

Yesterday and today. Oh what a beautiful morning oh what a beautiful day – no humidity – nice breeze – deer in the front yard - rooster crowing. What more could we ask for. The deer in front reminded us that we need to spray the “Deer Off” on the plants out there if we want to keep thinking of the deer as cute!
The Plexiglas is installed – just need to paint the trim around it and the carpet is spread out – should be put down to stay today.
Plan on doing a lot of work on my afghan today while watching the race cars practice and qualify. Maybe I’ll even get it finished.
Been busy this morning. The painting of the trim is done and the carpet is down and the porch is vacuumed and clean.
The new carpet needs to fade a little but it really is not as noticeable as it is in the picture. 
We even managed to sneak out for breakfast and still get a lot done.
An unplanned fix. Bill is sanding the railings on the wrap around porch preparing to repaint it – just the top part. Looks so nice again.
I’m trying to make an all Italian dinner for company tonight. Sure hope it turns out okay. The main thing I wanted to try is an Italian flat bread. Right now it’s in the oven. Also doing Italian sausage with onions, peppers, garlic and tomatoes. Hopefully we’ll be able to spoon that over the bread to eat – with of course a glass of wine.  And maybe, depending on how energetic I feel deep fried zucchini and yellow squash. Mouth is watering thinking of it.

It is such a beautiful day today I don’t want to stay indoors. So that’s it for now. Another bush is blooming!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Getting things fixed.

One down ??? to go. The garage door opener is fixed, well replaced with a new one. Works great.
I’m still having to reload things into my PC. Amazing how many things you add to your computers over the years that you forget until you want to use them. One thing I didn’t think about was my new camera – Windows 7 doesn’t like the way it is set up. When I got it had to call tech support to get it to transfer pictures to the computer. Luckily I remember how to fix it on my own. What will I discover today? Makes life interesting I guess.
For the first time in 76 years our little town has a first run movie theater. But not to get too excited. Only shows movies a couple of nights a week and I think only seats around 100-150 or so. If that many. But the tickets are only $5 and you can buy wine and/or beer along with your popcorn. Next weekend no movies as there will be a play there. The stage productions take precedence over the movies.
Very muggy again today but so far this year the temperature has not hit 90! Only feels like it because of the humidity. This afternoon we are expecting heavy rain and an end to the humidity. And temps in the low 80s again for a few days.
Started sewing on my quilt/afghan but it is just too sticky to do it for any length of time.
No new wildlife has been around – hooray! Bill got the torn up carpet out and in the trash – new is waiting until it cools off some. And the torn screen is off and the Plexiglas measured. One step at a time.
Have not heard anything about the Alfa. Does that mean there is a problem or that they are just taking their time and making sure things are right?

The rain came and went and it is still very humid out but it is cooling off quite nice.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Getting things taken care of.

A small apartment with plastic flowers in a big city is looking better and better. The Plumber came yesterday about the tankless water heater – it is hopeless – can’t be fixed so will be getting a new one Friday. Oops not until Monday – has to be special ordered. Lovely. It will be nice to have hot water without having to go down to the laundry room to fool with the water heater hoping it will come on. And today a technician is supposed to come to look at the garage door opener/unit. We’ve tried new openers and they don’t work so thinking it is the unit itself. Better news with the garage door – a new unit will be installed tomorrow. And did I mention our DVD quit working – won’t open any more! What else – nothing I hope.
But on the brighter side – another day without raccoons so we bought the new carpet and are replacing the lower screen with Plexiglas – also bought. Now to install both. Waiting for the humidity to go down a little. It’s only in the mid 80s out but feels like 90 something. Supposed to get cooler and less humid by tomorrow night because of –drum roll – Rain.
Had to laugh at this – just inside Wal*Mart door. Do you think it rains a lot here?

Supposed to rain tonight later and then tomorrow afternoon a storm is supposed to move through. But with it will come a lowering of humidity.
I am ready to start to put my afgan together – decided to back it with fleece and put a blanket binding around it. More like a quilt and that will cover up some of my bad knitting.

Had a couple of excellent dinners. Last night I cooked – tilapia breaded with potato flakes and cooked with tomatoes and onions, asparagus and oven roasted seasoned potatoes. Tonight Bill cooked – chicken piccata and butter parsley potatoes. Yum. 

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Electronics Revolt continuing

Well it’s been two days that the trap has been empty in the morning. Hopefully that is the end of them. 
The electronics revolution has continued. Fried my desktop computer yesterday. Had to “recover” it. Been working on it most of yesterday and today. You forget how much stuff you put on a computer over the years. Luckily the day before yesterday I’d backed up most of my files. Phew! Now I’m just trying to get some of the older programs running. For some reason some of them don’t want to load even though they used to be on this computer.
Weather is continuing to be nice – another day without rain. And still in the low 80s. By this time last year it was 105 plus humidity factor. Don’t miss that at all. 

Other than that doing nothing rest of day.    

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Enough with the wild animals already!

Relocated another raccoon yesterday morning. But this morning for the first time the trap is empty. Fingers crossed that they are all gone and we can fix the screen and replace about eight feet of carpet and be done with it. To discourage further animals we’ve changed the bird feeder out back. No longer have a big platform with feed in it. Instead have a metal feeder which has a weight sensitive bar on it that closes up if anything bigger than a bird tries to get to the seed. Hope it works cause I love watching all the birds out there.
The revolt of electronics is still on. Have the computer fixed with wireless adaptor working fine. Bill’s shower fixed (it was only giving HOT water no cold), a new speaker phone, and one new garage door opener – getting two more then have to program them. Monday I have to call the home warranty service because our “on demand” water heater keeps shutting itself off. To get hot water someone – Bill– has to go down to the basement and turn it back on. It has given us trouble since we bought it when we moved in. But thought all the problems were finally fixed. Guess not.
The Fourth of July was a different weather day. Last year it was 105 – this year 75 and cloudy and muggy. Lots and lots of water in the air. No rain though. I was watching the fireworks from Indianapolis on TV until just before the end – that part I went outside to watch. From our back porch we can see across the valley and farmland clear to Indy 35 miles away. The ending was spectacular. We are living at just about the highest point in Indiana around 1000 feet.
Last night we were sitting watching the NASCAR race on TV when Bill looked at me and said, “There’s a snake on the porch.” “What do you mean?” “There’s a snake out there,” pointing towards the back porch. I got up to look. “Where?” “Right there in front of the chair.” Opening the door and going out, “That’s not a snake it’s a piece of rope.” “It’s a snake”, he insisted. Then the piece of rope moved. Lovely a snake. He was about 2 ½ feet long and about as big around as one of my fingers. But I haven’t seen one like him before – kind of black and gray. Any way I got the broom and shoved him with the handle. Made him a little mad but kept shoving him until I got him out the door and over the side of the deck. Bill sat and watched and laughed from inside. Enough with the animals okay?!
Did you know there are four verses of the Star Spangled Banner? I didn’t. The last verse is pretty interesting. Why is it never sung?
The Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?


On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.


And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.



Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! 

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Revolt of the electronics

Well we have another raccoon in the trap this morning. Hope it is a new one and not one that found his way home. So that mean a trip out into the woods but we were planning on going to town today anyway.
Yesterday morning we had a possum – it was the same one we let go back behind the house the day before – recognized his short cropped tail. So he got a ride far far away too.
The weather is still wonderful here – cool. Today it is supposed to reach the 80s for the first time in a week, but the humidity is going up too – ick. And yesterday was the first day in 12 that we didn’t have any rain. Supposed to rain this evening – hopefully not during fireworks (last year there were very few fireworks here in Indiana due to the drought and fire conditions.) Tomorrow there is 60% chance of rain. Sure not having to water any plants this year.
This week seems to be the time for electronics to act up – Revolt of the electronics. Bill’s PC has been acting up for weeks. Doing really strange things and freezing. So we took it to the Geek Squad – “Maybe it’s a virus, maybe it’s the motherboard. It will cost $199.99 not counting parts.” His computer had Vista on it so it was older – worth the repair – probably not. So he got a new computer. Brought it home. And we both just stared at it. Windows 8 – CRAP – it is designed for young minds – not stuck in the past old folks. And everything he wanted to do it wanted to do on the web. Like playing solitaire or hearts – they used to be on the computer now they are on the web. Don’t think so…..not going through that again. So back to the store it went. So when we got home we thought what the heck – and made recovery disks – it would either work or it wouldn’t. After making the disks I spent the rest of the day taking all his music, pictures etc off and putting them on an external hard drive. Then we ran the recovery. So far so good. Now reloading all the stuff back on. BUT – somehow we managed to not be able to find the disk that will set up the Internet connection for him. The PC isn’t wireless – needs a connector. So that’s why into town today. To buy a new one.
My Nook – cannot find a replacement battery anywhere. Called Nook tech support. “Oh we don’t make or carry those batteries anymore.” It’s a Nook 1st Edition. Lovely. So guess I’ll just read it plugged in or read quick. I wonder if they give trade ins?
And we had to buy a new phone – not a cell phone – a landline phone with speaker. They are getting harder and harder to find. And the ones that are for sale are four times as expensive as they used to be. Finally found a cheapy one at Wal*Mart.
And a couple of the clickers for the garage stopped working. Changed batteries and they still don’t work. We’re starting to feel picked on.

Back from dropping off the raccoon, having breakfast with friends and buying a wireless adapter. And now installing it on his computer. Almost back to normal. 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Nothing in trap this morning.

Caught another raccoon yesterday morning, this time it was a young one and was he ever nasty. So he got a real long ride far far away. Bill drove the Alfa to the RV doc and I followed in the little truck with the raccoon in the cage in the truck bed. So he is at least 40 miles from here.
This morning the cage is empty! No raccoons, no possums, no dogs, but a squirrel eyeing it. Maybe they’re all gone. Wouldn’t that be nice. Then we can clean up the back porch and enjoy it again. 
Back to the Alfa. We didn’t get everything put back in it (almost everything) but because the batteries wouldn’t charge we didn’t want to keep fooling with it. Sure hope they figure out what went wrong with the batteries and the refrigerator. This time we’ll check EVERYTHING before we pull out of the lot. Making a long list. 
We have had rain and quite cool weather for a week now, just in the mid 70s. And at least three more days of cool and rain in the forecast. In southern Brown County they got five inches of rain yesterday. Sure glad we live up on a hill. This time last year it was over 100 degrees out. This is much nicer for me at least.
So what is going on with the price of gasoline? A couple of weeks ago it was $4.25 a gallon and yesterday it was $3.35. Not that I’m complaining. Just wondering. Somehow it just doesn’t seem logical. Playing games are they?
My Nook book needs a new battery – can only read for about an hour on a charge. Should I get a new Nook or just a new battery? I don’t think the new ones have any new things I want on them. But my buttons for turning pages are starting to stick too…….Will that get worse or not? 

Stopped by the doctor’s office yesterday to ask them to renew one of Bill’s maintenance prescriptions and found out “You have to schedule an appointment to see the doctor to renew a prescription.” WHAT? – talk about a waste of time and money. Just fax the dang thing into the mail order place. They finally agreed to this time only! 
Please remember the firefighters and their families in Arizona. Makes all our little annoyances seem so trivial.