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August . . . i.e., “hot and dry”
Yes, indeed, it is the season in Texas to wonder why we don’t live in the mountains. How DID we make it through the hot summers as kids without air conditioning — just window coolers, or fans! Well, the answer of course is the key word . . . “kids.” We didn’t care if it was hot or not, as long as we could go outside and play. And we’d get on our bikes and disappear for hours — all without bottled water, sun screen, or parental worries. Of course, the lack of sun screen protection has caught up with me in the form of skin cancer, but otherwise we made it just fine. Sometimes I wonder if it was as hot back then as it has been the past several years. I think the answer is . . . Yes!

Well, as long as we have air conditioned homes, cars, and businesses, the summer heat is do-able. However, the drought is another matter. Our water well of 28 years has all but dried up. It may be a combination of no rainfall and many more water wells in the area that are draining the aquifer. So, we are now getting bids on trenching a ditch from the house to an LCRA water line at the road in front of our property. The cost to tap into that water line was over $5,000 — ouch!

School started this week in Austin and will start in surrounding towns next week. It’s first grade for our youngest grandchild, 4th for another, and 6th for our oldest. What happened to starting school after Labor Day? And Monday Night Football has already started — wow, are we trying to get rid of the heat and drought by shortening the summer?

Looking for Antiques/Collectibles — please click on Samtiques to the right.

You Know You Live in the Country When . . .
. . . you turn into the driveway one evening, and there are cattle grazing in your yard (not OUR cattle, either).
. . . the deer are plentiful and don’t run away, even when you shout and yell at them; it takes grabbing a broomstick and making Tarzan sounds while running toward them to make them move . . . a few yards, anyway.
. . . lizards can be caught of many varieties; our grandchildren love this game and rub their tummies to put them to sleep.
. . . tarantulas inhabit certain holes in our rocks, both on the house and in the yard; we don’t mind, though, since for all these years here, no one has ever been hurt by one (nevermind that the first few years, we killed everything that crawled by).
. . . scorpions are the biggest pests (even though the deer come in a close second!); however, for some reason, this summer their numbers have declined significantly (like only one a week instead of one a day).
. . . the water smells like rotten eggs. Our well produced great water (compared to other hill country wells) until about six months ago; we’re told the water tables are low, and this may continue for a while.
. . . four Bucks were munching the grass in our yard this morning; they were all in velvet and were an unusual sight.
. . . yesterday, we had a pot-bellied pig visiting our yard. He/She was a well-fed one, and sure wish we could have found out more about it before it wandered off.
. . . our bird feeders and bird bath attract many different birds, but my favorite is the painted bunting. It has a blue head and yellow, red, and green colors on its body — a beautiful bird.
. . . it is quiet here, and that “ain’t” bad!

Trying to lose some pounds, like most of us? Check out this website that has been working for me and is therefore very encouraging — My Pryamid Tracker
Each day you enter the foods you’ve eaten in the last 24 hours (and the quanities). You can also enter your physical activities. The end report gives your total calories, but also it has broken the foods down by such things as fat, vitamins, food pyramid categories, etc. Using the comparisons of what your score should be, you can tell quickly where you need to cut or increase foods. It’s very helpful and easy to use.

Please check out antique furniture and more by clicking the Samtiques link on the right.

Today’s Blog:
Made another trip to the hospital this afternoon. Yesterday was the first trip, after I received a call that my friend since 6th grade had been admitted. It only took me 25 minutes to get to the hospital after the call. And all the way I was kicking myself — it’s been almost a year since I’ve seen Carol.

As Carol puts it, “we may not get together very often, but when we do — it’s like we just picked up where we left off yesterday.”

Carol was diagnosed with cancer in the blood about a year ago, and last time we talked (about 5 months ago) she was doing much better. She’s been in my thoughts so many times since then, but I didn’t call to check on her — telling myself that everything was fine or else I’d have heard about it. Well, I did hear — from her daughter — news that Carol was having problems with memory and also delusions.

I must admit that I wasn’t prepared to see my dear friend curled up in a hospital bed, 100 pounds lighter, and without hair. Her sweet smile and disposition haven’t changed, and her recognition of me was rewarding. As we visited, I learned what topics of conversation were “safe” and what to avoid — especially questions about the present. Ronnie, her husband of 47 years, is always by her side and is so lovingly tender with her — he would have a “cow” hearing me say this. I know him pretty well, too — like since they started dating in 1958, and they sometimes took me with them on their dates!

Today, the “plan” is to take her off some medications to see if that’s causing the problems. Hopefully Prayfully, that will be the answer and will be an easy FIX!

What a difference a phone call can make!

Please check out antique furniture and more by clicking the Samtiques link on the right.

Today’s Blog: NEED AN RV?
Our 2002 Kodiak is parked on a consignment lot for RV’s located in Houston called PPL Motor Homes. If you are looking for a small “home on wheels,” please take a look: Our Kodiak and choose “B92.”