dughlas

Saltpetre ...

He just better not forget their anniversary next year or there will be fireworks.

The rain has arrived ... it's been coming down heavily for awhile.

Okay, so Brendan is caught up in the weird. Now to find Lane and get to Maine.

So is Brendan caught up in whatever weirdness Lane is? Can Vanessa provide enough answers to help Lane?

Okay, so Charlie wasn't an ass until after death and there is a something out there. Is there significance to Lane's tattoos?

Some rain would be nice. The plants don't need as much hand watering. Of course with the humidity my dehumidifier collects 3-4 gallons of water in 24 hours. That covers most of the potted plants. I empty it morning and evening and rotate which plants get watered when.

Those are the sorts of temps mum has been dealing with in SC. When it gets this hot Thistle doesn't get to go along to do errands. He stays home in the ac. More rumbles. It apparently rained heavily one county, roughly 40mi to the west. A major interstate flooded in some areas.

So this is some extraneous fellow you just happened to scare up for our enjoyment.

Hmmm, interesting. Was Charlie an ass in life too or is it something new he developed after death. Oh, and how did he die? Have others who come into contact with Lane died? Why? Does he have to touch them for it to occur? More please.

There was a 6.4 earthquake near Ridgeview, CA. There have been several strong aftershocks. No reports on damage or injuries yet.

He isn't big on celebrating the 4th, doesn't like the noise. Unfortunately, there are always some fireworks in the neighborhood and they happen about the same time we usually go to bed so he'll stress a bit this evening.

These changes make sense. Thanks for the hard work.

Well, I've finished laying all the patio pavers in the lower garden. I still need to let them settle a bit then fill in between with sand and weed inhibitor. There are also the borders of the flower beds to adjust and define with stone borders but those are relatively easy things to do. Next week I'll start working around the old raised vegetable garden. I'm thinking about reducing it, it's currently 9'×12'. The garden is in the side yard between my neighbors and my house and has become unsightly because it was allowed to go fallow the last few years as I struggled with intractable migraine. When the garden was established there I laid weed barrier and mulched the space around it. Less yard to mow. Well weeds grow as happily in the mulch and fresh mulch needs to be added each year. It's become as much work as mowing would be. So I already planned on taking up the mulch and seeding the area around the garden with grass. Now would be the time to shrink the garden to a more manageble size, maybe 3'×12'. That would be enough space for a tomato plant some wax beans and Clo's favorite a zucchini. At that size I could easily reach in from all sides to harvest and weeding would be more manageable. And if in the future I decide against growing veggies it would be just the right size for a blueberry patch. We decided to head inside. There is some rumbling in the distance and Thistle is whining because he can't find a cool spot to lay. And, my head has started to ache more than the usual bit it does on a daily basis.

Thanks B. Sorry to hear you had a rough day.

If you ban the balloons what will you do with all the hot air?

Ham 'n wax beans here.

You're welcome Caz. One other tidbit I heard many years ago. It was advice for young women concerning the men they were dating. It went something like this ... if you want to know how he will treat you if you marry, look at how he treats his mother. The implication being a young man who treats his mother with courtesy, love and respect will treat his wife in the same manner. Of course the opposite would also hold true. Folks sometimes look at mum and me with surprise as most often we're teasing one another and they're just not sure. By the same token, I hold the door for her, push in her chair, open and close her cardoor and offer an arm in support if the ground is treacherous. I was taught this at a young age. As soon as I was old enough I was expected to be first to the door when we went out as a family. I opened and held the door for everyone, that meant my mother, father, sister, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, cousins too, though the older boys usually beat me to the task. If as sometimes happened there was a second door my father opened and held it until I, the last in line had entered. It was meant as courtesy not sexist as some have suggested. Quite obviously, my father and grandfathers being adult males could manhandle a door far more easily than my scrawny seven-yearold self and on occasion lent a hand opening a particularly irksome one though the holding duty remained mine. I still strive to be first to the door some of mum's friends are still learning. Many are single or widowed and grown accustomed to fending for themselves. Mum will put a hand on their arm and stand quietly by the door, occasionally she'll say "wait" until I get there. I was also taught that the man goes first only if the restaurant or other establishment is busy so he can clear a path in all other instances the woman goes first. I could go on but your eyes are beginning to glaze over ...

G'day y'all. Made a bit more progress in the garden this morning. Then it became too hot. Now the pup and I are relaxing in the shade enjoying the breeze.

Uhm, I'm pretty certain that my heel spurs will be acting up and my doctor says that I need to be excused that day. The good news though is that I heard from reliable sources that both North Korea and Russia have offered to send a couple of their missile launchers to help beef up the military gravitas of the occasion.

I do that sort of thing, of course I'm not what one might consider a young man. But then my son was taught manners too and a grandson if I has one be as well. It may not be common practice but there still those youngsters who maintain social skills and graces and on a first date would behave particularly well.

I made the sandwich. I'll get to work on your order ... eventually.

It was.

Severe t-storm warning in effect until 7:45. Nasty storms with 60mph winds and 3/4 inch hail coming in from the west.

I had a grilled Santa Fe barbequed turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich on black Russian bread and fresh corn on the cob.