a conversation between Cliff and a granddaughter

So, Amber, our almost 19-year-old granddaughter, was here last weekend, and spent a night with us.  It was hot, so we told her to make a pallet in the floor of our bedroom, which is air-conditioned; she gladly complied.

The next day, she and her grandpa had a conversation about  love, living, and the facts of life:

Amber:  "I want to find a husband that's just like you, Grandpa."

Cliff, smiling with pride:  "Oh, really?"

Amber:  "Yeah; I want a man who will let me stay home while he goes to work."

Cliff's ego quickly deflated.

Too much heat!

Cliff and I love our hot stuff. 

We had some great turkey frame soup for lunch today, and both of us add hot stuff to our soups and stews, always.

Trouble is that lately, I'd been using Tobasco, or Lousianna Hot Sauce.  Both of those have tiny openings at the top, so you shake them a lot to get enough to really count.

Today I decided to use the one on the left, the one our favorite Mexican place has on the tables... my personal favorite.  The one that has a larger opening.  Yeah, I shook it WAY too hard, accustomed to the small openings on the others.

I was able to finish my soup, but there were a lot of tears, a lot of nose-blowing, and much red-faced drinking of iced tea, trying to quench the fire.

Check out my journal in about 13 months

Adam and Jessica, who pasture their two horses here, have asked if it would be OK if they get married back on what we call "the point" in our pasture next September.  Heck yes!!!  I LOVE it!

A night at the cabin with Sadie

Because it wasn't so hot yesterday, and because we got 4/10 inch of rain the night before (allowing me to have a campfire), I decided to take the opportunity to visit my cabin with Sadie. 

I took a frisbee along, and Sadie loved being able to pick it up and play with it any time she wanted.  Since I had nothing else to occupy me, I threw it for her a lot.  She does love the cabin, and when she and I are back there, I can let her roam free, because she doesn't attempt to run away like she does here at the house.  She comes when I call, and never gets out of my sight.  The one exception is that when Buddy shows up, which he did this morning, she tends to follow him off; but since I had the frisbee, that wasn't a problem:  I threw it, Sadie fetched it to me, and I hooked onto her with the leash.

I had intended to go back there, spend a couple of hours, and come back to the house to sleep.  But it was so pleasant that I ended up making a nice campfire, airing up the air mattress, and spending the night.  I went to sleep to the sound of locusts buzzing, with Sadie snuggled up next to me, her head on my belly.  I think perhaps that's why she likes it there so much.  She isn't allowed on beds or furniture here.

I forgot my camera, but you can check some old entries and see what it looks like at the cabin.  Only the dog is different (I love Sadie, but I will always miss Mandy).  Here's one.  Here's another.  And another. 

Yes, my AOL is now FREE!

The only thing I was hesitant about, on the free AOL deal, was my FTP space; that's where I store pictures for my journal.  So, I called 1-800-984-6207 and talked to a robot for a few minutes.  Finally I pushed "0" and was told there'd be about a 2 1/2 minute wait.  I sat waiting for about twenty minutes, which isn't bad considering they're probably getting a lot of calls today.

The pleasant young lady told me that I will, in fact, still have FTP space with my free AOL.  What I won't have is dial-up if I'm on the road... but I have that through Embarq anyway.  Oh, and I won't have AOL tech support.  Big deal!  About all they ever did for me was mess up my computer; I haven't called AOL techs in years. 

The only people who will have to pay for AOL now are those on dial-up.  Happy days are here again!

If you access AOL through another provider, call that number I mentioned and start saving money.

Great news about AOL

Check out this entry made by John Scalzi.  Or, just go directly here. 

I'll save $10 a month from this change, so of course I'm happy about it.  My journal was the only thing keeping me on AOL, and I figured a day would come when I'd decide it wasn't worth it.  I simply had not worked up the nerve, as yet, to bid farewell to more than two years of pictures and words that assist me in walking down memory lane whenever I wish.

AOL hopes to make a profit from their advertising now, and I'm already used to the ads. 

Barring any unforseen problems, I'll stick around. 

I've been shut in my bedroom

OK, after Cliff went to work today, I finally said "uncle" to the heat when the thermometer hit 103, and shut myself in the only air-conditioned room in our house... the bedroom.  Sadie retreated with me, and we played a few silly games (me acting like I was going to steal her chewie, etc.).  We watched several episodes of MASH, a bit of depressing local news, and the usual CSI reruns.  Then, joy of joys, Sadie and I realized the Dog Whisperer was on!  She is asleep in the bedroom now, awaiting my return; I told her I'd be back after posting to my journal.  She just shrugged (yes, dogs can shrug... ask the dog whisperer) and smiled.

Cliff's first day back on the job went well:  He said the first couple of hours were spent greeting people and telling his story.  He found out that, as a result of his experience, two guys went and had their hearts checked out.  That's a good thing.  The vice president of the company welcomed him back, and all the bosses in the place told him to feel free to go to the air-conditioned break room any time he got too hot, for as long as he felt necessary; I doubt he'll avail himself of this luxury, but it's nice to know the option is there.

I got a call from Cliff's youngest sister this evening.  She'd talked to my sister-in-law in Wisconsin,  who went to her doctor today because of heartburn (Cliff's first symptom of heart trouble).  Her heart isn't pumping like it should, and the doctor told her she HAS to stop smoking NOW.  She'll see a heart specialist Monday.  Here we go again.

I think I hear Sadie calling to me from the air-conditioned bedroom.  God bless you every one.