Quick Catch up

Hello. Just a quick catch up on us. Jerry is still working on the Renovation of Belk's in University Mall here it Tuscaloosa. It's been hot here, You know it's hot when you hear people saying we have a cool day and it's 90 degrees outside. We got a window air unit. and it's working wonderful. I don't have to have both on high, yet. With both on low it's staying between 80 and 85 in here. Sure beats those 90's that I was getting with just the roof air and a blanket in the doorway to make the area being cooled much smaller. The dogs love to lay on Jerry's bed, belly up, under the window air. I have to remake his bed two to three times a day from their turning around and around, makeing it more comfy.

I've been keeping the camper reasonably clean. you know how it is when you have a dog in the house, let alone two of them... I vacumend and had to empty the canaster twice because of the dog hair.

Been doing a bit of cooking. We just got tired of cold cut sandwiches, chips and Jell-o for dinner. Last night was hamburgers. tonight will be hot dogs. I know, not very exotic but there wasn't any chicken breast at the store this past weekend. Either they didn't get any in or they sold out. I figure most people are grilling out with the heat.

When it's so hot out, I will dampen a bandana and put it around my neck before going outside. I'll even put a couple of ice cubes inside the thing, so the cooler water will melt and run down my neck and back. I took a cool damp rag to the dogs ears and under carrage that last time we hit 99. At first they fought me on it, but once they figured out I wasn't trying to hur them, gave in and loved it. now when I have a wet rag in my hand they come to me to wipe their ears. I also rubbed their fur the wrong way with the rag to help cool them off. Rocky didn't like that much, but Macon loved it.

This next weekend is going to be HOT, predicted high's are aroune 99 for both days of the weekend. Just not sure what and when we will do. Mostly stay inside in the cooler air, I'm sure.

After weeks of working weekends and extra hours on some days, Jerry's last two days have been 8 hour days. He's been on line when he gets home, job hunting. We will really have a rough time if all he's going to get on next weeks pay check is 40 hours. I know, we are blessed that he has a job, but these hours are so erradic that we can't make any plans on anything.

Whew, it's HOT

Whew, it's been HOT around here. Of course it is July, and I am in Alabama.. so it's suppose to be hot. Friday it got up to 101. Sizzling hot. I used a very wet wash rag to wipe the dogs down a couple of times and made sure to get the inside of their ears as well... they loved it. That attention was what they wanted more than the wet. Me, I kept a wet bandana around my neck and re-wetted it every hour or so. The dogs also got to crunch a few ice cubes throughout the day. I used a few in a glass of water to dampen my rag with, as well. drank plenty of water, and made plenty of trips to the bathroom as well. I took my themometer back there to check how hot was it... over 110. while it was just over 94 in the living room area. that's with the air turned on full blast and a couple of curtains between the air and the bathroom doorway.

Jerry has the weekend off. He bought an air conditioner to go into the bedroom window today... We were rather warm before it was put in, but once it was in, and turned on, we cooled down to a right nice 84 degree's in about 1/2 an hour. I donbt we will run that air conditoner all that much at night, but then again it depends on how hot it is.. We still have August to get through.

Just another update

Just another update. I have to get back into a routine that includes internet. Before I got back on line I had it down pat. get up, fix Jerry's breakfast and tea, walk the dogs. shower, meds and breakfast and get dressed for the day.. clean the camper,make jell-o or pudding (sugar free) for our dessert, watch my soap, maybe play a hand of free cell or try to gain another level on Jewel Quest. cut up tomatoes, cucumbers and green peppers for our dinner. Walk the dogs a couple of times, channel surf and wait for Jerry to get home.

I would work on some bit of sewing or read a bit in a book, but nothing seemed to get done too often

I am back on line

I'll tell you. I missed the internet terribly while I was off. I had my computer on every day, but I miss the inter action with all the people and groups I have been in contact with over the last few years. Not a lot has been going on. Jerry is working. We are catching up with our bills and our kids are all doing fairly well. Can't ask for much more than that, most of the time.

while I was off line, I tried to keep a few notes over the weeks, here are the things I wrote.

I have no idea when I'll e able to post this, but I can write a bit and post it when I do get back on-line.

We are slowly getting our bills caught up. If I'm posthing this, then you know we finally got Sprint Caught up again, as well.

June 14

Alabama has been hotter than normal for June. Usually the highs are in the upper 80's but so far we have been in the 90's each day so far

Yesterday, I goofed. Big time. We were putting our grocries in the back of the van. I had some frozen sugar-free ice pops and I put them on my seat of the van, but left the door open as it was getting hot in there. The man parked beside us, instead of pulling straight out, like he was pointed, backed up and caught the van door. We had to tie the door shut to get it home and Jerry had to put the tire iron in by the hinges to get the door to close. My fault as I left the door open.

June 22.

First full day of summer. It's been hot here in Alabama for over 3 weeks already, high's in the 90's each day, and the lows in the mid 70's each night. I have the phone all this week. already today I got two phone calls. One from Don, asking Jerry to remind Paul to send in his hours and then one from Paul who I gave the message to. I'm guessing he got Jerry's hours in on time.

June 25, Man, hard to believe that MJ has been gone a year. He was in the news for so long after his death that I forgot he died in June. I wish someone would also remember that Farrah Faucette (sp) Died on this same day a year ago. But then. MJ was so much larger in life that FF was. I do remember my Mom saying that FF would look so much nicier if she would just take care of her hair and not have it looking like it's so dirty all the time. You have to remember, I was never a huge Elvis fan. I didn't not like him, I just never saw what everyone else saw in him. The one movie of his I liked the most, he didn't sing in. I "Grew up" with MJ. From the first time he and his brothers were on the Ed Sullivan Show. To the Variaty (sp) show's of the 60's and 70's that would have the Jackson 5 on. And don't forget I also grew up with Donnie and Marie and the Osmonds as well. I think all "kids" of my age grew up with family singing groups. My family enjoyed playing music, I never got really well with anything but I enjoy making the noise. So our "being" a band was out of the question. Andy could play just about any musical insterment by ear. I don't know if he ever did learn how to read music. Thom used to do great on the banjo and Gitar (sp) I remember Thom learning Violin. I think that was the first thing he picked up. He played the drums in the school band.I learned a bit from watching him. I remember he also learned the French Horn. . Me, I can read some music. Use to play the clarinet until I got mumps on only one side of my face. That side now aches like crazy after only a few minutes of trying. I can play on a organ, almost. I learned on one with numbers for each key and still need that reminder to be able to pick out a tune most of the time. My Great Grandmother taught me how to play "This Old Man" on her old panio. She willed me the panio but I agreed to sell it, after she died. We had no room for it, and it was hard to keep tuned.

Mom could play the Sax, she learned that in school. I don't know when or where she learned to play the organ, but she did well on one. She wanted to learn to play a dulcimer as well.

Well that caught you up a bit. We havn't been to the gulf coast. And right now we really don't want to go either. The beaches may be open but it's still advised that you not get in the water. What's the use of going to the beach if you can't get in and get wet, right?

The dogs are doing well. They don't like the heat and sleep most of the day. Our summer dinner usually consistes of cut up vegetables and a sandwich with a handful of potato chips. If Jerry is lucky, I may also make a dessert to go with dinner. it's just too hot to cook in the camper and the air unit is not keeping it as cool as it should. We have a friend who is going to check out our unit and see why it's not getting as cold as we think it should. Maybe he can also stop the water drip inside as well. I empty the dishpan that is under the unit several times a day. I know it's not great water since even the dogs won't drink it. Glade they don't drink it and would rather drink out of their bowl since I have no idea if mold is growing in the water or not.

It's gotten too hot to do much walking, even in the early mornings. Hopefully we only have 3 or 4 more weeks of highs in the mid to upper 90's. Once it starts to lower, I'll be walking again.

a Yahoo for me... Back in Janurary, at one time I weighted 309.. I'm now down to 276. I have a long ways to go but at least I'm not going up.

Good Night and take care.]
Billie C.