To my surprise, the Beast actually finished the shelving unit he started just yesterday.  I guess it helped that he had already done one like it for his aunt so he was sure of his steps.  No surprise there when you think about it.  He HAS paid a price for it, however. 

I've mentioned before that,  since his strokes, he just can't take the heat any more.  He bemoans the fact that he could work in both heat and sun for long periods of time prior to that.  Of course he could.  It probably was one of the many factors that led up to it all.  But I digress.....

He WAS forced to take several naps.  Well, a couple he only attempted to take.  The kids had to call and wish him a Happy Father's Day and Bee called him a couple times about a major computer problem.  However, he did get a couple good naps in before he could continue on.  I had to give him a hand with a couple of things including the very top shelf section.  The darn thing is HUGE! 

Know what?  After he was done, he started loading it up with HIS stuff, although he had told me it was also to give me more room for my foodstuffs that I have stacked on the floor of both pantries.  When I mentioned that he was taking it over, he gave me this innocent look and said, *I'll save some space for you.*  My reply was a stoic, *We'll see.*  Just another instance of it being all about HIM, not me no matter WHAT he says.

I know, I know!  I really should be used to it and, in truth, I am.  I don't automatically think that what he is saying is the truth of the matter.  Just once, I would love for him to actually mean exactly what he says.  Just once.

I made the Italian beef and made the mistake of using beef consomme instead of regular beef broth.  I knew there was a reason I preferred the broth.  It's not as salty.  After working in the heat, the Beast didn't feel it was too salty but that's because he was replacing some of the salt he lost from sweat.  When we owned our business and he was working outdoors most of the day, he made me nauseous from watching him salt his food at dinner.  People said I should give him salt tablets to take but I knew I could never get him to do that. 

I also made him a German chocolate cake.  He wanted something sweet and I didn't want anything too heavy or overly sweet.  Voila!  Perfect!  He said it hit the spot because it was nice and light.  That was just what he was hoping for he told me.  I think he thought I was going to give him strawberry shortcake since I had strawberries in the fridge.

What he didn't know was I got those for Chewlee.    If he had checked to see how many were actually left in the container, he might have had a clue.

SyFy had a movie on tonight called *The Phantom*.  Now, I haven't been a fan of the Phantom since I was very young.  If I read one of the comic strips on him once every 5-6 years, I don't miss out on much.  It's actually worse than a soap opera in it's own way.  I have to admit, however, that this movie was actually very interesting all on it's own.  There are no big stars ( but a couple of familiar faces that I should know the names of but only remember Isabella Rossellini) so it had to be a *made for TV* movie but it goes a long way in explaining how the Phantom line got started and how this particular Kit Walker was lost for almost 20 years of his young life before being rediscovered and gradually convinced to become the *Ghost Who Walks*.  If you are the least bit familiar with the Phantom, the movie is engaging with just a few trite spots included.  There IS a lot of suspense.  Worth a look see when it's on again.

The Beast decided we need some shelves for storage in OUR garage like the ones he made for his aunt in NC.  I just rolled my eyes when I heard that.  It just means a lot of swearing and asking me to *give him a hand for a minute* about 10-12 times a day for as long as it takes him to get it done.  I am annoyed about it because I am STILL waiting for him to make me some more shelves for my DVD's.  They are getting a bit out of control.  I may have to just take things into my own hands and get rid of everything of his out of the bookcase in here and just take it over entirely.

Chewlee spent the night and, to my great surprise, didn't get up until about 7:30am.  Her mother told me that she has been waking up around 5am every morning and climbing into bed with her.  Not to sleep but to annoy and wake her mother up.  She was hungry so I gave her some cereal while she watched cartoons and I tried to wake up.  I hadn't gone to bed until 2:30am and I wasn't exactly feeling spunky, as you might guess.

She actually was a bit subdued most of the day.  Subdued for HER, that is.  Every time she felt she needed to go potty, she would drag me in there and she insisted I had to *potty* on the big potty while she used the little one.  Fun and games.  The day was full of Sponge Bob, Dora, Diego and even some Garfield.  At 1pm, she disappeared for about 5 minutes and I went to look for her and found her sound asleep on Papa's chair.   

I supposed it's just as well that the Beast has his new project because it stormed today.  It was so bad that Chewlee crawled in my lap and told me to *hold* her and she put my arms around her waist.  She jumped every time there was a lightning strike and would ask me, *What was that?*  Thankfully, it only lasted about an hour and I opened up the house for a few hours after it was over and the air had cooled down quite a bit.  I've hated the fact that the Beast has had the air on non-stop for well over a week now.  It's only 75 degrees and he's got it back on again.  It makes me feel like I am starving for oxygen for some reason.

I'm really tired for some reason tonight.  I put the Italian beef stuff into the slow cooker on low a little bit ago since I'm not sure when the Beast will want to eat.  If they go out on the ATV's tomorrow, it will probably be later in the afternoon.  If they don't, he'll be looking for it around noon.  I figured I would be prepared and go to bed early tonight without worrying about getting up early in the morning to get it going.

The storms have passed us now and it's quiet outside.  Just the sound of crickets and the occasional car or truck booking along the roadway on the other side of the trees.  I don't mind it storming during the night.  In fact, I find it kind of soothing for some reason.  Maybe because I know those kind are over and done with by morning and the air is fresh, clean and clear.  Not that there's pollution here that I can tell other than cow farts or freshly manured fields.

Time to get this done and posted.  Love you all.  Hope you have a great Father's Day and some nice weather.  If you are having a barbeque, just be careful. 

The Princess had a very early morning meeting but she told me she woke up Sheepie at 5:30am and told her to get ready and get Chewlee ready for school.  After dropping off Chewlee, she dropped off Sheepie and they said their goodbyes to each other.

Sheepie came in quietly and started folding and putting all her clothes into her suitcase.  She managed to get everything (including what I had bought for her) into it and used her purse for a few odds-and-ends.  She put her suitcase into the trunk and grabbed her pillow that she uses for comfort while she's trying to sleep on her way home.  She can't read because that makes her nauseous when she's traveling in a car or bus.  She just turns on her ipod and goes to sleep.  She had something (I didn't see a label), probably fruit juice, for drinking on the bus.  I gave her the money for the ticket extension and the $5. I had held back so she would have traveling money.

She and I gave each other a big hug and a kiss and she told me, *I'll see you at Thanksgiving.  Okay?*  I told her if it was okay with her dad, it would work for us.  However, I don't think she's even broached the idea with him yet so we will have to wait and see.  I just want to make sure I can buy her ticket early enough to get a deal. 

The Beast decided HE was going to drive her and I knew his secret agenda.  He wanted to go to Bass Pro Shop.  I just wasn't sure for what.  I told him NOT to buy anything *in anticipation* of the deer he was going to get.  I was thinking a smoker or dehydrator...something like that along with some of the various *spices* they use for meat.  I was wrong.  He *needed* some ammunition for one of his guns and I found it in the car when I went to pick up Chewlee.  He hadn't brought it in because he planned on sneaking it in and putting it in the safe when I was busy.  However, I left while he was taking a nap. 

Later today (Friday), the Princess told me she texted Sheepie to try to find out how things were going and Sheepie texted her back...*Shhhh...I am sleeping*. 

The Princess has a date tonight and I will be taking care of Chewlee for her while she is gone.  It really IS a regular date and they will be meeting up with two other couples for dinner and some good chat.  I know the guy and he's very attractive.  He seems like a nice guy but it will be a while before we will actually find that out, I guess.  He's a bit older than the Princess but that sometimes is a good thing.  He told her he would even pay for the babysitter and I got elected since her other three sitters are not available.  One won't be available for several weeks since she is visiting her father in another state.  When she asked my fee, I told her a big bottle of TGI Friday's Mudslide.  I was only joking but guess what? 

The Beast and the Princess are going to go out on the ATV's on Sunday.  It seems the Beast found a possibly neat place just south of Gadsden that he wants to explore.  She had hopes for going out on the pontoon boat but it seems the boat trailer has a flat and the Beast needs help in order to get it off.  The Princess said she would help him so he can get a new tire for it (and maybe take it out later in the week on the Princess's next day off).

Sheepie should be home right about now.  She will be grabbing up her stuff to take with her camping and it will be another hour or so before she can actually get some sleep.  It has been a long day for the poor Sheepie.

I had to make a decision and it's taken me a couple days to do it.  It was about making my annual trip to Chicago next week.  As much as it pains me, I am NOT making it....at least not next week.  Probably not this summer unless it's late in the summer.  Mostly it's because I really want to make the trip to Puerto Vallarta and see Kay marry the Coach.

When Kay married my worthless brother, she was young, in love and we had just buried our mother.  She and he just did a city hall wedding.  She never got that ceremony that ALL girls dream of having.  This time is different.  I've seen the pictures.  The setting is gorgeous, romantic, breathtaking.....just perfect.  Almost as perfect as Kay deserves.  She's a wonderful person and that is why the Bratfambly (as Bratfink calls us) adopted her to the consternation of the Brat brother that divorced her.  He might have but we never did.  She's our sister of heart and we will be keeping her forever.  Even the Coach accepts that part of the bargain he takes on when the two of them get hitched.  He gets her AND us. 

I've detailed all the items that the Beast has indulged himself in buying the past several months.  The resulting $$$ spent is almost shocking.  I'm not an *in-your-face* retaliatory person just because HE has been spending money like it's going out of style.  Whether that's a good thing or bad is beside the point.  The point is that I felt I needed to make a choice and my choice, due to the amount of money I will be spending, is to go to Puerto Vallarta come hell or high water.  And to do it without guilt of ANY kind.  Best of all, to do it without the Beast! 

I got quotes from the gal that set up Kay's trip for her.  It's an all-inclusive price that includes meals, drinks (even alcohol), tips and all rooms have an ocean view.  I had her quote me departing from Atlanta, Nashville and Louisville.  There was a method to my madness since those are trips I can easily make the day before departure and would give me a good idea of the best way to plan to leave.  As it is, I will most likely be leaving out of Nashville and will spend the day before visiting with my youngest son, Marcus Aurelius and his family.  I'll get to see three of my grandkids (bonus) and might even be able to leave my car with them and have them pick me up from the airport when I return.  With luck, the Princess should know if she can take the time off work within the next few days so I can go ahead and book our trip.

The only thorn is whether or not we can get our passports returned to us in time.  There's a backlog from what I understand although how long no one is really sure.  Keep your fingers crossed for us for both the Princess getting the time off and getting our passports in time.

Sheepie called me earlier about the possibility of picking her up from the Princess's on the way to the bus station and I was !  I couldn't believe she would even consider such a thing because, since we paid for her to come here, it was really a rude thing to ask.  Maybe it's just ME but I told her *No*.  Either she stayed the night at the Princess's (if that was what she wanted to do) and had the Princess drop her off in the morning OR come here tonight so we could leave for Birmingham from here tomorrow.  As it is, it's probably a good thing since the Beast is talking like HE will drive her.  I have this sinking feeling that he wants to go to the Bass Pro Shop there but that's beside the point, isn't it?

I can't say that Sheepie was raised better than that because, unfortunately, she hasn't been.  We know her father and he's one of the rudest and most ignorant people you could ever meet.  He gives rednecks a bad name, truth-be-told.    From the time it is as I am writing this, I guess the Princess has decided she WILL drop Sheepie off in the morning after all.  That will give Sheepie plenty of time to pack up her stuff and neaten up the bedroom before she heads back home.  I have to make sure the Beast has enough cash on him to pay the extra $15 it will cost for her extended stay plus the $5. I held back from the money I fronted Buttmunch for her so she will have some cash on her for the trip.  I believe there is a layover somewhere that is almost an hour so she will want to buy something, I'm sure. 

I'm going to run to the store in the morning to pick up a couple things we need here and get her some water and some things to munch on as well as some hard candy because those buses cause your mouth to dry up on you.  Has to be the type of air-conditioning they have or some such thing.  Maybe a chemical in the air from that god-awful toilet some of the buses have on them.  Who knows?

I made spaghetti for dinner tonight.  The Beast had asked for it yesterday but he did it when he was hungry and wanted to eat QUICK.  I forget what I made (old-timers) but I said I would make it today and I did.  It really turned out good and I am glad I have leftovers because I know Chewlee will like it.  I used rotini instead of noodles and those are one of her favorite pasta shapes.

It was bright and sunny but not too awful warm this morning when the Beast and I got up.  The Princess had tip-toed quietly in and left us the 'sketti pot from what I had made up for her and her *movers* last week.  That is the pot the Beast uses to cook up Baron's chicken for his food we make up for him.  It's what he's used to using; he has the preparation time for it down to a science and nothing else will do.    I wish you could have seen his face when he had to use a different pot the first time because he needed some new chicken for Baron after getting home from NC.  You would have thought the world was gonna end.  Sheesh!

The Beast finally got showered and dressed and went outside, armed to the teeth with his newest purchase to either kill bugs, kill the fungus or something to feed the trees.  I'm really not sure at this point where he is on all this stuff and I'm sure the trees are confused, too.  All I know is that he's got a set list of things he wants to do before we leave for Chicago next week and, if it's not done, he probably won't want to go.  I really don't care either way.  I just thought he might like to see his brother now that he's officially retired and they can both gossip about AM and her daughter and the saga of the new house.

I am considering not going, especially since I really want to make Kay's wedding in Puerto Vallarta in October.   But I will see how the Beast feels about seeing his brother, first.  I can always make it another time since the regular family reunion is a bust this year.  It's really too bad because there will be regrets down the road.  We have aunts that are getting up there in years now and each time might just be the last time you get to visit with them. 

I baby sat for Chewlee for a little while this evening.  I was surprised because the first thing she said to me was that she was hungry and she wanted a hot dog.  She ate one and a half plus a half an orange and then had a glass of juice while she watched Sponge Bob.  When I turned it on for her, the Beast said in shock, *Is that on 24 hours a day???* 

She sat quietly and I covered her up with her blanket when she crunched up like she was cold, thinking she might fall asleep before the Princess came to pick her up.  But, after a half hour, she came into my room and asked very sweetly if she could have a popsicle.  How could I turn her down?    Imagine her surprise when I pulled out a popsicle on a stick!  Her eyes got really big and she said, *Gramma....look!  Look!  It's got a stick on it!*  That cracked me up. 

I tried to put a dish towel across her lap in case of drips but she got upset and put it over the arm of the chair.  I have to admit, she didn't let a drop fall.  It couldn't because she was sucking it dry as she bit off pieces of it.  She found exposing part of the stick amusing for some reason and had to share that with me.  Isn't it wonderful how easily amused kids are?

The Princess has tomorrow off and the original plan was for them to go out on the ATV's but the Princess doesn't think she's going to be up to it now.  It seems the pre-ordering status of the new I-phone became a nightmare at work, mostly mental since the computers in the whole AT&T system crashed.  Next week on Thursday, everyone has to be at work at 6am (which is really another reason for me staying home since she has no sitter for the baby and would have to go in late and get written up).  If I am here, I can either keep the baby overnight OR she can drop her off early and I can take her to school before 9am.  I think I would opt for keeping her overnight since it would be easier on us all.

Sheepie decided to spend tonight with the Princess and Chewlee and she will spend tomorrow night with us so we can leave early enough to make it to Birmingham for her bus on Friday (and to have some lunch before she leaves, too).  I really will miss her and some of our little talks we've had as she has become more comfortable with us as family.  My only comfort is that she WILL be back here at the end of the year, if all goes well.  One can only hope with our economy in the shape it's in and with the way this administration seems to be heading.  It's almost scary.

Time to get this done and ready for liftoff.  Love you all and I hope you have a wonderful day.  Be good.  Stay safe.  Be happy. 

Sheepie is returning home on Friday it was decided.     I hate to see her leave since we won't get to see her again until the end of the year.  It's been nice having her here and it feels so...natural.  But she has a life apart and is anxious to get back to it.  She got ahold of her dad to make sure the time of arrival worked for him.  It seems she is going to get home and be picked up almost immediately to go camping with her boyfriend and his family.  I've never met them but they seem to be a very nice family from everything I have heard.  Sheepie cares a great deal for them and that's a plus.  They were the ones that ended up driving her to Tallahassee to catch her bus when her dad's girlfriend had a hissy fit over his giving Sheepie *so much* cash and refused to take her.  It was a whole $90. for a two-week (it was thought) vacation?  Oh give me a break!    She was jealous over a father giving his daughter money that could have been spent on her, I guess.  Lord love a duck! 

Sheepie was the one that finally cajoled Chewlee into sitting down on the potty chair and pee-ing in it so we could have a sample (small as it was) to give to the lab.  She told Chewlee she could take a bath IF she pee'd first and Chewlee was tearing off her clothes as fast as she could and heading for the potty chair.  When I got back from taking the Beast up to Toyota to pick up his truck, the sample was ready to be taken to the doctor's office.  We did that later so we put it into the fridge until we could run it up there.

Bright and early this morning, the Beast was up and talking to the service department at our local Toyota dealer.  He hadn't gotten a battery so he figured he would just bite the bullet and let them handle the hard stuff.  Once he found out that the starter was behind a heat shield (he found THAT), he discovered he had no clue about how to even remove it so he figured he was too damn old for dealing with that shit any more and he was gonna let the dealer do it.

The dealer came to the house with a tow truck and brought the truck up to be checked out.  I don't remember what all they found besides the dead duck battery but there was some relay to the starter, I believe and something that should have been cleaned and cleared out at 30,000 miles anyway.  They also changed the oil filter and the air filter while they were under the hood and engine plus the Beast had them replace the windshield wipers.  Now all he needs to do is get some new tires on it (it has the originals still on it) and he's all set for another four to five years.    What amazed me was this:  the total bill for all this?  Just $260. including the tow.  Hell, in Florida, it would have cost that just for the tow.

So, on Thursday, instead of a possible day on the lake, it looks like the Beast, Sheepie and the Princess will be going out on the ATV's.  The Princess is going to find out from one of her friends where a good place to go is that won't knock any more teeth out of the Beast's mouth (just kidding!) but he is a bit more delicate than the youngsters these days.    That means that Chewlee will spend the day in school (I hope), I will be here packing for our trip next week (and I hope to get my floors mopped) while the others go out to exhaust themselves. 

At least I won't have to pack them a lunch.  I already have lunchmeats, bread, etc. and will just throw it in the cooler for them.  They will have to stop and pick up some Gatorade or whatever it is they prefer.  I'll pick the baby up from school at my normal time and probably just throw some chicken on the grill for our dinner later (with some hot dogs for me and Chewlee).  We both LOVE grilled hot dogs.

The Beast threw me some cash when we left to run up to the doctor's office to drop off the urine sample and said to pick up something for us all to eat so no one had to cook.  Sheepie jumped up and yelled, *Arby's!!!!!!*  I looked at her, laughing, and said, *I take it you like Arby's?*  She shook her head almost violently YES and made me laugh.  I told her she had to be her grandfather's favorite because that was HIS favorite, too.  They both just grinned at each other.

So we stopped at Arby's on our way back home and picked up a bunch of their roast beef sandwiches plus a roast beef and cheddar for Sheepie.  The baby wanted a strawberry milk shake and their $1. size is just perfect for her.  The biggest problem was she kept trying to lift it up to help the ice cream get down the straw so we had to take it away from her for a bit to let it melt a bit.  Thankfully, the straws are extra big or she would have sucked her eyes in when she was trying to get a taste of it even after it sat in the warm car while we were driving home. 

Once we got here, Sheepie put Chewlee in her high chair and I took the top off, put the straw back in and gave her a spoon as well.  She only ate the meat off her half of a sandwich but she did finish up her milk shake.  She had been eating fruit (apple, banana, orange) most of the day and she ate a big bowl of soup for lunch so I don't think the poor kid was hungry, even so.  She ate her potato chips up and then started eating mine after she got out of her high chair.  She wasn't really hungry; she was just trying to make me react because of the grin on her face when she thought she was *sneaking* one.

I've mentioned that I play games on Pogo.com before.  One of the games I play is Mahjong, a tile matching game.  The baby has often sat in my lap while I played and she always asks what the different tiles are.  I have been letting her click on the matching tiles while I directed her hands and told her *click now*.  Today, she wanted to play by herself.....and I let her.  She sat in my lap and found the tiles that matched and made sure they were *free* tiles (meaning not hemmed in by others).  Her biggest problem was in controlling the mouse and pointer but, hell, I had the same problem with my wireless mouse at first.  Each puzzle is different....I use the animal tiles, which are the different animals in the Chinese zodiac. 

The *rat* puzzle is actually a tough one most of the time and I am lucky if I can get it done in under six minutes.  Yes, there IS a timer because bonus points are awarded depending on how long it takes.  Now, remember, this is a 3 yr. old that is having a tough time getting the pointer to the place she wants it.  It took her 18 and a half minutes to complete the puzzle and she did it ALL by herself.  I was .  She was so proud of herself and wanted to do another one but that was when her mother got here (saved by the mother ).  I have a feeling I may have created a monster.  Bratfink thinks I may have to get Chewlee her own Pogo account and computer now (as she was rolling all over the floor, laughing).

I kid you not, that was the mission for the day.  It seems Chewlee woke up this morning complaining about her stomach and then was crying while she tried to pee.  The Princess took her to the doctor and, after a few questions, he thought it was probably a safe bet that it was a bladder infection.  Personally, I think it was from the bubble bath she had last week.  For whatever reason, the females in our family seem especially susceptible to them whenever using either a bubble bath or even a bath oil.

However, he wouldn't just write a scrip for antibiotics or whatever they are using these days without verifying that.  That means they need some of her urine.  Not squeezed out of her pullups (although that might have been much easier if it had been an option), but direct from the source.

Now, if the Princess had a potty chair, this might not be so much trouble.  She doesn't even have the option of trying to get the baby to use a bucket or something else because Chewlee knows what a toilet is and she would refuse to use anything BUT a toilet.  You can see the problem, can't you?  I was thinking that perhaps, since Chewlee IS so stubborn, it might be smarter to let HER hold the cup and just show her where to hold it but that seems as chancy as any of the possibilities.  It could slip out of her hands; she could miss....it's a nightmare no matter what you come up with.

Worse, it seems to so very much violate her privacy and innocence to my way of thinking.  Maybe it's just me.  Having been raised and indoctrinated Catholic, I admit to being a bit of a prude in many ways.  Intellectually (and as a mother), I can see the necessity and would do it regardless.  I KNOW the Princess will get the sample (and keep it refrigerated overnight as instructed).  I will then have to run it up to the doctor's office so their lab can do the testing and then get the prescription necessary.

On another note:  I've been listening to the news today and I swear to you, Ayn Rand was a prophetess when she wrote *Atlas Shrugged*.  The whole world has gone off-track and no one wants to take responsibility for doing the correct thing if it might prove unpopular or, god forbid!, it might leave another area without something that doesn't happen to be in use anyway.  For example:  the United States has a fleet of ships whose sole purpose is oil cleanup.  They are stationed all over the world.  The governor of Louisiana requested that 20 of those ships be dispatched to help with the current oil problem from the BP oil rig.  Know what he was told? 

He was told that they couldn't possibly move them from the areas they are in because what if a similar problem should occur where they SHOULD have been?    What IF????  OMG, we have a serious problem here!  Those ships should have been on the way the moment BP was unable to take care of the problem in a timely manner.  If those ships are OURS, they should be used to help US out when a disaster like we have going is actually occuring.  Is it just ME?  What in the hell is wrong with our leadership?  What are they thinking? 

Right now, I am thinking that John Galt has already started gathering together all the people with a lick of common sense and initiative because there sure isn't any out there that I can see.  At least, not among our world leaders.  **Note:  If you haven't read the book, please do.  Even the Beast couldn't put it down (it's quite long) and stayed up all night reading it.  I read the book for the first time 45 years ago.  It's still as timely a read as it was back then (back then it seemed more radical).  I will admit **blush** that I have read the book six or seven times since then.

I do have a bit of good news on my great-nephew's fingers.  The hyperbaric treatment looks like it's working and the doctors are going to continue it until the end of the week.  I saw pictures and they DO look nice and pink and like they might be healing now.  Please continue the prayers and thank you ever so much.  The whole family is grateful for all the good thoughts.

The Beast didn't do much in the way of work today other than changing the oil in both our vehicles.  The truck seems to have died after being moved and we think it's the battery.  Isn't that always the way?  At least the Beast's $100. battery charger told us that there are one or more cells that are not capable of holding a charge any more.  He's going to get a new one tomorrow (today...Tuesday) and try that out before he might have to have it towed to a Toyota dealer.  The battery had a LOT of corrosion on it and the terminals looked AWFUL.  The Beast had to clean those off before he could even get the charger on it.

I forgot to find out if the Beast wants to take the boat out on the lake on Thursday which is the Princess's day off and I think the day before Sheepie will be returning home.  I'm not sure if she's talked to her dad yet about it because he might not appreciate having to go pick her up on his Friday night.  **Insert tongue-in-cheek expression here**

Love you all and hope you have a great day.  It looked like it might rain here all day but all it did was get hot and muggy.  The temperature only got up to 92 but the humidity was killer.  I almost felt like I was back in Florida. 

Be good, stay happy and healthy.  Talk to you again tomorrow and let you know about the *pee collection*. 

I think today came very close to feeling like any work done in it was working under *blast furnace* conditions.  When I checked the thermometer (and also weatherbug), it was 96 degrees....and that was shortly after noon, not even the hottest part of the day! 

Nonetheless, the Beast got out there like the good scout that he is and sprayed more trees and ground.  He's becoming very good at it and can actually cover more with less effort as he's become used to this new sprayer.  He also discovered why the Japanese beetles weren't bothering the peaches this year.  (Do you think they might actually avoid unhealthy trees or ones that are *sick*?  )  They are gorging themselves on the cherry trees.  He was just sick over it but, after he had finished up the peach tree spraying, he got out the smaller sprayer that has the stuff for those damn bugs and got those well sprayed.

I couldn't believe that he was out in all that heat and humidity without a headband on OR one of his hats.  He actually needs both.  The headband for sweat and the hat because his hair is so thin, his scalp will actually sunburn. 

The difference between his need to get out and protect his trees is just that....they are HIS trees.  He will be damned if any bug or blight is going to do anything to them if he can help it.  I went out to spray the outside of the house for ants and other damn bugs that want into MY house () and found a couple different ant hills with ants making their way into various spots with one obvious outcome:  they were headed inside the house!  I got out the ant bait (which looks kind of like a very finely ground-up grain) and put it generously down outside the entrance to their nest by the house and then sprayed the hell out of the edge where they were getting in, as well as all along the base of the siding.  I also sprayed every ant in the column, both coming and going. 

I sprayed all around the doors and windows and found where a paper wasp was trying to hide a nest in a piece of window trim around my kitchen window.  That was what I found at the back of the house.  I got one side done and then got the hell out of the *oven* and back into the house before I wrinkled up like a mummy from all the sweat I was losing in body moisture.  I grabbed a gatorade, quenched my immediate thirst and then just kept some water by me for the next couple hours.  I will do the front of the house and the other side tomorrow morning while it is fairly cool...Huh!...that's a relative term these days. 

I was afraid we were going to go into triple digits today but we didn't thank goodness.  The Beast hasn't exhibited any signs of heat or sunstroke so he did manage to come in often enough (and lay down to nap long enough) to avoid the worst problems.  At least, so far.  With the tree trimming pretty much done for now, the worst of the work he has set for himself is pretty much over.  Then it's just maintenance spraying and waiting to see what happens next.  It's just sad that we won't know until next year's crop whether his hard work was successful or not.

I got a taste for dirty rice for dinner but made it with some nice smoked beef sausage we had here instead of hamburger.  It turned out fantastic although the spices in the sausage added to the spiciness of the dirty rice to the point that I thought my ears were sweating.   I actually had to touch my ears to make sure they weren't.    Bratfink (whom I was IM-ing with at the time and had told her about it) just laughed and said she had *been there, done that*.

I told you about my great-nephew that had to have the surgery on his hand and they were concerned about his losing part, if not all, of one of his fingers the other day.  I asked for prayers.  I thought I would let you know how that was playing out.  His father found out from a friend that the friend's father had used a hyperbaric chamber to prevent amputation due to a different injury.  However, after they discussed it with their doctor (and he consulted with the friend's father's doctor over it), it was decided that it was probably a good idea to give it a try.

They had to travel to another state and he's had several treatments so far but it's very hopeful right now.  He still has several more ahead of him and the final decision on it will be a few more days.  Thank you for your prayers and your continued good thoughts and prayers are appreciated by all.

Today, as expected, the Beast started his pruning of the trees.  He did a fantastic job on this one peach tree except for one thing.  He didn't quite top it off like he should have.  Result?  There is one long and lonely branch extending upward about four feet or so from the main branch....waving in the breeze.  When I pointed it out to him, he got totally pissed and said it was because it had new growth on it and next years fruit only grows on this years new growth.  I told him any fruit that grew on it would break the damn branch and so what would he actually gain?  He spent the rest of the day totally pissed at me and will just have to wait and find out for himself next season when it happens.  It will be tough for me not to say, *I told you so* when it happens.

Chewlee decided today that she was going to do more than just pee in the potty and Sheepie and I were there to see it, clap over it, give her a ^5 and I also rewarded her with a piece of candy.  Not a bribe because it wasn't promised to her but a reward for being a big girl.  She was so proud of herself that it was the first thing she told her mother when the Princess came to pick her and Sheepie up.  Even her mother gave her a ^5.  It was so cute.  Now she says she wants *big girl pants* and her mother already has them for her.  We told her she has to keep it up now and she told us she would.  Only time will tell but she really was proud of herself.

I just love how intent their faces get when they sit on the potty and are concentrating on *doing it*.  When she was done (and she did a GOOD job), she flushed the toilet and was so pleased with herself.  I told her that Ms. Kym would be sooooo proud of her on Monday when she doesn't poop in her panties any more.  That appealed to her because Ms. Kym is her favorite teacher at preschool.

We had leftover Italian beef for dinner tonight and, if anything, it was even better today than it was when I made it on Thursday.  The rest goes into the freezer now for a meal in a week or so.  We still have no idea when Sheepie is going to be forced to go home by her dad running out of patience.  So far, she doesn't seem to have gotten tired of us. 

I have to call my girlfriend, Jamie, tomorrow (Sunday) and find out why she didn't include a date or time on her invitation for our annual reunion this year.  I think she did it on purpose but I'll find out for sure when I talk to her.  She kept wanting to know when our family reunion was scheduled and I told her it was going to be small so she could pick the day most convenient for her and the other girls and I would arrange the family side for either of the weekend days remaining.  I think it just ticked her off that I didn't give her a definitive date. 

Well, time to get this posted so I can go back to watching my bad movies on SyFy Channel.    Today is *planetary disaster* day, apparently.  At least one of the movies was a *made for TV* one and new.  Love you all and I wish you a wonderful day.  The bad storms were all plaguing the midwest and poor Bratfink got hit by them.  Hopefully, those should pass tonight.  Be good, drive safely and smile. 

It was a fairly normal wakeup for both the Beast and I.  He got up early and was too lazy to make a fresh pot of coffee so he nuked what I had left over from last night.  I got up about two hours after rousing when he got out of bed.  The clock is in my line of sight and I always check it to see how much of an idiot he is.    What's funnier is he goes back to bed once I get up and make the fresh pot of the morning.  He will pour himself a fresh cup, drink about half of it (or less) and then drag his butt back into bed for another hour or so.

He did do one amazing thing today.  He got the whole property mowed in one day.  That's almost an acre of land less the house (which is only 1250 sq. ft. plus a two car attached garage).  For an old person that the heat knocks the shit out of, that's an amazing feat.  He also got almost all the weed-whacking done, too.    In other words, he worked his ass off.  Tomorrow he says he's going to start on topping the trees and thinning down the branches to open them up to the sun.  He learned that our young trees on the furthest part of the property might be just fine since they are still pretty opened up.  He says he will top them just a bit to encourage the branches to strengthen.  It still pisses me off because I kept telling him that was the reasoning behind the topping.  But he couldn't listen to me now, could he?  I think it's a part of the Man Code or something.  Grrrrr!!!!

I just washed his clothes he used while he was gone and got them dried, folded and put away.  I yelled at him for not changing his socks every day (I know how many pairs I packed vs. how long he was gone).  How he could stand that, I have no idea.  To bathe and put on the same pair of socks he'd worn all day????  Yuk!

The baby was cranky today when I picked her up from preschool.  That means she didn't take her nap (she can be very stubborn) but I know how to deal with it.  I did get her to eat although she hated the dishtowel I used around her neck to keep her clothes clean since her mother was planning on doing some shopping after work.  I know how the Princess hates for Chewlee to look like some ragamuffin.  She will never look like that because neither one of us can seem to pass up the clothing sections wherever we are and NOT buy her SOMETHING.   

After she ate, she was very happy to sit quietly in Papa's recliner (Papa was sleeping....again) with a popsicle and watch Dora.  Since she has been watching her Dora DVD's (amongst others) on her TV, she has forgotten about commercials.  Even with Dora being on a kids channel, they often run previews of programs that are not of interest to a child her age as well as commercials for things that don't interest her.  She will call me and want me to *get Dora on* or she will say that *it's over* and be upset.  I keep telling her that it's just a commercial and Dora will be back on soon.  Then she will look at me (seriously) and ask, *HOW soon?*.  Yeah, like she would understand what a minute really is or even 30 seconds. 

She perked right up when the Princess and Sheepie walked in to get her and just wanted to *wait until Dora is over*.  But, of course, that would have been another 20 minutes so it wasn't gonna happen.  She finally relented when she found out one of the places she was going was Walmart.  She really does love that store. 

I sent some of the Italian beef and the green peppers home with the Princess for them to eat since she was going to be out shopping.  I even gave her the buns for it.  I had plenty and I don't want to waste it.  As it is, I am going to have to freeze part of it since the Beast won't eat it more than once after the initial time it's made.

So, tomorrow will be a busy day while the Beast works on the trees themselves.  Once that is done, he will be ready to start spraying the fungicide on the trees and the ground also.  It's going to be a weekly thing I believe he said (or maybe every three weeks?).  I think a lot depends on how much rain we get.

Time to get this posted for you.  I hope you have a great weekend.  Say a little prayer for my great-nephew who crushed his hand under a heavy rock that required surgery.  They are not happy with the circulation in one of his fingers and it may require amputation to the middle joint.  The decision will be made on Monday.  That kind of thing is difficult enough for an adult, let alone a young boy so we are all praying very hard for him.  All prayers are appreciated.

Love you all.