Hell on earth

Hot. Hot. Hot. Repeat after me....hot. Hot. Hot. Hell would be a treat. I'm so dry, I don't think I could even cry...OMG!! What an amazing lyric for a song!! Let's see...

I'm so dry...I don't think I could even cry..............
That's a lie...I can't say why....My oh my.....

I have a few more words to incorporate...like Grape Nehi; I want to swat a fly; by and by; learn to tie my tie...I'm sure you get the drift. For now...I'll keep my day job(s).(But I feel real talent just a growing in me!!)

I had a chicken salad from Subway for lunch. It was good. The chicken salad and the salad salad. But don't get it if you don't like raisins. Actually they were the golden raisins and weren't overpowering. I think it was supposed to have cranberries according to the Subway website...but I saw raisins. Holy shit! I sure hope they were raisins! Anyway...it was chilled and tasted great. Either that or I was just plain starving. Nope...it was honestly good. That doesn't mean it will always be good...it depends on who's mixing it up. I like tuna salad...but today it looked awful. Who knows.

I am really tired tonight and need some rest. I also need to block out war movies. TCM has had a war movie marathon since Friday night that continues through tomorrow. Some are OK. One that I do like is the White Cliffs of Dover. Naturally it comes on at 2 AM. Guess who won't be watching it! I think I'd better eat something else before I go to bed anyway. I'd like a box of Fiddle Faddle but I think string cheese is calling my name. Maybe some Club crackers. My blood sugar is way low. Odd.

Enjoy your day tomorrow and thank a Vet for his or her service to our wonderful country. Do it everyday. And especially do it on the REAL Memorial Day! God Bless.....

b

That was the week that was....

Remember that show? I'm not sure who was on it...but I remember the gist of it. I had one of those weeks. Lots of stuff going on. Milestones and setbacks. I hate to say it, but I have been having a good time cleaning up in the office. I'm telling you...it's not a lot to anyone else, but I like organization. I know have said that a million times. But up there it's baby steps. Color co-ordination. Simple...but effective. Alphabetizing. Simple...but effective. Anyway...that's what I'm doing.

We lost a housekeeper. Let her go. There's more where she came from. Maybe. I hope. I'm still doing some of that but am trying to limit it drastically.

I have to eat better. And rest more. So says the DR. I am even writing out a menu for myself for a while. I can't remember if I said this yet or not, but I had an increase in the diabetes medication, a reduction of the blood pressure medication and an addition of an aspirin. My liver is not preforming as it should so it needs a little prompting. You'd think a 6 pack of Kit Kat's would do that...but it won't!

Did I tell you about that MIO Liquid Water Enhancer? I think I did, but I don't remember. I found some at the grocery store and tried the Berry Pomegranate. It's good but I found the Sweet Tea. I like that one. It seriously only takes a squirt in a bottle of cold water...and there you have it. Sweet Tea flavored water. With whatever it takes to make it sweet and taste like tea. I don't care if it's sweetened with poison...it's good. That's my pro-fessional opinion.

Husband is making Chicken and Dumplings. He makes really good Chicken and Dumplings. I'm ready for food. I had Progresso Chicken and Rotini soup for lunch. As you can see, I like chicken soup.  I am easy to please. I also ate a snack when I got home. A couple of weeks ago, husband made an olive tapanade with capers...and I had forgotten about. I found it. One good thing about a tapanade that doesn't have tomatoes in it...it's last a very long time. So I had some of that on crackers with cream cheese. Nice appetizer. Now...the main course.

It's 6:45 PM and 99 degrees outside. Hot. Hot. Very Hot. And hotter tomorrow. Not a fit day out for man nor beast.

I am about to eat a bowl of chicken and dumplings that is hot. Hot. Very Hot. Makes sense, doesn't it??

b

Ketoacidosis

Big word. Not so good. Gotta change my ways. And it's not necessarily just eating the wrong stuff. I need to think calmer thoughts. Find my zen. My ying. My yang. My bilabong.

We got no rain. I think this rain talk is a myth. It's a cruel joke being played on any potential fish that might want to live in West Texas. I've got one word for them...fossil.

It was a long day in the office. And 100% busier than I ever expected. I didn't have any 'me' time. Another cruel joke. I got a lot done, though.

Question of the day: Is it harder to do physical labor...or physical and mental labor?

Answer: What a stupid question. Who writes these idiot questions, anyway....

With the obvious answer scraping at my bones tonight...I am taking a shower in 5 minutes and laying down to read. Unfortunately I must wear some stronger glasses tonight. I knew I wasn't feeling quite right and blood tests told me to shape up or I'll be shipping out sooner than expected!! I probably shouldn't read at all and I bet I don't read for long...but I'll give it a whirl.

I am watching Tom dreaming about catching something cuz his little feet are peddling like there's no tomorrow! Funny cat.......

b

Rain?? Surely you jest!!!

Hold the phone dudes and dudettes...we are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 10 PM. It's 7 right now. And the humidity is 2%.The temperature is 92. The barometric pressure is dropping. Anything could happen...

Rain...hmmm...wonder if it's still wet?? Wonder if it still comes in drops. Wonder....what the hell. It's only a dream. I am watching the Weather Channel and the current news is the tornado in Joplin, Missouri. Horrible, horrible. And so very sad.

On a lighter note. The world as we know it didn't end at 6 last night. Unless....it did....and this is the afterlife! Or as I refer to it...hell! Wouldn't it be surreal if this is the afterlife?? It would be like Groundhog Day. Forever. Beyond spooky.

I hate to admit it...but I am enjoying working in the office. I have screwed up a few dozen times and so far have been lucky enough to figure it out. Let hope I continue to do so. Figure it out, that is...not screw up.

I had some stuff to do and now it's 8:30. No rain here yet...but bad storms and tornado warnings east of us. We don't want that here.

I just took a shower. I need to settle down and do some stuff. I have been putting  off answering emails for far too long. I start to write and draw a blank. Then when I am laying here and can't sleep, I think of tons of things I should have written. Then I come on here and write! I'm pathetic. I know! I'll write while I'm at work! That way I won't have any distractions! (Ha Ha!)

I'm full of hot dogs. It was a nourishing supper. I think I want some fruit. Perhaps an orange. More than likely an orange because that's all I have. I ate everything else.

There is nothing on TV. Not even a good Snapped. I got a new book so I should read. And it's not on the banned book list. It's on the 'I forgot that he writes funny books' list. It's called The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin. So far...after 21 pages...it's quite funny. I have been reading it for 3 days but can only stay awake or see long enough to read only seven pages a day. Or so it seems. He wrote the book Shopgirl. Steve (I call him Steve) wrote that one too. I liked it. It had just slipped my mind that he writes. I found this copy on line for $1.00. Lately when I am sleepy...that's it. I'm out. Or...just the opposite. I just lay there. I can close my eyes...but no sleep comes. Just the clock changing. I'm not sure why. I know why the clock changes...I don't know why I am awake. I haven't been feeling 100% lately for various reasons.

I think I will take my own suggestion and read. And eat that orange. Have a nice night!

b

So easy a monkey could do it.....not!!!

A college educated monkey maybe! And to think I even have the instructions written right there in front of me! Perhaps I should read them next time. At least I can fix it since that's my job, too. Nothing earth shattering...just lack-a-brainical. And too damn simple.

I spent the day downsizing. I like order. I like alphabetizing. I like order....oh yeah, I already said that. I was able to get quite a bit done. It's not that there wasn't some semblance of organization already,  I just simplified it. It was so quiet all day that I was able to concentrate on what I wanted to do and when it was almost time to leave...it got frustratingly busy! (That's when I found out I had screwed up this morning!) But I was satisfied with the progress and I work tomorrow night and hope to finish up what's on 'my list.' I'll work in the morning for a couple of hours with Bobbie. There's not much to do. I have a blood draw at 7 AM and Husband has DR .appt. @1:00 and 2:30. Busy, busy.

It was breezy on and off today. Not the winds that were predicted, but a few gusts. Considering the fact that it is so unbelievably dry...it was a beautiful day. I need to take a photo of the crops! I have forgotten to follow through with the day to day growth spurts and here they are flourishing before my eyes...sort of.

I am going to eat a pear later. It looks positively delicious. And ripe to perfection. I hope it tastes like a pear. It was a gift. I certainly didn't buy it locally. Husband brought me a couple of bananas today that look wonderful. Big surprise for here. But these look great. I got some green grapes a few days ago and eating them is like eating a persimmon. It makes my jaw hurt and my mouth pucker just thinking about them! The red grapes were like chewing Welch's Grape Juice. Super good.

Husband got a Federal Jury Duty Summons today. Might be interesting.

Husband and I are watching the Hallelujah Trail with Burt Lancaster and Lee Remick. It's such a funny and great movie. Since there is nothing on tonight....it will be movie night. I think Ocean's Eleven is next. It's the original movie with Frank Sinatra. I've never seen it.

OK...the wagons with the whiskey are sinking in the quicksand now. And the Indians are getting drunk on Champagne while racing the other wagons across the desert...you have to see this movie!

Oh-oh...HUGE wagon crash!! Champagne bottles are exploding everywhere! Double, triple quadruple vision.....

OK. Time to eat the pear. Gotta rest. See you later!

b

Monday

Edward G. Pryor

June 9, 1928 - May 12, 2011

Fire

A very scary day in Alpine, Texas. A little after noon, there was a fire reported by the Union Pacific Train engineer who was coming into Alpine from the Marfa area. It was located about 10 miles west of Alpine on the north side of the highway. 

It is dry, dry, dry here and at noon it was almost 90 degrees. The fire spread...like wild fire. Before 3, it was only about 3 1/2 miles from Alpine and had jumped the highway and was headed this way. Emergency vehicles, Sheriff's, Police Department, Fire trucks, even Border Patrol units were storming the roads. Evacuation orders were issued...and the fire was suddenly across the street. Ash was falling and smoke was thick. Such a helpless feeling. We instructed our guests to pack up and head east to the other end of town until we were notified that it was safe to come back.

By 6:30, everything here at the Lodge was pretty much back to normal. We were fortunate. Our guests were able to return. However, everything around us is in peril. Husband and I just walked around the property to see what is happening across the street and north into the mountains where there is plenty of fuel to burn. It's quite brushy and there are as many as 75+ homes and numerous outbuildings in that area. Many of the residents have sprawling homes with acreage and livestock. It's a mecca for a fire. There was a convoy of livestock trailers coming out of there all afternoon. The road in was closed, and still is, and only residents who were retrieving other family members, pets or other livestock were being allowed in there.

The fires are burning up the hills and tonight and are positively mesmerizing. I believe the air support teams have ended for the night and I am afraid the problems may be just beginning. We are supposed to have 15-25 mile an hour winds tomorrow with gusts up to and over 40 MPH. Please pray for those in harms way. 

I will be checking out side all night. So far 4000 acres have burned and the fire is only 10% contained.

This makes anything else that went on today irrelevant. I think I'll get ready for another day. Have a good evening.

b