07/02/09 Thursday 7:00 AM

The trouble with going from 0 - 60 is that often the reverse happens also. Yep Wednesday was not so productive. An outing for a little while netted a "new to me" CD of some fine old Blues but other than the usual of meals and dishes not much got done. Oh Well I know I should be thankful that non productive days are an option- Yeah I think I should consider that a little more.

Sherry thinks she's ready to get out of the house. I bet it won't be for long and at last repost Dawn is coming to go with her in case she wears out before getting home- a very likely event.

The weather prognosticators just had keep talking about it (chuckle). This morning there is a slight shower going on. Understand that it would take a person a very long time to get wet but moisture is falling and actually reaching the earth sometimes. I hate to admit it but it kind of nice IF it doesn't last all weekend.

It's emissions time again for the Scout. I haven't tuned it since it's trip to Illinois but I'm getting almost (within a a couple 10's) 12 miles to the gallon ( over three tanks of fuel). That may not excite you but I've never averaged that much before in town. I've gotten 17 on the highway without a trailer or headwind but 10.5 has been the max in traffic. I sort of hate to mess with it but MAYBE I could get it up to 13-14 in town. Now that would be something for a square, tall, 4700 pound 4 wheeler.

I expect today is the end of the work week for most working folks. What are your holiday plans ?

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    07/01/09 Wednesday 8:30 AM   

Woo "I got her done" yesterday. Laundry, meals, dishes, evap. cooler redone and waterfall running again. The cooler had new style pads that came with it. Everyone (suppliers) all agreed that they were THE answer. I have, once again, come to the conclusion that when one evaluates a response to a question the most important thing to consider is the agenda of the one answering. Cynical? probably but I was about to give up on the cooler thinking it was just too small to be much help where I needed it. It was frustrating as I thought I'd thought it through. I hadn't expected to much but 7-8 degrees drop in temperature at the outlet just didn't seem right. With the old coolers I had I could rely on 12-18 degree drop. The new (to me) cooler could do 7-8 degrees on low fan speed but when turned to high there was very little drop- just a few degrees. Hum, the wheels turned, the gears ground and the few tiny gray cells I still have kicked in.  The new pads are made with a treated paper product with fairly open weave. Hum again. Yesterday I bought old style pads made from wood fibers for the princely sum of $8. I promptly installed them and put the new style on the inside of them. Cool ! The extra (doubles) thickness does reduce the volume of output but that isn't a major issue in this application- temperature of the output IS an issue.  I can't expect to actually cool the courtyard BUT I can cool the area (10-15 feet sq.) immediately in front of the cooler without feels like I'm sitting in front of a wind tunnel. Today the humidity is up to about 40-50% so during these times it's mostly a big quiet fan but it won't always be that way. Monsoon season is just beginning and anyway there'll still be evening when the humidity is down and the temperature remains up.

I'll admit to a little pride while rewiring the waterfall. While disassembling it I was relieved that I'd built it all expecting to have to dissembling it and allowed for it. Oh it was a little time consuming but no new parts required- THAT's Good!

Sherry update- She actually ate fairly normal food (for her, chuckle) and ate an appropriate amount. Not full meals but at least enough to make some headway in the strength department. She actually sat up and played on the computer for an hour or so. It's been 6 weeks but it's looking better. This morning she had a piece of toast and made it herself- good sign.

They are predicating a chance of showers today and evening. It looks like they could be right. The weather folks get pretty excited about monsoon time.

     06/30/09 Tuesday 9:30 AM

Ah clean cloths! Yep folks 9:30 am and the laundry is done for another couple of weeks- if all goes well. I folded a million t-shirts, well that might be a slight exaggeration but a lot.

That's one thing down- next would be cleaning the hall floor BUT I have an out- the AC guy ?might? came by this afternoon and that would mean me getting into the attic via the hallway therefore it doesn't make much sense to clean it today, Right?  Using that excuse, about the next item is moving the evap. cooler and re-wiring a new pump. I probably ought build a frame and wheels for the cooler BUT. . . Oh I got lots of excuses to avoid that. Shorty used the welder when he was here and I don't know where he put the key to the compartment it's kept in. I've been keeping my eye peeled for it but so for no luck. I'd hate drill out the lock when I'm almost certain the key is somewhere around here. I might go to Harbor Freight and check on their furniture movers. I could fairly easily modify one of those - if the price is right. We'll see. . .

While shopping yesterday I decided to make fresh green beans, red potatoes, onions with bacon. If Sherry couldn't eat it at least I could handle a lot of that over several days. Well that may not be a problem as Sherry ate it 3 times yesterday. Oh not normal serving but still a lot for her. Hope springs eternal . . .

Bye Bye June, Hello July. I wish we were looking forward to a big cookout for the 4th but I don't see that on the horizon.

       06/29/09 Monday 7:30 AM

Ha, You thought "The News" was dead. Well it's going to die someday just not today.  There continues to be little in the way of actual News but it's good for me to make the effort to keep it going right now. Sherry continues to improve at a rate that requires " a stake in the ground" to see. I'm thankful for any sighs of improvement though. Food continues to be an ongoing issues but then food has long been a problem for her. Now the things that she's always likes are pretty much not eatable to her and nothing has really taken their place. I've been in grocery stores more in the last few weeks than probably the last year all together and I USUALLY do the shopping. I spend a lot of time wandering the isles wondering. . . So many of our usual staples aren't anymore and then if I see something that MIGHT work I have to be certain it doesn't contain MSG. That requires a special pair of glasses used on for fine print so therefore I don't always have them with me. With the initial signs of drastic change in the economy it's become even more difficult. Our normal everyday supermarket that we've come to rely on has fought the price issues by going to more and more of their private label products and that surely wouldn't bother me except there're really bad. I have to admit that we are likely some of the few who care and notice but WE do. I've thrown away a lot of eatable food that was just and only that- eatable. Nothing enjoyable about it but if one were desperate it would fill the void and maybe provide some nourishment. Enough complaining. . .

The garden  is just done for! Peppers flourish and have to be staked up to hold the bounty of sweet peppers, a few the tomatoes still bloom and bear small fruit but it doesn't take bibbed overhauls and a straw hat to know there're not going to last long. A real shame as Sherry only got to enjoy them for a week or so. Next year my plan is to plant earlier and vary the plantings. Three tomato plants are plenty for us but we might enjoy trying some yet to be decided second crop.

About 6 moths ago I, after all these years, enclosed the wires that feed the pumps in the waterfall and have recently set the evap. cooler right in that corner. All was well till now. The main pump in the waterfall died. I can't complain about it life though, I'm not sure how long that ones been in there- more than a few years for sure like 5 easily. A waterfall or any water effect here can't be just left alone. The sun will crack the bottom after the water is gone etc. Besides I like the waterfall and often run it when it's just me in the courtyard which of late is the rule. Soooo it's empty the cooler and move it, take all the conduit down and remove the wires, replace the pump and reinstall the whole shebang. Hey I CAN do it I'm just lazy and cheap but it needs done - I really dislike having something like that that doesn't work.

Time to consider today's diet and other needs. . .  Oh and the laundry is mounting and the floors could use a cleaning and there are a few dishes in the sink. chuckle  I'm almost sure there are uglier nurses/caregivers out there but I pity their patients.