Not to Beat a Dead Horse, But . . .

On the same theme as my last post . . . When I got up this morning, it was still darkish.  And hot.  Before t he sun was even resting on the horizon, the temperature at my house (outside) was registering 83 degrees.  The humidity was between 85 and 90 per cent.  Yeah.  Today's gonna be another tough day temperature wise.

But . . . I bought ice cream yesterday.  Yes, I did.  And I'm happy about that!

(Except for the pounds it'll add.  And inches around my middle.  What can a person do?)

Friday, Aug 6 addendum:

(Bob--close your eyes for a few minutes.)

Yesterday afternoon, I thought we somehow shifted our place of residence to the Amazon!  It had sprinkled a little and the temperature was 90 something.  The humidity was around 90%+ and the windows were steamed on the outside!  It felt like a sauna.  Seriously.  Sorry to grouse so frequently, but I'm just tryin' to report the facts.

The Weather . . . Is Soooooooo HOT!

I don't ever remember summers like this one.  Usually, our top temperatures are in the 90s, maybe the high 90s toward the end of July and into August.  Occasionally, we have those really hot, sultry nights when the low is 80 degrees and the humidity is 80% and you think you're going to die . . . particularly if you have a huge thunderstorm and it knocks out the power and you have neither fans nor air conditioning to cushion the blow.

Well, we knew we were in trouble last month when the high temperatures started creeping toward 99 and then touching 100 here and there.  Today our forecast high was (at one time) 100 degrees.  Then they changed it to 98.  When I looked at the thermometer I have outside, in the shade, I might add, it said 103.  The advertised temp on "the weather channel" web site said it was 98 with heat index of 113.  (Or 45 C.) 

It is currently 86 degrees in my bedroom.  The A/C is on.  The fans are running.  The humidity is registered at almost 70% and the outside temp (according to the professionals) is also 86 degrees.

I was not built to endure this kind of heat and humidity.  Seriously!  I was born during a record breaking blizzard in Salt Lake City, after all, and I loved----L O V E D----cold weather and snow.  So now you know.  I've melted all over the place.

Yet . . . I somehow have managed to acclimate.  I know.  It shocked me too!  A couple of weeks ago my daughters friend was flying in for the weekend and before she got to the house I HAD TO SWEEP the front porch, sidewalk, patio, etc.  It was 1:00 in the afternoon and about 99.  Not sure what the humidity was, but it was definitely there.  When I walked outside to fetch the broom, I thought:  Dang!  I'm going to die out here!  And that's without even starting to get to work!  

Well, I sucked it up, and began my task with determination that whether or not I died of heatstroke, I was going to get my porch, sidewalk and patio swept clean!  (Someone had mowed a couple of days before, then it rained and, you know.)  As I got into the sweeping, I noticed that it was getting hard to see clearly, but I stuck to my task.  Perspiration was dripping into my eyes.  My head was dripping wet, but I kept at it.  I had to wipe my brow occasionally with my sleeve, but I continued to sweep.  The spot between my thumb and forefinger began to feel like that recurring blister was developing--since I forgot to grab my gloves--but I didn't give in.  Then it was DONE!  Eureka!  I had not expired.  I had conquered the beastly heat and grass clippings and  leaves and all that nasty stuff.  Even the miserable heat!  The blister was a doozie.  It formed.  It burst and most of the skin pulled free.  (I medicated it.  I bandaged it.  I moved on.  But it did hurt.)

*Sigh*  I want to buy another leaf blower, really, really badly!!!

So, when I came back inside, it was a lovely cool.  My face was the color of beets.  My hair was plastered to my head from the perspiration.  And I was thirsty.  I drank copious amounts of cold water.  (Don't tell me you're not supposed to!)  I did.  And it tasted wonderful!  Then I showered in COOL water.  It was glorious.  Then I dressed, grabbed my suitcase, and other necessaries and left for my oldest daughter's place to spend the night because I was catching a flight at dawn-thirty, or rather fifteen, to go see my youngest daughter.  And you already heard about some of that adventure.

Oh, even with all the complaining about the HOT weather.  I still DO NOT buy into the ridiculous (false) theory of "Global Warming".  Sorry. 

Eating Out

(I must be in some kind of time-warp or something.  Maybe the "or something."  I thought I posted my visit to a Chili's in Orlando, FL right after I got home.  Time warp?  Mind warp?  I dunno.  Anyway, I couldn't find it.  Perhaps I only THOUGHT about posting it . . . Hmmmmmm.)

Any way, I went to Orlando three weeks ago to spend a special day with my youngest daughter, her husband, their precious daughter, Baby Cakes, and son-in-laws parents at the LDS Orlando Temple.  It was a wonderful experience--even though it was exceptionally hot that afternoon!

As we traveled to the airport for my return flight--the in-laws had other obligations to attend to--the rest of us found a Chili's restaurant to feed our hunger.  Daughter and I chose to split a "Caribbean Chicken Salad" that sounded good.  Let me tell you, it was REALLY good!  The chicken marinade was excellent, not overpowering, but very tastey--like lime juice, maybe brown sugar, and other seasonings that when grilled, was better than I expected.  Add to that the pineapple, mandarin oranges, and cherries, cilantro, scallions, some salad greens--and honey/lime salad dressing--VERY yummy.  I want to eat it AGAIN!

OKAY!  I'M POSTING MY DISCLAIMER:   I'm not a professional food critic.  (Shock!)  Not a gourmet. (Double shock!!)  Just so you know.  (Now I know you all feel better knowing I'm just a regular person who's picky about what she finds at restaurants.)  No claim to culinary training or special knowledge of the culinary arts.  I just like to eat good food.  (But, I like some junk food, too, so there you have it!)

Tonight, my sweetheart took me out to eat on our regular Friday-Night-Date to "Hana's Japanese Sushi Bar and Grill" in Natchitoches, LA, a new-to-us place.  The decor was pleasant.  The meal, okay.  We each began with miso soup and a salad (iceberg lettuce, a whole "baby" carrot, one cherry tomato  with ginger salad dressing--left a lot to be desired) before our Spring Rolls.  They were passable, but I've had much better.  I had shrimp and vegetable tempura.  The flavor was not bad, but it was warm, not hot.  Rather than being light, it was heavy and greasy. The presentation, however, was attractive.  Husband had chicken terryaki served in a cast iron skillet on a bed of sliced onions with barely steamed broccoli florets..  The chicken was tender.  Each item was passable.  Not impressive. 

Of course, since we lived in Japan and had the "real deal" there . . .  we might be somewhat biased in our views.  However, we've had the privilege of  eating some excellent Japanese food in various places over the  40 years we've been married (as of tomorrow). And this meal didn't qualify/measure up/impress us.  Sorry, Hana's.

Chili's Caribbean Chicken Salad = **** (or 4 stars)
Hana's Shrimp Tempura and Chicken Terryaki dinners = * (or 1 star)

Once Upon a Time . . .

There was a little old lady, at a little old desk, typing on a little old keyboard, looking at a little old monitor, thinking she had so many little old things she could write about that she was rather overwhelmed and decided to call it a little old night.

And may each and every one of you have a good night.  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Week Before Last

Family.  That's mostly what we did for a week plus.  And it was GREAT!  I don't get to see much of my kindred (my Mom and siblings and all the attendant family members therein) on much more than a yearly basis.  So it was very nice to get to hang out with various family members and eat with them!  (Eating is always good.)  And we told stories.  Fun, silly stuff we remembered from when we were all ages younger.  It was a good time.

I loved the scenery as we drove to and from Utah.  And the cooler, dryer temperatures that were further out west.  Past Texas.  In Texas it was H-O-T, hot!  And the wind blew.  Gales.  It seemed.  In Childress, Texas, it was H-O-T, hot AND the wind blew hot, too.  Whew.  (Now we're back home and just melting in the near 100 degrees during the day and 80 degrees something right now--just before midnight.)

In contrast, I was absolutely SHOCKED by the lush green in Price Canyon Utah.  In all my 60+ years, I don't remember EVER seeing such lush green vegetation in June in that canyon!!!!!!!!! Usually there's lots of brown, dry grass, bushes, stuff!   It was green, beautiful green everywhere!  Everywhere except where the rocks were bare.  Of course.  And I'm sure I've mentioned once or a jillion times how much I LOVE to see the Rockies.  Something in my very blood just swells at the beauty of those mountains and valleys, the rivers, the ancient lava cracks and flows here and there beside the road.

Nature just fascinates me.  One of these days I got to take some geology classes--in the Rockies, naturally.  There is such variety in types of rocks . . . the color of rocks, solid rocks, smooth rocks, crumbly rocks, cool layers of sedimentary rocks with what looks like veins of black coal, or green oxidized copper, or red sandstone, and on and on.  It's overwhelming.  And yet, I remember hearing someone say to me after her second trip to the mountains out west:  "I don't know what the big deal is.  If you've seen one rock, you've seen them all."  Ouch!  My perspective is so very different! 

I have a picture of the clan, or a small portion thereof, that my SIL took one evening as we gathered. (That's all of us that were together that evening.)

Mom's hair is its natural color with just a little white close to her face.  Just so you know.  She's very proud of that fact.  She's the oldest of 5 and ALL her siblings were solid white years ago.  In fact, her baby sister began going white at 17 years of age, and was solid white by 35.  My older sister and I are the only girls that let our "white hair" be white.  I'm not sayin' if either of the other sisters is white or not.  I don't know for sure.  I think some of the brothers are showing a little white here and there, however.

My Sister-In-Law was so sweet to take such good care of us while we stayed at their house and she organized and took all the fun fotos!

This one includes my Mom, me, my Oldest Younger Sis, one of her grandsons, and that's our Baby Sis hiding behind her hair.

We are a silly bunch, as you can see.  On the sofa you see Baby Sister, Next Older Sister, Mom and Me--I'm the shortest of us all, in case you're wondering, #2 in birth order and Sisters.  Oldest Brother and Youngest Brother (Baby of the Family--which he loudly and consistently disclaims) are behind we women folk. There are 2 more brothers missing and the Oldest Sister, not to mention all the Step-siblings and the vast array, i.e. multitude of offspring related to all of us!  I've lost count of how many of us there are.  It's well over 100 and includes 5 generations.  Aren't we a good looking lot, though. ; P  Family is great!

Something New, Something Blue

Okay. I'm trying out something new. And it's blue. Change is good . . . Right? Well, change is always happening around us, so here I go. I'm changing the looks of things around here. That's it.

Oh, and I'm getting a brand new refrigerator on Friday. I think. I absolutely hate to let the old one go. I mean, it's been part of this family longer than three of my four children! Seriously--and we're talking more than 30 years, okay?

I've coaxed it, cleaned it, called the repairman about once a year for the last three years or more, but it was so faithful for so long--and it's actually larger than the one that's replacing it. On Friday. Sigh. My children tell me I have to learn to let go. Hmmmmm. I wonder.

I've let each of them "go" out on their own. Every last one of them. And at some time or another, they've each come back. Hmmmmmm. Does that mean . . . that this fridge will follow that pattern . . . you know . . . since it's been in the family longer. No. Nuh, uh. Surely not. There will be no room for it. And, and, and, well. You know. It's NOT my CHILD, after all.

Old refrigerator friend, you were outstanding. You kept tons, tons of food cold or frozen for over 30 years. Except, you know, for those few times I didn't quite get you defrosted like I should have when the frost-free coils froze up solid. Then I had to deconstruct your freezing compartment and melt the built-up ice with my hair dryer and reconstruct your innards, or some of them and you'd perk along nicely, until about a month ago. I suppose you just got tired. You've be resting for two weeks now. Oh, how faithful you have been. Thank you from the bottom of my heart--and pocket book. That less than $300 we invested all those years ago were worth far more than than we could have possibly imagined at the time.

Now if appliances were designed and built to last like you were. What a wonderful world this would be. We'll miss you. *Sniff*

Look Who Came to Grandma's

This precious little package, "Baby Cakes" according to her three cousins, came to visit along with her Mom and Dad a couple of weeks ago.
None of us will be the same! She was just delightful.

Little Britches here is trying to share his most favorite lovey with her. That's a serious indicator of his affection for this tiny, sweet cousin of his. And his big sister, Miss Noodle, loved every opportunity afforded her to "mother" her baby cousin with loads of affection.

See how happy Miss Noodle is to "babysit"?

Grandma will never be a professional photographer because she clicks the shutter just before or after the cutest expressions. These pictures might not do Baby Cakes justice. (And, of course, I'm not prejudiced in my thoughts of how cute and adorable my grandchildren are. Never. Ever.)

Grandpa is performing his familial duty--a tradition of the grandfathers in his family--giving the grandbabies their first chicken bone to gnaw. I've never seen one who didn't relish the treat. It works so well for teething babies. Baby Cakes wanted more. Her Auntie, mother of the older 3 grandchildren, had done such a good job of removing most of the goodies from the bone, that little but great fried chicken flavor was left for BC to enjoy.

"Grandpa, it's yummy. Thanks. But, I want more.
My tummy IS NOT getting full, just so ya know!"

Can you tell how much BC's mom adores her? Well, it pretty much a mutual love.
We can testify that they love each other. Bunches.

Missing male cousin, Young Chef, and BC's daddy are floating around in the picture folders somewhere. I'll try to fish them out one day . . . soon??? Or maybe not so soon. My calendar is so full. But I love them both very much! They just didn't get in front of the camera much.

Currently all grandchildren have left us to weep and wail at their absence. We miss each of them so much when they're gone. The quiet is refreshing, but also a little empty. *Sigh*