It's A New Day

Culinary Adventures

See these guys? They were one of the star ingredients in the sauce that went over tonight's chicken. What are they, you ask? Black garlic...something I'd only previously seen on TV cooking shows but that now lives in my pantry along with aji amarillo and ground ancho chile. Now if only I could dry the poblano peppers growing in my garden thanks to Dr. Dale. Both those spices were in the sauce too...but let me start at the beginning.

One of the things we did in Colorado Springs was eat our way through take a walking food tour of the downtown area. I'd done one in Greenwich Village a few years ago with some of the editors of Creating Keepsakes and loved every minute of it so I was really looking forward to it. And this one did not disappoint. It's part area history and a whole lot of eating. Believe me, we didn't walk nearly far enough to burn off the calories we consumed but everyone is entitled to a little indulgence on vacation. Right?

Our first stop was the Savory Spice Shop where they were ready with a Dark Chocolate Truffle with Ghost Pepper. Eating dessert first...I'm so into this food tour! If you followed the link, you know that Ghost Pepper is *the* hottest pepper but there was just the right amount in the truffle to give it some subtle heat and plenty of chocolate to make it delicious. We were so intrigued by this shop that we decided we'd have to come back at the end of the tour to devote more time to it so I'll do the same and come back to it later in this post.

From there we went to Poor Richard's, a bookstore/toy store/restaurant, where we had a lucious salad full locally-grown produce, including fresh green beans, followed by New York-style pizza. We could have made our entire lunch there but we knew there was more to come.

Like cupcakes! Hmmm, let's see...three stops and we've had dessert at two of them. The store was so cute and the cupcakes were really good. We each got to pick our own and the choices in our group were Maple-Bacon, Red Velvet, Triple Chocolate and Pumpkin.

From there we were off to the Mediterranean Cafe for samples of Spanakopita and other Middle Eastern fare. The hummus was some of the best I've ever eaten. Wayne even tried it but he found the Baba Ghanouj (that's how it's spelled on the menu) more to his liking. Get a load of that, Dr. Dale; he liked eggplant! We weren't all that keen on the Falafel but loved the Gyro meat and the explanation of how it was made. And, of course, we finished with a bite of Baklava. We all agreed that if we were staying longer, we'd return for a regular meal.

And here's the group photo taken at the Mediterranean Cafe. In the "small world" category, it turned out the reddish-haired girl in green grew up in Milton, just 15 minutes down the road from us.

The next stop was P.B. and Jellies, a sandwich shop specializing in, what else, freshly-made peanut butters and custom-made jellies. It was...different, but then I'm not a peanut butter eater. They brought out several jars of each for us to try, including Bananas Foster Peanut Butter. That didn't entice me nor did the sandwich they offered...an Elvis Presley. Peanut butter, honey, bananas and bacon. The rest of the crew indulged and said they'd eat it again...but not everyday.

We finished the tour at a wine shop where the owner gave a nice presentation about what foods to pair with what wines, allowing us to sample her examples. Dark chocolate was one of the offerings with one of the reds; we'd come full circle.

The tour ended at this point but we weren't done "adventuring" so back we went to the spice shop. We knew we were going to buy; we just wanted more time to decide what. The small jars and bags are already measured and priced but you can buy even smaller amounts which are measured out from the large jars. There's a taster for everything and you're encouraged to smell and sprinkle a little in your hand to taste to get a feel for each spice. And there were lots of them. There was a whole display like this just for salt and another one for peppercorns.

And among all those displays were recipe cards suggesting ways to use the spices. We picked up several then bought the spices mentioned at the beginning to make Peach Chile Chicken with Black Garlic. The sauce was really good but the chicken was just so-so. We both agreed we'd make the sauce again but either cook the chicken in a different manner or pair it with a different meat. And because we were so impressed with the Mediterranean food, we bought some Za'atar too.

Food tours give you a different insight into a city if, like here, the restaurants and shops visited are locally owned. I'm filing this idea away for future trips...or even a little jaunt over to New Orleans. Who says all the adventures have to be on the highway?

Delicious Autumn

It seems fitting that Fall officially arrived while we were in Colorado. While I love the reds and oranges of oaks and maples in autumn, it's the golden leaves of the aspen trees that bring the biggest smile to my face. And since we're going to have to travel somewhere to see any fall color, I was happy those slender mountain beauties rewarded us with a bit of their spendor on this trip.

The aspen had not yet reached their peak of fall glory but there were pockets of them that were spectacular. They'd surprise us as we rounded a sharp curve in the road, standing boldly in a splash of sunshine or painting an entire hillside with their golden hues, and in a flash the scenery would return to the deep, rich greens of firs and spruce.

Now and then there would be a cluster with dramatic reds and oranges, almost as if the tree was on fire. That seemed the perfect analogy as I stood looking up at this particular tree. As the nearly-round leaves fluttered in the breeze, the colors flickered like you would see in a flame and as leaves let go and floated to the ground, it was reminiscent of cinders. I was mesmerized by the beauty.

But the bark draws me in every time, too. You've got to admit that the white bark with it's distinctive black markings is eye-catching, especially when there's a sizable stand of them. We actually were looking for a cache near an old cemetery when I took this photo. Well, the guys were looking for a cache; I was looking at aspen.

Then there are the show-stoppers like this valley. The sun wasn't at the best angle for a photograph but it was an amazing view. Cars were pulling over from both directions in the hopes they could capture some of this beauty. It was probably the biggest and most dramatic splash of color that we saw, and you can see from the green leaves in the foreground, there were still plenty of trees yet to turn.

Whether it's one tree or a thousand, I never tire of the combination of white bark, golden leaves and blue sky.

A Fall Ritual

You might think mid-September would be the wrong time to visit Colorado. It's to early to ski and enjoy winter sports (although that wouldn't be an attraction for me anyway) and it's too late for the relief from summer's heat that the mountain climate has to offer. I, however, think it's the perfect time if you want to see these guys:

In the latter part of September the elk make their way down from the higher altitudes in search of more abundant grasses for grazing and it would seem that the parks, golf courses and lawns of Estes Park are among their favorites. While it seems strange to look up and see a giant bull elk making his way through the city street or an entire herd of 30-40 of elk doing their own version of "mowing" the fairway, it's also cool. Obviously, the locals are used to it as there were fences around the greens to keep the elk from damaging them. I'm guessing they put them out late in the afternoon when the elk begin to appear and take them down again in the morning when the herds move back to higher ground.

And it's rutting season too. Since elk breed in the fall, the males are paying little attention to traffic lights and tourists; they're busy trying to impress the females and gather a harem. Usually that means a lot of bugling which can best be described as part bellow, part whine...there's nothing else in nature to compare this eerie sound to. The elk bugle not only to attract females but to advertise their dominance to other males.

Obviously, those bugled boasts get tested from time to time and we were lucky enough to be front and center when two big bulls when at one another. You should know that we were in a residental neighborhood when we came across these two and about 20-25 other elk with them. We pulled to one side of the two-lane road; they battled on the other, directly across from us.

I thought the one using gravity to his advantage by pushing downhill would get the upper hand but they were pretty evenly matched. Like two heavyweights in a boxing match, they went at each other and it was amazing to hear the clash of their antlers as they ran at each other and jockeyed for position.

We could hear the grunts and snorts as they went at one another. And when their momentum carried them into a roadside sign (like a speed limit sign), it went over like a toothpick. The elk were unphased but the lady sitting in the car next to it quickly decided it was time to leave before her car was the next object in the way of the ongoing battle.

I think the battle here might have been in vain. These two macho males were still locking antlers when we pulled away but all the cows had headed on down the street with at least one other bull. My guess is this pair was going to have to do some serious bugling to get their harems back together.

Seeing these big animals engage in their fall ritual was sort of like having our own personal National Geographic moment. And who would have thought it would be right there in town.

Cool. Colorful. Colorado.

I didn't intend to skip out on the blog for quite so long but writing about our travels and the beauty we were seeing without using pictures was just wrong...not to mention that we were on the go from first thing in the morning until late at night. I figure blogging about our trip now will be so much more interesting than describing the humongous pile of laundry stacked precariously high in the basket. You know where I'll be for the next few days, assuming an avalanche doesn't occur and bury me in dirty socks.

After helping Wayne's dad celebrate his 88th birthday, we left El Dorado and headed west. While Colorado isn't exactly on the way home, we've been trying to pay the state a visit for two years now. Since we were three-quarters of the way there already, we finally made it happen. Better yet, we met up with Wayne's brother Maurice and his wife, Marsha, to explore the mountains together.

Cool was the operative word the first two days which were centered in the area of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. It was in the mid-90's when we passed through Dallas on the way up but barely above freezing that first night in Colorado; it made for interesting packing. It's safe to say I did not take this sunrise photo but I'm glad my bunkmate did. Can't you just feel the crisp air and imagine the smell of spruce and pine?

And we had plenty of opportunities to smell those spruce and pines in our drive on Trail Ridge Road, America's highest continuous highway. For fifty miles we climbed skyward and then descended among glacier-sculpted peaks and every bend in the road...and there are plenty, believe me...revealed a new and impressive view. The landscape changed as we got higher and higher until we were above the treeline. There are eleven miles at an elevation of 11,000 and four miles at 12,000. Our sea-level lungs knew it, too.

It was chilly and windy up that high but also beautiful. There were plenty of places to pull off and walk out to viewpoints to appreciate the vastness of it all...and to take a family photo to remember it by.

We did the entire length of the Trail Ridge Road and returned to Estes Park via more mountain highways, stopping to take in the spectacular views at numerous spots along the way. The mis-shapen tree on the right in this photo tells a story not shown in the rest of the picture...that winters are harsh at this elevation.

These trees tell a story too. This isn't fire damage although I have some pictures to show you from Colorado Springs where there were fires. These dead trees were the victims of mountain pine beetles. I wish I could say we saw the damage in only a few areas but it was widespread throughout the Park. The information I read at one of the visitor's centers said a warmer and dryer than usual weather had allowed the beetles to flourish, killing more and more trees. Such a sad sight in the middle of all this beauty.

Stay tuned...there's more of cool, colorful Colorado to come.

Small Town Roots

The weather and the schedules both finally cleared enough on Sunday afternoon so I could get a walk in.

I laced up my shoes and headed out the door of Wayne's dad's apartment with no particular destination in mind. My thought was that I'd just walk "out" for 30 minutes then swing around and walk back "in."

The house my Grandma Seiver lived in was just a few blocks away so I decided to go by it, and from there it was only a few more blocks to Wayne's Grandma Arnall's old house. And since I was there I could just swing around the corner to his folk's old house and then by the one they lived in after they moved back from Western Kansas.

Then it became a challenge: Could I walk by all the significant buildings from my youth that were still standing? El Dorado is a town of about 13,000 but really my life growing up didn't extend to all four corners of the city.

My walk was about ten minutes longer than planned but in that time I passed my childhood home, Wayne's childhood home plus his parent's last home before moving to the apartment, my grandmother's house, both of Wayne's grandmother's houses, the three rental places I lived in between being at home and us getting married and moving to Wichita, the homes of all my childhood friends, all the schools I attended and the hospital where Brad was born.

I was surprised at the flood of memories that came with each block. Sleep-overs and Brownie meetings. Holiday dinners and everyday life. The faces and voices of people so dear. Walking gave me the chance to really savor them and even brought up memories of people and events I didn't expect as I came upon other homes and buildings I hadn't thought about being on my zig-zagging route. It was literally and figuratively a walk down memory lane.

We left El Dorado a long time ago, and while we miss those who are special to us there, it's not a decision I regret at all. In fact, we've lived more than half our lives in Florida so I often think of El Dorado as a life we left behind. But small town roots run deeper than you might expect and that's the lesson from a Sunday afternoon's walk.

E....H....S.....

....Our hearts to you, our.... Oh, wait...it's our class that ends each reunion by singing the school song. Wayne's class didn't do that.

But they did have a good time and so did Wayne. Good enough, in fact, that he's already said he'll come for the next one in five years. That's big progress since the only other reunion he has attended in the past was the 10th.

One of the reasons he enjoyed the weekend so much had to the three other people pictured with him in one of the photos. (Thanks to my father-in-law's computer I have photos but can't control where they go in the text.). Shown are Mike, Johnie, Pam and Wayne who didn't run in the same circles in high school but have formed a unique friendship through the class message board. They are by far the most active members of the message board.

The other picture is the pre-class photo goings on. Johnie, who is a pro photographer in addition to a class member, was trying his best to get them organized. I might have heard threats of sending some of them to the principal's office but I'm not sure how much weight it carried at this point. There were about 180 in the graduating class and about 70 attended the reunion. Not bad considering there are 30 on the list of deceased classmates.

The get-togethers were designed with plenty of time for talking and catching up but there was also plenty of heads huddled together trying to put a name to a face only vaguely familiar. Everyone was a little (or a lot) grayer and a little (or a lot) heavier except, of course, the homecoming queen. Some suggested she must have sent her daughter as she certainly didn't show her age as much as some.

It's been a fun weekend brushing the cobwebs off old school memories. Hard to believe those years went so quickly.

E....H.....S....Our hearts and hands to you.

Snowballs

We're in Kansas. The visit was timed to coincide with Wayne's high school class reunion. I won't tell you which one but if it were a wedding anniversary, he'd be golden.

And the snowballs? Well, it's not the weather although we both thought it was plenty cold for our blood when we arrived yesterday afternoon. It won't snow at 52 degrees but it won't make me smile either. Layers are my friend.

No, the snowballs have to do with what happens when an aged laptop tried to make a run for it from the hotel luggage cart. It was the first step that got it even though it wasn't that far. The lights come on but that's about it.

Without a computer, there's no way to get photos up on the blog. And the Typepad app has word limits so while I can post from my phone, they'll be shorter.

As the day has gone along, we keep thinking of things we use the computer for but won't be able to get to now and the effects of the laptop's attempted escape just keep snowballing.

I have my phone and there's always the hotel's computer in the lobby but it's not the same for my better half. He'll be twitching from computer withdrawal before we get home. This vacation will be different...we'll be unplugged (sorta) and that might be a good thing. We'll just have to see.

The Latest Creation

Remember when I wrote about the great deal Coke Rewards was offering...an 8x8 photo book for just five codes from Coke products? From my point of view, a free book and a ton of great photos of Miss Kayla from her senior picture sessions was a marriage made in heaven.

I used the Everyday Moments style on Shuttefly's Custom Path option and it couldn't have been easier. There is a slight extra charge for this style since the elements were designed by Paislee Press but it was worth it to me. I loved how the muted colors didn't compete with my photos and the digital washi tape made me feel very scrapbook-trendy. And for journaling, I simply used the Random Advice concept. The end result makes my heart happy but then that could also be that I had such great subject matter to work with. It's hard for me to look at a photo of Kayla and not be happy.

Anyway, here's the result. Free or not, go make one of these books...they're just too fun and easy.

Click here to view this photo book larger

 

The Latest Food Trend

So...did you rush out to Target for the new Candy Corn Oreos that went on sale there today? Me neither but apparently plenty of folks did. Of course, they may all be food bloggers and news media anxious to report the story. Who knew a cookie available only for the Halloween "season" was big news but then Oreos didn't get to celebrate their 100th birthday without someone knowing how to promote them.

Oreos don't live at my house any more. There was a time, however, when peanut butter Oreos had their own reserved container and a dedicated spot on my pantry shelf. And I don't even like peanut butter; obviously peanut butter Oreos are another matter. A container of yogurt, two peanut butter Oreos and a can of Diet Coke a balanced breakfast makes was my theory. Tsk...don't judge; it was better than the Snickers and can of regular Coke that made my morning fare for years. Today's version of the first meal of the day may be boring but it's far more healthy.

And even if I was tempted to return to those Oreo-eating days, I don't think Candy Corn would be the flavor I'd choose. I might nibble on a few pieces pieces if candy corn is out at someone's home as Halloween approaches but as a general rule, I can take it or leave it. To my way of thinking if I'm going to indulge my sweet tooth, there'd better be chocolate involved. Besides, look at that yellow and orange filling; it just kinda...glows. The local newscasters claimed it was like putting two kernels of candy corn between a cookie and eating them all together. Me...I'd rather skip the candy corn and eat the cookie.

Yep, I don't hear Candy Corn Oreos calling my name but I do see them being served on the midway of plenty of fairs and festivals in the weeks ahead. Deep-fried, of course. I might be tempted, however, if instead of candy corn the flavor was pumpkin. Maybe I need to write to Nabisco and suggest that for next year. Who knows...I could be responsible for the next great food trend.

Getting Our Geek On

We've done a lot of geeky things these past few days, and while they're not totally responsible for my absence from the blog, they did involve a substantial investment of time.

Like the hours we spent trying to figure out how to separate my dad's family tree information into a file we could ship to him. He has a new computer now and after reading the printed information I sent him a couple of weeks ago, he bought an updated family history program to go on it. And while there's a companion guide built-in to the program (we have the same one) that supposedly tells you how to do it, it's never as simple and straight-forward as it would seem. Between including people we didn't need and not importing all the records and stories when loading as a new tree, it took longer than it should but we finally figured it out. Two heads heads really are better than one.

Two computers are better than one, too, as we could test load the partial tree on Wayne's computer. Well, actually we loaded the whole tree first so we'd know the procedure worked first before we got into the partial tree. And it did but those records and stories...there was a discrepancy between the number in the export file and the number in my master file. Wayne used some old MS-DOS skills to run reports on each and I sat down with the print-outs to find the 12 missing files. With 385 of them, it was a tedious task but I tracked them down and fixed them.

I'm working on a photo book too, and since Shutterfly no longer offers the design path I used for our New York book, I'm having to figure out my way around a new one. If learning new things is keeping the brain cells young, mine are feeling like spring chickens...or maybe they're old hens and worn out from all the new things.

Throw in backing up the last couple of months of photos, taking advantage of a gift card for free music from a site we've never used then figuring out how to get it into iTunes and added to my iPod, and downloading a couple of new apps for my phone and it's been a lot of time in front of a computer screen.

Not today though. With bright blue skies, low humidity and a high temperature of only 86 degrees, I spent the entire day outside. After more than two months with rain falling at some point on most days, this was Mother Nature's reminder that fall and the beautiful weather that accompanies it will soon be here. It was also a reminder that I haven't spent much time lately in my weed flower garden. After days at a desk, I loved being outside, even if I didn't accomplish as much as I would like.

On tomorrow's agenda, nothing geeky and a lot squeaky...clean, that is. The  laundry/house-cleaning that is Monday's routine awaits. Lucky me.

It'll Make You Smile

I haven't had many conversations with Kayla about what type of music she likes or who her favorite group/artist might be. Maybe that's because I barely have a clue about the popular music scene these days. The only way I'm likely to hear those songs is if someone sings them on Glee. I probably should be embarassed to say that's the only way I knew how to associate Rolling in the Deep with Adele, not that I knew what Rolling in the Deep sounded like before then either. Sad but true. I did, however, like it.

And I liked What Makes You Beautiful after I heard One Dimension sing it in the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics. Like Adele, I'd heard the name and maybe even heard the song on the television but never put the two together. I couldn't help comparing One Dimension to the Beatles in some ways. You know...cute British boy-band that makes the young girls swoon.

But I like the Piano Guys rendition of What Makes You Beautiful even better. Never heard of the Piano Guys? Neither had I until I went to check out their YouTube channel after my nightly read of the USA Today. They're five Utah dads who've turned the power of the Internet into a recording contract and tour. I watched/listened to half a dozen of their quirky yet virtuoso takes on pop hits, most of which are set in unique places. I confess I sighed a warm sign at the beautiful scenery that accompanied Coldplay's Paradise with an African twist. They airlifted a baby grand piano to the top of a Utah butte for that one.

There setting for What Makes You Beautiful wasn't so spectacular but I found myself mesmerized by the five guys playing one piano in ways I'd never seen or expected. As great as the music was, it was the pure joy in them as they did it that stuck with me. I couldn't help but smile, and since I think everyone needs a little smile, I'm including it here. Enjoy!

 

Thou Shalt Not Speed

We have a new set of wheels. Well, maybe not new so much as different. Black Beauty, as our regular ride is referred to, had an up-close-and-personal encounter with a little Mazda truck about a month ago when Wayne was sitting in a turn lane waiting for the light to turn green. In the rear view mirror he could see the truck wasn't going to stop on the rain-slick road but he couldn't do anything more than hold down the brake so the impact didn't push him into the car in front of him. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the rear bumper did it's job but not without enough damage to require that it be replaced.

So B.B. is in the shop and we're cruising around in a loaner. Hubby, a confirmed General Motors man, is doing his best to overlook the fact that it's a Ford. He'll survive; hopefully he won't have to drive it more than two days. And it's not going to win any beauty prizes either. A lovely shade of battleship gray, it is...a mini PT109 on wheels. But it gets us where we need to go with air conditioning and that's more than we can say for Old Blue, Wayne's cache-mobile.

And tonight Biloxi was where we wanted to go...off for a little dinner and catch-up with the oldest offspring. It's an easy trip, just two hours down I-10...less if you go with the flow of traffic which, as with most interstates, is not at the posted speed limits.

We, however, drove exactly what those little black-and-white signs said on every single road we were on. That's because this car is equipped some magic system that knows what those limits are on every road you travel and starts beeping if you exceed it. By even 1mph. Heck, even the state troopers give you a a little slack, generally giving you 3-4mph before stopping you but not this car. Creep beyond the posted limit even just a smidge and not only does the beeping start, but a message flashes on the speedometer telling you to watch your speed and drive carefully.

It was almost like being a teen again behind the wheel with the driver's ed teacher who'd constantly remind you to slow down only instead of a man's voice it was something akin to a doorbell dingdonging. I chuckled each time it went off, telling Wayne he wasn't going to be able to fool this car. Whether the limit was 45mph on the highway in front of our subdivision or 70 on the interstate, it knew and it was holding him to it. In fairness, it also beeped when the speed fell below 45 on the interstate too...but that was a good thing since we were in a torrential rain storm at the time. Apparently the system knows speed limits but not weather.

We think it was something installed by the car rental company as opposed to a feature by the manufacturer. It would be a great add-on for parents with teenage drivers; not quite as effective as Dad's voice but at least a reminder of sort. Me...I'll be glad to have our regular car back. I like it's bells and whistles, none of which are connected to speed limits.

Now Where'd I Put My Tiara?

I've spent the day practicing the wave. No, not the jump-up-and-throw-your-arms-in-the-air wave that makes its way through the audience at big sporting events. The wave. You know...that little side to side movement the royals do as they acknowledge the crowd around them. And why would I be practicing that, you ask? Because I've found royalty in my family tree.

It was a fluke really as I was actually looking for something entirely different on an ancestor who came to Massachusetts before 1636. Because immigrants arriving in that time period played such instrumental roles in establishing towns and in the few governing bodies there were then, I've had some luck finding information through my good friend Google. That search turned the name I was looking for complete with his ancestors and descendants on a registry which requires documentation, sort of like Daughters of the American Revolution. Seeing verifiable sources makes my little heart happy. Sure enough, there in Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 was my ancestor. I had no idea such a book existed let alone that I'd have a reason to be looking in it. Thankfully, a digital version is accessible with my Ancestry.com membership.

And that royal ancestor I'm not tied to? None other than Charlemagne, King of the Franks from 768 until his death in 814. While much of what I learned about him years ago in school is forgotten, I do know that he is credited with reuniting much of Europe and providing political stability for the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century. He's also recognized for changing from trial by ordeal to trial by jury, a fitting credit since I spent all those years helping the lawyer I worked for pick juries.

From Charlemagne my line goes down some interesting names. Well, Louis and Charles by themselves really aren't that interesting; it's the adjectives that became part of them that get your attention. Louis I the Fair, Charles II the Bald, Louis II the Stammerer. I wonder if they were referred to in that manner at the time or if those labels were affixed posthumously. I'm thinking referring to your king as the Bald or the Stammerer might have been punishable by time in the dungeon but that's just a guess. From there the list continues for several hundred years with Counts, Earls and Lords before the actual titles disappear.

Impressive? Yes and no. Charlemagne got around, fathering 20 children with eight of his ten known wives and concubines. Extrapolate that down over eight or nine centuries and you have a lot of descendants. In fact, some experts have speculated that if you're of European descent, you're probably a descendant of Charlemagne. The offspring of royalty is well documented; the trick is making the connection...and I got lucky there. And I'm finding once you're able to prove your line of descent from Charlemagne, you'll find links to other royalty. I already have a second book on another branch of this line to explore.

I'll confess...it's fun to have a connection to someone who sat on a throne. It's not worth much, however, beyond personal entertainment; I still have to clean my own toilets. But if I could find my tiara, I'd look quite regal doing it.

Around Here

Here's what's happening in our corner of the world:
     1. Isaac, or what remains of him, might be hanging out in St. Louis now but he's still dragging moisture and unstable air in off the Gulf behind him. We didn't get anywhere near the kind of rain that Louisiana and Mississippi did but the off-and-on showers are still here. Usually the one good thing about hurricanes is they suck all the bad weather up along with them and we're left with clear, beautiful, sunshine-y days...I'm still waiting for that to happen.
     2. There was enough of a break in the clouds for me to see the Blue Moon as it cleared the tops of the trees on the horizon this evening. Bonnie and I appreciated it as we were wrapping up our walk but I doubt the guys gave it a second glance. There was, after all, the first high school football game to be watched.
     3. I was surprised at the number of houses along the route we walked tonight that still had hurricane shutters up, most with the galvanized metal that blocks all the light. If it were my house, I'd be out there between showers taking them down from at least some rooms so I could see out. I could stand to live in a cave for only so long.
     4. Superman a/k/a Wayne came to my rescue this morning and saved my computer. It went to sleep while I was watching Project Runway last night and wouldn't wake up. I think I've been there myself. After some fussing and fiddling and unplugging and rebooting it came back to life at which time I promptly ran a full scan for viruses. It found two. Were they responsible? I don't know but they're gone now.
    5. I had a talk with the anti-virus software while it was removing those unwanted creatures who invaded my computer, asking if it was smart enough to find the offenders and remove them, why wasn't it smart enough to prevent them from moving in in the first place. I didn't get an answer.
     Whatever you planned to do before the end of August, I hope you've marked it off your list. The unofficial end of summer is upon us and while I'm not quite sure how that happened so fast, I'm looking forward to September and the promise that it holds.