We had a great 4th of July.  My parents came up and friends came over.  We grilled hot dogs in the back yard.  It got up to 86 or so, but no one was complaining after 101+ last year.  About dusk we headed over to the Visitor’s Center to watch fireworks being shot from the soldier’s home.  I don’t know if they had music at the Veteran’s Home, but we didn’t have official music from across the interstate.  Vicki put her i-phone Pandora to J. P. Seussa and we had our own music.  LOL The lights in our tree were so pretty that we are thinking about keeping them up for the rest of the summer.  After the fireworks and everyone had gone home, and most of the clean-up had been done, Dennis and I sat out at the picnic table under the lights and chatted for a while.  Fireworks were still going off all around us, so there was no point in trying to go to sleep until after midnight…when they once again became illegal to shoot inside St. James City limits.

Had a great time with friends, hanging out on the Smith’s deck last night.  Good food.  Good stories.  Good people.  

In spite of, or maybe because of the cooler temperatures, we haven’t had rain in a while.  So we are watering the garden now. 

Dennis is out decorating the yard. Since we have no ripe tomatoes, red christmas ornaments in the garden are required.  Lights in the trees.  Food canopy is up.  Just a minor dusting, sweeping, straightening up of the house will be all that is left until party time rolls around.

Happy Independence Day!  Thank you all who have served and are serving, so we can enjoy our freedom to celebrate this day!

to July.  Today the “dog days” of summer officially begin.  The almanac says July 1-4 will be sunny and cool.  So far that’s true.

Last night I stayed up too late, scrapping the Spring Break 2013 photos.  I got the album finished.  My goal was to have it done by the 4th of July.  Now I’m organizing stuff and putting it away for a few days.  I have the 2012 DC trip photos and tickets and pamphlets all together, along with the album I plan to use.  I’ve also separated the beach stuff, to eventually use on the 2012 CA trip.  Scrapping all my photos could be a full time job.  Sadly it is non-paying job.

I still don’t have my calcium RX straightened out.  I stopped by after getting my hair cut this morning and their computers were not working properly.  My apple pie spilled over in the oven while it was baking.  I’m not having a high success rate on my tasks today. I probably shouldn’t operate any heavy equipment.

Spotify Radio is providing my musical background these days. I am doing the “free” mode, so I have some commercials. It is able to provide music to my tastes according to things I’ve listened to in the past, and the songs I give a thumbs up or down as they play.  You can even have different stations, if you want to have different kinds of music for different moods.  I’m pretty much listening to 70′s tunes.

The Fiesta gas tank was filled up right before I left the dealership after buying it, and I just put gas in it today…it got 36.3 MPG.  We’ll see how the 2nd tank of gas does.  I’m hoping I really will get 40 MPG.  If not, I can live with 36.3.

While picking things up and organizing, I came across the Christmas stocking I was making for Jax last fall!   I need to make that my next priority…since I’m already one Christmas late!

Time to focus on getting my ducks in a row for tomorrow. 

We are having “freakishly” cool weather.  Barely in the 80′s today.  Gradual warming thru the week. Still only 85 predicted for the 4th. Not sure how many people to expect.  Matt & Sara (and Jax) cancelled.  Both work the 3rd & 5th, so it was going to be a lot of driving (2+ hours each way) just for a couple hours of visiting.  I’m disappointed but understand. Hopefully Dennis & I can go to Springfield to visit them this weekend.

Meanwhile “perfect” Los Angeles weather is hot.  Hannah is supplementing the A/C in the apartment (on 3rd floor) with a fan.  Opening windows when it cools down a bit at night.  It has to be better than the attic room with no A/C where she lived for 2 years. 

Bought hotdogs & buns for the 4th.  Ran a lot of errands in Rolla and St. James.  Ran into a snafu with insurance and my calcium/”boniva” prescription.  The pharmacy filled it but my insurance won’t pay for it until the 3rd…and the RX expires the 5th.  I need to take my weekly dose on the 6th to stay on schedule.  But my Dr. appt is the 15th.  Hopefully I can pick the RX on the 3rd and life will be good.  I honestly don’t understand why the RX is being treated like a controlled substance and I can only get 4 weeks at a time.  It’s even generic and not expensive.

I’m enjoying “Under the Dome”.  I read the book several years ago and so far like the way it is being playing out on TV.  Good character development and community dynamics–although not exactly as I remember (or dis-remember) from the book.  I’m not sure I like the “hero” killing someone in the beginning though–not in the book.  It will be fun to see how it all turns out in the end.  Lots of room for twists and turns.

My summer is a bit more than half over.  I don’t feel half-way ready to go back to work.  

Cooler weather continues.  Even predictions for the 4th of July are only 85 degrees.  We had some wind and rain last night.  A few small limbs down in the yard. No obvious damage. 

I made one batch of dill pickles from the cucumbers I got at the Farmer’s Market.  I looked for but didn’t find my mom’s recipe for stuffed cabbage leaves.  I found what seemed to be a similar recipe in a cookbook, but it wasn’t as good.  I also boiled the last of the corn on the cob from Kroger.  I have a chicken to rotisserie for tomorrow.  

Dennis and I walked around the yard, looked at the garden.  Discussed what to plant next when the beets and onions, & garlic are all pulled–after 4th of July.  Basil is up.  Cilantro looks wonderful.  Beans are about to bloom. More blooms on tomatoes.  

I started reading the final book in the Good Earth Trilogy, A House Divided.  For all the pride fathers have in their sons, and the plans they make, sons in these books tend to disappoint.  Not that the books aren’t interesting, because they are.  Not only are the sons “rebellious” but China itself is changing and becoming “modern”.  

Tomorrow is July 1.  I cannot believe how fast the month of June flew by.  August 5, I will be back at work. Time flies when you are having fun.

It is at least 10 degrees cooler than “usual” this morning.  Sorry to all those west and south of us who are breaking heat records.  I got up and headed to the farmer’s market first thing this morning.  Found some nice looking homegrown tomatoes & bought a couple for eating; also got cucumbers to make some dill pickles, and a cabbage.  I hope to find my mom’s stuffed cabbage recipe for either supper tonight or tomorrow.  I’d have gotten more tomatoes and made some salsa, but they are still a bit pricey–$2/lb.  And eventually I will have my own.  

We had a lot of fun playing Mexican Train with the Edwards & Delano families.  Got to catch up on everyone’s coming and going.  In spite of frustrations at the unfairness of the game at times, no dominoes were thrown.

Steamed artchokes from the garden and gazpacho for lunch.  

The finished mailbox and house numbers project.  Now that it is done, I should have done less green background and more flowers on the mailbox.  I put the numbers higher because I didn’t want the lid hitting them when it was opened.  Unfortunately it would look better if the numbers were a bit lower.  Much was learned with this project.

Having friends over for some Mexican Train tonight.  Which is also good groundwork for upcoming 4th of July. 

Yesterday was a busy day.  Lots of commitments.  Had to get the license plates on the van renewed.  All the ducks were in a row, just had to drive to Rolla, deal with the DMV, and then put the new stickers on the plates.  Bought some fresh vegetables at Kroger.  I hope to get up early Saturday and check out the St. James farmer’s market.  I haven’t been yet this year.

I volunteered at the library from 3-5 PM.  Overall, it wasn’t busy, but the people seemed to come in spurts rather than a steady pace. 

We had supper at Colton’s.  I had their grilled shrimp.  I’ve had it before and it’s always been good.  Then we saw “Peter Pan”.  Since it was an Ozark Actor’s Theatre summer production, they brought in a professional to play the role of Peter Pan.  She was very good; but our local talent was up for the challenge. The actor who played the crocodile was very good…He played the part in a humorous (but still deadly) manner. Peter Pan & Tinkerbell.

Wendy with “Nana”.  The same actor played Nana & the crocodile.  Several other members of the cast had dual roles…one in England and one in Neverland.

I had a good chat with Hannah last night.  She found (at a thrift store) an old pattern to make “MC HAMMER” type pants.  She was sewing them as we talked.  She sent a photo via cell phone, but I hope she posts better ones on Facebook.  She’s convinced these pants will make a come-back and she is just ahead of the curve.  Personally I put these pants right up there with the mullet hairstyle for bad ideas. 

This morning started with Pearl S. Buck on “Writer’s Almanac” (NPR).  I miss Garrison Keillor as the commentator.  The Good Earth was mentioned, but not as the first book in a trilogy.  I just finished Sons, the 2nd book.  For all the ambition and pride the fathers had for their sons, none of them turned out quite like expected. Hmmm.  It was an interesting saga to get to that point in this book. Tomorrow I will check the final book, House Divided out of the library.  Since I’ll be there volunteering anyway.

I worked on the mailbox throughout the day.  I got the flowers outlined and 2 coats of polyurethane on it.  I want to do one more coat, to be sure it is really shiny. 

Got most of the errands around town taken care of.  Made it to adult swim.  Cooked an all veggie supper.  Mashed turnips with crumbled bacon. Beets in orange sauce.  The orange sauce is from Cross Creek Cookery by Marjorie Keenan Rawlings.  It’s my favorite “go to” recipe book for fresh veggies from the garden.  I used beets from the garden but you can use canned beets. You combine 1/3 c. sugar, 2T. cornstarch, & a pinch of salt in a small pan.  Add 2 T. butter, and 1 C. orange juice.  Heat over low heat, stirring until thickened (about 5 minutes).  According to MKR, “The sauce transmutes the common beet into a dish one eats for pleasure, not for duty.”

I took photos of all these wonderful foods and the mailbox, but the server will not let me upload them. Perhaps at a later time I can add them.

Whew.  It’s been a busy couple of days.  Monday I had a long list and I stuck to it…mostly.  I went to adult swim and got some exercise and had fun catching up with Julie.  She’s also been busy and had company both.   I fussed with the mailbox some more.  Did some engraving and delivered orders.  Got necessary groceries and pet food/supplies.  Cooked supper.  Crashed on the couch.

Yesterday was fun.  I got to really see how Elmer handled driving to Springfield.  He did good.  It’s a change from the 5 speed, but I’m learning how to get into and out of traffic with an automatic.  He’s not as zippy as Melvin.  The automatic transmission doesn’t shift exactly the way I would. LOL  

Matt & I had Jimmy John’s that I picked up on the way to their house.  Jax was about ready for his nap and went down before Matt left for work.  I brought my Knitting and finished the bottom ribbing on my sweater and did a couple rows of the regular knitting for the body of the sweater.  Once Jax woke up, he ate and we played until Sara got home.  Then it was home again for me.  Jiggity Jig.

Jax dunking the basketball.

Jax playing at his activity table.

We also read some books and “worked” on his vocabulary.  When he is through eating he says “down”.  Like get me down from this high chair Mimi. I need to play!

He also knows bananas, ball, kitty and other food and around the house useful words.  I think he’s quite brilliant.  

It is raining.  Heavy clouds and rain predicted most of the night. Looks like I’ll miss seeing it in person.

I’ve taken it easy most of the day.  I went out to paint some more on the mailbox after Sunday school, but it was too hot.  I finished the background before supper, when it started clouding up and cooling down. I got the background finished.  Now I have to do all the black outlining.  Dennis will hang the numbers above it.  I’ll seal it with a few coats of glossy acrylic.  It will be good to have this project finished.

Sara named my new car…Elmer.  As in white Elmer’s glue.  And so life goes on.  Melvin will be missed, but I’m looking forward to many years with Elmer.