It has been a strange week. After Monday's cruise, I have not done any exploring. Carol finished and submitted her lit review (Yayyy!!) Monday afternoon. Since then I have been her taxi driver (which feels strange as I am still not fully acclimated to my own driving), helping her complete some of the paperwork she has put off since moving here.

I have lost track of what has been done, and when, however, we have been doing it in the morning as much as possible to avoid the afternoon heat. It has been above 100 every day of the week so far. A cold front went through last night bringing a little rain and some cooling, but it is still pleasant.

The toilet was partially fixed yesterday. The handyman has to come back today and replace the flush valve (which includes taking the tank off and putting it back on). Hopefully that will solve the problem.

Carol's parents are coming or a visit today. They should be here around 3 and will leave tomorrow sometime. She is looking forward to seeing them, it has been a long time since their last get together. It is also her birthday, so I will be making some chocolate cupcakes later today.

I went for a little tour this morning, starting with the small local park. Then I went for a short drive ending in Krum. The feedmill (final few photos) are of that mill in Krum.

I kept thinking, as I drove through the non-cityscape, how much like Alberta it all looked. Must be the prairie?? The trees are different, but they have the same stunted/battered look. This area looks a lot like the Trochu area, I think. Though it has been years since I have been in that area.

July 13 09

I am a little tired this am. Last Sunday night the toilet in the master bathroom began to leak. I fiddled with it a bit but could not stop the water running. Even the valve at the base of the toilet would not shut off (likely filled with shale or some such). As this is a rental, I left it alone, and Carol contacted the landlady. She came yesterday, left some toilet tank repair kits, and said she would contact the handyman to come fix the toilet. The water was still running, though not a great deal, it has been a problem. Anyway, I woke up at 11:55, angry, and remembering a dream I had back in Raleigh. In that dream a toilet had been flowing forever, and the landlady had not been around to fix it. I lay in bed for a bit, still angry, then got up and looked at the toilet tank fixing kit instructions. It was not that complicated, so I decided to do what I could. When I began, the flapper part of the kit was the wrong kind for our tank, but the valve part, where the old one is leaking would fit. I changed out the valve/float (I am sure there is a technical name, but I just call it the thingiemebob) and the water stopped. The toilet still needs the final repairs, but at least the water is not continuing to run.

I am thinking about heading here: http://www.ias.unt.edu/llela/main.htm some time next week. I need to find the hours they are open and such like so I can figure out when to go, and where it is.

Friday I picked up my library card. Like everywhere, they require two pieces of information. First, a picture id, and second, something with your current mailing address that is semi-official. So, I was able to use my new Texas drivers license in an official capacity. I also picked up a few books that I have hauled home, though I have not yet read them.

Heat continues. Yesterday's high was 100. Today should be 102. The weather service has a heat warning going until Monday night. Right now it is 77, the birds are singing, the train just went through town, and the sun is going to come up in a few minutes. It is a beautiful morning. TX is different from NC, but at least the weather is pleasant.

Calloway's has a sale on right now. Sweet potato vine and Texas lantana or .78 each. This price proved to be irresistible, and I ended up taking home 8 of one and 6 of the other. I also found some cheap periwinkle to change out the begonia in the one bed. They (the begonia) are not happy with all the harsh sun they have been getting lately. I am going to try them in a different bed and see what happens, if they even survive. The other two will go out front in the ugly empty bed at the entryway. Hopefully that will brighten that dark spot considerably.

I also picked up a small lacecap hydrangea that I am trying to figure out where to plant it. I am debating putting it in a pot or now and moving it around to find the best possible spot. I would hate to dig it in, and then move it again.

It i 6 am and 82 F. Heat warnings have been sent out by the weather guys through Sunday evening. It should be around 101-103 all weekend. It is summer in Texas.

9:30 update: I started work shortly after this post and had all the plants planted by 9. The front looks much better now, less weedy and barren and more cultivated. Hydrangea is potted and placed, if it likes its current position, it may stay there. I have moved the begonias, and replaced them with periwinkles, so everything is looking good.

Nothing much has been happening here the past week. Life has settled into a routine, and it has been quiet lately.

The plants are all doing well and growing fine, except for a tomato and some seeds that were planted (dill, chives, parsley). I suspect it is to hot for them already. As I was filling my water bucket out front, a movement on the wall caught my eye. I looked, and it was some kind of small lizard (gecko??) crawling away from me. It was no bigger than my little finger. Because I was doing this before the sun was fully up, it was hard to determine color and finer details.

Today I contact DPS and see if I can finish getting my driving license. Other than that, I have no big plans. Sometime next week I may go exploring around Lewisville, but I have not decided just yet.

I am now official. I went down to DPS thinking half an hour of line standing (at least) but was shocked to see no line. I went in, paid my money, got my photo taken and walked out an official driver. It will take time for the actual license to arrive (6-8 weeks).

Fueled up as well, cost me 17 for a tank (roughly 7 gallons and 200 miles), which works out to 28.4 mpg. So not great, but that was all in town, lots of stop/go, wait at lights.

It feels very weird though. Driving, fueling, and all legal.

Driving the week away

This afternoon I will have a week of being a Texas driver. I am still not acclimated to the idea after so many years of not having a car.

Last night, Carol had a fit of cabin fever so we hopped in the car and zipped down to the Super Walmart (arggh) and picked up some $.62 begonias which I planted this morning. I stuck them in a pot out front for some additional color there. They are old plants, and I am not sure they will survive. I also stuck another plant in the back south corner of they yard. I am not sure what it is, I tossed the pot, and there was no sticker in it to say. It is some kind of shade lover though, and I hope it too will survive. Most of the other plants are doing well, though we replaced a cilantro plant already. It was not doing well when I brought it home too wet and dark where it was stored.

OMG!! A humming bird just investigated the lantana and geraniums!! I am going to have to dig out my bird book to identify it I think.

I am not sure what I am going to do today. At the moment, I am enjoying listening to the train pull through town (tracks a mile away), the birds sing, and the occasional car pass on a street over there (points that way). The sun is up, it is going to be a warm day, and the song birds are coming to eat. It is definitely a summer morning.