July 29

Another wet rainy morning, not that I am complaining. It had been dry enough just before the rain began that I was considering...watering the lawn!! gasp! But now, I won't have to as it has rained a great deal in the last few days. I will have to get out and mow it one of these days however. The rain has encouraged a great deal of growing.

The last two days I played computer tech. Carol's desktop has been down for a while, so I began with it. It did not want to install a new xp, so I installed Windows 7 RC. Way cool program, satisfies the geek in me, and is very easy to use. My desktop stopped loading Vista, mostly because I had set the os partition to small (based on internet advice) when I first set it up. It was not able to do the proper os updates,and I think during one of those update/restart acts, their was corruption in the gears. Anyway, I got it working as well on Sunday. Monday, my laptop quit working, so I spent all yesterday getting it going (finding drivers etc., some are still down), and finishing updating my desktop. Everything seems to be working fine (knocks on wood) now. I surely would hate to do rebuilds of software for a living.

Other than that, it has been quiet here. Mags hides when thunder is about, she hates storms. Daph has begun to sit on top of my desktop (will have to discourage that). Carol sent her lit review off to the rest of her committee with the approval of her adviser, a major step in the whole phd process.

The leaves on my geraniums are pale,and they do not seem all that happy. Wish I knew why...

the strange case of the dissapearing week (and )

This week is over, and it feels like it never happened. Monday - Wednesday were rain days. Yesterday I got sick, and today I am still not fully recovered. Feeling better though. I think it is viral in origin, though it could be a case of food poison. I was freezing last night, sweating this morning, so a bit of a fever as well.

Strange to say the highlight of my week was getting ill. I live an exciting life. :)

The which is beside the g and d, below the r and above the cv on the keyboard or this laptop is not working well. So if some words seem to be missing something it likely is an .

Sometimes I wish I were still on the farm getting ready to head out to cut some hay. It would be a good morning/day for it here I think.

OOps. It just occurred to me, something exciting did happen this week, though I had the misfortune to leave my camera at home. 300 yards from home, we saw a turkey vulture on the side of the road eating something dead. Strangely enough, the real bird acts a lot like the cartoon birds do. Even look alike.

Carol's parents have come and gone. It was nice meeting them, and nice getting to know them a little. They appear to be very nice people. They left earlier today, and I now find myself thinking about my own parents. It has been so many years, and I still miss them.

I am tired tonight though. Visiting is hard work.

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.