Green Tip of the Day

Be Conscious With Your Garbage

When throwing away garbage, know what is recyclable, consumable, and able to be composted. Also, when you purchase food or other items, be conscious as to how much waste it will produce. Separate your garbage, and be aware of what is toxic and should be disposed of with specific care. For example:

• Start a compost heap for your food waste, but make sure you know what kinds of waste can be composted – human and animal waste and some kinds of food waste should not be put on a compost heap. You can then use your compost for a nutrient-rich fertilizer

• Have different cans or containers for plastic, paper, and non-recyclable items to make recycling easier

• Buy food in bulk to avoid excess packaging

• Don't throw away toxic household waste, like paint, paint thinner, car oil, and the like; call your garbage service provider to see what should be done with these kinds of wastes

• Avoid producing waste as much as possible by using reusable coffee cups, water bottles, pens, and razors

By being conscious about the waste you produce, you can reduce your footprint on the environment.

Wednesday Update

Not much happened yesterday. It was a normal work day, but the phones weren't too busy.

Doug and I watched a new show on the Disney channel "Opportunity Knocks". It was fun to watch. The prizes were great for the family and the questions were tough, but not too tough that the family could not win a few prizes and some money. The kids won their prizes and the parents did not. Although they all won money towards the final family winnings. Finally a game show that is not mean spirited.

After the show I took a walk I ended that day with 15087 steps. The weather was just right for walking last night.

Today Thomas has his first Parent/Teacher conferences. It doesn't sound like he has anything too bad to report to the parents, so it should be good. I'm not sure, but I suppose Diedre has conferences today as well.

Green Tip of the Day

Go green – Plants, That Is Houseplants have more advantages for your home than just looking pretty. Houseplants can actually filter the air in your house and rid it of pollutants. Follow these guidelines to make your houseplants work for you: • Keep one houseplant per every 10 square yards to help keep the air clean in that area • If you mix night synthesizing plants (like orchids) with regular plants, your plants will work around the clock to filter your air • Use a general mixture of plants to try to filter out as many pollutants as possible Different plants are good for different pollutants, for example: • Philodendrons and aloe plants are especially good protection against formaldehyde • Gerbera daisies, peace lily, and English ivy are good protection against benzene and trichloroethylen

Tuesday Update

I am very PO'd with Mediacom right now. I had a whole post written and when I went to publish, it went to page not found. I have had to try to get to my Hotmail account five times this morning and everything I try to do either takes very long to load or says page not found. The Internet has been available the whole time which makes it very maddening.

Also, last night fifteen minutes into the second hour of Heroes the station was no longer available. I don't know if it was the station or Mediacom, but at this point I blame Mediacom. I am afraid to try publishing this post as I am afraid it will be lost again.

The Homecoming shenanigans have started in Eldora. Thomas and Diedre's house was TP'd on Sunday night and Thomas was on watch for a short while last night. I wonder if the kids came back and tried anything.

We had a meeting at work yesterday with my supervisors boss. The Broderbund side of the company is being purchased by Encore which is owned by Navarre. The Learning Company side is going to be purchased by another yet undetermined company. One interested party that was mentioned was Disney. Of course we would be working for Encore/Navarre.

My step count for yesterday was 10254. Not bad considering I have a bad cold and did not go for an evening walk. Instead I walked around the house a lot while I did dishes and watched TV.

Now I lost Hotmail again. Mediacom sucks!

Go Tigers!!

Green Tip of the Day

• Trees that lose their leaves in the fall (i.e., deciduous) are the most effective at reducing heating and cooling energy costs. When selectively placed around a house, they provide excellent protection from the summer sun but permit winter sunlight to reach and warm your house. The height, growth rate, branch spread, and shape are all factors to consider in choosing a tree.
• 
  
• Vines provide shading and cooling. Grown on trellises, vines can shade windows or the whole side of a house.
• 
  
• Deflect winter winds by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides of your house; deflect summer winds by planting on the south and west sides of your house.

Monday Update

Yesterday I got caught up on house cleaning. We realized that we were not going to have a very big turnout for Soup Sunday, so Doug decided not to make the egg drop soup. It was a good thing because it was just us, Mark and Wanda. Wanda made an Angel Food cake frosted with cool whip, pudding and pineapple chunks. After eating we watched Iron Man. It was a very good movie.

I have managed to catch a cold. I can't even remember the last time I had a cold. So this is very annoying. But, I guess colds are annoying no matter how often you catch them. I am sipping on tea this morning. I noticed that I now have a slight sore throat as well.

I did not get as much walking in yesterday as I would have liked to with a total of 8519 steps.

Happy 1st Day of Fall

I found Thomas and Diedre's email addresses on the South Hardin web site. This makes me so proud that I am Thomas' Mom and that Diedre is part of the family.

Sunday Update

I got the yard mowed yesterday morning. Doug said he was so proud of me because I started the new mower all by my self. I had been having a lot of trouble starting it ever since we bought it, so this was an accomplishment.

The rest of Saturday was spent doing little things around the house and then going to the grocery stores. On my way home from shopping I stopped to pick up the beef at Mark and Wanda's. They had it in their freezer for us. After I got home Doug and I had supper. We had ribs slow baked in the oven and a salad. Mao of course wanted to sample our supper, pork is his favorite.

After supper I walked to Thomas Park and walked the trail until it was almost dark and then I walked home. Wanda had said she and Mark were going over to the park to walk and I thought I might see them. But they probably had gone earlier. My step count for Saturday was 20032, the highest count yet.

After my walk Doug and I watched Baby Mama. I really liked it. It is such a cute movie. I think we should give a copy of it to Ilse, she would like it I'm sure.

What if our pop-up camper story got published?

Read this to find out why it could be possible.

Do you have a funny story? An outrageous one? An anecdote that pulls at the heart strings? A tale that will inspire others to travel?

If you enjoyed reading our collections of short stories and feel you have one to share, we would love to hear from you. We are particularly interested in stories that have some unusual, unexpected or humorous twist. The stories must also be true and have something to do with either travel or spending time in the Great Outdoors.

We are already working on follow-ups to Mugged by a Moose and I Sold My Gold Tooth for Gas Money and we currently have some spaces to fill. We will consider story outlines, manuscripts, or articles that have previously been published.

Please submit stories or story outlines by e-mail, fax, or snail mail to:

SUMMIT STUDIOS
#105, 2572 Birch St.
Vancouver, BC V6H 2T4

Fax: (778) 371-8561

E-mail: submissions@summitstudios.biz

Green Tip of the Day

When you get greeting, birthday, wedding, or congratulatory cards, save the fronts (except the ugly ones, which you can recycle) and write at the bottom who they were from. Then, flip them over and use them as recipe cards.

Saturday Update

I think the weather is supposed to be nice this weekend. I plan to mow the yard today, I have not done it in a while. It actually hasn't grown that much though. We also need to do something with all of these tomatoes we have from the garden. I think we will be canning some marinara sauce.

Yesterday was fairly slow at work. Good that I didn't have to take too many calls, but bad because I don't get many sales when there are no calls. Kind of a 'Catch 22'. At lunch time I went over to Green Square Park for the free Alliant meal. I had Cesar Salad with Grilled Chicken, a bread stick and a brownie with ice cream. The salad was very good.

Last night for supper Doug made a nice stir fry and we had pork egg rolls. The Asian Sensations Egg Rolls from the freezer section at the store are really quite good.

After supper I took my walk. I went over to 11th Street and down to A Ave, turned left on A and went as far as 22nd Street. I turned left on 22nd and went to 1st Ave. I took a right on 1st Ave and went to 31st Street. I took a left on 31st and went to 3rd Ave and took another left. I went back to 22nd Street and took another left. I turned right on A Ave off from 22nd Street and went back to 11th Street to 2nd Ave and turned right to come home. It was a pretty uneventful walk and only two dogs barked at me. My step count for Friday was 16039.

Green Tip of the Day

Keeping your dryer lint filter clear of lint conserves energy and cash, and actually reduces fire hazard.

The Benefits:

You can decrease your dryer's energy usage by up to 30% just by cleaning the lint filter (clogged ducts resulting from lint buildup reduce its efficiency).

Cleaning out your lint filter could save you up to $40 per year in energy costs.

Stop dryer fires (usually a result of lint blocking the exhaust duct) before they start.

A few uses for dryer lint: compost; kindling for fires; nesting material for birds.

Fun Fact:

A University of Sydney study found that the most common color of belly button lint is blue (most clothes contain at least some blue fibers).

Friday Update

I hope today goes by fast at work and then slows down after work.

I want to see Thomas and Diedre post pictures of themselves wearing their SH shirts.

Yesterday after work I took a good long walk. I started by going over to the Marion football field. I crossed over the little bridge to Thomas Park and turned North on the path. I walked the path to Donnelly Park and then out the park over to 8th Ave. I crossed the bridge and continued on 8th Ave. and then cut over to 7th Ave. On 7th Ave. I walked up to City Park and turned South to go by the library. At the end of the park closest to the library, a Marion cop had two teenage boys pulled over. There was an opened 12 pack of Busch beer on the hood of the cop car, so I am sure the boys were in a bit of trouble. A group of about 6 other kids came over from the park and started asking the two boys in the car what they had done (pretty obvious I thought). The cop was not very happy about this and asked the kids to leave. One boy started to argue with him and the cop threatened to arrest him and anyone else who didn't like it for trespassing in the park. He said he did not want to see them in or near the park again or they would be arrested. After a few more remarks from most of the kids they left the area. I continued walking during all of this, so don't worry I wasn't gawking. I then headed home. My step total for Thursday was 16345.

Green Tip of the Day

Green Barbeque Tips:

1. Charcoal may give your organically raised burgers that old-time-y taste, but the particulate matter from burning the briquettes contains carbon monoxide and other VOCs. If you do use coal, choose all-natural lump varieties, which eliminate the additives contained in briquettes.

2. If you’ve opted for charcoal, lighting up can be a daunting task. But petroleum-based lighter fluid can contain harmful VOCs. Alternatives on how to get your coals burning include charcoal chimneys, electrical charcoal starters, and DIY fire starters.

3. Grilling with the hood of the barbeque down not only helps maintain energy efficiency, but also ensures the heat will be distributed more evenly throughout the grill.

4. Taking care of your grill properly means it will last for many delicious barbecues to come and that will be a healthier cooking vessel. Instead of petro-based cleaners, use soy and natural alternatives, which can work better than the chemical varieties. DIY Cleaners are another good option. You can clean your grill with a barbeque brush and a paste made with baking soda and water. Or, cut an onion in half and rub it over the rack once it has heated up; then brush a bit of olive oil on it so the food doesn't stick.

5. Clean Up the Mess!
Separate your glass, plastic, and metal recyclable containers, and dispose of them on site, or bring them home to recycle with the rest of your household waste. Gather compostables (a good reason to keep the meat intake low—it cannot be composted) and bring them home to your compost heap, or a community one, if available. Did you know you can compost charcoal remnants too? When it comes to the leftovers, pack them up in reusable containers.

Thursday Update

I can't think of anything to blog about.

Yesterday I went to work, stopped for milk on the way home, had supper, washed dishes, went for a walk, watched TV and then went to bed. Nothing exciting. I ended the day with 15278 steps.

Green Tip of the Day

Unplug

Unplug seldom-used appliances, like an extra refrigerator in the basement or garage that contains just a few items. You may save around $10 every month on your utility bill.

Unplug your chargers when you're not charging. Every house is full of little plastic power supplies to charge cell phones, PDA's, digital cameras, cordless tools and other personal gadgets. Keep them unplugged until you need them.

Use power strips to switch off televisions, home theater equipment, and stereos when you're not using them. Even when you think these products are off, together, their "standby" consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously.

Wednesday Update

It's the middle of the week and things are going good. I am finally getting caught up at work.

Last night was another lazy one. After I got home I cut up the chicken hindquarters that I bought on Saturday, while Doug made supper. He made a brown gravy and baked tater tots. He served it just like poutine with the gravy and cheese over the potatoes. Yummy!!

We watched Wipeout while eating. They had a beach party special showing the season's 25 most memorable moments. It was an hour and a half show. I wanted to take a walk, so I missed the last 20 minutes. No big deal. I took a 40 minute walk and ended the day with 14052 steps.

Green Tip of the Day

During dry months, 40 percent of the average household's water consumption goes to outdoor watering.

Rather than needlessly draining that water out of the faucet, gather rainfall in a rain barrel connected to the gutter system and use it to keep the lawn and garden green. Just an inch of rainfall on a 1,000-square-foot roof will accumulate over 600 gallons of fresh water. When picking out a barrel, here are a couple of things to look for:

• Choose a model topped with a mesh screen that will keep debris out of the barrel and a lid that prevents mosquitoes from using the water as a breeding ground when it's not raining.
• Look for a barrel equipped with a side spigot where a hose can be attached and watering cans can be easily filled.

Also, most rain barrels can hold up to sixty gallons of water, so make sure it's parked on a strong and steady surface.

Tuesday Update

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. We started the day with everyone at work. However, one person left at 11 for a Dr. appointment and another left at 12 for the rest of the day.

After work I came home and had supper. We ate leftover soup from Sunday. I had the vegetable which is very good. After supper I started on my walk. I got half a block away and noticed the neighbor had a Lite beer sign propped against a tree with a free sign on it. Thomas called just about that time and I asked if he might like it for his house. He said, "Sure why not. We want to turn the basement into a game room eventually anyways". I took it home and I think Doug thought I was crazy at first, but that is nothing new. I'm always a bit crazy. The sign is actually pretty cool.

My step total for Monday was 14266. Since I started recording my steps 22 days ago, I have taken an average of 12230 steps per day, walked 127 miles and burned 15366 calories.

Green Tip of the Day

Make your shower green:

First, figure out how long they are. See how much time you spend between getting in and toweling off, and try shaving off 30 seconds.
- Just being aware can cause you to change your habits.
- For every 30 seconds you shorten your shower, you'll save up to 4 gallons of water.
- One bonus for shortening your shower, you're less likely to run out of hot water.

SNL Is Back! This is Perfect.

Green Tip of the Day

Calculate how far you drive or fly every month and then start thinking about ways to cut back.

Monday update

The start of another week. I want to be sleeping.

Yesterday turned out to be a very good day. I did my usual Sunday morning computer stuff first (checking blogs, email and playing Mahjongg). I have noticed that Menards had AA & AAA batteries on sale and we had just talked about needing new batteries the night before. So I decide that for my morning walk I would go to Menards. It took about 20 minutes to get there. Once there I bought the batteries and walked back home. I took a little longer route home, so it took about 30 minutes to walk back.

Once I was back home I woke up Doug and started to make Banana Bread for Soup Sunday. I looked for the brown sugar and found we did not have any. I thought we did because John and Elaine had bought us some when they were here. They had asked if we needed anything one day when they were going to the store, one of the things I asked for was brown sugar. We ended up not using it because we already had enough for the beans we had made. So, I guess they must have taken it with them. Old people!

So I ended up making a trip to the store. This time I drove the car. If I had more time, I would have considered walking again. But the last time I walked to Hy-Vee it took an hour and a half. Once back home I completed the Banana Bread and was dishes and laundry.

Next it was time to help with the soups. I mainly brought all the vegetables for Doug to chop. The vegetable soup had red cabbage, green pepers, zuchinni, corn, green beans, onions mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, white potatoes and sweet potatoes. The broth from it tasted like is would from a canned soup you buy (very Campbells like). It was very colorful and very good. I wish we had taken a picture. The Stuffed Pepper soup had everything you would find in stuffed peppers. Peppers, rice, tomatoes, hamburger, onions and spices. Also very, very good. We had a good size group with Jamie, Jacob, Sara, Nick, Ana, Mark and Wanda.

I ended the day with 19074 steps.

Green Tip of the Day

The UCS Scientific Integrity Curriculum Guide

The manipulation, suppression, and distortion of science have become a significant problem--with serious consequences for our health, safety, and environment.

To foster thoughtful discussions about the proper role of science in federal policy making, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has created a Scientific Integrity Curriculum Guide to help undergraduate and advanced high school instructors teach this complex subject.

The guide is a fully developed lesson plan that teachers in both scientific and non-scientific disciplines can tailor to suit their needs. It provides lecture slides, worksheets, homework assignments, essay suggestions, and links to other resources; click here to view samples of these materials.

For full access to all curriculum materials, please register here.

Sunday Update

It has been a pretty quiet weekend so far. I hope we have a few more people show up for Soup Sunday this week. The soups should be very delicious. I'm looking forward to them both.

Yesterday I was not the computer for several hours in the Am and after Doug woke I had lunch with him. After lunch I blanched a large bowl full of tomatoes from the garden. Doug set aside a few to use in today's soup. The rest he chopped up and made a new batch of salsa. He also used green peppers from the garden in the salsa.

After making salsa, I wrote my grocery list and went shopping for a few hours. Doug helped me with the scanning when I got home. Then we had corned beef hash with eggs on toast. Yummy! After supper I went on a walk. My step count for Saturday was 11064.

I told you it has been a quiet weekend.

Green Tip of the Day

Garages often contain combustion byproducts (including carbon monoxide) from car engines, as well as pesticides, paints and other hazardous household products. Make sure the door from the house to the garage has a high-quality seal around the entire perimeter, including the threshold.

Saturday Update

I don't have much this morning. It seems we got enough rain the last few days to cause the basement to leak again. Not a lot of water, just enough to be annoying.

Mao is a lazy sleepy head and spends a good share of his day sleeping in "the principal's chair". He is sleeping there right now with his head smashed into the back of the chair.

My step count for yesterday was 10387.

“Old Creepy Ads” at Weirdomatic

Green Tip of the Day

Activities within the home, such as cooking and bathing, produce large amounts of moisture, which can cause structural damage and mold growth. Keep pots covered when boiling liquids, and use ventilation when cooking and bathing. If a bathroom or kitchen lacks mechanical ventilation, install properly sized, energy-efficient fans.

Friday Update

I'm happy that it is Friday. I hope I will be able to sleep in tomorrow morning, as I am very tired after all the OT this week.

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. I went to work and stayed until a little before 6. Stopped at Hy-Vee on my way home. Doug was already starting on the Stuffed Peppers when I got home. The house smelled so good when I walked in. Because the peppers were going to take too long to bake, we had Chicken Noodle Soup for supper. All of the leftover soup from Sunday is now gone.

After supper I went on a walk. I had to pick up a box of crackers because I had forgotten to get them while at Hy-Vee. So I walked up to Walgreens. I ended the day with steps 11682. After the walk I just sat down and watched TV until I went to bed.

Green Tip of the Day

An aerator -- that cylindrical device that threads onto the end of a faucet -- reduces the amount of water needed to do jobs such as hand washing and dish rinsing. Look for one at the hardware store; it will be marked with the flow it permits, measured in GPM. A 2.0 GPM aerator is ideal for kitchen faucets, while a 1.0 GPM version works great for the bathroom sink.

Thursday Update

Well it is a rainy Thursday. At least I am past the worst part of the week at work. Thursday and Friday are usually slower days.

Last night was a lazy night. I went for a walk after I got home. I had to mail a letter and took the really long way back home from the mailbox. My final steps for yesterday, 10778.

While flipping through channels on TV last night, I saw a report on the news about the LHC that Thomas mentioned on his blog. I had meant to ask him about it and forgot. I had hoped that he knew about it. Of course he would, he likes science.

Green Tip of the Day

Older showerheads can use three gallons per minute or more. New, efficient models can use two GPM or less. Also look for showerheads that deliver water in multiple small streams, rather than a fine mist; they keep water warmer and make rinsing easier. Avoid designs with multiple heads that compound water waste.

Wednesday Update

Not much to report today. Yesterday was another long and very busy day at work. I got in some more OT.

Watched a little TV in the evening. The new Wipeout episodes are on. They had two episodes back to back. Pretty mindless TV viewing. Jamie called and said he was going to stop by. He got here a little after 8:30 and stayed until a little before 10. He has a new girlfriend. She sounds very nice and is very interesting. She is two time Jeopardy winner. There is even a picture online from when she was on Jeopardy. She is also getting her Masters in Opera. Jamie seems to really like her and he had a very nice birthday weekend with her. Jamie liked his windup flashlight we gave him for his birthday and also took the large birthday cookie I made for both him and Justin.

Yesterday I managed to take 10513 steps.

Green Tip of the Day

Pipe insulation tubes will help prevent frozen pipes in winter. And properly installed, they will hold a hot-water pipe's heat for up to an hour after the tap was last used, thus stretching your energy dollar and saving water.

Tuesday Update

Yesterday was not fun. A busy Monday, first day back after vacation and two people were out. Today will be just as bad, I am told we will be down three people from the phones.

Not much else happened yesterday. I got home around 6 (worked late). Ate supper, baked cookies and did dishes. In between I tried to get as much walking in as you can do in the house. I ended the day with 9271 steps. Not quite the 10000 that is my goal for each day. I will try harder today.

Happy school picture day Thomas and Diedre!

Green Tip of the Day

Install a programmable thermostat that lets you automatically lower the temperature when no one is home or when the family is asleep. The Energy Star people say this device can save a family budget up to $150 a year.

Monday Update

Back to work after a week of vacation. I hope it is so busy that the week goes by quickly.

Yesterday was a pretty relaxed day for Soup Sunday. I got up early, checked the garden and waited for John and Elaine to come over to pick up tomatoes to take to Minnesota. John finally showed up around 10. I guess they must have been a bit hung over. He said Elaine was still at Curt's helping to clean up after the party.

After John left I went on my morning walk. I needed to pick up a few things at the store, so I told Doug I would stop somewhere while on my walk. I wasn't sure where I was going to walk to. I had some frustrations to walk off, so I decided to walk down 5th Ave. At first I thought I would just walk to Hy Vee Drug. But the closer I got, I thought I've come this far, I may as well go to Hy Vee. It was a long walk, but not bad. It took an hour and a half. There was actually a nice cool breeze which helped. I could not have done it had it been hot and humid. My final walk count for yesterday was 13566.

When I got home I made chocolate chip cookies. One was a large round bar type cookie, which I decorated for Justin and Jamie's birthdays. I also made two cheese balls, one was vegetable and one was vegetable with bacon.

The soups were very good; chicken noodle and white chili. At first it did not look like anyone would show up, although we knew Jacob was coming. We were not sure when he got off work. He showed up around 5. Then Johnny showed up and stayed long enough to have both soups. Wanda and Mark also showed up. They had been in State Center. They took Amber her couch this weekend. It ended up being a good evening with a little political talk and lots of laughs.

Old Wives Tales

Have you heard about the bar of soap in your bed to prevent leg cramps? John and Elaine have and they believe it, we have proof. This is what we found in Chloe's bed after they left.

Green Tip of the Day

If it's clear that a train or other barrier will block your vehicle for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. An idling vehicle burns more fuel than a simple restart. And you won't be polluting when the engine is off.

Sunday Update

Yesterday was a mostly fun day. In the AM I watched the Swamp Fox Parade. Doug came out and watched the last 10 minutes with me. He had been in the house making pasta salad and baked beans to take to Curt's 50th party.

After the parade was over, we waited for Amy to come by so we could catch up with her. Breckin and one of his cousins were in the parade. Emerson School had made Chinese Dragons. I wish I had known, I would have gone down the street to the parade and taken a picture. Amy was watching 3 of her nephews for one of her cousins who had gone to a wedding. Dan and Gail had also gone to the wedding in Monticello. Needless to say, Amy had her hands full for the rest of the day.

Ella and her cousins. They all wanted to see Thumper and Ella was the only one brave enough to feed him. There was also Breckin and another cousin not shown in the picture.
Of course we had to take a picture of Ella's High School Musical shoes.

Sunday Update (cont.)

Chloe came home just in time to see Amy and the kids. She also had lunch with us. Doug made sloppy joe's with the leftover hamburger from the beans. They were yummy. Doug and Chloe decided to relax and take a nap before going to Curt's party. So I went to my Dad's to take them some pictures of Thomas and Diedre's house and flood pictures for Ilse to send to her daughter in California.

This was the not so fun part of the day. It was all one big guilt trip. My Dad stayed on the couch the whole time, moaning about his back and legs. This was because he had been painting. He also wanted to tell me something and Ilse kept getting in the way so he could not see my face. So, of course he had to keep yelling at her to move or to be quiet. This annoys me because she usually has something more fun to talk about any way; like "Oh! Look at the little red squirrel."

Dad said that on Labor Day he had stopped by RJ Construction to ask about porch railings. They were closed but the owner was there and talked to him anyway. He said, this guy was so interesting, Doug would like to talk to him. He showed him his electric truck and talked about solar panels for the house. I told Dad that Doug already knows the guy, because it is Mark Jordan's brother. I also told him Doug has taken a ride in the electric truck before.

Back to the whole guilt thing, just before I left, Ilse said my Dad would feel so much better now that I stopped by. He just doesn't see me enough and it gets him down. Oh, brother!

After leaving Dad's I went for a walk on the Sac & Fox Trail. It really got washed out from the floods and was a very rough trail in spots. I walked about a half hour. (Step count for the day was 11072.) Then it was time to come home to get ready for Curt's party.

We left for the party a little after 5. We gave Curt his gift when we got there. We got him one of the crank flashlights. I wrapped it in an adult diaper that I had gotten as a sample. I attached some black roses and a pin that said, 50 and Over The Hill and a ribbon that said Look Who's 50. Curt got such a kick out of it that he wore the diaper over his jeans for a while. It was hilarious.

Little "Q" at grandpa's birthday party.
Little "Q's" new shoes.
If he drinks that whole bottle he is going to need that diaper.

Green Tip of the Day

Fine-tune a refrigerator for optimum energy use by checking to see that the temperature in its main refrigeration box hovers at 37 degrees while the freezer stays at a relatively steady 3 degrees. A weather thermometer will do the trick.

Officially happy new home owners!!!!!! Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday Update

Yesterday morning John and Elaine packed up to go over to stay at Curt's. They left around 9:15 AM. I was very surprised that Mao came over by the door to say good-bye to them. This evening we are going over to Curt's for a little while for his 50th birthday party.

Yesterday after John and Elaine left I mowed the lawn. The weather was just right for mowing. I didn't even get hot until at the very end. Doug had to come out once to help me start the mower. I am just not good at starting this new mower for some reason. In the afternoon I also took a fairly long walk.

We have lots to do this morning. We forgot to make the pasta salad for Curt's party yesterday, so we will be making that along with baked beans. The Swamp Fox Parade is also this morning. We always set out in the yard and watch the parade go by. Afterward we usually see Dan and Gail; and sometimes Amy and her brood.

That is all I have this morning, as I also would like to get a walk in this morning. Yesterday I took 15358 steps.

Green Tip of the Day

Some commercial air fresheners use chemicals that can be harmful to a baby's development. Instead, lightly spritz the place with vinegar.

Vinegar will clean out deposits clogging a steam iron or coffeemaker.

A cup of vinegar will clean a washing machine. Run it through a regular cycle -- but not with clothes.

If using vinegar as a cleaning agent, pick the white variety. Brown will stain porous surfaces.

To create a tub-scum cleaner, mix baking soda and a "green" liquid soap to a honey-thick consistency. Apply it with a little elbow grease and perhaps a splash of white vinegar.

Friday Update

Not much to report from yesterday. It rained most of the day and was much cooler than the beginning of the week. We just sat around and didn't to much until around 3:30 when John and Elaine went over to Curt's for a few hours.

After they left I went on a walk because it was just misting by then. I took the umbrella, so my glasses would not get all spotted with water. I walked up to 5th Ave and walked East. I went as far as the sidewalk would take me on 5th Ave. I didn't pay attention to the street name, but this would be the street that has the nursing home. I took a right and went up to 1st Ave. I think I took almost all of the side streets on the way back home, going North on one side of the street and crossing the street and then going South. I wanted to try to get as many steps as I get by going to the path at Thomas Park. I just knew the path in the park might be a bit messy due to the rain. I ended the day with 10116 steps.

John and Elaine came back here for supper and to spend the night. We made Ratatouille for supper. They had never had it before. I think they liked it since both John and Elaine went back for seconds.

Green Tip of the Day

Using cold water can save up to 80 percent of the energy required to wash clothes.

Thursday Update

Yesterday was another productive day. We now have our whole dining room back. We moved the mattress set up to Thomas and Diedre's place in Eldora. I think they will really like their new queen size bed.

Jon and Elaine were able to see Chloe's cute little stone house and Nala the kitty. They also were able to see Thomas and Diedre's house and the school Thomas and Diedre are working at. Thomas took them on a driving tour of the town and park. We alos had ice cream at the Ahoy Fountain. It wasn't quite as good as the first time we were their. I think the boy working there was more interested in getting off work and not excited about have to make ice cream treats for 7 people.

We arrived home around 8:30 and ate leftovers for supper. We then sat down and watched part of the Republican Convention. Palin had lots to say about her family and Alaska, but not a lot to say about what she would do for the country. Some of the Republicans at the convention didn't look too excited or convinced that she was the right choice.

Yesterday I spend a good amount of time in the car and did not get as much walking in, my step count was only 9439.

Green Tip of the Day

Wrapping a water heater with insulation can keep as many as 1,000 pounds of global-warming CO2 a year out of the upper atmosphere.

Wednesday Update

Yesterday morning I took a nice long walk through Thomas Park. It was very hot and humid. I ended the day with 12934 steps.

When I got back from my walk, John and Elaine were leaving to get Elaine's hair cut. She went to Great Clips by Michael's. Chloe had already left to go back to Cedar Falls. She had a class in the afternoon and then she worked until closing at Cup-A-Joe's.

We took John and Elaine on a tour of the flooded areas of Cedar Rapids starting with the Czech Village area, around to J Street, over to Time Check and then through downtown. They both said it is hard to believe the damage until you really see it.

After the tour we had lunch at the Red Lantern. The food was really good and John knew our waitress. She is originally from Korea. I had Ming's Beef, it was delicious.

It was so hot and humid in the house when we got home. John and Elaine watched the Green Channel with me for a while. They said they don't get it in Arizona, although they are supposed to. John said he is definitely going to contact the cable company when he gets back. The temperature was not going to cool own for some time, so John and Elaine decided to spend the night over at Curt's. It was either that or we were going to have to go out and buy a little window air conditioner. The big one Jamie brought over would involve construction of a stand to help hold it in the window. Too much work.

This morning we are going over to Enterprise to rent a cargo van for the day. We are taking the mattress set and a few other things up to Thomas and Diedre. We will stop at Chloe's in Cedar Falls first and she is coming to Eldora with us. It should be a fun day.

See you later Chloe, Thomas and Diedre.

Green Tip of the Day

If a vehicle's tires have less than recommended air pressure, gas mileage will suffer. Determine the correct pressure level from the small plaque likely found just inside the driver's-side door, but possibly on a rear doorpost, in the trunk/latch area, the glove box, or even on the sun visor.

Tuesday Update

Yesterday was kind of a lazy day and I have a feeling today will be the same. I was thinking about mowing the yard today, but it was already so humid when I took out the trash this morning that I have changed my mind. Looking at the grass it really isn't that long. Besides the weather report last night said the temp should be a little cooler on Thursday.

Today we are looking into renting a truck to take the mattress set and a few other things that Thomas left behind up to Eldora. We will be going up to Cedar Falls tomorrow to first visit Chloe at her cute little house and to see Cup-A-Joe. And then we will drive over to Eldora to drop off Thomas' things and visit with them at the new house for a while. I look forward to seeing their schools.

Yesterday I was afraid I was not getting my step count in. So, around 7:30 I went on a walk. I walked up 2nd Ave., through Shady Oak Cemetary, to Hanna Park, down the Thomas Park trail and back to Hanna Park and then to home. It took about an hour and fifteen minutes. I saw about 5 deer in Hanna Park and a deer on the Thomas Park trail twice. My final step count yesterday was 10215.

Monday Update

Happy labor day. Don't work too hard. Or better yet don't do any work.

Yesterday was wonderful. We got to see Tommy, Chloe, Diedre and Ross. The family gathering went very well. John and Elaine came over around 1:00. Curt, Jessica, Big Q, Little Q, Keeley and Cassie all showed up later. And of course the Jordan's; Mark, Wanda and Amber came as well. The food was excellent and plentiful as always.

Green Tip of the Day

If you are looking to green your school, think about organizing a crayon drive to collect unwanted crayons and then either craft with them or send them to the National Crayon Recycling Program http://www.crazycrayons.com/recycle_program.html

Crayons are a petroleum product, they take years to
biodegrade.

Green Tip of the Day

Generating enough electricity to cook for an hour in a standard electric oven creates 2.7 pounds of carbon dioxide. Here's a list of what can do it for less: toaster oven, 1.3 pounds over 50 minutes; slow cooker, 0.9 pounds over seven hours; and microwave, 0.5 pounds over 15 minutes.

Sunday Update

I am looking forward to today. Thomas and Diedre are driving down for a visit with the family. Chloe will also be here later. John and Elaine are in town for their yearly visit. Plus the usual Sunday group should be here, along with Doug's niece Jessica and her brood.

Yesterday morning I took an hour walk through Oak Shade Cemetery and over to Thomas Park. I came into the park from the back way through the cemetery. It was a nice walk and got me well on my way for my step goal for the day. I ended up with 16245 steps for the day. I hope I have a chance to take a walk today.

After walking I did some cleaning around the house until John and Elaine showed up. They had Curt with them and stayed for about an hour. Chloe was also here for a little while. After John and Elaine left to go back over to Curt's, Chloe also left. She had a show thing that she had to help with later in the day.

Left alone again, Doug and I went over menus and the shopping list. I went shopping and got more of my walking in. In the evening we made salsa with garden tomatoes. It is one of the best batches of salsa I think we have ever made. I also baked a cake before going to bed. I have to frost the cake this morning.

That is all for today. I will see everyone later!

Green Tip of the Day

A laptop uses just a quarter of the power required by a desktop computer.

Saturday Update

Yeah vacation has started!!

Yesterday was nice because we were let out of work at 2:00. With pay!

I came home and found that John and Elaine had not called yet. Doug was also still waiting for Johnny to come over with the nail gun. Finishing Chloe's room was on hold until we had the nail gun. Johnny finally showed up at around 7:30. He told us his car had been stolen early Friday morning, around 4:00 AM. It also had all of the supplies he had purchased at Menards the day before in it. What a bummer, at least he may get a new car if it is not found.

Nailing the floor boards down took only minutes with the nail gun. The room looks very nice. I will need to get some pictures to post. After Johnny left, Doug decided to take Mark's saw back to him. While he was gone I moved things back into Chloe's room. I was close to being finished when Doug returned home.

We didn't hear from John and Elaine until almost 10. They had been at Curt's since around 5. Elaine told Doug she had said they would be staying at Curt's first. That conversation actually never took place. The last time we had heard from them was over a week ago, they had said they would probably not be stopping at Chloe's or Thomas and Diedre's.

That is all for now. I hope to see everyone on Sunday. Go Tigers!

Steps Update: 10734 on Friday.

Thursday Update

Yesterday was such a long day at work. Had a few rough calls, but not bad over all.

When I got home I went to the laundromat to wash the old featherbed from our bed. We bought a new one and will use the old one on the bed in Chloe's room. The laundromat has not changed any. In fact it got worse. They still have five or six TVs, but only two are on. And the people just let their kids run wild. I had a little boy, about four, try to grab a dollar bill from my hand while I was getting change from the machine. At least he did ask if he could have it while he was reaching for it.

After I got back home, Doug said he wanted to go to Menard's to get some things to finish up Chloe's room. While we were there Doug had to call Johnny to ask him what kind of nails we need for his nail gun that Doug will be borrowing. Johnny said, "Just a minute, I will be right there." He was coming to return something and shop for some things for one of his houses that was damaged in the flood. We tried to finish our shopping before they closed as they were making the closing announcement while we were there. We did not quite get everything we need, so we will probably be making another trip over there tonight.

We finally had a chance to sit down and eat supper around 9:15. I was hungry and tired at the same time. I ate and went to bed. What a long day.

I almost forgot, yesterdays step count was 12099.

Wednesday Update

Happy hump day everyone.

Chloe's room is coming right along. Last night Mark and Doug finished putting in the last of the flooring. Now Doug has to get the trim for around the walls, the new outlets and put the closet door back on. I'm sure there are some other details that I have forgotten. But, it is very close to being done. Hopefully I will have some pictures to post soon.

Yesterday I stepped up my walking to 11617 steps.

Tip of the Day:

Homemade Cleaning Products

Candles, Telephones

Sponge with a piece of cotton dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Carpet Freshener

Combine 3/4 cup baking soda, 2 tbsp corn starch, and 1/4 cup perfumed talcum powder. Sprinkle on dry carpet, let stand 5 to 15 minutes, then vacuum.

Cobwebs

For hard to reach spots, slip a sock over the end of a yardstick and secure with a rubber band, then sweep the area. This method works well for cleaning under radiators and refrigerators also.

Pet Urine

Dab area with toweling, wash with suds of liquid dish detergent, and rinse with 1/2 cup vinegar diluted in 1 qt warm water. Lay towels or paper towels over the spot and weight down to absorb excess moisture. Let stand 4 to 6 hours, then remove toweling, brush up nap and allow to dry completely. To speed drying, use an electric fan.

Ovens

Fill a small glass bowl with 1/2 cup full-strength ammonia, place in oven and close. Let stand overnight, then wipe loosened dirt with paper towels or newspapers. If necessary, rub surfaces with a suitable abrasive, such as fine steel wool, then wash with warm soapy water and rinse. Repeat process if necessary.

Homemade Window Glass Cleaner

1/2 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water (or 2 tablespoons per quart) OR

1/2 cup sudsy ammonia to 1 gallon water (or 2 tablespoons per quart)

OR

1/2 cup sudsy ammonia 2 cups rubbing alcohol 1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent 1 gallon water (This one is less likely to freeze in cold weather.)

Pots and Pans - Burned, and Crusted,on Foods

Soak or boil a solution of 2 tbsp baking soda per qt of water in each pan. Let stand until particles are loosened, then wash as usual. Use a mild or moderate abrasive if necessary.

Discolored Aluminum

Heat a solution of 1 tbsp vinegar per qt of water or 2 tsp cream of tartar per qt of water in each pan until discoloration disappears.

Grease

Rub greasy spots with a mild or moderate abrasive, such as fine steel wool, and a dish detergent until they disappear.

Stained No-Stick Cookware

To remove stains from no-stick surfaces, pour a solution of 1 cup water, 2 tbsp baking soda and 1/2 cup chlorine bleach into the pan and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Do not allow mixture to boil or to boil over the side of the pan. Wash in hot soapy water, rinse and dry. Apply a light coating of cooking oil. (Note: This formula may fade dark-colored surfaces.)

Drains

To keep drains clear, flush daily with scalding water. For grease buildup, dissolve 1 lb washing soda in 3 gal boiling water and pour down drain. To avoid burns from boiling water, hold water container close to drain and pour slowly and directly into drain. For heavy grease buildup, use a commercial drain opener. Exercise extreme caution when using and follow label instructions exactly. (Commercial drain openers can be used to clear hair buildup from bathroom drains, also.)

Disinfectant/Mildew Remover

Dilute 3/4 cup chlorine bleach in 1 gal of water. Apply to tile and grout and scrub; wipe shower stall and curtain; rinse thoroughly.

Fixtures

To clean stainless steel, chrome, fiberglass, ceramic, porcelain or enamel fixtures, dissolve 2 tbsp baking soda in 1 qt of water.

Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit Remover

Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and let stand until spot disappears, then rinse. Repeat if necessary.

Soap Scum

Apply baking soda dry or as a thick paste, rub vigorously with a wet sponge, then rinse.

Toilet Bowl

Pour 1/4 cup full strength chlorine bleach OR 1/2 cup full strength ammonia into bowl. DO NOT USE BOTH. Swish with a bowl brush and flush.

Combs and Brushes

Fill a basin with hot water, and add either 2 tbsp ammonia OR 1 tsp liquid dish detergent. Drop in combs and brushes and soak 10 minutes, then use combs to clean brushes. Rinse thoroughly and air dry.

*From pioneerthinking.com

Last night on G Word we saw a group that uses human hair mats to help clean up oil spills. I was interested and looked into it more. They will take donations from hair salons and schools that have collected hair. They prefer not to have the hair in small envelopes, but in bigger packages. Teachers can actually do a demonstration of how the hair mats work.

Hair For Oil Spills Information For Teachers

Tuesday Update

The 10,000 Steps Challenge officially started yesterday. I finished with 10131 steps. The site I log my steps at says I need to take 9504 steps just to maintain my present weight and 14256 steps to start losing weight. I only guessed at my starting weight because we do not have a scale at this time. From reading at the Challenge web site, I found that I don't have to start at 10000 steps the first day. You are supposed to build up to it by adding 500 steps a week. But, I don't like to mess around. My goal is to get up to the 14256 steps to lose weight. I think this is a 6 week program.

Doug's finger looks very sore. It is turning interesting shades of purple. He is frustrated that it does not show very well in pictures. The scary part is how swollen it looks from the side.

Mark has been assisting us with the flooring in Chloe's room and he took the doors and last of the flooring home to trim on his band saw. He will hopefully have them completed tonight and bring them back here to finish. After the last pieces of flooring are down, Doug will measure for the floor boards. We will then need to paint them before installing. After that; hang the doors, replace the light switch and electrical outlets and we will pretty much be done with that room. Although we will need to find a rug for the room.

This is some of the sweet corn Wanda and Mark brought for us a week ago. We ate some that day and the rest we vacuum sealed and put in the freezer.
This is Doug's smashed finger.
Ouch!!
What a fun finger to injure, don't you think?

Saturday Update

I had two free meals yesterday. The first was in Green Square Park. It was put on by Alliant and the downtown ass_ _ _ _ _. I had a grilled chicken sandwich, pasta salad, pickle, watermellon, brownie and a Dew. I second was paid for by our site manager. It was Chinese from some place I never heard of, I don't even remember the name. I had Mongolian beef with fried rice. There weren't any vegetables in the rice and there were more onions than beef.

Starting Monday I will be tracking the steps I take each day through the 10000 Staep a Day challenge through our Cigna health plan. I could win an Ipod. We received our pedometers yesterday at work. It is very nice with a compass that you press to open the cover that has the settings buttons inside. I enter my weight and stride length and it keeps track of my steps. The steps will be logged at a Cigna web site and I am supposed to be able to calculate how may steps I need to take each day to maintain my present weight or to loss weight.

Last night I took a 45 minute walk in the downtown area around the library and over to Walgreens. I was only able to take a total of 6868 steps yesterday. Although I think I need to figure out exactly were to wear it to make it work best. Some times I walk clear across the house and it only records 2 steps. Oh well, I have until Monday to try and figure it out.

Last night Bobo paid us a surprise visit. She called after 9:30 to tell Doug she was in town at Katie's and she wanted to stay the night at our house. It's too bad it is so hot and muggy right now. We had to block off the day kitchen area and let her sleep on the couch because her room was too hot.

Friday Update

Friday at last! I have one more full week and then one full week of vacation while Elaine and John are here.

Wednesday when we got to the office and the main elevator was shut off and no one had gotten there to unlock the door coming from the freight elevator or the door in the stair well. We were unable to find someone to unlock the doors and turn on the elevator until after 8. Needless to say, we got a late start answering the phones that day. Yesterday was pretty uneventful. Except I did get quite a few angrier than normal customers. I noticed they were all from southern states, hmmm.

It is also very cold at work. This is because right now we have no way of regulating the air conditioner. It stay about 64 all of the time. Very cold for me, but I know Doug would love it. My hands stay pretty numb all day.

We have been mostly watching the Olympics all week. I wish they would quit focusing so much on volley ball. Also, the US track team has been pretty disappointing.

I hope everyone has a good Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Have a great day at school Thomas and Diedre!

Wednesday Update

Yesterday was an interesting day at work. The elevator worked when I first got there in the morning. However, by first break you could only use the stairs and the elevator never started for the rest of the day. It is just as well, because even with the carpeting and wall covering pulled out it still smells really bad.

It took us until about 8:30 to get our IP phones working. Good news though, they originally told us our old phones would never be brought back because Armstrong Centre was switching to a new server and our company did not want the expense of switching our phone system. Armstrong Centre informed us yesterday that they are not getting the new server after all. We even found out we could log into the old phones, however not all of the functions are working.

I have to use the laptop for my main phone for now and the desktop for my other work. However, I can use both for whatever I want. So it is nice to have two computers to work from.

Tuesday Update

Today we start working back at the office. They have not opened the sky walk yet. And I guess only one of the elevators in our building is working. This makes me a little bit nervous, because before the flood every now and then one of the elevators would not work. And it wasn't always the same one. I am going to miss working from home because I won't be able to dress in my shorts and a Tool t-shirt any longer. Back to the dress code.

Monday Update

This weekend went by way too fast. It looks like this might be my last day working from home. Yesterday the gazette had an article that said some Armstrong Centre tenants will be moving back in Monday or Tuesday. I wonder if Art Mart will be coming back? Not this week because they were on the 1st floor, but some time.

We had lots of good food yesterday for Soup Sunday. Hot dogs, brats, hamburgers, chili, cole slaw, broccoli-tomato salad, creamy cucumbers, sweet corn (fresh from the Jordan field), chips and salsa. And for dessert we had a cheese cake that Jamie brought. Everyone stayed around until a little after 8 and then we bagged up the corn Wanda and Mark brought to us. We already had it blanched from when we cooked supper. We left it on the cob and vacuum sealed it.

Well that is all today. Have to take out the trash you know.

Sunday Update

Yesterday was a productive day. In the AM I spent about an hour and a half fertilizing and weeding the garden. I also mowed along the side of the garage and the back yard. The weed killer Johnny sprayed has killed most of the crab grass. Next year in early Spring we will have to put down grass seed.

Yesterday afternoon was a little more relaxed. I had lunch and did some reading. I also figured out the next 2 weeks menus and wrote the grocery list. Around 4 I went to the store. This was the first time since Monday that I had gone anywhere outside; other than the yard. I guess that is the only down side of working from home. I can live with that though, because it is so much more peaceful working from home.

I am finally going to post those pictures of Thomas & Diedre's house that I promised.

What a nice house.
What, two garages?
I'm so proud of both of you!!
Tired and happy movers.

Nice view from the back yard.

Stray cats that the neighbor lady takes care of.
The high school and it's wondeful wind turbine.
The first good harvest from our garden. Looks good doesn't it!

Saturday Update

I don't have much today. I will still be working from home on Monday. They are putting some pipes in the ceiling at work. I'm not sure what I will be doing this weekend. I do know I need to finish mowing the yard. I only got to the front yard so far. We are starting to get ripe tomatoes and I will be picking green beans soon.

Wednesday Update

Yesterday I worked from home. It was very relaxing. I did not have to hear the back and forth bickering of my co-workers. Mao also did not bother me like I thought he might. Talking into the headset must have made me look crazy to him. Working from home must have worn me out. I was very sleepy from about 7:30 on last night. I could barely stay awake to watch the Olympics. I did get to see Phelps win a gold medal. His Mom was very excited.

It is just a few days away from Thomas and Diedre beginning their teaching careers and I am very excited.

Monday Update

I'm back!!!

Mediacom brought us a different modem today. So far we have internet. But, as always that could change. Tomorrow and Wednesday I will be working from home. Highway Equipment needs their conference room for a sales conference. We still don't know when we get to go back to the office downtown. If the internet holds up at home, I might be given permission to work from home until we go back downtown. I hope that will happen so I don't have to drive so far.

Tonight is the 2 hour season finally for The Mole. I still think Craig is the Mole. I will probably be wrong though. It is so hard to pick the mole.

I'm excited for Thomas and Diedre; their first day of teaching will be this Friday. That is all for now. I might post more in the morning.

Tuesday Update

The weekend was very busy. It was also a very good weekend. I love Thomas and Diedre's new house. The kitchen and family room are a toss-up for my favorite room. We took pictures which I will post at a later time. I still don't know how to get them from the camera to the computer.

Small towns are so great. There is a small theatre with one showing a day at 7:00, they were showing Walle. The court house building is very beautiful. My favorite has to be the Aloha Fountain. It even has a real soda fountain. It reminds me of my childhood. Thomas also met one of his future students working there.

The local motel was cutting corners a bit too much. The air conditioner was not quite big enough to cool the room and the over head fan did not work. They also had unplugged the refrigerator and did not bother to let us know. We actually had to stop at Pamida to buy a fan to circulate the air in the room. It did help to cool the room.

Thomas and Diedre are settling in to small town living nicely. They are being given fresh vegetables on pretty much a daily basis. They especially enjoy the sweet corn. They are already planning their garden for next year. It sounds pretty impressive.

On Sunday we went to Justin and Jamie's new house. Also very impressive. I'm not sure how to describe it. There a lot of rooms, a nice bar in the basement and a huge back yard. I love the huge willow tree.

That is all for today's update. Have a great day and stay cool everyone.

Thursday Update

Yeah, this is my Friday. I have tomorrow off to go up to Eldora and help Thomas and Diedre with their new home. I can't wait to see the house. I just hope we will get some alone time with Thomas. I love small towns and it will be nice to get away for a day and also see what Eldora looks like. Yesterday Doug bought a new bed for Thomas and Diedre. Tonight Mark and Wanda are going to help us haul it home. After that we are all going out to eat.

Today is the last day we can work from Mt Mercy. We still have not found an alternate location and it looks like we won't be able to go back downtown until the 18th. They are looking at Highway Equipment out by the airport and if that doesn't work out a place in North Liberty. I'm not too thrilled about either place.

Sunday Update

I am sore today because yesterday I trimmed the evergreens out front and also cleaned the gutters. Up and down the ladder too many times. Today I need to fertilize the garden and do some clean up in the basement. I'm not looking forward to cleaning the basement. But, it needs to be done. Mao has been very confused ever since Tommy brought some of his things up from the basement. Every night before going to bed, he has to take me to look in both rooms at the boxes. What a silly little cat.

Thursday Update

Tommy is coming home today. I can't wait to see him. The only boxes I have are rather big and his books that I have been packing are very heavy. I hope he doesn't mind too much.

It looks like our next temporary work place will be on the edge of Marion at Involta. It is off of Hwy 13 a few miles north of Walmart. Those of us living in Marion are happy about it. The rest of my co-workers have been complaining so much that our supervisor had to send an email stating there would be no more complaining as the move was not going to be for that long.

Tuesday Update

Chloe paid us a visit yesterday afternoon and stayed the night. I'm so glad I was able to see her for a little bit. We didn't do much last night. Salad with chicken strips for supper. After supper I washed dishes. Then at 9 we watched The Mole. I think Craig is the Mole. Hopefully it won't rain today and the temp stays down, because I need to mow the lawn. It was just too hot this past weekend. Random thoughts coming out again. That is all.

Monday Update

It was a very good weekend, although too short as usual. It also rained too much and now we have water in the basement again....

Friday night we watched a movie "in Bruges". I really enjoyed it. Saturday morning I planted some flowers I bought at the Hy Vee garden center. They were marking down everything during the last week of the garden center. I bought some wave petunias and two different colors of small carnations (yellow and pink).

Saturday afternoon I went over to my Dad's to get the boxes for Thomas and Diedre. It took three hours, because everything with my Dad takes forever. He wasn't sure what he wanted to unpack and he left a lot packed. Mostly because Elsa has way more ugly pillows, blankets and sheets than the two of them will ever need. What took the most time was getting rid of all the bubble wrap, paper and styrofoam peanuts that was inside every box.

Sunday was great because Thomas and Diedre came over at about 2:30 and stayed for supper. The Mongolian beef turned out very well. It was way too hot outside, so we ended up cooking everything inside. Diedre also enjoyed the key lime pie. We had a good group; Doug, myself, Thomas Diedre, Jamie, Hunter and Johnny. Mark and Wanda didn't get back from Florida until around 7:30, so they did not show up. Everyone was gone by 8, so the rest of the night was pretty quiet. It was a good thing, because Doug was not feeling too well again. He relaxed and I washed all the dished from supper.

The rain just never stops this year. It is raining again right now. I hope it is done before I have to take the trash out. Well that is all for this update. Have a wonderful Monday everyone.

Saturday Update

Not much going on here. Yesterday Doug gave me a scare. I called at lunch as usual and he told me his back was really hurting. He was lying on the floor trying to find a comfortable position. Later when I called back he said he had passed kidney stones and his back was better. Although he did have a restless night and I think he my not be finished passing the stones. I hope he gets back to feeling better soon.

This afternoon I will be going over to my Dad's to help unpack more of their boxes from the move over a year ago. The empty boxes will go to Thomas and Diedre for their move. Fun times.

This morning I fed Mao and went back to bed. A little while later he was meowing like crazy. When I finally got up again, I went to the basement and found out what he was trying to tell us. There was water in the basement again and he would have gotten his feet wet on the way to his litter box. He was very relieved when I moved it to the landing.

Friday Update

Yeah, it's Friday!! Happy three day weekend Thomas!

I don't have much to update about. It rained very hard for a while last night. I had started watering Wanda's garden before I found out it was going to rain. At least I didn't have to water mine. By the time I got home I had received a warning from Thomas about the rain, plus the sky was looking very ugly.

Other than going to work, this has been a very lazy week for me. With the central air broken you don't really feel like doing much. I do have to contact my Dad to get some more moving boxes for Diedre and Thomas. If he hasn't already cleaned his gutters, I will probably be asked to help with that. Plus, I will probably have to help unpack some of the boxes he has in the basement. Sounds like fun doesn't it.

Monday Update

The birthday party was a huge success. Lots of Chloe's friends showed up. Jamie, Justin, Johnny and Hunter also showed up. Almost everyone ate the turkey burgers, which really surprised me. I think they were surprised how much they liked them as well. After eating, everyone watched Chloe open her birthday gifts. Chloe was very excited and happy with everything. Then we sat on the patio and talked until dark. We had a fire and Ross brought the makings for S'mores. We ended up talking on the patio until almost midnight. I was so glad I did not have to go to work today. Chloe said it was her best birthday ever.

Happy 20th Bobo!!

Saturday Update

I can't wait to give Chloe her birthday gifts. I think she is going to love them. I wrapped all but one gift yesterday. We are still waiting on something for the main gift. Hopefully it will come today. Otherwise we will have to wrap it anyway and give that part later.

This morning I am cleaning Thumper's tank so I can start using the new filter we bought for him. I hope it helps keep the tank clean. I wanted a canister filter, but they are just too expensive. This one will go inside the tank and work in as little as 2 inches of water.

If the weather permits I will try the new mower and see how I like it. Funny thing is we probably did not need to buy it, because after we got home from Sears Doug figured out what was wrong with the old one. Oh well, Tommy and Diedre needed a mower anyway. Now if we could just get the air conditioner guy over here to take a look at our air conditioner we would be doing well. Hope it doesn't get too hot and humid today. Chloe might have to sleep on a couch in the cooler part of the house.

Friday Update

I have a 4 day weekend in honor of Bobo's 20th birthday weekend. I still need to get wrapping paper to wrap the gifts. Too bad it is so hot. I have things I would like to be doing out side. We are going to take the mower in to Sears this afternoon to see if they will fix it since it is a Craftsman. It would be nice to have it running good again. Or better yet to get a new one.

Sunday Update

This has been a very quick 3 day weekend. Friday I weeded the garden and we had some excellent stuffed chicken grillers. Then we went to the Jordan family reunion to shoot off fireworks. It was fun. Yesterday I was lazy all morning. In the afternoon I went to Sam's and Walmart. I then went over to visit with my Dad and Ilse for a while. I told Doug they really need to come up with some new stories. After I left their house, I went to Hy Vee Drug and bought 4 plans for $0.27. I planted the green stripe tomato and tomatillos in the garden. I still have 2 pansies that I need to find someplace to plant. Today I plan to mow the yard. Exciting!

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!

Thursday Update

Yesterday at work I was getting ready to leave and it started to down pour, so I thought I will wait a little bit before I leave. Then while I was waiting the sirens went off. They never actually told us what to do in this case, except go to the tunnels. We were never told where the tunnels were. I thought well I can just go to the ground floor hallway. When I got downstairs the rain had let up and a bunch of women were trying to figure out what to do, they were not told what to do either. I decided to just go after talking with Doug. Not much chance of a tornado hitting Mt Mercy anyway.

Today we get to leave at 3:00 for the holiday, yeah! I hope today goes fast. Not sure what we are doing for the 4th. Not many people will be around. Everyone is either working or has other plans.

Monday Update

This weekend went very fast. Yesterday was fun though. We celebrated Deb and Matt's birthdays. Deb brought her sister Katie and her sister's new baby, Levi, along. Hunter also showed up again. I guess he likes the food and conversation. The riblets were excellent and so was all the other food. After eating and talking for a while we went outside and had a fire in the pit.

This will be a short work week due to the 4th on Friday. With the strange weather and the recent flooding, it just doesn't seem like it should be the 4th already. This week and part of next, I will be in charge of picking up the mail for my company. That means an extended lunch for me. I have to drive from Mt Mercy to the Hy Vee Drug on Mt Vernon Rd. I had to ask Doug to make a business card for me to use when picking up the mail. He did a very nice job on it and I think it looks better than the one my supervisor has.

That's all I have for now. Have a good week everyone.

Sunday Update

The internet is working just fine for me know. Yeah!!

I slept in this morning until almost 8. Guess I was tired from all the OT last week and then going out with Mark & Wanda last night. The food at Hamburger Mary's is very good and you get a lot for the money. Who knew you would get such a big plate of Chili Cheese Fries for $2.99. And they said Mary's Handbag was just a little sampler. Sorry, that was a meal for two. Fried Twinkies are not my favorite, but the raspberry sauce was very good. It was fun watching Gayla perform on stage.

Today we celebrate Matt's 18th birthday. That means I need to get going. I am making the birthday cake and potato salad. I am just glad the weather will be cool for the next few days. With the air conditioner broken, it may have gotten rather hot in here with the oven on.

Friday Update

It figures, my only way into College is having my work relocated to one. I like the room we are in, however, the Internet phone is not ideal. It is hard to hear most callers and sometimes they have trouble hearing me. Most people are understanding that we are not running 100%. Others don't care if we were flooded and get very verbal about it. So, it is business as usual.

The cable man came to fix our connection problems to the internet yesterday. He gave us a new modem and it was working faster than ever. Just my luck I connected just long enough to login to hotmail and my blog and then the connection failed. It says connected, but pages won't load and it keeps saying connection was reset. I'm not as impressed as Doug was yesterday. Aaargh.