August off to a Humid Start

Sunday August 1st was Sister’s Day. A great day for Sunday Brunch with Bea held at Hardee’s this week. While there, she pointed out a bumper sticker on a car in the parking lot -- I drive this way just to piss you off! -- I definitely need one of those for the rear bumper on the RV!!! Going thru major cities, I tend to get a lot of middle-finger salutes!

Monday and Tuesday were School Registration Days for my sister! Monday was her longest day. I guess trying to locate all the kids that should be registering and don’t show up takes up a bunch of time.

Li'lBit and I made a walk to the dumpster to do our part for Iowa recycling and sort out our cans, glass and newspapers, etc., came back in, cranked up the A/C. It isn’t the heat – it’s the damn humidity that sends my lungs into a tizzy fit!

A very good friend of my sister went into surgery first thing in the morning, came out of surgery and was doing fine. Good news!

Life was full of big decisions on Tuesday: should go into town and do laundry or wait until Wednesday to see if the humidity would be lower. Checked the weather radar and there was the skinniest little band of bright red/orange/yellow coming across the state, heading right for Marshalltown! In the meantime, while contemplating my big decisions, I put the King Ranch casserole in the crock pot. Emailed my sister and told her supper was in the crock pot!

Heard from Deryl and Elke, my friends from Rockport TX. They would be arriving at Shady Oaks for a few days sometime Thursday or Friday! I was so excited.

Judy was out spraying for skeeters in the evening -- not sure it does any good -- seems the rain probably washes it all away. AND, I’m sure those darn skeeters just suck in those fumes and the fog is really ‘skeeter steroids!’ These skeeters must have inter-bred with bees! Damn, they can bite!

Wednesday I woke up with a stuffed nose and sinuses thanks to sleeping with the A/C going! I took Li'lBit out, got eaten up with skeeters; came in and spent most of the morning sneezing and coughing! Are We Having Fun, Yet!? I'm sure glad I enjoy reading and have boxes of books in my undercompartments!

Weather radar looked like rain on and off (and some really bright red/orange!) all the way from here to the east coast. I'm sure Deryl & Elke probably wished they had headed SOUTH back to TX instead of heading for I-80 since they will be driving in it all day! And I’m really glad I decided to do laundry on Tuesday and not wait!

Li'l Bit and I went out for a snack - came right back home! Sat here awhile watching the guy in the 5th wheel down the other side of the shower house doing the 'keep away from the skeeters' dance while he was emptying his black water tank. I have to empty mine -- thought I'd go out later to do it - until I saw him -- mine can wait for tomorrow -- supposed to be less humid, maybe the skeeters will be less active.

Thursday was National Underwear Day -- Drop those drawers, take off those tank tops, and show the world your undies! (I didn't make that up - it came with the notice about National Underwear Day!)

Big plans for Thursday --empty kitty litter, take out the trash and empty the black water tank! Sounds like a fun day, huh?? Humidity was down and could actually enjoy having the door and windows open with the vent fan and no A/C!

I found it -- I found it! The back to my phone. Several days ago the phone flipped out of my pocket and went flying in several pieces – phone, back, battery! I found the phone, I found the battery, but where did the back go? I moved stuff, lifted up rugs and swept the floor and still couldn’t find it! My fear was that it flew into the trash and I didn’t know it – tossed out the trash. So I’ve been using my phone, carefully, with the battery held in place with duct tape! Isn’t that what duct tape is for?

When the phone flipped outta my pocket the back flew a little farther away and was in Li'lBit's going outside basket. If the weather hadn't been so damned humid, I'd have found it days ago when I got ready to take Li'lBit outside for the afternoon.

Elke called to say they were running a little late and wouldn’t be in on Thursday.

Patiently, or maybe impatiently, waiting on Friday morning for Deryl & Elke to arrive. Can't wait to see them! I even cleaned the kitty litter for the occasion -- that just shows you how special they are!

Was sooooo nice to see their MH pull in about 1 PM!
My sister took us to That Place in Conrad for supper – Prime Rib!

Saturday we piled in the Bea’s car about mid-morning and headed to the Amana colonies for lunch. Ate at the Ox Yolk Inn. http://www.oxyokeinn.com/ They serve family style – bowls of cottage cheese with chives (which I just love), cole slaw, sauerkraut, mashed tators & gravy and an never ending bread basket. No sense even trying to move after that! But we did, headed off to some of the shops to look around. Of course, I had to get some cinnamon bread and rolls at the bakery.

Sunday Bea and I did breakfast. We were under a ‘heat advisory” – what’s new – with the temps, humidity and dew points where they have been, just another ‘heat advisory!” That afternoon Bea grilled steaks and vegetables. At least we could eat inside with the A/C going!

Deryl & Elke pulled out about noon on Monday. Loved having them here -- wish it could have lasted longer! Elke said she wanted to try out some of the Iowa Casinos on their way back to Rockport. I know they don’t like to be too far from home during hurricane season. Now I have to wait until I get down to Rockport this winter to see them again!

Well, it's official (and not just in my mind!), after the storm that came thru last nite, this is the wettest summer in Iowa since they started recording such things! Oh, I'm soooo glad I have been able to experience this!