It's August Already! Aug 1-7

August 1, Monday 8:02 AM, power went out in the park. Not a day to be without my A/C! Something must have happened out on Hwy 30. Lots of sirens roaring down the highway and the electric company pole/basket truck just barreled down Shady Oaks Road to Hwy 30. Later found out it was due to an accident -- local teen was killed when his pickup met a semi head on.

While the power was off, I went to WalMart to get my Rx and a few odds and ends. Cost me $38+ for my test strips 'cuz Medicare won't pay on a transfer Rx or some other crap - well, they pay on my other meds - guess it's just a diabetic thing. Pharmacist says to get the doc to write an Rx to carry with me. If I’d been quicker on my feet and my brain cells had been working full-speed, I’d have called my sister to see if her doc would have written an Rx for them. Oh, well, will try to remember the next time if it happens.

Stopped in at the local florist and give her my new credit card number since the one she had was the one that was "hijacked!" I like having the card on file with her. Makes it lots easier to get what I want rather than to go thru an on-line florist – and this is a lot cheaper, too! While there I ordered some flowers for delivery to the school for my sister. She was in the middle of registration and the A/C in the building was minimal if it existed or worked at all! Told the florist I wanted something "Bubbly and cool, it registration, you know!" Guess she handled it OK! My sister seemed pleased.

Tuesday was Jim's one year post-surgical anniversary – time to celebrate! Wednesday Bea and I go to That Place with Jim and Kathy! Good food, good friends, fun time!

Definitely needed a new camera. I managed to get my pictures off last Sunday but it gave me nothing but trouble all day. Now, I can't even get it to open so I can delete the pics and get it ready for my next adventure. I only mess around with something for so long before it gets pitched! Techno-junky, I’m not!

Went on line and found I the same camera (only several years improved) for about $70. Off to WalMart I went, for the second time in one week! The camera came in black, blue and pink – guess which was the only color they had left!

Spent most of the afternoon trying to read the instructions. The English version was mingled with the French, Spanish, Japanese, and German! It's not even a booklet - just one of those thin papers folded a zillion times printed on both sides! At least there was a manual on the disc with the software. So I printed out 44 pages! Bet let it be known, this will not, in any way, improve my picture-taking ability!

After two days of registration without air conditioning and with screaming kids (why do parents take their kids to registration with them when they know they will be setting filling out paperwork!) Bea had planned on going home to crash. But, off to Culvers for a sandwich. And I wonder why I always have plenty of leftovers! I thought I’d ‘be on my own’ Monday and Tuesday because of her stuff at school – so I fixed food and planned ahead. Then we end up eating out!

Wednesday I could use my Verizon stuff again! My billing cycle ends on the 2nd of the month. Since I just changed plans a month ago, I was really curious to see how they worked and would the plan really save me money. This month I managed to stay under the limit on both phone and internet so now I can see what the REAL bill is going to be! It did, however take some maneuvering and monitoring. I would periodically check the Verizon website for my usage. By the last week, I was on the computer less and less and definitely not opening or downloading any large files! I use my cell phone more since I talk to my sister every day while up here; we have to plan our go-see-do trips and our eating out excursions! Fortunately, I still had minutes on the Tracfone I’d picked up awhile back when I was “out of service area” for Verizon.

Nice outside in the AM - windows open and the A/C off. Enjoyed having my coffee outside with Li'lBit! When I got ready to come in, she wasn't ready, so left her out on her leash for awhile. She has a spot under the trailer. Probably cool laying there on the gravel in the shade. She has pushed the gravel aside and has a little ‘belly patch” in the dirt.

The "garden fairy" left me some yummy gifts from the garden last nite. I haven't seen Liz for awhile and I really need to thank her! I'm sure she is my 'garden fairy!" On my table in the morning were tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, a pepper. Love my ‘Garden Fairy!”

Busied myself reading about some of the old routes/trails in Iowa - quite a few here in central Iowa so I told Bea I already have my list of routes to travel next summer! I sure enjoyed my journey down the White Pole Road, just wished I'd known so much was closed on Mondays (cafes, diners, etc). May even try a few wineries or breweries tours next summer.

By Thursday, Bea and I were the proud owners of two Groupon coupons - one for IowaStater in Ames and the other for Okoboji Grill in Ankeny. Yummy! Just what we need - more free food! I have no idea how I started getting Groupons for the Des Moines area, but there have been several that Bea and I could use.

Friday we decided to head over to Ames and have lunch at the IowaStater (Yes, it is all one word!) restaurant in the Gateway Hotel, according to their ad, “A casual dining restaurant featuring comfort food with flair.” Not the price range we usually look for when having lunch, but I had my $20 Groupon Coupon. Nice lunch, super waitress (however, I thought if she said “certainly” or “absolutely” one more time I might lose my lunch!) We both had sandwiches (almost enough for two meals.) I substituted the soup of the day, seafood bisque, for the salad or fries. Nice red cabbage slaw. Beautiful presentation. Definitely no room for dessert and I wish I had asked for a doggie bag instead of setting there and pigging out on the whole thing! Glad we went; probably won’t go again (unless we have the coupon!) With the coupon, our meal only cost $4.60 plus tip. I sure can’t complain!

Up early Saturday to go shopping and take Li’lBit for a ride. She loves to ride but it has been too hot to have her in the truck. Just needed a few things, but important things – tooth paste, ice tea, cat food. Thought it was going to be unbearably humid and sticky in the afternoon, but wasn’t too bad. Did have a breeze so I fired up the grill, cooked several brats and some beef I had on hand. Now I have plenty in the freezer in case it gets too hot to cook again! Already has that grilled flavor!

Sunday’s Brunch with Bea was so appropriate for this Sunday since August 7th is “Sister’s Day!” Coupons about to expire at Perkins, so off we went! Had one of their ‘Awesome Omelets,” of course it came with pancakes – one or the other would have been fine both were a little heavy and too much! Then off to the drive-thru car wash for the high-point of the day! Nothing more exciting than the drive thru car wash! Back home for a pleasant day outside with Li’lBit!

Reading the Sunday paper, I came across a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier:
“Blessings on thee, little man,
Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!
With thy turned-up pantaloons,
And thy merry whistled tunes;
With thy red lip, redder still
Kissed by strawberries on the hill; ...”
Reminded me of my new little friend that lives in the bean field across the way – occasionally I will see him on a sunny late afternoon.