An exciting few days around here...some of the excitement I could have done without! Friday afternoon, I went to Dad's to play computer doc/goddess again. He came 5 minutes after I got there, that's ok...we chatted, watched the cattle get moved to a new pasture then he went back to work. Gone 5 minutes and it gets BLACK out, almost like midnight. Storms do not faze me, never have until now. I am amazed by the beauty of the changing skies, the lightening shows and the sound of thunder, even as a small girl. I would beg Dad to let me sit with him on the front porch to watch the storms. Call me dare-shedevil. Back to Friday. I'm almost done tinkering with the computer, have the filing done and am thinking about calling it a day when the power goes off for about 2 minutes and comes right back on. Ok, this is the cue to hurry up and hit the road because I'm sure the storm is worse at home, right? Just as I'm finishing up, lightening struck either the phone box or the small barn across the drive...I say one thing, Tony(neigbhor man/Dad's landlord) says another. Either way, the phone makes this weird noise and goes dead, the computer screen looks funny to me. So I dash around looking for flames or smoke, never finding any and never really smelling anything odd. I shut EVERYTHING off, something Dad never, ever does, leave him a note briefly explaining the events and then I dash off to my truck. Drive home shaking like an alcoholic going through the DT's, on the old road, leaves down everywhere, terrifying lightening and just these oppressingly dark clouds that do not seem to move. The closer I get to town, the worse the rain seems and more leaves/branches down everywhere. Today, Dad finally got the phones rewired...he called to make sure I am ok and to let me know that not only did the phone lines get BURNT in 3 places(completely severed), the TV has a funny spot on it but is watchable and his shop 'boombox' literally EXPLODED from this whatever. Our office surge protector/power strip, they took it apart and found that it was just ashes inside. YIKES!

Saturday was Liz's baby shower. Just a few close family members and friends at Aunt Becky and Uncle Tom's house. The girls were delighted to see Uncle Mike, as well as the aunts. Liz isn't really huge, but she is ALL baby. Says it's going to be a hurdler like Kurt because it kicks constantly. Hate to tell her, but that really means she'll never sit still again until the kid's in kindergarten!!

Tomato plants seem to be enjoying living in the ground...4 blossoms on 2 plants so far. Gave them 'magic water' as E calls it tonight(miracle grow for tomatoes). Can't wait to eat them!!

Have almost finished a white baby sweater by hand...first time I've really knit something with a stitch pattern throughout. Turning out nicely except I do not like how the shoulders look once stitched together. Have done it twice and cannot come up with something I deem suitable..so may be given as a gift with a rounded collar dress to hide some of it.

Another late night...lots to do tomorrow, of course.

Another mostly wet, stormy week. Never did get the garden spot dug up, so just ended up digging the holes for tomato plants tonight and planting them. Then T asked if we needed to plant more tomatoes and where were the pepper plants? I swear...men are good only for a few things, one of which can't be mentioned here(and that ain't important really anyhow!)....killing critters, digging holes and vehicle maintenance...that's it! He did manage to 'rescue' us from a wayward bird that found it's way into the second story this afternoon. So maybe 2 outta 3 ain't bad, as Meatloaf used to say.

Mowed for Aunt Nan again today. Her yard alone is enough to keep anyone busy and it's smaller than ours! She brought over pizza for dinner, saving me from having to cook and making the kids very happy.

Spent some time out at Dad's on Tuesday, playing computer doctor again and working on this year's paperwork. Still have mountains to do and it will continue to grow. Hoping to go out tomorrow and get started on some of it...between the filing and the spreadsheets, I will be busy. Not complaining though...means a lot to me that he trusts me enough to do it all. Doubt that Julie's seen even a peek of this since her asshole ex worked for Dad and he had her do it one year, and not to the extend I do.

Finished America's Women and was rather let down by the last few chapters. After such great, indepth detail about the early colonist women through the early 1900's, I really expected to read more about the whole women's lib movement but they barely touched on women after about 1940. Don't really have anything new lined up to read since there's so much outside work and since I've got baby gifts to make.

Speaking of which...I'd better get busy on some now.

Time has been getting away from me the past few weeks. First all the yard work, then the knitting machine needed a new sponge bar and wouldn't ya know it...I bent about 10 needles before I realized I had not put the new one in properly. So I'm stuck working on smaller projects(no afghans) until I can order new needles...I moved the bent ones to the far end, but still.

The kids and I have planted 120 flowers(annuals) around the house and existing beds. Whew! They'll look nice when they 'plump' up. Made our own flower boxes, hanging baskets and pots for the porches...not as many as I wanted, but had to stop spending money on them and move on with other things. The garden spot is to be dug up tomorrow, weather permitting. Stevie's coming with his backhoe to dig up old,nasty hedges along the east property line and said he'd dig it up for me. Have several tomato plants ready to plant, green bean and corn seeds along with things I hope have decided to start in the starter flats. Praying we have a great harvest and that I can keep up with it all.

Still reading America's Women...overdue but I'll pay the fines and finish the book. I hate that I forget to renew them online then it's too late...can't do it unless I GO into the library. Such a pain sometimes.

Well, guess I'll try some more booties on the machine. 2 pairs today...finally think I've figured out how to close up the holes when I'm done short-rowing. We'll see with pair #3.

Grocery day at last! Did really well...bought enough hamburg for the month, along with some steaks(one meal), smoked sausage links for the grill, chicken nuggets and the usual stuff...$109.75. Still have to get Cheerios, sugar, flour and vegatiarian hamburg crumbles for J, but that's ok.

SUNNY...high near 80, I think, and very humid. Supposed to rain all day tomorrow....first day of Sandlot Soccer, so of course it will just pour down. R is looking forward to it, so will try to act excited for her. I just don't get soccer...never did. Oh well.

Got 4 sweater/hat sets DONE today....some babies will be warm this winter, I hope. Wanted to work on more tonight but am just bushed and we still have paper routes to do at midnight. Is it vacation time yet?

E crashed early tonight after all day outside with P(next door). It was all she could do to get a bath....2 minutes and she was done. Fell asleep as soon as I helped her with her jammies. Hope she sleeps ALL night and wakes up happy in the AM. Promised time on PollyPocket if it rains.