Crimping my style

When you take away "outside activities" due to the extreme heat, there really isn't that much to do here on a weekend.  We're really scratching our heads looking for things to do that don't cost a fortune.  Next weekend we're going back to the lake, but that's next weekend.  The pool water is too hot to get in and cool off, so that's a non-starter.  I can't even take the dog for a walk because the dog refuses to go outside.


We've walked around the mall for a while, walked around Ikea for a while, had a coffee and a read at Starbucks, gone to the bookstore, gone to REI and Sports Authority....  I saw a friend of mine at Ikea yesterday and he said he and his spousal unit were also there walking around for something to do indoors.


We're going back to Starbucks later this morning, and to Fuzzy's Taco Shop this evening, but other than that I've got nuthin'.  We're thinking about a movie, but nothing looks that appealing. A museum visit was mentioned, but....zzzzzzzzz.  The indoor gun range?  K doesn't have a membership, and it would cost a fortune to sign her up for what I know would be a one-time visit.  A sports bar?  To watch what?   Baseball or soccer?  Snoozer!  Football will be here in a month....if I can last that long.


Somebody help me out here.


S

From the mouth of babes....

Little Johnny attended a horse auction with his father.  He watched as his father moved from horse to horse, running his hands up and down the horse's legs, rump, and chest.   After a few minutes Johnny asked, "Dad, why are you doing that?"


His father replied, "Because when I'm buying horses I have to make sure they are healthy and in good shape before I buy.  This is how I check."


Johnny, looking worried, said, "Dad, I think the UPS guy wants to buy mom."


*Ouch*  :)


S

This is NOT funny!

Today is likely the day that we'll begin to see planned rolling brownouts across Texas.  Unlike other areas of the country that have regional electric production/distribution systems that can shift power from one side of the grid to another in an emergency, Texas is so large it has it's own intra-state system.  And the whole damn state is HOT!


I walked the dog last night at 9 pm and it was still 104.  This morning at 6 am it was 88.  We've set all-time record high low (overnight) temperatures, too.  


We've also been setting electric consumption records (68,000 mega(?) watts) and we've been asked to use as little as possible.  Don't wash clothes in the afternoon when it's the hottest, don't use your ovens or cooktops, turn off lights, etc.  They've even brought back on-line several old mothballed electric generation plants, but it apparently isn't enough.  Now they're gonna turn off our air conditioners through rolling brownouts.


What?  No air conditioning?  OH, THE HORROR!


Somebody tell me again why I'm supposed to love summer?  I'm not feelin' it.


Whatever I did wrong, God, I'm sorry!  Pleeeeeeze.......


S

"Would you like fries with that, sir?"

I read an online article yesterday about people nearing retirement who are finding their world turned upside down because of their homes.  They had assumed they would retire, sell their homes and use the money for a leisurely retirement, maybe do some traveling, etc.  Those plans are now out the window for many of them.


Because of the financial mess we're now in they either can't sell their homes because of slack demand, competition from millions of super-cheap foreclosures, or because they owe more than their house is worth, or all three.  They're stuck with homes they often don't need any longer or can't afford because their scaled back retirement won't cover their mortgage.  They're screwed!


I'm SO lucky to have seen this coming in time for us to sell our home, make a decent profit, and preserve the opportunity for a modest retirement.  At least we have options, something those people mentioned in the article I read don't.


The sad irony is those crooks that masterminded and profited from the phony financial bubble and their paid political enablers are still living the high life, while millions of good (but naive) middle-class people are going to have to develop a taste for hamburger helper.  Or maybe just "helper".


S

Conflicted...with UPDATE

I take Emma Belle out every morning around 6 for a walk and have noticed it is now just barely light at that hour.  The days are getting noticeably shorter.  I like this.  While most people want it to be light as long as possible, I actually enjoy the evening / nighttime.  


My feeble little mind thinks of daylight as "work time" and darkness as "my time".  (Obviously I've never worked a night job.)  Often times when the sun sets I can feel the muscles in my neck relax.  Conversely when I'm driving to work I can feel them tighten up, ready to get the work day started.  The summer solstice is not an especially happy time for me.


I've been debating doing this for several days now, but today I'm going to contact our neighborhood police store front about a situation with a dog that concerns me.  I pass an apartment every day 3 or 4 times as I walk Emma, and there is a dog inside.  Trouble is, there is NEVER any sign of human life there.  No lights, window blinds are drawn, etc.  I assume the dog has a/c, but I have doubts about it having food or water.  I say that because a week ago the dog would bark and bark and bark when we walked by.  This morning it just barked once.  Is it weak?  I would hate to have it on my conscience that an animal starved to death because I didn't do anything, yet I hate being a nanny neighbor.  Conflicted....


S


UPDATE:  I called the police non-emergency number and reported my concern, and an officer checked and called me back to report a dog inside, but no obvious signs of distress.  Still, he said he would give our neighborhood officer the info and he will keep a close eye on the situation.  I feel better.

"I have a dream!"

It's now official...sort of.  K and I will eventually be moving from Dallas to somewhere else, probably in Colorado.  I've been telling her for years how wonderful the mountains are but I don't think it soaked in.  Until now all she's known are the "flatlands" or the beach (California, Virginia, or Texas).  Last month when we went to Aspen she realized I was right. 


Our goal now is to work here a while longer, pay off everything we owe, I'll retire and she'll pursue an advanced certification in her HR field, which should open many doors for her and increase her professional portability.  Then we're outta here.  When we get "there" I'll work a bit to keep busy and for a few extra bucks, and we can live modestly but quite comfortably.  We want off the rat-race treadmill.  


On our next vacation we'll go back there and do some earnest scouting for places to live, site-specific cost-of-living numbers, employment opportunities, etc.  I honestly think it's do-able.


Meanwhile work is waiting.  Gotta go chase that dream.  :)


S

Hell in real time...+ EDIT

I'm not freakin' believing this:  Our weather forecast for today through next Saturday reads sunny and 107, 109, 109, 107, 107, and 106 respectively.  And this is just August 1.  We still have at least 6 more weeks of this.


Dallas must have the best Chamber of Commerce EVER to be able to talk people into moving here.  Personally I'm keeping my eye on Ft. Collins, Colorado.  Winters aren't too cold, summers aren't too hot.... :)


S


EDIT....It was officially 107 today, a new record high for this date, but on my car thermometer I recorded 115.