Julie Barrett is a freelance writer and photographer based in Plano, TX.

...but I can't get out of the fire!

Fresh when it gets here from Julie Barrett
Tuesday, July 18, 2006


Oh, it is hot. How hot was it? Our indoor thermometer showed 110F outdoors, but by the time I got the camera into the living room it had dropped a degree:

heat_071806

Not the best picture, but at least someone looks serene in the heat! Yes, 82 was the indoor temperature. It's just too hot for the A/C to keep up. It does a pretty good job of cooling down the place once the sun has set, but being July that won't be for another two and a half hours from now.

This morning I went down into Dallas to visit a relative in the hospital. It's a long story that I'm not even going to go into. Let's just say the relative is improving, although rather slowly. This is the same relative that I take to the doctor every two weeks. I ended up going back to her place for her mail and other items. Between that and other business I had to do for her, I ended up losing a good chunk of the day. But that's the way it goes.

I did, however, get a shock when I looked at the whiteboard at the nurse's station. I saw the last name of a dear friend. I should mention that this friend has an unusual last name and there are probably less than ten people in the area with this last name. I walked down the hall with the intention of peeking into the room, but the door was closed. After I left I stopped to call my friend. "This is going to sound really strange," I said, "but just tell me you're not in the hospital." The friend was at work so all is well on that front.

Between running down into Dallas and the con and some research I was doing last night, I am dead tired. I did, however, manage to clean my desk. And here is the evidence:

desk_071806

Of course, Abby promptly arrived to claim her territory. I think I'll save that shot for Feline Friday, unless I find something better.

We got the first car insurance bill today. If the heat wasn't enough to make me faint, this is. Of course, I've already paid the bill for the upcoming month, so I have to go down and pay another largish bill that takes care of Chris' part of the insurance from Friday until the billing date, plus the next month in advance. Oh, the joys of teenagers.

Speaking of joys, I was ready to do Chris some harm this morning. I know he went to bed late last night, because I was up even later doing some research. When I left this morning I popped my head in the door to let him know I was leaving and to tell him that he didn't have to get out of bed yet. That was around 10 this morning. I called at 12:30 and got no answer. Okay, maybe he'd walked down to the 7-11 to grab some food. (I'd planned to be back home with food by 1, but things went bonkers.) I called his cell phone and got the answering machine. I finished my business at the hospital and called again at 1. Nothing. I kept calling one number or the other every five minutes on the way home. I figured he was probably playing games and had the headphones on, but I'm a mom. Worrying is part of the job description. I walked home to a dark house. I found him still in bed. The constant ringing of both the landline and the cell phone had failed to wake him up. Ladies and gentlemen, I have a teenager.

The pictures here are instead of a picture for today. It's almost time for House and I'm going to go attempt to chill out for the rest of the evening. "Attempt" is the operative word. It's still 103F outdoors.

Stay cool wherever you are!

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deslily said:
ah yes... male teenagers, I remember it well. (I had two) I can honestly say that I don't envy you those years!! Now that he will be driving stress will become your middle name. Just more to add to what you already have! (oh hooray!)
Date: 7/19/2006 8:36:31 AM Date: 7/19/2006 8:36:31 AM

Gravatar
deslily said:
ah yes... male teenagers, I remember it well. (I had two) I can honestly say that I don't envy you those years!! Now that he will be driving stress will become your middle name. Just more to add to what you already have! (oh hooray!)
Date: 7/19/2006 8:36:31 AM Date: 7/19/2006 8:36:31 AM





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