A long strange week it's been

Feeling much better this weekend after the water heater problem. On monday the 'restoration guys' came back and took away the gigantic fans and humidifiers that were running non-stop since Friday. Our downstairs was deemed 'dry'; carpet, walls, toilet seat.

Thursday the claims adjuster arrived and after surveying the damage he went to his truck and went over everything (for an hour). When he came back in he handed Sue a big ole' check. This covered most of the money we had spent to have a new hot water heater (and pressure regulator) installed.

This check did not include the carpet. The carpet guy came out on Friday to measure. Allstate also provided the installer and they are footing the bill for the new carpet. We may even take a section of carpet that was not effected by the water and have it installed in the office upstairs. The carpet around the pool table is enough area for the office floor. All we would have to pay for is the padding and the installation.

Other news is that Carter is finally sleeping in his own room; and BY HIMSELF! The first 4 or 5 nights (last week) Sue slept on the floor. But now he's fast asleep after a story each night. He's also sleeping better since he's been in his own room. Early this morning (6am) I did have to untangle him from the covers but he went back to sleep after that.

We have two beds in our room and hopefully soon (after the carpet is installed) we can move the one bed (a full-size) to the downstairs 'guest room'. Kind of sucks we had the flood in that room since we probably would have done that this weekend. The guest room kind of became a room for 'stuff' once we removed the bed.

Today is very hot! The temperature on the grill says 120 degrees. It's really about 95/96. My neighbor is out mowing his lawn in slacks (and t-shirt). I'm beginning to think he has a skin problem or doesn't like grass on his legs OR nobody ever told him about 'SHORTS'! I like to call him Mr.Longpants. Shhhh.. don't tell him...

He's only one of two people in the neighborhood who still own push-mowers. All of us in the neighborhood have at least a 1/2 acre or more. I guess a push mower is a good thing for the environment; as I cruise my lawn on my k-gro 6000 spewing fumes (just kidding). I can tell you that my riding mower uses just a little more gas than my push mower. What can I say... "Once you ride you'll never push again" (and that is not a quote from Sheryl Crow).

I do help out with the environment in that I'm very active each day in turning out the lights my wife and son leave on, I recycle, I have a compost, I ride in my van without the air on (of course I am naked), I brush my teeth with rain water, I recycle my old toe nails into food containers, and I never use toilet paper... ISN'T THAT ENOUGH! GET OFF MY BACK!!

Oh, sorry..

One last thing: The garden is in full growing mode. The photo at the top is a cucumber I pulled today - this is what we grow in Pennsylvania. The tomatoes will most likely be ripe in a week. I've been planting my own tomato plants since 1994 (when Sue and I lived in 'the bungalow' in Harmony) and like every year a massive number of tomatoes get ripe at the same time. So, in a week or so figure I'll have 40 tomatoes. I will bring some to the woodside. I do know Matt (Splatt) does not like tomatoes. Not sure if Timmay does. Even when you've known people a long time it's hard to keep track of these things. Plus, it doesn't help I have a bad memory.

Also it's hard to believe I've known Matt for 30 years and Timmay for 27 years (give or take a year). As I often say (whispering to myself or sometimes screaming into the night from the backyard), 'Time is a Bastard!'

So today I will actually be outside reading a book and enjoying the sun.. until I can't take anymore. It sometimes doesn't feel right to sit in an air-conditioned house during the summer weekends. Seems like a waste of summer.

I watched the VH1 Honors THE WHO the other night and I have to say that the WHO can still kick rock n' roll's *ss - hard to believe Roger Daltry is 64 years old! I got an email from pat dinizio today and he told me to remind him next time we saw each other to ask about the time he met with John Entwistle...

The Foo Fighters are becoming one of my new/old favorite bands. I always liked them (having liked Nirvana) but now I've seen them twice perform live (on tv) and each time they've blown me away with their performances. Just an intense and talented band of rockers! They certainly honored the WHO the other night... Incubus's performance (right after) sounded like 'the backstreet boys' compared to the Foo Fighters intense energy-infused music. Makes you want to slam your head into something... ok, I'm 42.. I can dream..

Until next time I will leave you with a quote from the great Colonel Sanders

"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken"