Stream of Consciousness

I guess Big Al and I have gotten to the age that most of our thoughts are an “Organ Recital”.  Thursday, we were worrying about our skin and the dermatologist.  This morning Big Al went to the gastroenterologist for a pre-colonoscopy consult.  I know, more than you wanted to know.

Then we went to the Toyota place to get the inspection done on the car.  I didn’t have any idea that we had had it for two years already, but I guess that’s right.

Daughter-in-law Erika’s birthday was on Thursday, so she and Bill went to the big city overnight while her sister-in-law, Kristie, kept the kids.  I bet they had a good time.  Kristie said the kids were still up when she went to sleep about 2:00 a.m., and at last count, Ian hadn’t surfaced yet.  Kate staggered out about 10:30 or 11:00.  Next week they have to start going to bed earlier and getting up earlier to get ready for school hours.  School starts for them the second week of August, I think.

My hanging baskets, remember them, 

didn’t get watered the whole time I was in San Antonio switching grandkids.  Mr. Watters either didn’t notice that they were dying of thirst, or didn’t bother.  For whatever reason, the only thing blooming when I left was the little yellow flowers.  They were pretty sad when I got back.

But not to be deterred, I kept dumping water on them and, low and behold,

this one seems to be recovering.  But it’s not the little yellow flowers that are coming back, it’s the white and purple ones that survived!  Very strange.  If it ever is cool enough either in the evening or early morning, I’ll probably try to pull the dead stuff out, but I’m afraid to do too much in case the roots are all bound up together.

I was also finally able to get a picture of the livestock that provides entertainment for me on my fence outside my window.

He was actually on the tree, and I think he thought he had turned brown and wasn’t visible, because he stayed really still while I took his picture.  Sue Ellen Hall also has one in her yard and identified it for me as Anolis carolinensis carolinensis – Green Anole, male.

I gave a speech in Toastmaster yesterday morning.  All my manuals have been packed, so I just did a general speech (I know 40 lashes with a wet noodle for not doing a manual speech).  I did an introduction to my Nook. 

In preparing for the speech I figured out that I have paid about $51 for books since I have had it, and I have over 20 books on it.  I’ve been able to read several things that were not in paperback yet (I rarely buy hardback books) for $9.99 or less.  Barnes & Noble also has weekly free e-books and bundles of classics and “sweet little love stories” for less than $1 a piece.  My Nook has a couple of games on it, can connect to the internet, has the capability of reading to me, can subscribe to daily and weekly magazines and newspapers, and more.  Couple that with an adjustable type-face – up to VERY LARGE, and the fact that I’m not killing trees to have something to read, I figure I’ve more than paid for it (even though I did get it when it was first out – so it was $249 instead of the current $199 price). 

Another great thing is that I can get a new book whenever I want.  I have a long list on my e-Book Wish List at the Barnes & Nobles website and whenever I want a new book, I just connect and buy it.  That means, when we’re traveling, I don’t have to load myself down with several books to take with me, in case I finish something.  Also, whenever I read a review of a book and think I want to read it, I can go to the website and put it on my Wish List.  I used to read about something and then forget before I went to the store again.

While we were waiting for the car, I finished one of the free ones – a mystery, private detective one that I don’t even remember the name of now.  Not really awful, but certainly not memorable.  But I did get

“The Girl Who Played with Fire” by Stieg Larsson.  It’s the second in the series that started with “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”  I’ve just read about 10 pages of it, but it looks just as good as the last one.  I may have mentioned that I saw the Swedish movie of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” on Netflix with sub-titles, and thought they did a really great job.  I’ve heard someone is going to do an English/American version.  I hope they don’t mess it up.  The Swedish version was just perfect!