Jerry CGI+

Last day of perhaps the hottest month I ever spent in Texas (aka, my whole life). Granted, I am usually a bit on the glad side to bid August farewell. And there are plenty of places in Texas and elsewhere that are hotter that what I experienced. But personally, I think this one tops them all. Zero rain this month. Lots of 40°C+ days. Too many slow cooldowns.

But I’m still here. I survived well. Food was quick and easy to fix. Plenty of ice. Cold sandwiches. Chores done before noon. Sleep in the afternoon. Not be in any hurry. Be a lump. Spend a little extra mad money on distractions.

Payday at midnight. I don’t need to leave the house until Tuesday (after Labor Day). Kitchen is stocked. Nothing on the shopping list. I am parked. No shortage of distractions. Don’t need to spend any of it.

Idalia kicked the upper level high back at us, so it’s warming to around 100°F in the afternoons. Not as bad as 108°F, but still warm. Still in good lumping form.

Gravy got made this morning. I had a full serving on bread. A fairly busy morning. I grabbed more minis, got ice, filled bin, broke up two bottoms for Myka, one zip back in the top loader. Dishes. Watered crab grass. Horde water. Unloaded truck. Fed Myka. Ice water for Myka. Made gravy. Put gravy away, rinsed pan. Watched city cherry pickers trim trees for electric lines out front.

Other than that, same ol’ same ol’.

Well, in a different plane of existence. The 40°C days are gone, the mornings are lasting longer, the dew point is lower, yesterday’s high was a balmy 97°F. It had a distinctly different quality to it. It’s 11 am and it’s not 90°F yet. I’ve been waiting for months in anticipation to feel it. The first tick in the end of summer.

However, it is a mixed feeling. The extra clothes, the bath tub cushions, shorter days, all the cold weather needs. Blech. At least I have my leg warmer and alpaca. Five months…

Not too revved up yet. It’s still on the warm side. But I am starting to think of what I’ve done without this summer. Spaghetti, jambalaya, penne alfredo, stew, bulk up the freezer. Well, I still have plenty in the freezer to eat. Maybe I’ll get my appetite back. I need to do something with the milk. Gravy?

I guess I’ll make a store run tomorrow morning. It will be a new sales cycle, though nothing on either week is grabbing my attention.

The forecast says that we are done with temps above 40°C (104°F). There may be a few triple digits yet, but not as intense as we have been seeing this summer. Not only that, but it points to lows in the low 70s this week. But alas, it seems that this August will go down without any rainfall. Some came close last night, but no cigar.

It’s hard to visualize the end of this streak that started in May. It was a long summer, the number of days that saw triple digits was no doubt a record. It sits on 2009 and 2011 without mercy. And everything is still in that mode. The wind will have to turn around, temps drop, schedules change. There is an intellectual relief, but the core still needs convincing. Too soon.

The daylight hours are shrinking at a noticeable pace, morning and evening. The sunlight no longer lights up the sun catchers in the late afternoon, or glares the room. The solar recession is in progress.

It was a warm weekend, 107°F and 108°F. I didn’t stir much. I took care of chores in the mornings and spelunked in the afternoons. Finally making a bit of a dent in the fridge, been slow going. Tamales are gone. One more pulled pork sandwich to go. I got the tuna mac made, but the kitchen hasn’t seen much occupation this weekend. Even the snack drawer hasn’t seen much action. Lumping doesn’t take much fuel.

I will need to wash the household alpaca poncho. It’s been airing out all summer, odor not an issue, but it no doubt needs a decent bath before it cools off. The bathroom has just been too warm to do it.

I guess I should pat myself on the back for having the patience to sit out this summer safely.

Next Friday is August 1st. I am hoping that the long rage forecast is correct, and September ushers in days with highs around 100°F, instead of around 106°F. They are both hot, but 100°F takes less time to cool down at night and stays cooler longer in the morning. It’s after midnight and still around 90°F.

Getting by okay. Movies, youtube, news, etc. are distraction enough. Plenty to eat, but not much appetite. Getting lots of sleep, trying to target the afternoon, but it’s scattered. I might try to make the cheese sauce if I can stay awake tonight.

Today was day 82 in my consecutive days of rendering at NightCafe. They offer 5 free credits for every five consecutive days. So that’s 80 extra credits thus far. I currently have 2,170 credits on my account. I am going to continue the consecutive day series until I reach 100 days (100 credits). Then I’ll drop it. I have been using clever prompts, “Swirling dervishes”, “Lonesome glove”, “Barking dogs never cite”, “Pro bono phono”, “Crackling crackers”, “Superfluous superfluidity”, “Perplexing reflection”, “Isometric ethics”, “Infiltration elation”, “Silo de Milo”, “Manic sloth”, “Preposterous persiflage”…

Had a day in the high 90s, 98° at the airport, thanks to Harold.  Forecast says we have another week of the hard stuff before it breaks.  I’ll trust that more as it gets closer. Not a whole lot going on.  Movies, youtube, news, games…

It was trash day, but I zonked out hard this morning before I got the chores done.  So it was a tad warm when I finished the chores and got the trash and recycling in the bins.  It was one of those days where sleep controlled the activity.

And I got a store run in this evening.  Bread, butter, flautas, minis, paper bowls.  I’m good for a while.  Tamales, boudin, and pulled pork are the top billings.

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I found a new driving video on youtube that was of Gatesville, TX.  It’s where my dad’s parents and sister lived.  I visited many times in the 50s and 60s.  My grandparents’ house was remodeled on the exterior, a sliding door added where there was once a swamp cooler.  A little shocking compared to the way the house originally was.  But the big shock was to find my aunt and uncle’s house next door was gone, taken down, the basement filled.  Being on Main St, it will be a business soon enough.

I found an image of the house in the video, and there was a glimpse on Google maps from the rear, but that was obscured by the massive double oak in the middle of the yard.  The front view on Google map is leveled dirt.  My grandparents had one lot, and my aunt had two lots, a dog run with two driveway entrances on parallel streets, the empty lot next to my grandparents’ house.  It was a big place for a kid, but going back in the 90s, it seemed to have shrunk considerably.

My aunt’s house was unique, it had a sandstone front, which was popular in the town in the 20s and 30s.  Someone made a living out of it, and everyone wanted in on it.  The rock is plentiful for the grabbing in the area.  Cheap, thermally superior, sound damping.  The back of the house was wood, and it was quite a structure.  It had a large main floor, four large bedrooms, living room, dining, den.  There was a 12 foot ceiling and tall windows.  Rear entrance was a 10’ concrete stairway with steel rails.  There was a large crawl space beneath, plus a basement on the rear side.  The property sloped from the street to the rear, so the rear side face was considerably larger than the front.  There were other structures, work shop, garage, storage, big carport.  It had a charm like no other house I’ve known.  Sad to see it gone.

My uncle was on disability from the army, and he trot lined the Leon River for catfish.  There were a lot of fish fries.  My aunt was a seamstress, she made a quarter of the prom dresses for the high school, and wedding gowns.  So it was a bit of a public house.  Two boys, and the youngest a girl, my cousins.  It was family.  Central Texas cooking, enough food for everyone, everyone ate their fill.  Green beans, corn,  potatoes, gravy, dinner rolls, black eyed peas.  A lot of the veggies came from the garden, picked within the hour, pod to pot fresh.  The cooks were not permitted to wash dishes.

So I had a nostalgia reality check.  But I still have the nostalgia and childhood memories.

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Myka was hungry for her wet food.  Most of it is gone.  She has been working on the kibble test.  The novel flavor had a good start, but as of now, the old tried and true has a slight edge over the new stuff.  It’s also the most expensive, which means I’m not surprised.  The Temptations seafood is getting no action at all.  Time will tell.

I have duties tomorrow to put up the horde at 10 am while the neighbors are gone for part of the day.  Dixie passed away in a vet’s care recently, so two dogs and one cat make up the horde now.

No complaints.  Life rolls on.

I received the four book collection of B Kliban’s cartoons. I am blown away by the condition. Cat is second edition, 1975. The other three are first editions (1976, 1977, 1978). The only detraction from the condition is a little aging on the sides, barely noticeable, and a couple of tiny brown dots on one of the covers. Otherwise, they are mint. Each book originally sold for $3, making the set $12 (+$1 sales tax). Inflation would have made the set go for $65 (+ $6 sales tax) without profit or storage fee. I got them for $26 + $2 tax. What a steal! I am quite tickled. (Wacka wacka.)

So now I have Edward Gorey, MK Brown, and B Kliban hard collections, my favorite 70s National Lampoon trio. (Vaughn Bodé I have in PDF.) I am a happy puppy.

Not much else is noteworthy. I finished off the potato salad, one more chicken salad sandwich to go. Pulled pork will be the next priority in the fridge. Tuna mac will join the lineup. Risotto too. Tamales. Add the aloha dinner rolls.

All told, things are going well. Myka and I are being lazy, as is appropriate for this weather. Chores are getting done in the mornings. There aren’t many, as I’m not making many messes. Plenty of distractions to eat time.

I made a store run this morning to grab the missing items in the stock for the weekend. It was a 2 item list, so I embellished. Dinner rolls, pizzas, mixed veggies, shredded parmesan, milk. I’m thinking a cheese sauce for tuna mac and spuds. Myka will appreciate the TJ.

So I’m ready to hunker for the weekend. Summer isn’t over yet. I will have the horde in my care for Saturday night. Dixie is boarded for meds, so just the three.

I diced a couple of baby back ribs for spud/gouda/avocado. The avocado should be ripe now, a tad early maybe, but far enough. But everything is prepped and ready for when I am. I had a kolache for breakfast, so it won’t be that long. Pulled pork, chicken salad, and potato salad are the following priorities. Tamales, brats, dogs, pate, and boudin are ready to follow that. With help from the freezer, it should get me through the rest of the month.

Plenty of distractions to get me through the rest of the summer.

Yesterday was a slight break in the weather, and it’s in the 70s tonight. I had to turn the AC down (warmer) a bit, back toward the traditional setting. The high is forecast for 105°F today. The break didn’t last long.

I got an avocado, and it’s getting close. I’m thinking diced baby back rib and gouda on a spud. Also thinking pulled pork sandwiches. Just pulled a pack of each and some boudin from the top loader. Cold fingers…

I ordered a used boxset of B. Kliban’s four cartoon books. It would round out my National Lampoon favorite cartoonists collections (Edward Gorey, MK Brown). The covers in the photo on Amazon looked good. The price was right. They’re due Tuesday from Illinois.

Part of Myka’s crabgrass got pulled by the yard crew. They should have known, it being green and not totally wilted. At least they left some. It won’t be too long before it’s oats season again.

Still not being too active. Getting the chores done, but not going any extra miles. No sense in it.

80°F, dew point – 79°F, relative humidity – 98%. Misery, pure misery.

Was not a fun store run this morning. I got three cat food dispensers. One for 9 Lives (Sparky and horde) and one each for the two new Temptation kibbles (bbq and seafood). They park next to the Friskies Ocean Delight.

I also got a loaf of bread, Reese’s Pieces, chicken salad, an avocado, provolone, minis, and chips. Not a big run, but it ate most of the mad money. I wasn’t going to get another chicken salad, but I did anyway. It’s a little pricey, but the weather has suppressed my appetite, so $2 sandwiches on a hot day. I can live with that.

I was thinking of making eggs ackley, but I’m not cooking this morning. Even Myka is hiding in the office full time. Not fit for cat nor beast.

Got a stack of movies to watch.

The only run this Friday morning was for a bag of ice from the self-serve. Nothing was needed from the stores. The kitchen is stocked too well for my meager summer appetite. A full loaf of bread, ample tortillas. Working on chicken salad and smoked turkey/provolone. Plenty to follow when those vanish. I’m not thinking of thawing anything at this point. (Well, maybe some Popeye’s, but that isn’t traditional sink thawing.)

I’m ready for the weekend. Forecast high is for 106°F today. A passive (lumpin’) schedule is planned.

Truck insurance just got paid. The bill posting is three weeks earlier with the new agent. I paid it 7 weeks ahead of time, instead of a month prior. That puts mad money at $82, but it shaves the debit off next month’s tally. And this August is better shaved than September. Heat suppressed spending and no medical costs this month. And the base balance (below mad money) is still available if needed.

There hasn’t been any relief in the weather. 105°F at the airport today. Next drop in temp is about ten days away, with a forecasted chance of rain. (10 days away in a forecast is equivalent to wishful thinking.) Office is 83°F, about as cool as it gets under these conditions. The fans help.

I haven’t spent much time in the kitchen today. Kolache, chicken salad sandwich, ice cream. Smoked turkey/provolone will be next.

Got a list of movies to watch.

I made a store run last night. Got Myka a bag of kibbles and 15 cans of wet food. I also got (on impulse) a bag of Temptations BBQ kibbles, my first encounter with them. They also have poultry and seafood. I put a few on the floor for her, and they vanished in a flash. She had that instant nose to wide eye response, so I added more to her double food bowl. We’ll see which wins.

I also got another tub of chicken salad. It’s a little pricey, but so is so much else at the stores. Another loaf of bread. Myka got the bear’s share of the run.

There is not much else happening. I have a couple of minor chores to do. The rest is up to me. Been in touch with friends, they’re all doing what I’m doing, hunkering and waiting for autumn. Old habits we have shared for decades on end.

The weekend is over. I can go out in public again and avoid the crowds. Not going anywhere this morning. Nothing is on the shopping list.

No chores to speak of. Feed Myka. Run laundry. Ice bin. The usual. Dew point is near 80°F. No hurry to be out in it. The body is starting to say, that was a summer, time for autumn. With the early start, we have reached quota for the summer. At least another month to go… at least. But I have everything I need to ride it out. It’s not a matter of survival as much as it is the monotony. 60th verse, same as the first.

I am not depressed, despite having all the justification needed for being so. I’m just getting old. The ability to sit around for hours and let thoughts bounce randomly off the noggin walls is something that comes with age. It’s also a summer survival skill. The intensive is not quite so chronic these days, mirrored by the lack of deadlines.

Time marches on. The summer will end.

The last 24 hours have been a case of avoidance of the world outside the office. Even at sunrise, when it’s at its coolest, it feels hot and sticky. Dew point is 79°F. High for today is forecast at 103°F, tomorrow 105°F. I just don’t have the ambition to face it. I’d rather be a cool lump that ventures out only when absolutely necessary. It’s not that I can’t operate in it, it’s just not welcome. Fortunately, there is very little that needs doing outside the office, and none of it requires longer than 3 minutes.

I don’t have much ambition for inside the office either. Summer is a good time for Photoshopping, downloading, etc. But none of it is getting done. Distractions seem to have top billing, making time pass with minimal physical stress. YouTube seems to be in first pace. I have to say, I’m ready for the dew point to drop. and summer heat to go away.

The cats are due tomorrow. They’re at North Houston Distribution at the moment.

I’m in no hurry. Don’t need food, don’t need ice, don’t need gas, don’t need to go anywhere. Laundry, 5 rinsed forks to wash, litter box, that’s it for chores.

The rib eye was the first diced meat to vanish from the fridge, a pair of tacos took care of the last of that. Brisket will likely be next. Myka is still treasuring the pork tenderloin nibbles. I need to make the eggs ackley. Chicken salad is daily, potato salad not open yet.

Kicking back and staying cool. Ample distractions.

Next three days’ forecast says 103°F for a high. (Through next Thursday, when the forecast drops off.) But I’m not looking past the weekend.

I made a 6 am store run for bread. Got sliced gouda, bbq sauce, and potato salad as well. I wasn’t going to get potato salad with a bag of spuds on the counter, but…

I’m ready for the weekend, three days of monotony. I may go ahead and get a bag of ice, though the bottom of the bag is a little too full. Better than doing it later though.

Ran out of movies on the internal, so I’ve been doing YouTube. Getting a little tired of it.

Another day near 105°F in parts of town. I think 103°F is proper here.

Not as much appetite as food. Or perhaps, not as much ambition to make something to eat would be a better description. The fridge and freezer are loaded with quick fix. I’m waiting for the temp to drop a bit more during dusk, before I head to the kitchen to cook a couple of spuds (add butter, diced rib eye, gouda, avocado in layers).

Myka loves the diced pork tenderloin nibbles. She’d rather rule the house, but the afternoons force her into the cool office.

Big week in the news, reading legal documents, evaluating karma. That’s enough on that.