Early morning

I did manage to get out of bed at a decent hour to get myself geared up for school. It's nippy enough for long sleeves and Friday is "jeans" day. So it looks to be a good day.
These old windows almost look like they have frost around the edges. Soon they will.
Breakfast will be Special K and coke to wash down my medicine.

School

It seems strange to know I have to get up and go to school tomorrow. It shouldn't since I did it for years. My night wanderings kick in about this time but tonight I am making myself go to bed. I have books and the computer in bed with me so it's not a full resolve to go to sleep. The house is quiet except for the ceiling fan. Later I'll turn on aol radio and it will play all night. The kids at school will be fun tomorrow, they can be very entertaining. Now I must decide what I want to read.

After supper "bye-bye"

The air was much cooler tonight as we took our evening drive around town. Through the hot summer months we rolled down our windows and let the hot air swirl through the car. We hung our hands out the window trying to cool ourselves down a bit. Tonight the air was warm but far from the hot. We kept our windows down to enjoy the breeze. Yards are beginning to be covered in leaves and Halloween decorations. Leah and Olivia will be so excited when they are here and we take them on a "bye-bye".

Dead Bug

This is the bug just before it died.

Bug

Sometime during the night I saw a tiny bug crawling on my laptop screen. He had long legs. a slender body, and held himself up as he flitted around. I swatted at him, injuring one side of his legs but he limped away before I could kill him. I awoke this morning to find his mother on the ceiling. I haven't killed her yet, I want to make sure I get her with the first swat. This may require an assistant while I wait outside the door.

Leah

Leah is sleeping.

Leah & Olivia

Leah and Olivia are visiting us. They are funny, full of joy, and two wonderful little girls. I surprised them with bottles of bubbles today. They were so excited! Most of the bubbles ended up on my clothes, they don't like sticky hands. Leah kept getting bubbles on her mouth so she kept it dry with my shirt. After spilling most of their bubbles they decided to hunt sticks. They chased each other (and I chased them) all over the yard. It wore them out and after a snack they both took a nap.
They say the funniest things. Throughout the day they would play and laugh, then they would fight. Olivia was aggravated at Leah and they were both watching tv. Music can on their program and Leah gotup to dance and jump. After telling her to stop repeatedly I popped her on the leg and set her in the chair. (Not to worry, she didn't cry) Olivia was so mad. She pointed her finger at me and said, "You stop that, Bubbe, hittin' her. You check your e-mail and leave her alone."
They are a joy!!

Friday

Suddenly it is Friday night. It's been whirlwind week. After a trip to the emergency room on Monday, Doris ended up in the hospital on Thursday. Today she had surgery, a port in her chest and surgery to clean up her septic knee. She has had much pain.
Susan, Kristin, Elizabeth, Leah, and Shalyn are here tonight. They are excited about Fordsville Days tomorrow. I'm getting up early to go to the hospital and then to the grocery. John Michael and Olivia will be up tomorrow. Olivia has been excited about the rides. Leah and Olivia will have so much fun. Pictures tomorrow night!!
Kristin and Shalyn are alseep in the book room. Elizabeth has gone to sleep in the toddler bed. Her feet are hanging off the end. She is covered up with a quilt and sleeping away. Susan and Leah are still downstairs. When Leah goes to sleep, Susan will move Elizabeth to another bed and put Leah in the toddler bed. Then Susan will get to sleep in her old bed. Michael had to stay home to work.
I have to make myself go to sleep or I will crash tomorrow about 10am. That's usually my pattern.

Fire

The house at the bottom of our hill burned to the ground earlier tonight. It was the second fire to strike this house. It had been uninhabitable for years. The street is narrow, barely room for two cars to pass. Firetrucks, ambulances, pick-up trucks and people came from every direction. Traffic was stopped or moving at a snail's pace as the emergency vehicles screamed into town. There were 3 or 4 explosions during the fire and flames licked high into the night sky.
When I look out the window, the fire is still burning, now close to the ground. All but a couple of the firetrucks have left. I hope some of the firefighters will be watching the fire most of the night.

Olivia's birthday party

Olivia had fun at her birthday party, most of the time. She was excited to open her presents and liked everything. She got a purple Princess jeep. She stopped in mid-word when she saw it. Olivia is a good driver! She ate her cake and ice cream sitting on the picnic table and wouldn't let us sing to her. We had to slip and make her picture, she would tell us not to do it. But we have lots of cute pictures of her, she will like to look at them on the computer.
Happy Birthday, sweet Olivia.

Olivia

Olivia is 3 years old today. She is having a Princess party in the park. She is a wonderful little girl and we love her very much.

Chloe

Chloe is 14 years old. I rescued her at school and brought her home with me. She's beginning to show her age, stiff joints, walks slowly but can move fast if provoked. She has spent most of the summer outside but I guess she knows that cool weather can't be far away. She is starting to want to stay inside and cuddle. Meow Mix in a pouch is her favorite food. I forgot to get her a new box so she has been fussing at me. Chloe can barely tolerate Sadie, our other cat. Sadie is much younger and quite spry. She pounches poor Chloe and sometimes Chloe gets enough and pounches back. Then Sadie runs. They are both fine cats.

Gulf Coast

These photos were shot in October, 2004. Scott is holding THE COAL TATTOO by Silas House.
I ate my lunch of Key Lime Pie sitting on the wooden step leading to the beach at Pass Christian, MS.

What I'm Reading

JUST READ:

AMONG WORDLESS THINGS
by Ron Houchin

I finished this book of poems on September 5 at 7:32 pm. I keep going back and reading the poems again and again. I haven't been able to let go of them or they won't let go of me. Also it's impossible to decide which poem I like the best, several knocked me off my feet. This a book I will read many times. Ron is a Hindmanite which makes it possible for me to read these poems in his quiet, forceful voice.

READING:

BEFORE YOU KNOW KINDNESS
by Chris Bohjalian

This is Jeanie's book. She probably thinks she will never see it again but I'll finish it soon.

LISTENING:

The Highwaymen - Kris, Willie, Waylon, and John

Pass Christian Books

Amid all the hurricane news I'm grieving most for Pass Christian Books. It was the most wonderful book store. It sat close to the beach in Pass Christian, Mississippi. It's charm was as enticing as the books. I had the best time there, sitting on the floor talking to Scott about our favorite books and authors. He had met Silas House and had read his books. Silas is one of my favorite authors and a dear friend. I went back to the bookstore two days in a row. I came home with wonderful books and a head full of the history and culture of the gulf coast. I hope they rebuild and I'm hoping the books were evacuated. After leaving Pass Christian Books, I bought a slice of Key Lime Pie and a coke to take to eat on the beach. I sat on a wooden step that was mostly covered in sand and ate my pie. I could taste the salt on my lips and the breeze was warm. I'm glad I saw the beach and book store before this storm.
I haven't heard the fate of Spanish Trail Books in Biloxi. But I fear for it.
It's after midnight and here I am, still wide awake, pain in my chest and foot.
24 hours or so have passed.
Tonight my hair is a different color and is shorter. I had lunch with Jeanie, which helps me keep my head above water. Later I went to the movie by myself. I was one of five to see THE CONSTANT GARDENER. I thought it was a fine film, stressful but worth the stress.
Both of my cats are in the house but will soon want to go outside for the night. But that will change when the night air starts to get cooler. Then they want to be in the house, in the bed. They won't want to be disturbed.
My old clock is striking. It's been here for years and now it is running and striking. It is ready for me to wind it and it will keep me company all night.

Birds

In the wee morning hours, listening to AOL radio, I went to sleep to the gentle pattering of rain mingled with night sounds. Late morning I woke to the sounds of BIRDS. Birds chirping and twittering!! It's quiet outside, all the noise is in the computer. I think I'm glad to be awake, the sun is filtering through the eyelet curtains, the fan by the side of my bed is blowing in my face. The eyelet curtains have been here a long time. They hang here is Susan's room, missing her, rememebering her, waiting for her to come for a visit. When she descends on this room for a weekend or a few days she brings good things with her. Michael, Kristin, Elizabeth, and Leah!! Sometimes they all sleep in here but the girls might sleep with me somewhere else in the house. We make our pallets close together so we can talk and giggle. If we aren't careful we might step on each other if we try to walk. Leah usually ends up on my pallet, snuggling. Often Olivia will be here and will also be with me on my pallet. These are the happiest times, all four girls close enough to me that I can hear them breathe while they sleep.

Dusting

I've been dusting. Don't ask me why!! Next week I'm going to dust books. Well, maybe. It is much more fun to read them.