I'm on a road trip. Got a great deal on a full size car. When I got to the counter they had just given it to someone else so they upgraded me to a Nisson Altima Hybred. Leather seats,sunroof,the works. It took less than a quarter tank to drive almost 200 hundred miles. I like the car but it has the tiniest steering wheel. The back of my hand keeps hitting the windshield wiper lever.LOL I'm used to trucks. Tonight I went to a farmers market in the area. More like a street fair really. They have all sorts of vendors and community info booths along with the regular agricultural stuff. It is a small world. I ran into a friend of my son who owns a small business there. It was fun to see him. I also met a gal from a local goat farm. As well as milk and many different varieties of cheese they also sell lotions and things all made there with milk from their goats. I hope to visit the farm on my way back if I have time. If not I will next trip down. I was the recipient of a random act of kindness. When I turned in my ticket at the exit of the parking lot the lady told me the gal in the truck ahead of me paid for me. Not only that but I got change. LOL So now I will look for an opportunity to pay it forward. Tomorrow (later today actually) I'm heading further south. I want to visit few spots that are being redeveloped before they lose all their flavor. Carol in Ca and I are hoping to get together on Saturday for a bit. We always have so much fun visiting. I'm really looking forward to it. Sunday I haven't decided. It's pretty random which is what makes it fun. On Monday I'm heading home. Picking up a GF on Tuesday and we're going North for a day or overnight if I get tired.

Let's see ... ... got up yesterday near noon, spent afternoon preparing and seeding garden, including dropping water into trenches prior to seeding. Planting seeds to set up a new asparagus bed. After dark, made supper, checked some emails. Felt a bit of a tickle on the hand - tick. Did for him, about the ninth one, so far, and three have nicked me ... so far with no untoward results. Quite a bit of paper work dealing with a new project that I'm setting up, offshoot of an earlier one. Spent some time reading a book, "Running on Empty" by a former U.S. Sec'y. of Commerce (under Nixon), written in 2004. More activity on computer, including several postings here, talking to you folks. Figured that I should go to bed, to sleep when sun does, not using lights during few hours of darkness ... but postponed it. Checked some end-of-week stock prices. Dealt with some emails. Did some posting on THS, including KT ... and a fair major one on "Saving". Some rain during the night. Still busy by daylight. After daylight, brought stuff in from car, including water from city taps for drinking and cooking. Plus some bulk candy, some of which I've enjoyed through today. Some breakfast. Discussion with landord about where he wants to put his stuff in the garden, which is all staked ... and that to accomodate his tiller, that cuts over 40" wide. Fed, watered cats. Checked garden ... some peas coming up, and some corn just showing. Heavy rain for a short period during the morning. Some more planning about what to do in garden ... had bought strawberry seeds, but decided that I wanted them in part of garden that's already planted. Discussed with landlord whether to let them lie till next year. But may decide to plant them along with the things that are planted where I want them to be ... they can grow together: doubt that they'll fight. After investment discussion group on Wed. night, one guy left his jacket, I tried to catch him, still have the jacket, tried to find phone No., will have to send email. Friend asked me to buy him cigs., I went down the road and got some ... likely see him tomorrow ... he's just about out ...and you know how antsy addicts get when they don't get their fix! Oh, yes - while looking in desk ... found sticker certifying my vehicle licence was renewed (it was cold and messy on the day that I got it). Driver testers would ride with me only after I showed them sticker in registration certificate. Also, police pulled son and me over the other night, no ticket: accepted the sticker in the registration certif. But female accompanying him was distressed by the empty beer cans in the car ... wanted assurance that we hadn't been drinking. I should have suggested that she smell them, for there was no odour ... and mud on some of them: from the roadside. Just installed the sticker: that should keep the authorities happy for a while. Now I need to add the rest of the paper to the stack of receipts ... $74.00. The kitten that didn't show till it was half grown, and has been rather skittish till a while ago, but when it got some petting decided that it liked it, spent some time with me. Her mother will follow me to the garden or part way to get the mail ... but if I get my hand within about 9" of her, will swat me ... and she means business: draws blood. But expects me to feed her. Sort of like a teen ager, I guess. It's fully dark: 9:35. I guess I'll get a snack ... and go to bed. Just about out of bread,will have to put another loaf to bake. I usually make the dry mixings for about 5 at a time (as I store the flour at the other end of the house, to avoid the moths ... so far successfully) and I'd used the last container last time. So brought out the flour ... and found that I had one mix left, so I've put it to bake. When the measuring cup dries, I'll make up 5 mixes, then put the flour away again. I've been checking store specials next week, as will be in town tomorrow and probably not otherwise till Thurs or so. About all that interests me is good price on choc. milk. As I said a week or so ago ... since I'm on dial-up internet connection, I've been trying to figure ways to break household and kitchen chores into 15-, 30- and 45-second segments, in order to keep me from chewing fingernails while waiting for downloads. I hope that your weekend is meeting all of your expectations ... so far ... and continues to do so. It is Saturday ... isn't it? When one's retired ... every day's Saturday. ole joyful

My days always start around noon as far as getting anything accomplished. No, I don't sleep all morning. My joints don't cooperate and it takes hours to get going. So around 1 o'clock I went into town and looked around at the new thrift shop. It is really nice, clean and everything displayed neatly. Didn't buy anything though. Then I went to Sharp Shopper and found my favorite soft drink (Cheerwine) 2 twelve packs for $2.50. Got 2, plus celery, bread, Texas Toast, and a half gallon of milk. The price of milk has increased another 10¢. Then I went to KMart for TP and Aleve (generic). Checked my blood pressure: 117/56/68. Next to $Tree for batteries then to BigLots but only bought a big bag of Tootsie Midges. Not a big shopping day, but the first chance I've had to ramble for a couple months. Next stop was at Bank of America to close out my account there, and then took the paper work to DuPont Credit Union where I had already opened an account. Last stop was Krogers for some groceries. I was tired and thirsty so I just sat on the porch and had a cold Cheerwine. Then a friend stopped by and we chatted until after 8 o'clock. Finally I made myself a left-over tuna salad sandwich, and made tea for tomorrow. Watched the news and here I am on the PC, at the KT. Tomorrow I won't be any good for anything!! So that was My Day, as Eleanor Roosevelt to say. Sue

Well, our dinner is over with for today. A few leftovers and they will be for our supper. Norm and Kevin are moving dirt with their tractors and making the drive down to the back door better and be ready for the stone or gravel I am hoping for gravel. Beef Manhattans are a pile of first a slice of bread, usually white, then some brown beef gravy made from the rump roast that is slowly cooked, then a pile of mashed potatoes, then more gravy on that plus some of the beef. I cook my beef in a crock pot with some beef b. cubes, some garlic, I use the kind in the jar, and some squirts of Maggi seasoning sauce. The beef is cooked in a bit of water. Then when ready to make the gravy, mix corn starch to cold water and thicken the broth and then stir in some Kitchen bouquet to make it more brown. Making sure to have the meat sliced or shredded in the gravy. Salt and pepper to taste. We only had about a cup of it left. Sue