Saturday

I got up at 7:00 AM, put on a pot of coffee and, after verifying it was dripping into the pot (if you forget that once, you will never forget to check it again, trust me) and go take a shower.

I grab a cup of coffee and check the temperature before heading to the front porch. Whoa! It's not even 8:30 yet and it's already 75 degrees F. I think I'll drink my coffee inside, today.

So, I checked and found a voicemail from Lu last night. I refuse to have call waiting, so if I am on the phone (as I was when she called) when you call, you go directly to voicemail and it does not show up on my caller id. As a result, I check occasionally by picking up the phone and listening for the stutter-dial tone. I called her back (but it was like 8:00 AM) so I just got her voicemail. She called back though, and we got each other caught up on what's going on in both Michigan and Virginia.

Then I got dressed and headed out in the almost insufferable heat and humidity for my weekend errands. First stop was the bank for some cash. My branch is located in the area of the new Wonderland Mall and this weekend is the Mall's official grand opening (although some of the stores have been opened for months now). So, while waiting in line for the ATM, I was accosted by a rather young, rather cute girl, who handed me a flyer and began to explain how, if I stopped by the white tent and registered, I would get a card, then after I visited all the stores and restaurants (each punching the card) I could go back to the white tent and be entered in a drawing for a $500 gift card from either Walmart or Target!

I told her that, frankly, I didn't give a crap. She said (also quite frankly), "How do you think I feel? I'm a teller and, instead of working inside today in the air conditioning, I have to stay out here in this heat all day, passing out these stupid flyers!" I told her that, while I could commiserate, she probably should work on her customer responses...

Next, I went to that Farmer's Market that Jake and Carla told me about. There were only five or six stalls selling veggies (as I said, it's pretty early for Michigan vegetables) and another five or six selling the usual homemade trinkets and trash. I did get the homemade cinnamon and raisin bread Jake recommended (he says it makes outstanding French toast), some fresh picked sweet corn and some cucumbers. However, today, there was no green beans (purple or otherwise), and no red peppers or tomatoes (they all said it was too early for those).

So, I went to Kroger's for some hot dogs and buns and some mayonnaise. Then I went to Westborn Market for the red peppers and tomatoes, and a red onion. I stopped at the hardware store for some Krylon Fusion paint (brown) I want for the while plastic flagpole base, but they didn't have it (Lowe's didn't have it either when I checked earlier this week!) I stopped at a Hallmark store for a birthday card for my sister-in-law, Coletta. Then I headed home.

I got everything put away, changed clothes and went out back to weedwack around the patio. It started sprinkling, so I kicked it in gear and got done, then grabbed the blower and cleaned off the patio and the surrounding area. I got back inside and put everything away and at 1:15 PM, it is definitely raining. That kinda puts a hold on all the other outdoor projects my "Project Manager" persona expected to get done this weekend. Maybe it will let up, later. And, now I start to worry about my young, cute teller, working the crowd in the rain...

So, I decide I'll watch a movie. It takes a while as, if you remember, I recently had to switch out my cable's DVD-R box, and I have to try and reconnect cables that Jake originally hooked up for me. But, I eventually got it to work. I made two cucumber sandwiches from my fresh produce (my favorite sandwich as a kid - just sliced cucumbers, mayonnaise, a lot of salt and bread) and I start watching "Master and Commander."

About 3:30 PM, it had stopped raining and I decide to take a break. I stopped the DVD and went outside to take some photos for the Blog. I came back in and downloaded them, posted the good ones and went back to the movie. When it was finished, I went out to start dinner.

I decided earlier that tonight would be picnic food. So, I got the rest of the baby redskin potatoes and quartered them. It's too hot to run the oven today, so I didn't roast them this time, just boiled them. I cleaned the excess corn silk and stalks off the corn and put them in a stock pot, covered with water.

When the potatoes were done, I drained them, shocked them and put them in the fridge to cool. While I was waiting for that, I diced up some red onion and celery and rough chopped two hardboiled eggs. Then I made the dressing (hey, Project Manager, this is me, multitasking!)

Next, I got the charcoal lit in the grill. While I was waiting for that to get right, I mixed up the potato salad and put the bowl back in the fridge. I put the corn on to roast and sat in the porch rocker, in between turning the corn. When it was done, I pulled it off to the side and grilled the hot dogs. While they were cooking, I shucked the corn (too messy inside). Finally, it all came together and I had two hot dogs, two ears of corn and some potato salad for my picnic dinner. It was excellent, in case you were wondering!

By now it's almost 7:00 PM and a little late for starting any new projects, so I cleaned up the kitchen and went back to watch some TV. I fell asleep around 10:00 but woke up at 2:30 AM. I shut everything off and tried to fall back asleep, but that didn't work right away. It was after 4:30 AM when I finally fell back asleep.