Happy Birthday, America!

The weirdest thing happened on Wednesday morning. I turned on the TV to watch the morning news and, of course, it was still on whatever channel it was when I turned it off last night. But, it was the exact start of a video of the song "Pontoon" by Little Big Town.

I never heard of that song or the band before, but it was pure summertime and the perfect way to start the 4th of July!

I got a coffee and watched the news after I posted the Blog entry. I am “easing” into the day. It is supposed to hit 98 degrees F. today, so there will be no outside projects and even that Fourth of July barbeque was starting to look iffy!

But, I did need to make an errand run, so, after my shave and a shower, I got dressed. I pulled the car out into the drive and took off the rear headrests (you have to do that to fold down the rear seats). Then I folded down the rear seats (see?).

First stop was O’Reilly’s for that one-inch wrench. Then I went up Inkster to Five-Mile road and over to Middle Belt and Westborn Market. There I picked up seven ears of sweet corn for $1.98. I asked them to put the corn in a paper bag so it would stay cold for a little while longer (they have it setting outside on ice) so they did.

Then I went to the last stop, Home Depot. I bought a glass shower door for the downstairs shower and a 5/16 masonry drill bit (the box said I would need one and I’m pretty sure I don’t have that exact size). This shower door will be the next project and I suspect I am buying it today so I don’t have to caulk the hallway I need to ever since the tile was laid. I hate caulking!!!

Once again, helpful Home Depot employees got the shower door down and on a cart and out to the register. Another employee put it in my car and helped me tie the trunk down (It almost fit, but not quite). I drove home slowly and once there, immediately stuck the corn in the fridge, treated the cats and got the shower door out of the car. I put the car back together (headrests and seats back in place) and closed the garage door on the heat. It was 11:00 AM and already 86 degrees outside.

I made a cup of coffee and balanced my check register. I got out the vacuum and cleaned off the fan covers on the computer and the cat hair around it. Then I re-installed the speakers (I used to have them on the old TV, but they were too loud on the new one). However the built-in speakers in my monitor are sometimes too soft. Unfortunately, I can’t get them to work. There’s probably a setting I need so I can switch off the monitor and turn on the other speakers. I’ll put that on Jake’s list of things to help me with.

But, I needed the vacuum out for another reason, anyway. I used it to suck up all the crap in and around the bathtub. Then I put everything back together with all the new stuff. I freaked just a little when I turned the copper shutoffs back on and they started to drip, but I remembered a tip B___ taught me and tightened the nut just a little. I put paper towels under them (like I always do when working on the sink) as a test and, so far, so good.

I cleaned off the caulk and was finished by 2:00 PM. So, I used the vacuum one last time (on the walk off carpets and the living room carpet) emptied it out and put it away. Then I took a break (I think I earned it and it’s the 4th of July, anyway!)

Well, I say “take a break,” but on my break I started the Wednesday laundry. Then I scrubbed down the patio furniture and rinsed it off, knowing the sun and heat would dry it quickly. I also washed that gel mat that goes in front of the sink and left that outside to dry as well. Then, I watched some taped TV for a while, until I had to hang up my shirts and pants.

The sun was still shining, but I braved the heat and started some charcoal. Once it was going well, I spread it around the grille and put on the sweet corn I’d had soaking as well as some brats (for later in the week – I hate to waste charcoal). When the brats and corn were done, I pulled them off. I let the brats cool while I shucked the corn outside.

I took everything in and then threw a thick T-bone steak on the grille, seasoned with just salt and fresh ground pepper. For a change, I grilled it a perfect medium rare. I ate that along with two ears of corn. It was excellent!

My weather radio kept going off, with severe thunderstorms in Warren, then Grosse Point and so on. My neighbors were having a pool party and setting off fireworks, so it was pretty noisy in the house. It got really dark outside around 7:00 PM, but no storms at that time. Oh, and by the way, forget that 98 degree stuff. We broke the old record when we hit 102 degrees F. today

We were getting thunder and lightning by 7:30 PM, but still no rain except for an occasional sprinkle. So, the pool party next door moved to the garage in the rear (thank God, because they had a karaoke machine!)

I watched some TV and then tried to go to sleep. I say “tried” because, while fireworks are cool to watch, they are not conducive to sleeping (and it wasn’t just my neighbors, it was my whole neighborhood!) The last time I remember looking at the clock and wishing the world would shut up and let me go to sleep was 11:30 PM.

Happy 4th of July, America!