Pretty busy week . . .

Fresh peaches gave way to a cobbler

Must say that it feels good to be home hanging out with P&D's Pop and the puppies. Big Kiddo and wife are off on their first excursion with the travel trailer and it seems that after today they will already be old hands at towing a 32 foot trailer in gusty winds, rain and lightning! That was not in the cards for today but what the heck it's almost like living in Connecticut where you just have to wait a minute and the weather goes from beautiful to yucky to sensational to horrid in two shakes of a lamb's tail. This was the first time I got caught. I was shopping for groceries and the weather was gorgeous when I went into Rouses. The storm came crashing down as I shopped. I was amazed at the sound of the winds and rain. As I tried to leave the store had closed its big garage type glass doors and people were lined up waiting for the storm to end. A few people told me to wait until it slowed down and the lightening and big winds stopped before I ventured out. So I did as the natives said and when there was a lull I ran pell mell to the car, got soaking wet through and through and through, threw the groceries into the trunk, put on the heat to defog the windows and headed home. I still had to drive about 40 mph max because it was raining and the roads were covered with inches of rain. But I was home and under the carport easily enough where P&D's Pop and the puppies helped me out. I couldn't save any of the plastic bags as I usually do because they were dripping. My shoes are still out on the porch drying out. So that was quite a new experience for me. I've driven in the hard rain down here but never had to leave a store in the middle of wild weather. A bit scary but doable as long as you use common sense and wait for Mother Nature to calm down.

Received bad news yesterday evening and a phone call today about a friend who took his own life. He was not a close friend but we know many people who have been devastated by his death. I don't think anyone would commit suicide if they thought about the consequences to the folks they leave behind. I feel in my gut that it is nasty, cruel, thoughtless and downright ornery for someone to quit living and let everyone in their lives pick up the pieces of the mess they have created. Of course I have no idea why this happened and neither do his family, friends and employees. They will carry on because they will choose to live but their lives will be forever changed by this cruel, heartless act. I don't like to dwell on it but I have known four men who decided to quit living and destroy themselves.  I find them despicable and I don't imagine that is very Christian of me. Not sure at all how to help the people they left behind cope with their selfishness.

Well, don't want to end on that note so I'll just mention that I should read the complete instruction manual before I use a new device. I bought a new digital thermometer for cooking and put the batteries in it, set it up to cook a nice rice stuffed boneless chicken and almost burnt the chicken! The fire alarm was screaming as both Grampa and I smelled the beginnings of smoke in the kitchen. The chicken was really delicious even if the skin was crispy. Problem: I had put batteries into the thermometer but had not but some in the base i.e. it looked like it was working but it wasn't! In any case I shall be more careful.

Quote:  Good nature is the beauty of the mind, and like personal beauty, wins almost without anything else - sometimes, indeed, in spite of positive deficiencies.    ___Hanway