Good morning from a drizzly, rainy Interior, which is a nice change from the smoke of past days. Today will be the same as yesterday, but we've dropped from the high eighties. Right now, it is fifty degrees with a projected high of only sixty-one.

The Munson Fire news hasn't been updated today, but this is from yesterday afternoon, "Cooler temperatures, higher relative humidity, and light rain helped ease fire behavior on the Munson Creek Fire today. The fire received light rain on and off throughout the day. Current conditions at Chena Hot Springs are described as smoky and overcast.

The fire continues to creep down the hillside behind Chena Hot Springs Resort and helicopters made multiple water drops on the fire on the hillside behind the Aurora Ice Museum to check the fire up. Bucket drops were also used to slow the fire's advance as it moved down the hillside near Mile 54 Chena Hot Springs Road. Firefighters are strategically positioned to meet the fire as it comes down the hillside.

In addition to a light rain falling intermittently throughout the day Tuesday, helicopters were used to drop water on the Munson Creek Fire burning directly behind Chena Hot Springs Resort.
Crews are also taking direct action on the fire on the hillside behind Chena Hot Springs to slow its progress. Crews are constructing a control line from an aurorium on the hillside behind the resort to connect in to a backburn conducted east of the hot springs Monday night. The Pioneer Peak Hotshot Crew from Palmer has arrived at the fire and will be plugged in to assist with suppression and structure protection."

I'm frustrated that the news, unless dire, isn't updated until each afternoon. We have seven fires in the region, but only two are presently 2,500 to 20,000 acres burning. While there are now fifty-one burning statewide, the rain and cooler temperatures will alleviate the burns.

Patricia, at least the rain is helping out, as long as there aren't more  lightening strikes!

Jane, I now have a bottle of Rescue  for pets. We are now armed and ready for the next storm!!

Jane, I was so glad to see your coleslaw recipe in recipes! Thanks, Amy!

Gloria, YAY! Yevette is back! I was on the long, long list for a CNA after my sprain but dropped out when I no longer met some requirements.

Amy, I forwarded your Commandments For Seniors; it was appreciated. People can also use rescue Remedy, and I have a friend who uses a touch on the tongue before the dentist. The rain is a steady drizzle, and if we do have more lightning, I hope the cooler temperatures and soaking will help!

Jenny, I hope you've heard some good news from your surgeon today? I'm sure Dave and the kids appreciate your loving presence and support right now.

Your "If only" came true as yesterday evening, we started drizzling, and it is continuing with a drop of thirty degrees.

I received a new Android cell phone as an early birthday present.  It integrates with my other devices, is more of a command center than simply a phone. And I will keep my older one at home and take this new one out with me. It's amazing what they come up with.

Hello All of you!  We got our thunderstorm tonight, too!  And it has cooled things off a bit.  The booming thunder has stopped but the rain is continuing to fall softly.  The grass is slurping it up and I didn't have to go out and water the plants tonight.

PATRICIA, I'm glad you got some rain and cooler weather.  I'm sure those flames don't like the rain and maybe they will diminish now.

You're welcome for the recipe.  It's a "tried and true" one...very good.

Also, Rescue Remedy was made originally for humans but it works on animals too.  Here, it's sold in health food stores and I think that's where AMY finally found it.  My one grand niece was a very excitable child and that's what my niece originally got it for  but she was told that it could be used on animals who fear weather changes too.  And I knw for a fact that it works on them.

Today was an "errand running day" and it was very frustrating.  My ATM card got stuck in the slot and I had to go in the bank and they had to do something inside and then go outside and remove it.  After that, it was more and more frustrations until I finally gave up on Davy's and came home to cool off...externally and internally!

GLORIA....YAY!  YVETTE IS BACK!

Hey LLOYD, nice to see you. 

I notice that the storm brought along lower temps also.  At 9 p.n. it was still 89 degrees and now it's only 71!  I'm sure it will be good sleeping weather and that's the next think I'm going to check out.  The haystack calls!  I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow.  And may God bless us, every one!

A late Wednesday Night HELLO to all. I really appreciated all the kind comments regarding the issue with my shoulder.  I did see the surgeon today and the news was not what I wanted to hear.  Unfortunately my fracture has not healed well at all and I am going to have a total shoulder replacement😩. I was told I could try to live with it and it might get somewhat better but the odds are not good.  We did not have to think about it long.....I really have no choice I MUST get it done.  My quality of life the way it is unacceptable😩. It is estimated to be nearly a month out to be able to schedule but we have started the ball rolling.

GLORIA..... YIPPEE YVETTE IS BACK‼️‼️

AMY and JANE.....busy as always. 

Poor SHIRLEY.....HOT WEATHER AND TERMITES......NOT GOOD😘

It has been a very long day and I am off to get some shut eye. 

Jenny

I wish you all a quick, short GOOD Morning!

JENNY, I'm so sorry for your shoulder problem!  I will keep praying that all goes well when they get you into the schedule.  I know what a problem I had with the broken humerus bone in my upper arm and I can only imagine how much worse it must be with a shoulder.

I'm off to the showers now, then a walk for Mickie and (hopefully) a trip to Davy's to make up for cancelling it yesterday.

I wish you all a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow.

Good morning..

Back to being muggy again......temp is 56° at the moment. Between crows, loons and starlings "talking" this morning sleeping in was not allowed.

If the rain holds off I would like to do more under brushing. Made a big pot of meatball bean soup in the IP last night so lunch has been taken care of.

Jane, it was explained to me that the Rescue  for pets has no alcohol in it.  I sure hope today goes a lot better for you.

Gloria, bet you are grinning from ear to ear with Yvette back. I am sure she is also happy to be back as you two get a long like two peas in a pod.

Jenny, I am sorry to read this. I do think you are taking the best way out though. You don't want to go through the rest of your life with your arm the way it is.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.. 

Good Morning everyone, hope everyone in the path of Elsa is not flooded out. We are to get the rain side of that storm tomorrow with a possible 2+ inches of rain so are being warned about flash flooding. So glad my family members are all living on high ground well above any streams. For the first time in many years with all this humidity we have been having with the heat we have been having thunderstorms in the late afternoons. I will not be on the PC during a storm so that means short times with my daughter. I shut the PC down and also the TV. When we had our house I was so bad I would pull a lot of plugs out. One night I shut the TV off and my husband turned it back on sat in his chair and bang-yes the TV was hit. Oh well he was really steaming then. Was not my fault. Only thing good was the next day we went out for a new TV and the first color one for us. In the area my daughter lives in Arizona they are in for almost a week of 100+ so they will be frying in that dry heat while we here boil.
As if the late afternoon thunderstorms aren't enough during the night we had another one, it wasn't the noise that woke me it was the flashing of the lightening, one flash after another so close. The sky now is showing some blue for a change.

AMY  yes Yvette and I were both happy to see each other on Tuesday, so was her other client. I did better than the other one, I had help(?) most of the days while the other lady who is confined to a wheel chair had only 5 days of help and she is one who needs it more than I do. They were stuck on one of the islands over there for 2 extra days. There was a small airline that went from the airport on the biggest island to one of the smaller islands, well the airline was sold and no more plane ride to the smaller island and they had to go by fishing boa t and it was a 4 hour ride. On the way home it was the same but they had to stay an extra night while they had to have another covid test.

JENNY  I had my right shoulder replaced about 10 years ago and never  any problem with it. Was a few days away from having the lef t one replaced and the insurance company I had then-United Health-dropped tha t group and I could not afford  the cost so canceled.At my age now I doubt and doctor would do elective surgery on me.

JANE  all the thunderstorms we have been having did no thing to lower the temperatures or humidity. So glad I have a good AC and got rid of that portable one.  Even my light bill ia half of what it was with the portable one.

PATRICIA  WISH SOME OF THE VERY DRY AREAS COULD GET A WEEK OF A SLOW SOAKING RAIN TO HELP. Darn caplock was on again.

AMY the surgery for  shoulder replacement is not bad but takes awhile to heal to use the arm again. I am another one who copied your 12 Commandments for Seniors. I will be sending it on when I get off of here.

Bet ter get a move on, Yvette is coming a t 10:30 today and tomorrow (if she can get out tomorrow with the heavy rain they are predic ting). From wha t she has said about her house it is in a hollow.

Have a good day and keep cool.

We have JULY weather for now so I will just moan & groan till it's over. I do dislike summer, got that out of my system!

Jenny, I am so sorry you have surgery to face, you are much braver than I am. Will be sending along prayers and good thoughts so keep us posted.

Last night my youngest so came over (his usual Wed night visit). I had been complaining about what a mess the termite team made of my yard with pulling those big storage containers away from the foundation to treat & in the process released mounds of leaves to be put in the trash dumpster. One of the RubberMaid containers had pulled apart & they just left it with the ends not snapped together. I either put one or two together by myself or helped with them, & one time the wind blew the one in the pool area apart because I didn't have the lid anchored down & they will just snap apart piece by piece. Got it put together & the stuff back in so must go out with a rake & the snow shovel this morning to clean up. Before it gets too hot!

Gloria, so happy for you that Yvette is back. She has been such a good friend to you as well as a helper, makes the day brighter!  I used to pull the plugs on TVs & anything I could reach but haven't done that since Cas died. Not sure why, but my laptops stay plugged in all the time anymore. We used to put them on surge protectors but so far this one hasn't been plugged into one since I bought it in CO a few years ago. Guess I'm pushing my luck or just getting lazy. The 2 old laptops are plugged into surge protectors & stay on all the time because it takes a week (slight exaggeration) for them to start up!

Amy, my wake up call was Tiger bouncing on my bed to let me know she was rested & ready to eat. She went downstairs last night when Tom & Callie opted to go outside. I slept so sound knowing the two outside didn't have storms to face & Tiger wouldn't be purring in my ear & tickling my nose all night.

Jane, I've been trying for days to make a trip to one store & wear down before I get there. I am going to go after cleaning up the leaves & taking a shower. It's off my beaten path but only place I can buy those old Schick injector blades I use to cut my hair. The last pack I opened the other day had to be knock-offs because they were so dull it felt like pulling hair out instead of cutting off. I usually buy 5 packs each time & they have cut them back to 5 blades in a pack.... only this one had 7 blades & I tried each one with the same results, I could have used the thick side as easily as the supposedly sharp one. Do hope to find sharp ones this time!

Patricia, prayers the fires end soon. I can only imagine what the landscape will look like after seeing Yellowstone the year after the big fire. My heart breaks for the lost wildlife and their habitat, as well as the loss to all Alaska people. Nature can be so cruel at times, but at the same time, it renews the land.

Must finish my breakfast & dress for yard work... not my favorite thing to do. Have a great day, every friend.... it is a short week because of the holiday so my head is shocked we have a week end already!!! Can't you believe tomorrow is Friday??

Prayers requested for #2 son who is having double fusion back surgery this afternoon.

Rainy day here.chilly....Kyle just put a fire on to chase the chill away.

Callie, prayers for your son that all goes well in his surgery. Wishing him also a speedy recovery..

After three cool days of rain showers and high humidity, fire managers say there is still heat in the Munson Creek Fire based on a reconnaissance flight Wednesday. Precipitation this week was not sufficient to put the fire out but has kept it in check and smoldering through the understory. Active fire behavior could return with warmer weather forecast next week.

The estimated size of the fire did increase significantly following Wednesday's reconnaissance flight. Fire managers now estimate the fire is 36,609 acres, an increase of almost 11,000 acres. The increase is a product of both better mapping and fire growth over the past two days, primarily on the southern end near the Middle Fork of the Chena River. Just over 200 firefighters and overhead personnel are assigned to the fire.

Oh, my goodness, Callie.... I expect surgery is over already but prayers that it works for him. I am not rational about back surgery but know many find it necessary. So lucky my back quit giving me trouble, was a life long problem. I will be thinking of him and prayers that he can live without pain! 

Am just now heading to get those razor blades & am kicking myself for not getting out earlier. Do not like going to any store when all the young people are getting off work & stopping by, will be wearing my mask even if I am the only one doing it!  I do clean me up good when I get back to the car, with those Clorox wipes. With as many people catching the new version I am sure they've touched some of the foods in the stores & left germs behind.... will we ever feel safe again? 

And tomorrow is Friday!! My brain doesn't cope with short weeks, never did & so much worse now.

Patricia, I had so hoped the rains would slow the fires, very sad they are growing. Do they have any idea how they started, by campers or lightning?

Shirley, it was caused by lightening.

Well, Shirley, if you were 6 feet 8 inches tall and X-rays/MRIs showed deteriorating discs and a slight spine curvature were causing dehabilitating pain from your hip to your ankle - you just might agree that surgeons at the Spine Hospital who had already done four successful back surgeries on your wife work on fixing yours.

Surgery is over and took 2 1/2 hours instead of the 3 to 4 the doctors had thought.  All went well.He is in his room and ready to begin the recovery/recuperation. It will be slow but he hopes to be ready to host a BBQ and pool party by August 27th, his 55th birthday.

Callie, that is good news!! What do you say? Onward and upward.

I can just imagine the size of his shoes!! Size 11?

size 13...sometimes 14 

I came to check, Callie, and so pleased all went well. Don't blame him for taking what seems the best route, but I do have a yellow streak down my back knowing none of the meds ever work for me. I will say a prayer of thanks (probably more than once) for his complete recovery. Thanks for the update.

Was talking over the fence with my neighbors & was pleased their son that "lives in the boonies" wants the old Birdview satellite dish & all the equipment that goes with it. Just glad to get it out of the way without having strangers come to check it out. Can't believe how hot it is, was going to weed whip some ivy that grows up the brick, when we bought the house it covered the whole garage end of the house & took a while to get rid of it, but it keeps trying to climb & I don't want to use the veg.killer (even tho termite people pumped their stuff all along that wall, every wall)... So I go along with the weed whip & cut it back about knee high every so often. I really wish I could find someone to help but nobody interested in working. Help wanted signs everywhere.

Probably won't be back tonight, am weary. I did get my razor blades & told the sales guy I would bring them back if they weren't sharp. I buy 5 packs at a time so with tax about $28, that pays for a lot of hair cuts when sharp! Now that I can see the back of my head again I would like to do the job right! I've been doing my own haircuts since about 14-15 years old, not nearly as thick or tough to cut as long ago but still grows fast. Needs a trim about every other week. When I used to dye it I had to do every 10 days when I gave up. My hair was black, as black as possible, so by the time it was half ghost white & blue black, it got to be a lot of trouble every 10 days. I brushed the black dye in so I could leave a trace of white... We do what we must, right?

Good night, sweet dreams and God Bless.... and prayers for all.

Hello Everyfriend!  This was a very odd day!  I think a lot of stuff got done but most of it doesn't show.  I made it to Davy's in very light rain and we've had more off and on, hard and light all day.  I think, right now, it's not raining.

Callie, I'm glad your son's surgery went well.  I wish him a speedy recovery and a pain free rest of his life.

My son is 6'3' and he also wears size 13 shoes since high school.  That's a big shoe to trip over!  He was here trying to fix the freezer door on my fridge.  He said he thought it was fixed but he copied down the model number just in case he has to order a new gasket.  It really doesn't close tightly unless I really SLAM it and then it oozes open over a period of time.  Unfortunately, he's leaving for a week's vacation on Sunday and I'm sure a new gasket isn't going to get here before that. 

I'm afraid my eyes are entering slam shut mode so I better get the "get ready for bed" things done.  I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow.  And may God bless us, every one!

Twas nice here most of the day but in the late afternoon the sky opened. Thunder and heavy rain. 4" in many local places and flooding. Nearby there is a Parkway with several overpasses so cross traffic doesn't hamper the Parkway, with usually a dip under the overpass. These flooded as water couldn't run off fast enough and people trying to drive through got stuck - leaving their cars submerged in water. Rescue vehicles on scene to rescue the drivers.
     I have often wondered why people drive through water when they don't know how deep it is.
     Hurricane remains due in the morning.

Rick...i should think the car in front of you would be the dead giveaway....as to whether to chance driving through a flooded area...guess some drivers still will chance their luck...

Good morning..

Another day of rain, thankfully no storm last night. The work outside might get done if the rain holds off. If weather doesn't permit outside work there is lots to do inside and I still have to hand sew 2 bindings on quilts.

Shirley, nice that you have someone to get the dish. He will appreciate the dish and you will appreciate it gone. Love your wake up call!

Better scoot.

Enjoy your day and stay safe..
 

Up early again, thanks to a fur ball bed baby. I think she started itching because the AC was not running being same temp out as thermostat set on (76°). That is as cool as need be at night (for me) but air gets so still & I don't like the sound of fan being on full time. Anyway, need to get some outside jobs done before too hot so will have breakfast & feed cats while dark. And that's the plan for July 9, 2021.

Rick, we have some low spots like that & one time my youngest son tried to drive thru... in an old Mustang we bought from my parents. Sure was a job getting it all dried out, including brakes, etc. that rusted! Lesson learned, that was about 40 years ago and would you believe that intersection still floods. Not sure what the city expects will fix it if they don't make any effort! Because the water doesn't get deep enough for humans to die it doesn't get attention and I expect the local auto repair places love the business! Is that cynical? Yes! I had to catch my breath as calmly as you mentioned "Hurricane remains due in the morning".

My sons got their small feet from my father... they wear about a 10. Their father wore 11 & 1/2 at 6'2".

Jane, I think I would just sit outside and watch/enjoy a slow rain in July! Usually any summer rain comes with high winds or plain ole storms. Actually, I love to watch storms but hate the clean up from damage they cause.

Sky starting to get lighter so better get a move on. Have a great day, every Friend!

So there you are, Amy! I am relieved to have that big dish removed before it's a MUST DO when I sell the house.

Good Morning Everyfriend!  Mickie chose to get up in time to watch Day Break again today.  She started at 4:40 and I held her off until 4:50.  It's still dark around here at 4:50.  But I guess that's ok because no one can see me when I take her out in my jammies.

So far, there's only one thing on the agenda for today and that's paying a few bills.  I'm sure other things will come up but since tomorrow is recycling day and that takes the wind out of my sails, I'm not going to push today.

I wish you all a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, misting now but the heavier rain is supposed to start around 10 or so this morning.

SHIRLEY  you and I are alike when we wish for wint er. I rather see snow falling instead of all this rain. Would be grea tif the areas that desperately need rain would get some good rain at last.

CALLIE  most definitely  prayers for your son and anyone with back problems. I wish the best results for him.

I am sitting here falling asleep. Think I have time for a nap before Yvette gets here. Well when she cals from down in the foyer that will wake me up.

Have a good day, keep cool and  on the east coast stay dry.

Good morning everyone. It Is clear here and going to get high in the high 80's or ninety's here today. I have a sore mouth and a stomach ache today. the tooth removal is no fun. Have a good day everyone.

Lloyd

Rick, Hurricane Elsa turned into Tropical Depression Elsa by the time it got here yesterday so we got a lot of rain here in central NC and some wind but it wasn't as bad as they were expecting.  Rained nearly all day so it was really gloomy.  It flooded in the usual places and some trees went down on power lines over near Durham so a few power outages to be dealt with today but all in all not too bad.  Today is bright and sunny but hot again.  Hope Elsa doesn't hit you as hard as that freaky storm yesterday. 

Callie, glad your son came through back surgery OK.   Hope the recovery goes quickly.

David went to pick up groceries so I'll put those away when he gets back.  That is the total of what I plan to do today. 

Take care, All.

Good morning from a return to sunny Interior. The Munson fire is still zero percent uncontained, but they've managed to do a few back burns, and the rain had helped. There is a new lightning-caused fire on the border between us and Canada.

Ten fires surround us, all heading in opposite directions from us but only one besides the Munson, over 2500 acres. All the fun of living in an arboreal forest, I suppose. If there's a dry heat, you have fires. But, the three previous rainy summers were dreary and made you miserable.

I still have a few chores for today, but other than that, it is a free day.

Here is the news release from the state forestry department for today. Even with two days of rain, the Munson Creek fire still managed to grow by  11,000 acres.

Start Date: 06/18/2021             Location: 52 miles E of Fairbanks, AK

Cause: Lightning                       Fire Size: 36,609 acres

Containment: 0%                    Total Personnel: 206

Fire crews have identified, triaged, and placed sprinkling equipment where needed on more than 70 structures along Chena Hot Springs Road or at Chena Hot Springs Resort and four more along the Middle Fork Chena River to keep them safe from the 36,609-acre Munson Creek Fire. No structures have been damaged or destroyed. The fire surrounded but did not burn the State Parks trail shelter on the Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs Trail.

Patricia, that is a lot of damage. Animals have lost their homes and people could still lose theirs. Stay safe..