Another Hot One & Now Gas Prices Are Rising

I'm not sure why.  Well, I know why it's hot, it's August, it's summer, it's Global Climate Change (I was tempted to type that last one all in caps since people tend to holler that as if it's the reason and blame for everything weather-related but I didn't want to holler on your morning).  The gas prices thing they're blaming on the pipeline leak last week and a little problem at a refinery in Illinois.  That Illinois, they're a thorn in Wisconsin's side, I'll tell ya.  They come to Door County (the thumb part of WI that sticks out into Lake Michigan) in droves, clogging the roads and spending all their money in the shops and stores... oh, wait, that last part's a good thing, isn't it?  Plus even though I'm not any kind of a football fan I know that Illinois has "da Bears" who are the archenemy of our (mostly not my) beloved Green Bay Packers, who are back in town having training camp even as we speak.  Well, not at 7:48 AM which is the actual "right now" but soon (today's the last 2-a-day practices) and you can bet the railbirds (yeah, it's an old photo but it still looks pretty much the same) will be there in force.  Plus the kids with their bikes.  That's my second favorite part of football, after the flyovers.  Kids adopt one of the players and let the players ride their (little) bikes (scroll through the pictures in the link, it's worth it) down from the locker room to the practice field while the kid runs alongside carrying the player's helmet or rides the pegs.  The players develop relationships with the kids and go to their games and keep in touch in the offseason.  It's very cool, and Green Bay's the only place that happens.  Naturally it was getting out of hand a few years ago so the team stepped in to set down limits and rules, but it still goes on.  On a happier, non-football note look at the tomatoes I harvested when we got home last night!  A whole skirt-full of red, yummy goodness.  We'll definitely be having a tomato salad with our supper tonight, with a little sliced cucumber and maybe some minced basil.  We aren't growing cukes but we've got basil to burn.  Well, not burn, but we've got a lot.  The Japanese beetles have pretty much chomped up the 2 "fancy" basil plants that're in a hanging planter on the garden corner but they've left the regular, sweet basil in the patio planters alone.  (Watch, now that I've said that they'll move over and start munching.  "nope, nothing to eat here, move along.")  I should whip up some pesto to put in the freezer.  Wonder if we've got enough walnuts... toasted walnuts are tastier than pine nuts, I think, cheaper too.  I should get a move on; I have to shower, etc. and go to work.  Maybe if I'm lucky Mrs. Boss won't come in again today.  She sure disrupts my quiet working days with her "do this, do that" thing.  As if she's the boss of me... oh, wait, she is.  Ah well...  Anyway, it'll be another skirt day because it's supposed to be hot and humid.  Seems to be a refrain this year, doesn't it?  Today's PAD theme is "one" so I took a picture of my one and only Durwood.  He's my one, yes, he is.  He's not getting off easy, I'm telling you.

August 2 -- Paul Gauguin, Still Life with Teapot and Fruit.  Cali felt like she was pushing through wet gauze as she walked from the house.  The humidity had to be up over eighty percent and there wasn't a breath of air stirring.  She walked down the sand and coral gravel road toward the sea.  There had to be a breeze there.  Maybe she'd walk into the lagoon until the water came up to her chin and just stay there until dark.  Milo wouldn't let her go out in her bikini.  He insisted that she wear shorts and a tank, at least, and he thought a loose dress would be better, more modest, he said.  How can he preach modesty to me when half the young women run around topless?

I think Milo's in for a surprise.  Cali's about ready to rebel.  And who's on the beach ready to help her with that?  Heh, heh, heh...  maybe if it's quiet at work I'll put pencil to paper and find out.  Better toss a notebook in my backpack.  Not that I don't have a little pad but I might need something with room for more than 10 words on a page.  Ha, there's the "day book" Robin passed out in a poetry workshop a few years back.  Perfect.  The pages are even unlined, my favorite kind. Thanks, Robin.
--Barbara