Not so hot

Summary of a day:

Work schedule is shifting again, so today is my only day off in the week.

Got up, and it was blessedly cooler - we have been having a week of scorcing temps and high humidity resulting in heat indexes in the 100+ range. Which means no work outside of any length, especially not in the direct sun for this reddie! Or else - timberrrrr! But today was nicer, thank Maude.

Karen and I had plans to finish up mulching around the house and all the beds in front of the garage, the perennial garden, etc. Since we got the ton of mulch a couple of weeks ago, we've been pecking away at it here and there, but the trailer was still half full, and the truck was still totally loaded. So we wanted to get that all unloaded so we could use the truck for getting a new screen door. Well, started mulching, and the phone rang. The water heater went out at the duplex. Of course it's a Saturday.

I have recently acquired what I hope to be my "guy". You know, when somebody needs someting major done around a house, like a roofing job, or replacing a toilet, deck, or water heater, they ask you if you know a guy. Or if you have a guy. Anyone who has ever tried to deal with handymen and contractors know that a good guy is as good as gold. Long story short, I thought after not hearing from my guy that I would have to spend over $2,000 to get the heater replaced by a plumbing outfit, but then my guy called me and he was on his way over.
I was taking and making phone calls while pitcing a mountain of mulch. Got that finally done, took a shower, jumped in the truck, drove into town, wrote my guy a check (and offered to bring him a sandwich, but he declined),went to the Homo Depot and checked out doors, then to Menards to compare, definitely want the ones at the Depot, much better quality. Karen got a few potted plants to make her feel better. We bought 24 stakes for the tomato plants.

Got home, the weather was looking like rain was coming, so I started mowing to get as much done as I could while Karen made us supper. We had fresh greens and carrots! from the garden with bleu cheese, home made bread with an olive tapanade spread, hard boiled eggs, and she even made potatoe pancakes! I love these kinds of healty light dinners when it's hot out.

Then after dinner we went over to the neighbors to check on and put her broiler chickens in for the night. I spied an old Farmall 460 in the barn. Same as my old tractor. Awww, red tractors are the best!!

Noticed that the house that is for sale against part of our side yard had their (and our) boundaries surveyed. I am pleased to see that I'll be able to fence in about another ten foot -wide strip along the side yard/hayfield :-) When one is feeding ungry mouths, every square foot counts!

Did a little internet research, look up iris rot, because my iris bed in front is not doing very well. It is, I have learned, overgrown, and suffering from root rot and possibly iris borer. Tough I love irises, I'm thinking I may replace them with something a little less high maintenence. I've got enough things that need attention. I need to focus my limited time on things that feed us, I've decided.

Now it's time for bed. Got to go back to work tomorrow.