Let There Be Heat!

Eight a.m.  (Knock knock knock.)  Plumber Guy came out early on a Saturday morning, installed the thermocouple in the gas fireplace, made sure everything was working, handed me his most reasonable bill, and was out the door.  He had a date with his son and some friends and their sons to watch every single previous episode of Star Wars back to back so the boys would be up to date when they would go see the latest in the series.  He said it was for the kids, but, hmmm, I wonder if the dads might not have dreamed up this movie marathon for their own enjoyment.  I remember taking my Kids to the theater to see the first Star Wars in 1977.  Time flies like a star ship!

It's very reassuring to have wood on the porch and (safe) heat downstairs as well.  The predicted winds are howling outside like banshees, a whole lot of banshees, this morning.  No rain yet, but it will come.  I find the wind harder to deal with than rain.  Point of fact:  know which way the wind is blowing before dumping a bucketful of stall "product" over the fence.

It's a given that I am calendar challenged.  I try to keep track of Mondays so I'm ready for Milk Guy.  It didn't help when NASCAR season ended.  Races usually occurred on Sundays, meaning the next day was Monday and now I've lost that clue.  Mondays are followed by Trash Day Tuesdays.  I get thrown for a loop when Milk Guy changes his schedule.  Yesterday I received notice that Trash Day has been officially moved to Wednesday.  Aaarrgh!  I'm not a conspiracist, but I'm beginning to think there's a plot to keep me off kilter here.  The plotters should pick on someone who's a bigger challenge.

I know better.  I should know better.  After the failed attempt to pipe out dough the other day, I temporarily gave up, put the dough in the refrigerator, and washed the pastry bag and tips.  Thinking I'd give it another shot today, I set out the implements on the counter last evening.  Sometime during the night, Ralph (I didn't need to guess who) evidently knocked the one critical tip off the counter and made away with it.  It's not in the kitchen, the living or dining rooms.  Ralph just looks at me wide-eyed when asked.  It may never reappear.

I'm going to stock and stoke the wood stove and revel in its warmth.  It's Sunday (I'm pretty sure) and I'm going to take the day off.  Right after I milk and feed and clean the barn and get milk bottled for tomorrow.  Uh huh.