Monday, September 08, 2008

Stormy Monday...

Woken by the thunderstorms numerous times last night, about 5:30 I finally slipped in a pair of earplugs, only to be woken by them again at 7:30. As I wandered through the house (as long as I was awake I might as well use the bathroom) there was a loud "POP" and though I didn't actually realize the lights were off, I heard the battery backup for my desktop beeping.

I shut it off, then set my little cooking timer for a half hour to make sure Dottie woke up for work, went downstairs and checked the sump in the basement, then tried to doze back off...I think I just had when her alarm clock (battery backup) went off...then her other alarm clock...then the timer! I decided it was a message and put my kettle on (gas stove lit manually), deciding I was up for the day.

She showered and ate, I made a latte and oatmeal, then called in the power outage. I grabbed my radio from work and was sitting in our old platform rocker with the cat listening to NPR when I heard the rain start up again.

So I went and started rolling out the extension cords, preparing to drag our generator outside before the rain got "heavy" again. As I got the first one stretched all the way through the house and to the sump, I heard the dehumidifier come back on. For now, the lights are "holding" though it's usually 5 or 6 hours before I "trust" them. The cord is still lying there...

Saturday morning Dottie decided she wanted to sleep in more than she wanted to see "Death Race", so we put that off 'til Friday and she slept 'til 10:30. We picked up Dillon around noon and took him to a hobby store where he picked out a "screw together " Harley kit and his first "glue together" model, a 2007 Shelby Mustang. Those took up most of the afternoon and early evening.

He asked to go back to the Natural History Museum at KU; we had taken he and his sister there a year or so ago. He spent a lot more time looking at the fossils this time, but had told he grandma that why he really wanted to go was to see the snakes (live examples of all of the ones native to Kansas).

I've lost count of how many times I've been to this museum since my first trip when I was in the 5th grade, yet I'm always intrigued by it. Besides the donation at the door, we always try to pick up something out of their shop to help support it as well. Dillon picked up some geode and mineral samples, I bought a little rocket kit, powered by vinegar and baking soda. Next time he's over we'll go out to the park and launch it...here I'm afraid of losing it in a tree or a neighbor's yard!

Last night after dinner and getting Dillon home for his bedtime, we watched "Lady in the Water", one we had both wanted to see in the theater and missed. Not at all what I expected, and a very good movie! I'm still not sure it's a bedtime story, though...

So that was our weekend...I hope each of you had a wonderful one!

Tonight "Sarah Connor" kicks off a new season...one of the best of last year, I'm loooking forward to it!

May the week be kind!

alan

8 comments:

Jennifer said...

Thanks for such a cheery post, despite the storms! I've been pretty blah over here, and with the polls the way they are, nobody at work was very cheery today, either.

I'm going to take a 90-minute nap, then break out the art supplies! I can not be gloomy when you're having fun!

Anonymous said...

Send some of that rain this way would ya? My yard is crunchy! lol

CrackerLilo said...

I'm glad you had a good weekend, despite the storms. I'm laughing at the image of all those alarms going off at once!

Connie in FL said...

I love Dottie! I need three reminders to get up in the morning as well.

We also had a wonderful weekend. The two year old twin godchildren spent two nights with us. The neighbor's swing, romps in the swimming pool, a trip to KB Toys, the mall play ground and Build a Bear were the highlights.

May your week be kind as well.

beckyboop said...

The storm woke me up as well. The thunder was wicked! My power stayed on, thank goodness. It usually doesn't here in Bonner.

Nice thought about the card and thanks for the warning about the skeeters!

Anonymous said...

1. Im tired just from reading all you do in a day! Do you wonder how you managed before you retired?!?

2. The actress who plays Sarah Connor is my future wife. Really she is. She just hasn't figured that out yet!

=)

Sassy said...

Next time you go to a museum take me!!! lol

robin andrea said...

I love that you take your grandkids to the museum and buy interesting toys in the gift shop. Good lessons all around there.

Who is Sarah Connor? I don't watch TV.