Heat wave

Like so much of the world right now, we are experiencing unprecedented heat with heat advisories. We normally take a 2.5 – 3+ mile walk each day, preferring to do it outdoors, but after sweltering through two days this week when the temperature was about 7 degrees cooler than today’s 96f, we chose to go into the local mall. Like many malls, it is sparcely populated with stores anymore with 3 anchor stores, a Planet Fitness, a Children’s Museum, and a remote campus of the local community college holding it together. It is cool on days like today and frequented by many mall walkers. On very cold or icy days, it is also our go to spot. A complete lap is about 1/2 mile, so we can still get our exercise.

With the heat and dry weather, our hay guy has spent the last 3 days, mowing, teddering, raking, and baling the hay fields we own. Because this region is in a light drought and has been for several years, no one is getting huge amounts of hay. Tommy got 47 five foot bales, not the least ever done during our 20 years here, but certainly light. It is done, the yard was mowed the day he started, so the farm looks neat and in order right now.

This is definitely a beautiful place to live.

This is good, because we will have all three of our children, their spouses, and 10 of our grandchildren here for the 4th of July. One son and his family staying with us, daughter and her family live locally, and the other son and his family coming in early Saturday and staying through the fireworks in one of the nearby towns before driving home.

I don’t usually decorate for the 4th, though it was my Mom’s birthday. She would have been 103 this year. We did purchase some tablecloths, pinwheels, a couple small flags, and two adorable patriotic gnomes. It will be too hot to use outdoor tables, so we will seat everyone indoors for meals. And with 16 to feed, 13 of them breakfast and lunch before the others arrive for dinner, we did break our rule and bought disposable plates, cups, and cutlery. It was that or try to figure out enough plates and doing dishes 3 times in one day.

They were too cute to pass up at the dollar store.

Stay safe everyone, heed the heat and the dry conditions. Happy 250th anniversary USA.