Beneath the Wraps

                The weather seemed to be the perfect temperature during Bill and Kayla's visit - except for the last day which was cold.   We had a few perfect days since until Tuesday and Wednesday.   Unbelievable Heat Wave.   Roseburg broke a record of 90 degrees on the 25th of April.   How dare it be warmer in Oregon than in Salt Lake!             We had watched the news to learn of how much longer.   We were told that yesterday would be hot but not as bad as the last two days.   The next week predicted a drastic drop in temperature and rain.   Of course, we'll get rain.   We can make that happen just by putting up our A/C.   At first, Roland was just going to do our bedroom, and wait to install the A/C in the main room.   After watching the news, I thought he might in the bedroom, but he ended up...

I will be 60 when Jenna graduates from high school.  I have often wondered if I would actually live that long.  It’s not that I consider 60 so old as to have a foot in the grave.  It’s my raspy breathing and hacking that has made me question my state of health. I watched my father slowly die for two years – which really isn’t a long time when I consider what others have gone through.  The memory of a loved one’s death lingers with you no matter how sudden or painful. I have always wanted to move away from Utah – well, maybe not always – but definitely after I got married.  At the same time (even if we could have afforded it) it would (and will) be so hard to leave my family members – knowing I would not or will not be able to afford to return often as there will be new births, deaths, Christmas, birthdays and other celebrations.  And yet if I stay in Utah and continue to breathe this dry air, I will be miserable and my family memb...

            No, I am not getting paid to advertise.   For heating and air conditioning I had always used Gils.   Gil comes out and gets the job done and no need to call back because the system works and they don’t leave glitches.   They’re reasonably priced – inexpensive even.   But it’s just a father and his son.   They don’t finance.             We called Hartman when our furnace seemed to give out.   They had serviced our furnace before.   I hadn’t remembered, but it was Hartman’s paperwork tacked to our furnace that hadn’t been serviced since two years before we moved into the house.             As I was waiting for someone to pick up, I started playing with a switch on the side of the furnace.   Apparently it had been knocked into last time someone had been ...

     Randy helped Roland put the A/Cs up on Memorial Day.   Roland had wanted to do central air, but the cost would have been more than remolding the bathroom (and getting a new tub – which is I wanted – but not the entire expense all at once) Three fires and still just barely getting by on Roland’s check.         Ten more days and Pamprin will be eighteen.   No more child support – well except what the stupid state is suspending from his paycheck on the two years that Roland was UNEMPLOYED – and what’s the point of fighting it when the lawyer may end up sucking more out of us than Maleficent did (still does)   Still we should notice an increase in his paycheck – at least I hope.      It was 88 degrees in our city yesterday.   Roland had looked it up online.   He said there was a difference of ten degrees from what his family members were experiencing in Tucson. ...

          I am usually not pressed for time – but on those few days that I do need to leave – well, those are the days my mom would like me to stay.  And it would be all well and good if I actually lived closer – or with her.  But I don’t.           We’re down to one functional car – and even that has been questionable.            Since Roland works late on Wednesdays, he drove the car in and so I borrowed my son’s car in order to get out to mom’s.  Talk about nerve racking.                     First off, it has a quirkiness to it that anybody but Biff might not get – and the fact that other people have trouble turning on the ignition is actually a great feature in Biff’s opinion.  I was just about to give up, when I actually got it to turn....

          It’s time to get my hair cut – or at least thinned out.  I feel like I have a heavy scarf draped over the back of my neck.  I have been pulling it back – but some days just don’t seem to matter.           We’re down to just one car.  Jenna and I have to get up in the morning to leave by 6:30 to take Roland to work.  Jenna stays in her pajamas, wears slippers out to the car, buckles herself in, lies down and throws a blanket over herself.            Roland turns the heater on – I usually turn my side down before we arrive to his work (one nice feature which still exists on the car – passenger and driver can adjust to different temperatures) I shut the heater off before completing the journey home.           We return home one hour before I take Jenna to school...

          I don’t mind sunshine.  I can drive when the sun is out and lighting my path.  There are a huge number of summer activities that I do enjoy.  I just don’t care for the heat.  I would rather have it cool.           April hasn’t even ended, and already I’m changing my perspirated drenched clothes two or three times a day.  What am I going to do in July?  If it’s above 72 degrees I am an ogre.            Even the dog is panting after hours of sleeping.  Our walks now have to happen before school.  Just two weeks ago it was midday because it was too cold in the morning.  I think if the weather were to change gradually (maybe just one degree every other day) it wouldn’t be so bad.  This 20 – 40 degree jump has got to go.           I en...