Evening report from the Aerie

It was a mostly cloudy and chilly 50 degrees when we got out of bed this morning. Cold enough that the window fans had quit blowing of their own accord and cold enough that a hot breakfast of eggs and toast washed down with hot coffee was necessary.

Terry went down to Curves (a daily exercise and gossip collection routine) and picked up our mail on her way back. Lots of mail. Much garbage mail, many magazines and a stack of bills only some of which required immediate attention. The rest aren't due until well after the first of the month. (The latest gossip had to do with the final approvals given to Lowes to start construction of their store on old Route 15 south of Mansfield and the opening of a Wingate Hotel in the new industrial park off Route 6 and adjacent to the new Route 15. The ladies tend to look at the big picture and leave the soap opera personal stuff alone.)

Around noon, the sky, which had been thickening all morning finally began to spit rain. A slow, steady, soaking rain has been falling ever since. Getting the plants in the ground yesterday may have been a good move. The rain will help them get started even if the cool temperatures slow their growth. Fifty-one was the high and it's been in the 40s for the rest of the day.

I've got an appointment tomorrow to get the Tundra checked out. It's due for its 20K service--it actually has 25K on the odometer after the long trek to the west coast and back--and I want to see about getting the windshield molding replaced. That's the piece gone with the Wyoming wind. The service manager on the phone didn't understand what I was talking about. He seems to think this is a part of the windshield itself, so tomorrow's visit will be part show-and-tell. Sure hope I don't find out I shouldn't have been driving with this molding missing.

I got 8 solid hours of sleep last night but the body is still trying to recover from the marathon we pulled on Saturday into Sunday. As I said then, I never did get to sleep Saturday night--I didn't even lay down. Conclusion: All-nighters were meant for persons younger than I. This gloomy day hasn't perked me up any, to be sure. It'll be an early night.