Halfway mark

[altivo]

One day down. Guild meeting attended, made it to lunch with Bear Creek and friends, then to the county fair where I may have successfully wiggled my way out of judging for next year (which means I can submit items for display instead,) and then Sam's Evil Empire to get some grocery stuff.

By the time we got home, the heat index was at 100F/38C. I convinced Gary that we shouldn't put the horses in their stalls for the night, so we fed them in their pens instead where there is more air circulation. We do have some breeze, but the humidity is so high that it isn't helping a lot. Tomorrow is predicted to be worse.

Got back my share of the dye samples from last month, will get a photo of the lot as soon as possible. The range of colors is pretty amazing in my opinion, especially considering that they come just from weeds, sawdust, and dried bugs.

We made salad for dinner from lettuce, arugula, and cilantro thinnings I pulled out of the garden. Added a tomato and some cottage cheese, and it was good. Pulled some bean soup out of the freezer from last February and that was enough.

We haven't been running our air conditioning much this year, it has been so cool and gloomy, but today it is on. Coincidentally, talked to a guy in a commercial booth at the fair who has an energy-efficient heating and cooling business and sells/installs the same brand heating and cooling (Climate Master) that we have. He said he can do regular maintenance on our system, something we haven't been doing because the original installers (farther away, in Rockford) have changed hands and aren't handling this brand any more.

Tomorrow: Clean barns while Gary is at church, should be light since Tess won't have been in her stall at all, and the boys, though they have access, will probably stay outside mostly. Then head to the library for the centennial shindig. Gary's Bear Creek partner Rob (and possibly his wife Dawn) will arrive on the 12:20 train, and the whole complicated thing starts at 1 pm. Not sure how late it will run, but probably at least until 4 pm. We hope to take them to dinner in town and get them onto the 6:35 train for home. After which we'll have to go home ourselves and feed horses, sheep, and dogs. Then Monday back to work again. Eeew.

And next weekend? Boone County Fair and the steam tractor gathering in Sycamore I think.

Comments

[quickcasey.livejournal.com]

If it's Sunday the 16th, you think correctly. As in years past, we will meet there at a certain time?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Sounds good to me. What time will work for you? Something like 10:30 or 11? We'll need to do critter stuff in the morning and Gary probably wants to go to church, which would be 8-9 am.

[quickcasey.livejournal.com]

Let's say 11, as I may actually not get delayed by the county taking out bridges this time.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Sounds good. Meet at the building with the stationery engine in it?

[avon-deer.livejournal.com]

I hope it cools off for you a bit. I'd give anything to have AC some days.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Yes. We never had air conditioning until we bought this place. We still don't use it a lot, but when you need it, boy is it a nice thing to have. Temperature alone doesn't bother me much, but when the humidity is high, I really suffer. The great thing about AC is that it dries the air out, even when you set the temperature fairly high.

[quickcasey.livejournal.com]

Yes, that is a good place to meet.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

I wish we had that system you have, I wonder why it doesn't sell in Australia.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I don't think it sells all that well here. We had a hard time finding anyone to install it for us. The problem is the higher initial cost. It was about twice as expensive to buy and install as a conventional system. Gary figures it has more than paid for itself in savings on electricity and firewood now, but we've been running it for eight years. People have a hard time with long term objectives like that, it seems, and many here do not plan to stay in the same place that long so why invest in someone else's savings?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I suggested it to rustitobuck and he may join us with his sons if they are interested.

[quickcasey.livejournal.com]

Even better