All Clear

Anybody who’s ever had a colonoscopy knows that the prep is so much worse than the actual procedure. Terry had already been sick for a week, and going through that sure didn’t add to her comfort level. But she’s a trooper and she got through it yesterday morning, getting a report including photos that all was well, and during the afternoon we got a phone call from her doctor to confirm that they had read the results and everything looks good. That’s always good news. 😊

Because she hadn’t had anything to eat the day before, and it was almost noon by the time we left North River Surgical Center after her procedure, the first order of business was getting lunch. We have driven a by a restaurant called The Blue Plate in Northport many times and I had heard some good things about it so we decided to stop there.

They were busy with the lunch crowd and we had to wait about five minutes for a table, but that’s okay. They serve typical Southern comfort food; dishes like fried chicken, meatloaf, fried catfish, country fried steak, and pork chops. You can definitely tell you’re in the South because the sides included fried okra, purple hull peas, turnip greens, and butter beans. The specials yesterday included fried chicken, which I had, and beef tips in gravy. Terry chose meatloaf, and it was good. Even as busy as they were, the service was fast and friendly.

When we left there, we stopped at Publix to pick up a few things, and then made one final stop at Lowe’s so I could buy a couple of 20 inch high velocity fans. I want them to use in the barn while I’m gutting the interior and in the garage if I’m doing something out there.

We were both worn out from little sleep and getting up early, so at home I napped in my recliner while Terry unwound from her procedure. It’s always fun to have critters. Mai Lin , one of Terry’s kittens, was having a good time with the paper towels in the kitchen that BeeBee, her partner in crime had batted down for her, without us keeping an eye on them.

Later on we went out to her raised garden beds, where Terry harvested three kinds of peppers (anaheim, serrano, and jalapenos), along with some cucumbers and basil. There’s not a lot left out there, she may probably get a few more peppers and herbs before it’s all said and done.

When we were done with that we sat on the back deck relaxing for a while and throwing the occasional ball for Alli to retrieve. I brought one of the new fans out onto the deck to see how it worked, and even on low it moves a tremendous amount of air. Definitely a good investment!

We’ve got a few more days of relatively cool weather, or at least cooler than it has been, before the heat kicks in again next week. I hope to take advantage of that time to get some more chores done outside while I can.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an audiobook of Big Lake Honeymoon, the seventh book in my Big Lake mystery series. The story begins as the busy summer season is drawing to a close in the little mountain town of Big Lake, Arizona and the locals are looking forward to a relaxing interlude before the first snowfall brings carloads of skiers to the high country. That all changes when a nearly nude woman rushes into a convenience store in the middle of the night begging for help. She tells Sheriff Jim Weber that her new husband has been murdered and she was taken captive by the mysterious killer, who seems to have disappeared into the thick forests of the White Mountains, touching off a manhunt for a phantom that cannot be found.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn this evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books and audiobooks to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 90 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – I think I’m approaching my “BEST IF USED BY” date.