We are in the heat wave. It is very hot here in NE OHIO. I have stayed in all day. Ray just went to pick up a script my doctor called in for me. Been through this anxiety issue before and hate it. Know that losing a child even if an adult child, HURTS. Called a friend this afternoon and chatting with her helped distract the pain. She suggested that I get back to writing.

Finished an Elizabeth Lowell novel today. To the Ends of the Earth . It was a sweet read that was good distraction from the heat.

Love and hugs and sympathy and understanding AND

A tall, frosted glass of lemonade for GinnyAnn.

I had fun on my day out..won a little. Have a great weekend. Darlene

http://annapolislive.com/annapolis-waterfront-webcam

That is Ego Alley, and boats come in there just to show off and turn around and sail back out again!
I did not know Charlie Priola had put that Webcam up.  I guess he did that after the Annapolis Yacht Club fire, and their webcam went down.  The City itself quit theirs years ago, as an economy measure.
The Priolas have had restaurants around town for generations now.  Charlie's mother had one down there at City Dock called simply "Maria's."  Heavenly Sicilian food!  Lobster pizza was my granddaughter Kim's favorite, and she always wanted to go there when she came here for a visit from Oklahoma.  Maria finally retired a few years back, and The Iron Rooster is at her old place.  A very different, but quite marvelous eating place.  See that building on the extreme left?  That is MARKET HOUSE.  Been there since they sold slaves right outside it.  See the awninged dark red brick building behind it on its end?  Middleton Tavern.  Been in business there since 1749.  Unlike Williamburg, VA, Annapolis is PRESERVED, not restored.  We are much as we were, and we're proud of that!
By the way, I think it is a trifle misleading to call that an Annapolis Waterfront Webcam.  Sounds like something Charlie would claim (a great guy and a friend of my granddaughter Maria's, but a bit over the top.  Our Maria was a hostess at his Mama's place back one summer when she was still in High School, and big Maria took a great fancy to her and declared to one and all that she was MARIA NUMBER ONE and Our Maria was MARIA NUMBER TWO.)
You don't see a speck of the Annapolis Waterfront in that webcam!  What you are seeing is CITY DOCK.  Ego Alley is a long, slender finger of water leading from the ANNAPOLIS WATERFRONT and ANNAPOLIS HARBOR up into the city proper, ending at City Dock.  Boats come in just to show off and turn around and go back out to the harbor.  Dinghies and such like are allowed to tie up down at the very end there and use the restaurants, but that is all.  Before you get out to the harbor, however, there are lots of boats, mostly live ons and water taxis, tied up in slips the Harbormaster rents out for the City.

MaryPage: I couldn't get the webcamera to load, but I'll try again later.  I love the name "Ego Alley!"

Darlene...hurrah on having fun...and winning!

GinnyAnn...I hope you can get out a bit after this awful heat and humidity go further east.

It's so hot and humid here this morning.  I  know I'd never be able to live in a rain forest. This muggy stuff just smothers me, it seems.  I watered the new shrubbery, and I'm in for the day.  There's rain, but it's all going north of us today.

Have a great Saturday!

jane

Ego Alley was the nickname someone gave it because it was so obvious that boats mostly just came down to show off.  But it stuck.  It is officially the name, now!  Fun how names come about.

This is the Alex Haley memorial & webcam down at City Dock:

http://www.beachcamsusa.com/md/annapolis/kunta-kinte-alex-haley-memorial-webcam

This is the real Annapolis Harbor:

http://www.beachcamsusa.com/md/annapolis/eastport-yacht-club-webcam-in-annapolis

Beautiful, MP.

We've been in the basement...tornado warnings and sirens going off...70-80 mph winds and dark as night.  There have now been tornadoes on the ground in towns east of us.   Reports of trees down and street flooding.  Everything looks ok from my porch here in our neighborhood.  Just rain now.  There was 3 inches of rain an hour coming down.

All going east to the Mississippi River now.

Jane

Glad you're okay, jane - these heat waves spawn all sorts of bad weather.  It always pays to heed the warnings.  I hope there wasn't too much damage or any loss of life.  Storms in our area, but nothing here in the city.

Stay safe..Darlene

Oh! jane. I wouldn't mind a little shower but don't be sending any big storms this way.
They just don't seem to cool things down.  I have got all the bark just peeling of my trees in the Front yard. Never seen this before. My man cut the grass which to care of them there but My Big Rock garden and where the evergreens are. Such a mess . not small pieces but large one. Worse than having the leaves falling.

We had a huge, swift storm last night.  It came suddenly, whipped things about quite a bit, dumped tons of rain, including raining all over the back deck and up to the sliding glass doors, and scooted away to other parts.
I found a site that has a marvelous photograph called The Port of Annapolis.  We are a port only for cruise ships, and not many of them, these days, but I love the photo and tried to pick it out separately and found I could not.  So I have to send you the site just for you to see that picture. 
The picture greatly shrinks our town, so you can see the layers.  For instance, you can see the State House and all of the government buildings.  We are the Capital of the State of Maryland.  Beyond the State House, looking upwards, is the old town of Historic Annapolis.  Do you see the bridge across the water?  That is Spa Creek Bridge, leading over to Eastport.  To the right of it is Spa Creek, and to the left the Annapolis Harbor.  You cannot see all of Annapolis Harbor, but you CAN see another creek on the other side of Eastport.  That is Back Creek.  I live on the far side, the Chesapeake Bay side, of that furtherest pennisula.  If you scroll down the website page you come to what purports to be a webcam from the shores of the Naval Academy.
http://www.cruisin.me/cruise-port-webcams/united-states/annapolis-maryland.php

Thanks, MaryPage.  These webcams are terrific.

Quiet, hot and very humid here this morning.  No apparent damage around this neighborhood, thank goodness.

This morning we're going with our friends to the wonderful Sunday buffet over in East Dubuque, IL.  The restaurant sits on a bluff and overlooks the Mississippi River. 

Have a blessed Sunday, Buddies!

Jane

Jane, so glad to hear that you're safe and that no tornadoes touched down in your vicinity. Enjoy the buffet.  I really fear tornadoes. They are so unpredictable. Also, we don't have a basement or a really safe place to stay. One hall and bathroom is relatively protected, but I'd hate to try it.

MP, your webcams are very interesting. It looks like a lovely place to live.

I did very little yesterday. It was so hot and I was hurting so bad.  I took a pain pill before I left for church, so I got through SS & church okay.  When I got home I did several little chores including putting the towels in the wash, ate lunch, and now don't plan to do much of anything the rest of the day.

Marilyn, you're keeping Freckles and you really busy with all of your therapy visits.  I know everyone must appreciate them so much.  How is your son with the cancer?  I hope he is doing as well as possible.

Hi Darlene, Mary, Molly, Joy and whoever else pops in.  Sharon

Sherry Roger is haning in there, He just had a two week visit from his sons who live in Colorado and their families. There were lots of p;ictures on Facevbook and he is looking good.

Freckles and 3 of the other Therapy dogs were on the news Friday. http://kcby.com/news/local/furry-friends-therapy-dogs-visit-coos-bay-library-to-help-kids-improve-reading-skills You can see them here. They aren't allowed to show the children's faces without a release from the parents so She only shot the dogs and the side of one little girls face. The boy reading to Freckles had his arm around her petting her the whole time he was reading.

Marilyn, I'm glad Roger is still hanging in there. I'm sure his sons' visits were good therapy too.

The dogs all looked so happy to be there and the children to have them there. That one little bulldog kept giving kisses to the little girl, and like you said, the boy with Freckles never missed a beat in petting her.  Sweet.  Whoever came up with that idea of helping the children read better was certainly smart & creative.  Sharon

I keep forgetting to ask... Those of you who take melatonin for sleep, how much do you take?

Quiet weekend here. Hugs to all.

We had another hot hot day! I stayed in and avoided the heat. Going out on Monday with a friend. Otherwise no news here.

Ah, the Circle of Life.  I just got off the phone from ordering flowers for the funeral of daughter Debi's sweet mother in law, who died Friday morning.  We saw each other at every kind and sort of family gathering, and, like me, her core family for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter and so on and so forth was Debi & Steve and their children.  So we were together a lot.  She was 90.  And sad infuses my whole being, but I am very used to this now.

I do admit to having fun ordering them, though.  The funeral is down in Owings, Maryland, in what we herebouts call "Southern Maryland."  I always do an on line search and find a florist with the same zip code, or in the same area, whether it be California or Texas or Montana or Florida or whatever.  I figure I get more for my money by calling them direct and cutting out the middle guy: FTD and all that.  And, of course, the funeral homes are pushing your buying flowers through them, these days, so they can get a cut, too!  Well, I wound up with the owner of a small florist in that small town, and he was a TALKER!  Turns out he is a Virginian, like me, and we had a lot of similar experiences and knew some people in common!  Fun.  So he described in enthusiastic detail what he was going to do for my money, and I am content that I will have done right by Cleo.

Another hot, hot day on tap.  I'm just hunkering down to read and watch a little TV and do a lot of nothing, which I am a world class expert at.  Love to all my dear Buddies.

GinnyAnn....that heat and humidity is bad.

MaryPage...sounds like a great florist!


Hi, Maryz, Marilyn,Darlene, Sharon, Jeanne

It's much cooler here today....in upper 60s, instead of low 80s at this time of morning, but humidity is still very high.  I need to get out and walk, but I'm not sure I'll get far with this humidity.

Not much going on here...a massage at 11:00 and a pedicure at 1:00 and lots of laundry to do.

Sounds like a good day for you, Jane.  Enjoy!

Mary, I don't take Melatonin anymore, but I have read that anywhere from 1-3 mg is the recommended dose. I used to take 3.  You might start out low and increase as needed. Remember to take it 30-60 mins before bedtime.

Mary Page, I usually do the same, calling a local florist. I do think they put a personal touch if they have talked to the client.  My condolences on your & your family's loss.

It was 97 here yesterday and supposed to be 95 or 6 today.   

No plans for today. I did 2 loads of laundry yesterday and don't need to do anymore till later in the week. I'll just stay in and try to stay cool like Ginny Ann.  Have a good day, everyone. Sharon

MARYPAGE - I smiled when I read your comment RE losing "Debbie's sweet Mother-in-Law."  It surely was a blessing to Family and friends that our Lord waited until she reached that wonderful age to call her Home.

I wondered if you are going to post a couple of photos of your beautiful colorful plants.  I recall in previous years that you did and I really enjoyed them.  Mohamed tried to arrange several plants for his sister at her house in Giza, but the weather is to tremendously hot there that they just toppled over.

SHARON - Thanks for including me in your greetings!
I don't have any plants for today as the heat is a bit high for me!

Hope all had a great weekend.  Stay cool and enjoy the week!

Molly, I know how to email photos from my picture gallery, but I do not know how to fiddle with them or how to post them in these forums.  I believe you have to have a website in order to do that, but I'm not sure.  Anyway, I do not have a website AND I don't know how to post pictures.  I'll email you some from my iPad.  They may, or then again may not, come upside down.  I haven't a clue as to why they do that!  hugs to you

Hi Gals!  Still hot here, of course.  On my way home from the Civic Center/bridge this afternoon - a drive of about 15 minutes - I drove through TWO frog-drowner showers, with the wipers going full blast.  And the nothing at all here at home.  Crazy stuff.  I did have some good cards today.  We play five 30-minute rounds, changing partners at each break.  A pretty good round would be 600-800 points, standard contract bridge scoring.  I have over 1000 points in each round.  It felt good!

Thanks, Sharon.  I had a scheduled appointment with my family doc today, and asked here about melatonin.  She said to come up gradually, but not to take more than 10 mg. 

MaryPage, sorry to hear about your co-in-law.  Like you say, it hurts, but should be something we need to get used to.  I, too, call a local florist to send arrangements.  So much better service.

Ginny Ann, jane, Jeanne, Darlene, Molly, Sue (if you're looking in), Marilyn & Freckles - stay cool, and have a good week.

MARYPAGE -Many thanks for your attempt to send me the photo of your beautiful plants, but I could NOT access your email.  Not the first time that has happened for me with other folks, but since I do recall earlier photos of them, I'll just close my eyes and recall the beautiful blooms from an earlier season.

MARYZ - Thanks to you, too, for including me in your best wishes for a good week!  Now if we could just lower the temperature, it sure would help.  The local TV news tonight RE the expected temp in coming days cautioned that it was going to be close to 100 degrees and perhaps even higher.  I'm so grateful for the AC working well!

Mohamed called 3 times today and in each call he inquired "has the temperature become cooler yet?"  I tried to get him to talk about other topics, but he went back to the same one.  His area is enormously HOT too.

MaryPage.  It has been awhile now since people sent flowers to funerals. No point really as other than the one  from the family can be put on a grave. the rest  are removed the next day in some of the Cemeteries. I was mad the last time I went to a friend to see all these flowers thrown over into a tip. People do send plants to the family. On the family plots here you can put plant blankets on at Christmas time.  Hospitals /nursing homes don't want flower there either. Some of the older one you see lots of Plastic ones on on Memorial day for a week I believe. I dislike seeing that. Now most of ours are in the Mausoleums. Now you can only put plastic ones on the front of those now. Use to be could put say a rose or one flower but people left them to die and was a mess they say. To me I thought would not hurt the owner of the Mausoleum to just clean them up a little as they are not that big a building. More respect shown than a plastic.
We have some really big Modern Cemeteries around here now. Be no Grave stones . Just a brass plaque in the ground. The inlaws are there.
Big Pet Cemetary attached to it.

Molly....I could never survive the heat of the Middle East.  I couldn't stand the heat of AZ or Nevada in the summer, either.

Mary...wow...terrific cards for you.

Jeanne...customs vary so much from region to region and what people are comfortable doing.

MaryPage...your flowers sound lovely...good reminder for me to water my hanging baskets.

Another hot and humid day here too.  So, I'll be inside again.  Going to go through kitchen drawers and straighten them out.  They seem to get a lot of crumbs from the counter, too.


jane

Mary, what a wonderful round of cards! Congrats!  I found that Melatonin gave me weird dreams after a while. Try to get by with the lowest dose possible. The storm patterns seem really odd. We got an alert on our weather radio for our county and didn't get a drop! It all went south of us.

Jeanne, with those kinds of cemeteries, I would think everyone would go for cremation!  Mom & Dad's mausoleum only allows live flowers in the vases.  I think the graves can have artificial ones during the winter.

Jane, hot and humid here too. My computer says 95 but it may be warmer.  98 yesterday.  We went to AZ in June before we retired to ck it out. It was 115 and dry heat or not, we couldn't take it.  I swear I keep my drawers closed but yet they always have crumbs in them too!  That's on my to do list, along with cleaning the fridge.  I'm going to try to do that in a few minutes as it is nearly empty and it's a good time to get at it.  My cleaning girl was here today, so she got the rest of the house clean. She's a sweetie and very hard working. She's hispanic but has been here 25 years, so she speaks English very well.

Hi Molly. Tell M to ask if we've cooled down in about 3 months!!!   
Sharon

We got rain today..so a little cooler for now..Had my hair cut yesterday....boy w as she scissor happy....shouldn't need it cut for 6 months..lol.....my hair does grow fast..thank goodness. Darlene

Well, I just lost my post - so I'll try again.

Darlene, I had to laugh about your haircut.  As you can see, I wear my hair very short, and can't go more than three weeks between haircuts.  It's fun we're all so different.

They started work on my deck this afternoon.  I'd been nagging since I moved in.  But it took the broken step about a month ago and Margaret's getting involved to finally get something done.  They did some partial dismantling, and have started replacing some of the decking floor boards.  And I have some lovely "crime scene yellow tape" across my sliding glass door to remind me not to go out there.  They had stopped for the day when we got a really hard rain shower - about 30 minutes worth.   Not nearly enough, but we'll certainly appreciate whatever we get.  And now the sun is out again.

Tomorrow is hump day.  Enjoy!

Hi buddies, I haven't posted for a day or two, but I have been here to read what you all have said. Thank you Sherry for viewing the video link I posted about the Furry   Friends Library program. We are hoping to get started at the North Bend library soon as well. The kids really enjoy reading to the dogs.

We are getting ready for our trip to Vancouver WA. on Friday, I have get Freckles things ready so I don't forget to take her medication along. We may take a side trip on the way home Sunday to Neskowin on the coast. Craig says we have to leave at noon on Sunday because his mother is coming and his grandpa has a dr. appt. in Portland on Monday. That sure doesn't sit well with us. That  happened once before that we had to leave before she got there. Our trip has been planned over a month, now it is being cut short We haven't been there to see them for  at least a year. None of them stopped by here last Sunday either when they were in town for Grandpa's 101 Birthday.

OK I am through venting I will go back to my corner now. LOL