Saturday, July 29, 2006

The Dog Days

While some find the summer days calling them to vigorous outdoor pursuits, they call me to iced drinks, long reads and afternoon snoozes. I don't really get to nap, but for a few hours in the afternoon I can scarcely keep my eyes open. As temperatures hit the upper 90's and top 100, it is hard to move, expending as little energy as possible to keep my internal tempoerature down as much as possible. I'm amazed by men who can work in the heat day after day, while temperatures soar and the sun beats down on them. Roofers, pavers, framers and others somehow manage to work hard all summer long and never seem to succumb to the languor that afflicts me.

Then there are those crazy people who decide that 97 degrees is the perfect temperature for...biking, hiking, running, jogging, tennis, golf, etc. Some of you seem to enjoy sweating. I HATE sweating. I don't get the appeal. I'd rather do just about anything else.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Simulcast

I've been watching a friend's blog for her while she is on a road trip. This consists of adding post from guest bloggers, and today I added one of my own. You can read it here.

I had an interesting day today. I met with the realtor whose open house I will be sitting this weekend. She graciously went over how she does an open house, how she prepares, what to bring, how to deal with problems that come up, follow through, sogn placement, etc. What many people don't know about open houses is that statistically your home isn't sold through an open house. Of course you can't afford to ignore any of the bases. The fact is that some homes ARE sold at the open house.

Next I met with a mortgage banker who I have been working with. He's a really good guy, and I hope to do a lot of business with him. We had an interesting talk, and he said I had encouraged him, which is not a bad way to spend your time, if you ask me. Then I raced up to the north end of town to catch my husband on his way out of town.

We headed to Longmont where the plan was to go up for the inspection of a small shopping center project and to pick up all our tools. The best laid plans...

The work was not ready for inspection, and so Steve worked with our lead guy for several hours trying to finish things. The inspection had to be cancelled due to the work delay, but when we left, the tools were all loaded on the truck, and the job is about half an hour from inspection ready and can be completed with only a few missing pieces picked up from our supply house.

Between one thing and another we didn't get home 'til after 10 tonight, with a garden to water and a "lawn" to water. I have seeded the yard, front and back, twice in the past three weeks. Portions of it are taking, but major portions of the yard are barren, except for some particularly vigorous weeds.

I have no great insights today, no revelations or pithy thoughts, but it was a strange day. Too busy to eat, I had nothing but a frappachino lite and some pretzels until we stopped at Outback. what is usually at least two meals made one. How, I'm not sure. I haven't been able to eat that much in one sitting for a long time. Most times I can't even try. I can't remember when I last left a restaurant without a to go box.

Earlier, while Steve was working, I took advantage of the opportunity to head to the Longmont mall. I found a store closing sale and actually found three pair of pants that fit. That never happens. I didn't buy them, but am thinking about going to my local branch of that same store and see if they have those pants. The problem is that I never look as good in clothes as I do the first time I try them on in the fitting room mirrors. For whatever reason, I seem to be able to delude myself that things look good only to find out later that they don't at all. This is, of course, after I have worn and washed those clothes and can no longer return them. So perhaps it's better not to buy the clothes at all, and not be disappointed.

Well, goodnight dear reader. Come visit my open house this weekend. Or come visit Community Church of the Rockies this weekend (9 and 11). I will be there singing both services. I'm having to step in and sing a song in a key that is really tough for me. It is a step or two too high, but we had a problem with wrong charts and one of our musicions who cannot learn it in a new key in two days time. I don't blame him at all. We are not all natural musicians. Most of us must practice, and last minute changes are pretty difficult. Maybe that is the lesson of the day. We can all learn to do things well, but we have different talents and abilities as well as different training. There are certain things that will always take a lot of effort and time to do well. For me, it isn't the harmonizing or singing the lead. It's not the notes, though I do practice, especially if a song has difficult breathing requirements for my asthmatic self. What is hard for me is lyrics. I get them mixed up, which you cannot do when you are leading, or when people are following the lyrics on screen. For this musician, he poured hours into learning the songs to play them properly, and it is unkind to try to make him wing it. I hope that you have found something worth the effort, and that you are honored for that work. Good Night!