Drought

We've finally had a smattering of rain - 30 seconds here or there of a downpour, but its only enough to make it hat much more steamy. We've had unseasonably hot weather, and the winds are blowing from the southeast - gee, I love weather from the humid gulf. The sun has been unrelenting, but the clouds show some mercy and puff up by midday, shielding us from some of the worst of it. The buffalos by the hiway are usually out in the field in the morning, but by noon have taken shelter in a stand a mesquite by the now-dry streambed running through their field, and I feel greatful I'm not a huge wooly-headed beast like them. Speaking of hot wooly-headed beasts, Charley's AC in his truck went out, and he's been too busy fixing other things to fix it. I've heard it hasn't been this dry in Texas since the 1920's, but unless its a rainy year like last year, you always hear we're in a record setting drought. The news out of Iowa sounds pretty grim with all the water along the Mighty Mississip... they are suffering on the complete other end of the stick.
My mom is here, visiting from Minnesota, and we've had a busy week! I'm going to put some photos on flickr of the house in its new state - soon, I promise! - I'm just sorry now that I didn't take some 'before' pictures! My mom and I (right, mostly my mom) have cleaned the place from top to bottom. Germs and dust bunnies be damned! We hauled out 5 trash bags of garbage and 4 bags of goodwill donations. Just about every piece of furniture has been moved to a new place. However, the routing of the house did require us to give up some of that furniture, which was difficult - like prying chocolate from a pregnant lady's hand. It also forced Charley to box up approximately 200 t-shirts of his 'cool t-shirt collection'- also difficult, like... trying to pry 200 cool t-shirts from Charley's hand. Craigslist has since put some money in our pockets, introduced us to some cool folks, and rid us of the extra - However, I have refused to let go of the green velvet high-backed rocker, and insist it 'goes' in the dining room, and likewise, Charley refused to part with his torn and ugly big blue recliner, and insists it is his 'dad chair' for when he has baby duty. Even though, we now have more than a foot-wide aisle through the house to walk through! (I TOLD you we went a little crazy at last year's estate sales)Sometimes we spread our arms and legs and take giant steps through the house now, just because we can! Charley installed a beautiful pantry cabinet that we (okay, he) salvaged and refinished, and it is really great to have a place to put cans and boxes of food other than my clothes closet. My diapering station is even ready, stuffed with cloth diapers from the diaper service we'll be using. I'm feeling very settled in, and comfy in my nest. I just have a few more things to gather, and my last day of work is July 28th. I'll have a week or three to rest and be leisurely, and go swimming and take naps before the baby decides to be born.
I have noticed the vine of Texas Plums is fruiting... they look like a string of Christmas lights strung along our lane. The mandivilla vine came back to life, and will hopefully spread itself out on the lattice shading our kitchen. We have a few small figs, but the leaves of the fig tree are turning yellow and brown, even with the water we give it. Other than that, our brown scrubby grass and the enlarging hoppers are about the only life around the house showing their face.