Holy Crap, is it HOT

We've had something like 20 days over 100 degrees so far this year, and it has only officially been 'Summer' for just over a week. I don't usually go outside into the heat of the day, but today after my baby shower, put on by the gals at work, I was loading stuff into my car at about 1:00. It is sweltering. The sun bakes you like cookies in an oven. It is unrelenting. Now, I live in Texas for a reason - the climate. I like a hot summer and cold river. But whew. We are in a crazy drought, I happen to have a heater like aparatus for a belly these days, and we're having record setting heat. When I was first pregnant, everyone said "due in July? Oh you're going to be sooo hot" and my (silent) reaction was "gee, you think? July in Texas? hot?" No foolin'. I likely won't have to worry about my baby catching a chill wind, but I may have to worry about it melting away, like chocolate or butter.
There is so little life around the house this year. I have seen one walking stick that looked as withered and brown and scrawny as any stick you might see around these days. The cows all huddle in the shade. But good news - I did see the buffalos out in the field the other morning, before it got too hot, and I saw all three of the babies. I had only been able to see two of them lately, and I was worried. But there they all were! Three little cinnamon fuzzy beasts, lolling on the dusty ground.
We have a piece of our lane where the roadbase has been pulverized into a fine soft powder. I have been taking particular pleasure lately in standing in the soft powdery spot, in the cooling evening when the rocks are still warm. It's right by Charley's parking spot, so as he arrives home in the evening and unloads the equipment he used that day, I can stand there, wiggling my feet around in the soft powdery dirt and chat with him. It makes me really happy, and I feel really at home. I am definately enjoying my country life. It has not been such a nice thing to do to the white rug in the house, but a little spray off with the hose never hurt anyone on a warm Texas evening. Last year, that powdery dirt was usually a mudpuddle.
I had my last baby shower today, and I must say I have wonderfully generous friends and co-workers. We have many months of diaper service gifted to us, and lots of adorable and practical baby stuff. We have everything gathered for the birth, and after a few hours of diligent oven sterilization of a few things tomorrow, we will be completely ready. I have four weeks left - two of those left at work, and then two glorious weeks of lolly gagging around, going to the pool, cooking good food, hanging out with Charley, being hot, and waiting for the wee one to make an appearance.

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.

The herd of buffalo at 183 and 21 was clumped up together, by the part of the field nearest the road, tonight on my drive home. There are three little cinnamon buffalo babies, where just last week I had only noticed two! They were mingling with the Longhorn in the fading bluebonnet patch, a quintessential Texas scene, in the golden light of the setting sun.

It's been rainy and humid by turns, with more storms likely brewing. The forecast was dismal today, with a big question mark over a dark, raining sky picture, complete with a cartoon cloud blowing wind from its puffed up cheeks, for the next TEN DAYS. Good grief! Certainly it will rain and clear off, they just don't know when. We need the rain, its true. We're pretty close to caught up, if not caught up already, but the water we get now has to sustain us through another long hot summer. This afternoon was suprisingly breezy and sunny, and bordering on hot. I am savoring the lingering spring, now that I have a small taste of what is to come!

I checked the compost and the ants are gone. I did poison them with Amdro, and now I wonder if it was bad to put that in the compost? I have a lot of stuff to put in the compost, since I've been such a bachelor while Charley's been gone, and there is, sadly, rotting food left in the fridge.The compost heap doesn't stink, though, so we must be doing something right with it.

This is my last weekend to putter around by myself and really work on the mermaid costume for my trip to NYC in June. It's almost done, I mostly need to glue some things on more securely. Something to cross off the list! Woohoo! Then I can work on learning to cook in the crockpot, and report on my adventures.

I had a wonderful weekend. I attended a Cinco de Mayo party with the best Fajita spread I have seen in a very long time. I dominated the Bocce Game, and won so many rounds I got bored! Hah! Then I got to introduce a bunch of friends to the game "apples to apples", which is a scream. I was also honored to have guests out on Sunday. Two of my girlfriends, who are going off in different directions for the next large part of their lives, came out to enjoy my solitude with me. We had lots of coctails and giggled and gossiped, and it was a really wonderful day. E is off on her way to South Dakota for the summer to her seasonal parks job, and M is headed back to school - grad school - and both have incredible possibilites out before them. That kind of energy is a real delight to be around. It was one of the easiest, most comfortable afternoons I've spent recently. Lovely.

I'm babysitting tomorrow - an overnighter. O (6) has a kickball game. We're going to be busy. I never knew before spending overnights with the girls, that doing anything besides playing in the back yard, cooking dinner, taking a bath, and going to bed means you're going to be VERY busy and barely get it accomplished with there are small children involved! I get to do the whole gettin' up early and making sure she catches the bus and her sister, D (3) gets to her friend's house for the morning. I love spending time with these kids, who have truly become friends to me over the years, and it is always fun to spend time with your friends. I'm excited about the kickball game. I can't wait to cheer O on. I know she's a bit nervous about this match, and we always have interesting conversations about stuff going on in her life. I hope I can provide some encouragement and insight. She's such a good listener, and conversationalist, and our exchanges always leave a lasting impression on my life, too.

Sounds a little boring, but that's the update on life here at the Butterfly Palace!