Air Conditioning

So, yesterday, I finally had this brainwave idea that just hit me mid-afternoon. I decided to get up and buy a portable air conditioner for my parents. The heat is just unbearable. Have to live downstairs where it's at least only 26 Celsius. Upstairs is something like 35 or more. At Abbotsford Airport it's 34 Celsius. The heat is supposed to stay with us for another 2 days then drop down to norms or mid 20-s. Thank goodness!

So, I did get up and drive to Sears and bought a portable A/C. The entire purchase took me all of 10 minutes from the moment I walked through the front door, talked to the sales guy, said, "I'll take it!", paid at the till, drove around to the back corner of the warehouse and had it loaded into the back of my little Malibu.

Ran over to the hospital to pick up Ralph who was just finishing up his shift, then drove to mom & dad's and surprised them with this delivery.

"I didn't want one!!!!" mom complained! Dad looked a little more interested in the fact that he might actually have some coolness in his living space! I said, "This heat can kill old people!" And that was THAT! Ralph and Peter set it up then we came back about 4 hours later to turn it on. Because it was on its side and not upright you need to wait a minimum of 4 hours before turning it on so that the oils and other fluids can filter into the areas where they're supposed to be for maximum functionality.

I wish we had central A/C here in this house. It's just ridiculously hot. I know it will cool down again in a couple of weeks and Fall/Winter are coming so I shouldn't complain, BUT this is crazy hot. Can't do anything - can't go for a walk or exercise at all because you might fall over from exhaustion!

So what did I do today? Went to Wal-Mart and bought a few things, looked at 3 different stores for black thistle seeds for the goldfinches (without success), vacuumed the stairs and basement living room and kitchen areas, swept the back sidewalk and the back door entrance "patio". Sweating all the while! Doesn't that count for a workout?! I think it should!

I've started going through my old magazines. Gotta stop buying these things - they just pile up and take up space and look unsightly. But they're so much FUN to buy and read!!!!! Can't give up my Victoria magazines, the vegetarian cooking magazines I'm also keeping plus the decorating mags and special issues.

The airshow is almost over. The Snowbirds are just now doing their performance - and they're always last. They're so beautiful to watch. Tomorrow everyone will take off for their next destination and things will quiet down here. Which is good!

Noise Pollution

Abbotsford Airshow starts tomorrow and the planes have been arriving for the past couple of days. Today the Snowbirds were practicing and some of the vintage WWI and WWII aircraft were flying around. It was fun to watch them - in the 18 years we've been here I've never seen them fly to close to our house when they're practicing. This was a treat today!

One of the USAF Thunderbirds - don't ask me what type of aircraft - it's just a fighter jet to me!

Again, I don't know what type of planes - they're just cool!

The "old timers"

Although a little out of focus (I'm not a professional photographer!) - still very cool - the Snowbirds.

Making a sweeping turn altogether - precision!

Trying to figure out something here.

It was exciting to hear these guys flying around - tomorrow will be even louder.

Really enjoying my time away from work. I took an extra 2 days of my flex time so that I could be off a little longer than 3 weeks. It will be a good break for me and I'll be ready to go back to work on September 7th. I just needed a break from everything.

So life is great. Ralph and I went for a hike yesterday and a good sweat-inducing walk today! Man, my butt is killing me from yesterday's hike up Teapot Hill. 15 years ago it didn't bother me as much as it is nowadays! 6 days of relative peace and quiet starting tomorrow then Ralph is off for 2 weeks and we'll do a little traveling to Alberta, then Oregon. I'm really looking forward to that since last year I was dealing with the whole post-surgery and pre-radiation stuff AND I had a wicked head cold. Seems like so long ago! So glad that time has gone by and I'm so much better! THIS year we'll do Banff again and THIS time we will be able to do more as I am much healthier. There are more things we wanted to check out so hopefully I can get some more good pictures from our little travels!

A shot of my backyard flower bed to end for today.

"For Christians, the beginning of the day should not be burdened and haunted by various kinds of concerns that they face during the day. The Lord stands above the new day, for God has made it. All restlessness, all impurity, all worry and anxiety flee before him. Therefore, in the early morning hours of the day, may our many thoughts and our many idle words be silent and may the first word and the first thought belong to the one to whom our whole life belongs "
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I think I might be getting sick. I am just not functioning well today. It all started with a disagreement with Ralph yesterday about our vacation plans. It threw me into such a downward spin that I'm still suffering from it. Heaviness in my chest, overly tired for no reason (I'm getting plenty of sleep), and just unable to function normally. I went to work but shouldn't have. Just can't accomplish anything and can't focus on anything. So I gave up and came home, crawled onto my bed and slept for about 1/2 hour until Peter decided to let Tess into my room AGAIN. Why does he do that?!