Home this week

As you've probably figured out I am working from home this week. The project has early morning meetings every day so I am up early and end up working to around 6pm. Hardly seems like a holiday week.

I often go to the Dunn Bros. coffee shop at Bryant and Lake in the afternoon. Just a chance to see that there are other people around and to avoid the urge to go upstairs and lie down. Only made it once this week. The famous writer and storyteller, Kevin Kling, was there.

I have gotten some home project work done. Primed the front porch where the white paint was peeling. Got the porch windows out and the screens in. Finally replaced the hinges on the back porch door. That door wasn't closing and had been driving me crazy.

Franky loves going out on his harness and leash.

Kayaking on Lake Calhoun

Thanks to Jenny Batten for inviting me to go kayaking on Lake Calhoun on Saturday. It was a beautiful day. We saw baby ducks and geese. We also saw several different turtles sun bathing around the islands of Lake of the Isles.

It was great catching up with Jenny and Andrew's life.

No pictures unfortunately but given my kayaking history it was best not to carry anything that wasn't waterproof. I didn't tip over by the way.

Hyundai Elantra

I have to say right off the bat that I did not like this car. First, the color. It was a silver-blue-steel sort of color which just didn't look right. The style is kind of 80's - and not good-retro.

The inside is plain jane though it was comfortable and good peppiness. There was a really bad rattle when you came to a stop. The engine idle got the tailpipe to vibrate, I think, and tat-tat-tat-tat from the rear.

I only had the car for a day and that was long enough for me. Matter of fact, when I turned it back in on Thursday morning, the Hertz checker said, "You only drove two miles?!" Their odometer checker was either wrong from the previous driver or wrong for me. I (IBM) still got charged $7 for gas/wear-and-tear.

Shortened trip

Had my meeting yesterday and no real reason to stay any longer so heading home today, Thursday.

It is hot hot hot here so glad to get back up north.

Dallas again

Heading to Dallas for a few days. A rare mid-week trip.

Cool first part of this week but supposed to be in the 80's (finally) by this weekend.

The MN AIDS Walk was last Sunday. It was a beautiful day. Many thanks to Rose Block for organizing an enthusiastic Guthrie Team.

sick as a dog

Yesterday, Monday, I was very out of it. My diarrhea was back and I felt awful. By the end of the day the only I thing I could think of as the cause were the malaria pills I've been taking. I checked the side effects and sure enough gastro-intestinal problems including diarrhea are the major side effects.

Don't know why I'm getting this now unless that is what my problem was when I first got to India. I'm supposed to take for another few days but don't think I will. There were mosquitoes around the hotel because of the nearby marsh.

We'll see how it goes today.

Back in the USA

Made it back on time Saturday morning. Doing well. Dozed off some yesterday afternoon.

Frankie and Uno are great. Frankie has been keeping close. Many thanks to neighbors Roxi and Mather for cat care.

Gotta get back to normal operations...making my own meals and doing my own laundry.