Ahhhhh, the low Tuesday night was 56° and I slept in the camper with the windows wide open. After the deadly heat of July, this is a most welcome change for us. The house stayed cool with fans running and we didn’t have any heavy work to do. I had Mr. FixIt pick up a pork roast when he was in town Tuesday so I popped it in the slow cooker so it wouldn’t heat up the house. When it was time for supper, I dished up the tender fall-off-the-bone pork and added a garnish of Chow Chow Relish on the side. I shucked a couple of ears of corn, opened a jar of my home canned half runner beans to heat up, and sliced both fresh tomatoes and cantaloupe and called it good. It was a perfect summer supper!

Mr. FixIt had to run to town yesterday so I asked if he would mind picking up some groceries if I gave him a list. He was happy to oblige so that kept me from having to go to the grocery store. I was just gathering my things to head to the farm to mow when Beans texted. They were just getting ready to mow, so that was two for two! I was off the hook with the house to myself for a few hours. 

Gifts from beyond. That’s what they call all those found coins laying where you never put them. Or outside your car door every time you open it in a strange parking lot. Mr. FixIt and I found coins all over the place when we were driving home. I found pennies. He found dimes. Over and over again. The feathers are a little different. Mr. Virgo started sending me all manner of birds as soon as he died…especially bluebirds. I always find a feather or two when I’m mowing. I always stop the mower, get off to pick up the feather, and tuck it in the hair above my right ear. Then when I go inside, I empty my newfound plumage on the cabinet in the family room. It was crazy how many feathers I found yesterday. Little bitty ones to the biggest one I’ve found yet here at Marshmallow Ranch. Messages from beyond? Or molting season and holes in pockets. Who knows?

We finished packing the truck at around 11:00 yesterday morning. Just in time to have a farewell lunch with Ben and Sue before we had to leave. The guys went over to Wendy’s and got us salads and we sat around the kitchen table and shared one last meal with two of the dearest people we have ever known. I will miss all my Colorado peeps buy my oh my…I’m so ready to be home!

We've all been reading about artificial intelligence and its impact on the world. The Screen Actors Guild is currently on strike to put some sort of limits on the use of AI in the arts. Authors and journalists alike are concerned about people writing entire books and news articles generated by AI.

I became curious about what would happen if I fed the AI generator certain descriptors that would mimic my own writing style. Would it "sound" like me? Would someone with nefarious intent be able to copy my work with enough changes to make it their own? I set out yesterday to see what an AI-generated essay on grief would look like.

Yesterday was a day of chores. Our laundry was piled up so I was playing catchup so we don’t have a ton of work to get ready to leave Wednesday. The guys went to Forney Museum yesterday and saw the antique cars and trains and had a big time. They went to McCoy’s Family Restaurant at Federal and I-70 for a late lunch. Mr. FixIt told me he hated to let me know how wonderful the Liver & Onions were. 

A day with Little is like spending time with myself at the age of 16. The similarities in our neurodiversity…or as they call it…neuro-spicy-ness is remarkable. We had so much fun junkin’ and found some treasures. I’ll take pictures tomorrow because I’m too tired to mess with it right now. But suffice it to say…we had a great time. Little is healing from a year of long covid and it was really difficult. We went out for brunch and then walked around the Brass Armadillo for nearly four hours which was a huge feat.

I was pretty concerned about my brother when we were here the first week of July. He was unkept, his hair and beard needed trimmed, and he looked like a homeless man. I had some long talks with his house staff and come to find out, they’ve been trying to help him at the level he is entitled to in this setting, but he wasn’t letting them. His sense of pride and modesty made him refrain from seeking help or letting them assist with his hygiene. I told you yesterday that he had a long man-to-man chat with Mr. FixIt and he seemed more enthusiastic..or perhaps more accurately…relieved afterward. 

Land’s sake…it sure was hot here yesterday! We drove up to the mountain town I lived in for twenty-eight years. Coming through the mountains presented a different vista around every turn. And again, God kept us safe. Just moments after we drove through the Eisenhower Tunnel, a car caught fire right inside the tunnel! The traffic had slowed down just as we headed in and remarked to Mr. FixIt how I hate going in when it looks like that. Turns out there was a reason for my unease, but God got us through it unscathed. Thank you, Jesus. 

I can’t be here this long and not go see my brother again. We’re heading back up to the mountains today for a couple of days to get some more hugs. We’ll be back Wednesday then Thursday Daughter #1 and Big leave for a long weekend in California to visit friends. They won’t be back till late Sunday night.