Back to being $19 in debt. That’s because Tom got his second present – a $10 shake mixer. I’m glad to get it for him, though. I know he wanted it and I wanted to use my money to get him both an anniversary and a birthday present. June 15th will be our 9th anniversary, though we’ve known each other for a decade, and the 28th will be his 46th birthday. Anyway, it mixes by the glass. Only problem is that most of our glasses are too small, so he’s going to grab a few plastic cups from the grocery store.

Yesterday, Tom had a funny experience with one of the kingsnakes. It startled him but didn’t scare him because he knew it was a harmless snake. Apparently, it jumped up on the steps with him from underneath the steps as he went to enter the house, then leaped off the steps and ran around the corner of the house.

It appears there were either surveyors or buyers out looking at the property in front of next door, so maybe there’ll be a house there soon.

It also appears, much to our delight, that all 5 of the poplars are going to make it, and maybe one of the elms too, but the Sharons, the tulip trees, and the lavender bush are history. Oh, and the bougies and olies are still alive, too.

I could see the kids in back on a teeter-totter at 5:30 yesterday afternoon. I was surprised to see them out and about then. It’s still pretty damn hot at that hour. I still don’t like the fact that there are so many kids and dogs back there. One of the things I looked forward to leaving behind in the city were the sounds of screaming kids and barking dogs, and although I can’t hear them in the house, I worry they’ll steal some of our peace once we do get pools and porches built to sit on, though they could never be as loud as in Phoenix and I’d rather that than bass thumping inside the house. I have nothing against kids, but I always thought their shrilly voices were utterly obnoxious, to say nothing of yipping dogs. The dogs out here aren’t too bad, though. Especially in a house with 6” walls. They usually only bark when they hear something, whereas in Phoenix, there were always sounds, so the dogs there got stirred up much more often. I still think we’ll eventually get one of our own, too.

I created a few Kate Jackson photo albums, but they magically disappeared, so I think that might’ve been Webshot’s way of saying “Uh-uh.” But why didn’t they just tell me so? Why didn’t they email me or something?

We got that free CD connected to that special offer where you get 10 free CDs after you buy one. The CD that came was by No Doubt. They’re a pretty good group. I ripped a couple of songs of theirs I didn’t have.

I thought there’d be a ton of stuff from Mary waiting to be picked up today, but nope, just one envelope with a one-page letter. She just said the usual – she was stressed, doesn’t know anything about the trial, etc. I guess she hasn’t been working on her book much with all the noise and commotion around her. It’s okay, though, if she only sends me little chunks here and there. Since I’m working on my own book and hope to finally start learning to make dolls within the next couple of months, I’m not exactly bored.

I’m surprised I haven’t heard from Bob. I really hope he got the stuff I sent him.

Later…

I did get an email from Webshots after all, and yes, they deleted the Kate albums saying it was a copyright infringement issue. I was surprised to see they really do check up on people’s albums and that fast too, since someone else has had Kate albums for some time now, but once again, that’s just more proof going to show that I can’t get away with shit. Oh well.

Tom was a couple of hours late in getting home this morning. He left a message to tell me he was finally on his way at 5:00 and to please stop making his employees sick. He knows they make me mad, but I’ve got to stop making them sick. When he got in, I assured him it wasn’t me making them sick, it was the little work curse that’s been put on him designed to make him have to work longer and harder. The only one I’ve been making sick is Mary. However, he thinks my anger towards them really is making them sick. Could be. I mean, it is an ability I do seem to have.