I heard Tom leave at 8:30 this morning. The fact that it’s now just after 4:00 and he still hasn’t returned tells me that something either very bad or very good came up. If it were bad, it’d more than likely be connected to the truck. Most of our crises seem to be wells or vehicles, and fortunately, we have no well now. But if it were the truck, I can’t imagine what would delay him this long. I would think he’d either get out and fix it or walk to a place for any part he may need, then back to the truck to fix it.

That leaves a job offer that came up. I hope! I really, really do! That’d be neat for him to get a job on our one-month anniversary here in Oregon, and on Linda’s birthday (my favorite singer who’s about Kate’s age).

I’m hoping that they not only interviewed him but that they hired and started him, too! Oh, how I hope that’s the case! I just can’t imagine truck trouble or errands taking all day. Of course, the worst thing that could’ve happened was that he was in an accident and is laid up in the hospital with no way to reach me. This thought makes me sick, but if this were the case, I’d surely think I’d have bad vibes. He’d have to be gone till the sun starts setting for me to really start worrying.

Someone left a text message on his phone at 10:00, but I don’t know how to retrieve it. I assumed it was a sales call anyway.

I’m anxious for his return to find out just what the case is. Plus, we’re out of water! I felt a #2 coming on and went outside to do it behind a stand of trees, but every time I’d squat down, a bee would harass me! It all worked out ok, though, for the bee drove my urge to shit away. Now let’s hope it stays away till he returns!

Anyway, I was pretty productive around here today, rearranging this and that. I even pulled the rats toward the center of the screen room so their cover sheet won’t get drenched the next time it rains.

I got a really good look at the rat today when I threw out some bread. It seems rather pregnant.

As long as you don’t spend much time in direct sunlight, it’s gorgeous. Oregon definitely has the best summers – not too hot, not too humid. Also, the stars on moonless nights are fabulous! More vivid than they were down in Maricopa. The trees aren’t as green as in New England as those trees mostly have leaves that fall off in the fall, whereas these pines, firs and spruces don’t do that and consist of a darker green. Some of the underbrush will lose its leaves, but that’s about it.

I’m glad for the tall grasses and hilly terrain or else it may not be as secluded as I’d like. This is because the lower parts of the trees aren’t very full. Some trees have no branches until you get 20’ up their trunks.

Later…

Yes, Tom was working today! And yes, it was him that left the text message. He worked at a place that boxes bookcases that you buy at places like Walmart and assemble yourself. Its only drawback is that it’s not a year-round thing and it’s only temporary. Instead, he has an interview scheduled for 9 AM tomorrow morning (you bet I’ll be spelling the night away) at a production company that makes computer cables. He feels it’d be a good place to work. His only obstacle may be that he’s overqualified.

We just hope he gets something permanent, full-time and with benefits real soon! He thinks tomorrow’s quite promising. I think so, too. I sure as hell hope so anyway! I think they’ll be impressed when they see what a nice, mellow guy he is. They just better not use him, but he’s learned his lesson as far as being too nice for too long is concerned. Besides, we don’t have a mortgage, so he could tell any nasty bosses to shove it up their asses and go elsewhere for work if he had to.

I had to take that dump before he got in, so I used drinking water to fill the toilet with. It’s ok, though, as it’s only like 50¢ a gallon. When he was at the storage place he was asking this guy there if it was ok to get water there, and the guy said, “Oh, yeah, go ahead. Help yourself. I can relate. The pump on my well went out.”

We can relate even more!