I guess the Orioles took my post last night as a challenge; in the bottom of the 8th inning they scored 6 runs. With the score 12-10 in the bottom of the ninth it was a much more exciting game... but apparently not exciting enough since I dozed off on the couch, awaking just as the game was ending. Without me to cheer them on, the Orioles just couldn't pull off a win. (They really should have won. If the umpire had not mistakenly called a strike a ball in an earlier inning, that batter would have been out. Instead, he hit a 3-run homer for the Tampa Bay Rays.)

However, there was more excitement to be had last evening. The smoke detectors and/or CO2 detectors started chirping, signaling low batteries. Although they are hard wired into the electrical system, a recent power outrage (all clocks were blinking 12:00 upon our arrival yesterday) had switched them over to the battery mode and (obviously) drained them. It would not have been such an issue if the detectors were get-atable, but tucked up by the 20-foot ceilings that was not the case. Numerous calls were made (to the alarm company, the builder, the fire department, etc.), with the final upshot (well after midnight) being nothing could be done until this morning. The loudest sounds (naturally) coming from the master bedroom, so Andy and Sandy ended up sleeping on the pullout couch in the living room, with towels wedged beneath their bedroom door. For some of us, that brought back memories of college. LOL

Ivy is under the weather this morning. From her symptoms it would appear that she is dealing with a hangover (possibly her first since she doesn't drink.) She will be 94 this summer, so I guess it's not really surprising that her body could not tolerate one of Andy's libations creations ('an old family recipe') although at the time she declared it very delicious - several times - as she sipped away.

I took Cokie for her morning constitutional this morning. She will be 13 on her next birthday and her hearing is not what it used to be, so she was unaware of one of the neighbors in his driveway. Usually that sets off some serious barking (and lunging) and she goes on duty; she takes her responsibilities to 'protect' us very seriously.

The 'excitement' continued this morning when mom's cellphone battery died. She only uses it for long distance calls and to have in case of emergencies when she's out and about driving by herself, so normally she might not have even bothered to bring it along. However the other day she signed up to be in a 10-day study on 'seniors and drinking', and the woman will be calling her at 10:00 each morning for questions. I sent a message to the woman to call my phone instead, so that 'crisis' has been averted.