The latest electric bill has arrived.  While it's better than that last one (that $611 was our highest ever) it is still over $500 - but at least it should continue to drop each month as the temperatures do...!

I had to reschedule yesterday morning's chiropractor appointment when it soon became apparent that I needed to stay quite close to a bathroom. 

Once those frequent trips ended I turned my attention to the yard.  Creepy wasn't running because the plastic in-line basket was floating wide open.  I'm not strong enough to close it (though I did try, which was when I notice the plastic was cracked.)  Alex was able to come over in the afternoon and (eventually) get it snapped closed, though that made the crack even worse. It needs an air-tight seal so it still wouldn't work, so it looks like I'll be adding a run to the pool store today to buy a new one.  The pool is currently a mess of dirt and leaves, and since we are going to be back into triple digits in the next day or so the pool season definitely is not over.

As long as Alex was in the neighborhood I had him access the wall plug behind my heavy dresser.  Now I have access to a power strip for the floor lamp, clock radio, and (possibly) a TV soon.  Got more of my clothes put away (they had made it out of the suitcase, but some only as far as onto the chair) and next on the list of things to do in there is to hang some quilts on the bare walls.

When I checked with Alex to see if he'd be around to babysit irrigation on Tuesday (in case there's a conflict with that schedule and my new chiro appointment at 11), it turns out he won't be.  On Monday he's heading out of town for a few days of camping/hiking.  Since we've been getting time slots in the mid/late afternoon I hoped it wouldn't turn out to be a problem.  

Then last evening the schedule was posted...

We've now moved forward to an earlier time (11-1) and since the gates pretty consistently have been getting plugged up with debris from up-ditch I really do need to be here at the beginning of the cycle to unplug them.  That means I'll be calling Stephanie on Monday to reschedule my chiro appointment - yet again.  Good thing I have a good track record and don't usually need to change them!

Yard work continued as I raked up around the cottonwood tree (strange how many leaves have already fallen) and so now the second can is well-stuffed.  It's certainly not fall here yet, so my guess is that the extreme heat was the culprit.  Then I cut off all the suckers.  It looks much tidier back there - so much so that even Alex noticed as he passed by when he came over.

I used the hedge trimmer for "that" prolific purple bush that seems to want to eclipse the growing rate of bamboo.  Of course I can only reach so high and need Alex's help to get the top where the branches rub against the roof.  When he's around and available <g> he is a big help.  

Pokey, however, was no help; she came over and tried to access the garage (where I plug in the cord which means that door won't latch) and then, since red and orange are the colors of her favorite foods, she was extremely interested in the cord (no, it's NOT good to eat!)  As much as she weighs she's way past the point where I can physically move her, so we played a waiting game while I protected that door and the cord.

In the late afternoon I grilled a couple of salmon fillets for dinner (they came out perfectly cooked) and of course since I only chowed down on one that means tonight's dinner is already cooked!

I seem to be sleeping longer during my first "half" of the night, but at least in the wee hours of this this morning (with no time constraints on my schedule) I was able to take something, and fell back asleep until around 6:30.  I'm thinking of taking Brownie for a walk this morning, though haven't yet checked to see how muggy it is out, so Plan A is still up in the air.