Saturday

Really another nice day here. Margret out and about. Coffee with the boys. Bike ride later. Maybe BBQ.

Susan in Dallas. Mary in Milwaukee? Charlie in Bettendorf. Kate employed?

I will be re-assembling the park bench this afternoon. Staining it first. And I have to re-plant my front steps flowers. The first batch have not done well.

The Tour has an individual time trial today. This will be the first chance for the overall fav's to establish themselves. Looks like a ride of an hour or so. Most of the sprinters who have dominated the first stages will lose 5 minutes or more to the the GC (General Classification) guys today.

This is the last weekend of major league baseball games before the All Star game break. When I was young, I followed baseball daily, would listen to the Cardinals' game on local radio each day (or night), and knew the names and stats of lots of players on the different teams. The All Star game used to be a big deal. At one point, they actually played 2 All Star games. Now, I really don't know many of the players, and the game has become very ho-hum.

But I do know the names of the bicylists, and the NASCAR drivers. What does that say about the price of tootsie rolls?

This is about the time of summer when Mother and Daddy would take their summer trip when I was late high school and college age. I would milk the cows and run the farm while they drove to California to visit their grandkids, or drove to some county officials convention in Vegas, Miami or New Orleans. It was usually a 10 day or two week trip and, as I look back on it, quite a responsibility that they laid at my feet. It must have been quite the juggling act because I'm sure I played baseball games as well, although if it was later in the summer, the season was likely winding down. There were a few parties. But it's not like you could blow off milking the cows twice a day. And bailing hay.

For the record, I did Gollick's outdoor brats yesterday. Pretty special.

Ok. Not much else to add today. I've got lots to do. Enjoy.

Be careful out there.