We have had an unusually heavy rainy season – daily storms flooding the streets and driveways – there would be a lull and then it would storm again, so that every time I thought I might try to get out for a walk or a bide ride, the rains would come.

And now we are awaiting a storm brewing in the Gulf that has been characterized as perhaps turning into a hurricane -- it has just been named: Karen. We'll see if it comes our way. So far it is projected to head for the mainland when it gets to the panhandle. But Charley was doing the same and decided to turn right at our latitude at the last minute - glug.

During all this, our garage door finally bit the dust and we couldn’t use it at all. We got Door King to replace it but it took a week for delivery. I used the side door to get my bike in, but had to move a ton of stuff to make room for it. When I wheeled it out, it would catch on the many bushes lining the way and I would get stuff in the spokes. Ed has acquired a riding lawn mower and we shoved stuff this way and that to make room for it. I am thrilled beyond sanity that I now have electronics for the door and we can again open and close it remotely. The button near the driveway hasn’t been working in some time, so what I would do is get my bike out, push the button next to the house and run out to the driveway before the door could come down on my head.

The new door is metal, white – it looks so nice, I am not even that interested in painting it to match the rest of the house (pale teal, as you might guess). The old door, wooden, in place since the house was built in 1971, was caked with dirt, and bug debris, and I would often think I might take a crack at it with a broom wrapped in a towel. Well, after thinking about this for a few years, I now don’t have to bother. Sometimes things work themselves out.

I have other projects I am thinking about and perhaps divine providence will help me out with these as well.

xx, Teal