The @#! Connect program keeps trying to go on-line, even though I've chosen Work OffLine and Hang Up a bunch of times. I was trying to read my e-mail in Outlook Express when all this was going on. Finally the MeSs told me I'd performed an illegal operation and shut down Outlook Express. So, I'm stuck venting my anger instead of cleaning up the plethora of messages in OE. This "shut down" business has become a common occurance lately. Don't know if it is connected to adding the extra RAM. But, it surely is irritating.
The dog spilling the big water dish didn't help matters any. I grabbed the nearest terrycloth item [my bathrobe] and soaked it up. So, the robe and the throwrug have to be dried out before they mold. And hanging them out on the line isn't an option, nor is putting them in the clothes dryer [see below].
Today is supposed to be the last of the hot and muggy weather. The haze is quite thick on the hill here, nearly fog, although the National Weather Service doesn't seem to think it's that serious. They predict serious thunderstorms later today and it sure feels like it!!!
12:10...Been trying to write code and the blankety-blank FrontPage jumped in with all this extra clutter when I poked "Edit"...Bah!!! Humbug!!! I submit, so's not to lose the aforegoing.
15:20...Hot dog!!! We just had a real humdinger of a thunderstorm roar through here about an hour ago. I had some serious worries about those "widowmakers" coming down out of the trees around the house. {They've been hanging since the ice storm of '98. One of these days, they'll break loose and land on whatever happens to be underneath at the time.} I ran out to shut the van's windows when I heard the radio warning, saying the storm was over Rome. Anything coming from that direction (Belgrade Lakes area) passes right over Vassalboro as a general rule. A few big raindrops splatted on the ramp as I ran back into the house. And 3 cats raced to the cat-door like they'd been sent for. The squall line hit a few minutes later, lashing the trees furiously, and the downpour sluiced against the house like a firehose. Up on the balcony, under the roof overhang, the rain bounced off the trees and washed my face like ocean spray. 'Twas the better part of valor to get inside and shut the door, as I've seen lightning follow drafts right into a house through an open window. So I settled on my bed and tried to read some science fiction while the old oak tree creaked and groaned outside.