There were thunderstorms just in time for Independence Day; which, I am sure put a damper on some folks' holiday, but I counted it as lucky; considering Michigan just legalized Ohio-style fireworks so all the idiots were out playing with big boom sticks--even though the houses around these parts are 15-30 feet apart and the threat of fire in this very very dry summer would be quite high. So people in Michigan no longer are making border runs to Ohio to buy fireworks...I wonder if Ohio will now legalize Kentucky style fireworks--because all the Ohio people want the larger Kentucky fireworks. Seems the further South someone travels in America, the bigger the stick of dynamite it is legal to detonate. I wonder if this is somehow connected to the higher rate of illiteracy in the Deep South?
Back home in Ohio, there were bad storms. People without power for seven days in this oppressive heat and humidity. My parents were out of power from June 29 until July 5. Doesn't sound like a long time until you factor in nearly 100 degree temperatures and scads of humidity. They were lucky enough to be able to stash their food in my grandpa's freezer (he has a generator) so they didn't lose all of it. The worst part of losing power in the country is the water situation. Well pumps run on electricity--and take LOTS of it. No power, no water. My dad stockpiles water for toilet flushing and hand washing, but its not really good to drink stale water so they have to buy water or find someone with a strong enough generator to run a well pump. Most generators won't.
Here, it has been oppressive as well. Feels like I'm living in the Deep South instead of Michigan. The recorded high yesterday, according to weather.com was 99 degrees Fahrenheit. It is currently 93 degrees at 9 30 am. Emma, my gung-ho outside dog, doesn't even want to stay out there lately. Usually, she wants to be out there for hours, lately, she's itching to come inside where its cooler.
Jon and I have decided to take a little road trip to Ohio over his birthday...three days or so, just for fun. My parents are always willing, and since they don't mind animals in the house, dogs can go along. They have extra beds and, since I don't, they have only been here to visit us twice. Once after we moved, and once for our wedding. They don't much fancy sleeping on an air mattress on the floor--especially because my dad broke his back a few years ago and I think its still pretty painful. I never think of them as old, which I guess they aren't, but I don't think of them as their real ages either. Dad is 62 and Mom is 60. Somehow, for me, anyway, they stopped aging at around 40.
I love/hate going home. Family is always nice, sleeping on a comfy non-worn out bed is great (our mattress is shot and I don't want to go into more debt to replace it, I need to pay off my car repair first), but the things that have changed make for sadness. Like more development, less trees, that sort of thing. But the trip is usually fun and driving on winding roads is a treat. The curviest roads I drive on lately are Kensington Road, Grand River, and Spencer Road and none of them are THAT curvy. Plus, Spencer is gravel and one has to think about pedestrians, kids on bikes, and chickens in the road....which makes me smile and reminds me of home even though Spencer is twice as wide as the road my parents live on. To pass a Mack truck on my parents' road, the smaller vehicle pulls to the side as far as possible and STOPS to let the big thing pass. Sometimes, depending on the bit of road on which you meet, it can be pretty hairy.
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