Aaah Thursday; and my world is right-side-up again. Ms. Kate got home from vacation last night at 2200 hrs. I drove up to Karen's place and picked her up. Karen lives on the other side of town and actually in the next little town so it would be pointless for her to drive past her house for fifteen miles drop Ms. Kate off and then drive the fifteen miles back home. I think both ladies were ready to come home. They neither one had much luck at the slots and Karen was suffering from a sore jaw or something.  I've found that as much as I like to go to Vegas, a week out there is too much, especially when the temperature is 105* every day and you can't get out and really do any sight-seeing. So, unless you want to spend a lot of money going to very expensive shows, then sitting at a slot machine is your next best option and that gets boring and expensive too really fast. Of course, there is always the buffets to go to but they aren't the "cheap meal" that people used to talk about. The Rio Hotel and Casino has a seafood buffet that we used to go to when we lived in Vegas. Back then it was $15.00 a person, then went to $20 or $25.00 person. Now it is right at $50.00 per person and at our last visit , the food quality had really deteriorated. We haven't gone back to it in several years now.

We are in another day of air quallity alert. This high pressure ridge that is sitting over us has made the air oppressive. I don't think we will get out today.

It is time to start trimming back some of the flowers. The phlox and some of the peonies have developed mildew, which occurs every year at the end of the season. That is my clue that they are done for the year and it is time to cut them back. Once I get that done, I think I will pick up another truck load of mulch and spred that around where we need it. That will bed down the flowers for the fall and winter. I never did get my new flower bed put in. I'm still hoping to yet this fall when it get a little cooler, and I can then transplant a bunch of the iris so they will be ready for next spring. There will be a good twenty or thirty hours worth of work involved in that project.

I don't know what is on the schedule for today. I know Ms. Kate will need to unpack her suitcase and probably get her laundry done from the trip. I'll most likely just head to the office downstairs and do some writing. We aren't sure if Julie and Jim are coming this weekend or not. It is Labor Day weekend but they are currently sitting on pins and needles with there new home purchase. The home inspection showed that the house needed eother some roof work done or a new roof. They are waiting to see what the current owners are going to do about it and those people have until tomorrow midnight to decide. So, they are waiting to see if it will get fixed or if they will have to walk away and start all over again. We are keeping our fingers crossed for them.

I thik that is it for this beautiful but hot Thursday morning. The caardinals came out in force this morning and so have the blue jays, which makes for a colorful combination out there. But, breakfast is obviously over because right now the feeders have no visitors.

I hope your Thursday is a great one. I pray you will take he time to acknowlege God, ou Father and give God praise and thanksgiving for the belssings that are going to come your way. If you can thik of nothingn else to do for ssomeone today --- give them a smile. That's sharing a part of you and it might just be exactly what someone needs today.