August 15, 2002: Rain is good, but there's such a thing as too much of a good thing. We've had nearly five inches of rain today (so far). That's too much. I was going to Hugo Valdez's retirement party at the college today, but there's no way I'm getting back out in this mess.

I was at school earlier, and the new chair of the English Department, Bea Hugetz, came by. While she was there, she signed a grade change form for Dr. Fox. That's the first time she'd signed one, and the first time I hadn't in 19 years. Not a big deal, but a sure sign that I'm no longer part of the big scheme of things. Or even the small scheme.

Judy and I will go to Austin tomorrow for the Armadillocon, a small regional SF convention. I'm a guest, even though I don't write SF. I'll be on a few panels, see a few freinds, visit a few bookstores. Can't beat a weekend like that.

August 14, 2002: I went to my office at the college today, and I'm already beginning to feel like an alien there. People who came by seemed to talk a little differently, but maybe it's just my perception. I have to go in tomorrow to make sure that all the summer session grades are turned in, but after that I'm pretty much a free man. And odd feeling.

I had to mow the lawn today, which, as I've already said, is not my favorite chore. Since we're leaving for Austin on Friday, and since we have to go to Houston this evening to see about Angela's car, today was about the only chance I had. Got it done.

The stock market is up, which is good, and I hope it will stay that way. I have less and less faith in George W. Bush's ability to help the economy or the country. He wants to get Saddam, and yet he's the one who promised (without delivering) to get Osama bin Ladin "dead or alive." Maybe delivery comes later. At any rate, if we can't get the one, how can we expect to do any better getting the other?

August 13, 2002: Judy went for her final post-surgery visit to the doctor. The nurse saw her and dismissed her. All is well

Angela called. She's having car trouble, so we'll have to drive both cars to Houston tomorrow night and let her borrow one of them. Since we're leaving for Austin on Friday, we'll have to pick the car up on the way back on Sunday. This is getting boring.

August 12, 2002: Highlight of the day so far: driving to Sugar Land to visit Half-Price Books. Didn't find much worth telling about, but I picked up a novel by Mary Astor, who played opposite Humphrey Bogart in THE MALTESE FALCON. I didn't realize that she wrote novels. This one appears to be some sort of romantic suspense. Hey, at half of the 50 cent cover price, I couldn't pass it up. Maybe I'll even read it, but it's not at the top of my list.

August 11, 2002: Judy and I drove to Houston today to have lunch with Allen and Angela. Allen was in town because he'd worked a private party with Cornell Hurd's band on Saturday night. We all went to Chuy's. I had the veggie enchiladas, which proves what a wild and crazy guy I am.

When we got back to Angela's townhouse, she told us her refrigerator had been making a funny clicking noise. While listening for it, I found water on the floor in front of the 'fridge. We opened the freezer and discovered that everything was thawing. I found a repair service in the Yellow Pages and called for help. They got a guy right out, and he replaced a burned out relay. The Maytag refrigerator is only 2-1/2 years old, so the relay shouldn't have gone bad so quickly, but there's nothing you can do except thank the guy for coming and pay him the Big Bucks. $160 for the part and about 20 minutes' work. But, hey, it was Sunday afternoon, and Angela needed the freezer fixed fast.

We got a call not long ago from Allen, who's safely back in Austin with all the DVDs we got him for his birthday. Now all he needs is plenty of time to watch them.