The day became every bit oppressively hot as predicted. I took a shower after working in the garden this morning and I need another one so I can sleep tonight. It's the time of year when changing out night shirts and sheets happens more than once a week because I really dislike air conditioning and keep the house as warm as I can stand at night. The thermostat is programmable and I usually set it at about 79^o or 80^o overnight, with the ceiling fan going. Years ago (in a different house) I found that my hips ached and I had to wear socks to bed when the A/C was too low. Now I have the furniture positioned so the ceiling vent doesn't hit me directly. This is the most difficult time of year as far as getting a good night's sleep. I prefer winter when it's cold and I keep the room cool and pile on blankets, but cooling the house with A/C and piling on blankets isn't the same. I want to be acclimated to the outside so I don't keep the indoors too cold.

A neighbor was out walking his three-legged dog Rosie (she chased one too many UPS trucks in her youth) and we spoke in the front yard while my dogs watched out the glass and metal security door. New dog Pepper barked, the other two just looked on. That was okay, Pepper has a job to do and she wasn't crazy, just made her presence known. We will cultivate a friendship with Rosy now that we've met in person with her human Larry. I walk past her yard and she barks, but now we'll walk up the driveway and offer a treat (and my dogs will get a treat as well). The same thing happens at Ozzy's house. After that, acknowledging the progress we've made in three weeks, tonight we tried a mellow everyone sitting on the carpet in the front room. Pepper occasionally growls, she hasn't completely mastered sharing her human, but in that short time she has come a long way.

Most of my progress today was digital as I worked on some computer projects when I came in to cool down. The garden does look better after a combination of using the mattock near the plants and the weed wacker along the beds outer edges. I expect it to be hot again so more digital work tomorrow.