Dorothy, if that was a black-legged tick (often mistakenly called a deer tick) -- and they're the tiny ones -- it takes 24-36 hours of the tick being attached for the spirochetes to migrate into your body. I'm sort of a defacto "expert" on ticks and Lyme disease. New Hampshire has the highest rate of Lyme disease in the US. Rockingham (my county) and Strafford counties have the highest rate within New Hampshire, and Nottingham (my town), Lee, and Barrington have the highest rates within those two counties. Dr. Alan Eaton, an entomologist one of whose specialties is ticks, is a friend and session member (fiddle and vocals with Mudhook). Wish he'd record the amusing and informative "Tick Rap" which he wrote. (One night at the session after performing it, he passed out quizzes...) If a black-legged tick was attached for any length of time, see a doctor for antibiotics.

Stilly, I wish I could get that brand EV olive oil around here. Alas, while we have oriental markets, we don't have any Near Eastern markets. (Wish I could still get the Pakistani rose syrup I used to be able to buy.)

I woke up at 3 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep. Can't even blame it on the heat and humidity (well, maybe...) because yesterday's thunderstorms brought the temperature down (but added, of course, to the humidity. Mostly my brain kicked in. Gave up around 4, turned on the light and read. And then it started to get light...and the alarm was set for 6...

Dennis is due in 15 minutes. Hope by tonight I'll have at least partial use of the bathroom back. I'll need to take a shower and wash my hair.

Using Tom's commode tucked discretely around the corner in the bedroom.

Before he left yesterday afternoon, I had Dennis (who was standing splay-legged with he feet on the edges where there were no tiles) hand me my BP meds, contacts stuff and a pair of earrings. Went to the session in Dover last night naked -- no make-up (couldn't stay on with the perspiration anyway) and no rings on my right hand.

He's here and he just promised I'll be able to take a shower and wash my hair tonight. Tomorrow is another early morning, but for fun -- West Nottingham's Fourth of July celebration starts at 7 a.m. at Demmon's Old Country Store. Free breakfast (eggs, toast, maybe homefries and a red, white & blue berry cup) at 7, from 8-9 we sit around and sing and play music (the core musicians are from the Press Room session), and then at 9 a.m. is the reading (from the porch of the country store) of the Declaration of Independence.

Oh, yesterday solved another little problem. I asked Dennis about the possibility of a doorbell because I can't hear anyone at the door even if I'm downstairs. And upstairs, forget it. The only time I can tell if someone is here is if I'm at the computer and I see them pull into the driveway. He suggested (and I bought on eBay) Driveway Patrol, so he'll install it when it gets here.

That just reminds me...I have to go upstairs (where my calendar is) and call the electrician back to schedule upgrading two outlets -- the one behind the composting toilet and the one in the laundry room.

Slowly, but surely, everything will get accomplished...

Linn