Big storms in the area last night. We didn't get MUCH, but Dallas had a tornado. I haven't checked to see how bad it was; hopefully no one was killed.
But: came in this morning to no power in my office. It was weird because at first the hall lights here were working, just none of the labs or offices. (The classrooms had power but the computers wouldn't work). Then about 7:40 am ALL the power went.
Okay. What to do? I live five minutes from campus so I went back home. (I first used my phone to e-mail the department about the outage). I got in 20 more minutes of piano practice, which was good, I guess. Monitored it on the OG and E webpage. Finally, cancelled my 9 am class (we were to have been in the computer lab; can't do that without power).
Ran back up here to hang a sign just in case anyone walked in not aware (we were the only building to lose power, though apparently part of campus lost phone service). I had already posted on the course webpage (from home) about the class cancellation....
I decided to run to the post office; there was a parcel I had to sign for (they attempted delivery Saturday but of course I was in Sulphur Springs). I expected it was my Tom Cox books and it was - all nice and signed (signed to me, even: I know the hardcore "gonna make money off books" people who want signed copies just want the author's signature, but I admit I kind of like having copies signed TO ME, personally). I skimmed a few pages of "21st Century Yokel" and it looks good - these are sort of books of essays about folklore and rural life in Britain (Somerset, to be exact, and now I think of it: some of my ancestors came from there so it's doubly nice to have the books).
I have a few signed books. The first one ever was a copy of David Macauley's "Cathedral" - he came to speak in my town and my school (I think I was something like 10 at the time) encouraged the kids who liked writing stories to go to hear him speak, and I'm glad I did. (I think he's since passed on). I always treasured that book because he signed it for me (like, for real - I stood in a line with it and he talked to each kid for a few minutes as he signed their book). And I have a Louise Penny "Gamache" mystery that a friend got signed for me when she went to hear Penny speak in her town....and I have a few others; i think I have a copy of "Wonderful Life" somewhere signed by Stephen Jay Gould, though as I remember, he just signed and did not personalize....
These current books, the author both signed them to me and wrote a brief good-wishes message, and stamped them - one with a hare, one with a badger.. (So I think these books will be extremely on-brand for me).
The power came back around 9:45 so I was able to teach my other two classes.
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A few maintenance tasks yesterday - got the window-unit AC pulled out (this is involved as it also requires removing five or six screws) and put away, and was able to close down and lock my bedroom window again.
Here's hoping that means a final end to hot weather for this year. Yesterday was hot for October.
And I changed the polish on my toenails to a new color - "Rocky Rose," an Essie color from their Southwestern themed line, and I admit I bought it slightly because of the geology/canyon theme, thinking of my dad.
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Tentative plans tomorrow afternoon to get the October soil samples. I have nothing else I MUST do that afternoon (really not much I have to do today - a little grading, and I could always do some reading for research). But I need to get out and do it. At least tomorrow it won't be death-hot and hopefully the little bit of rain will make the soil easier to grab.
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I have food (mostly: will need to get milk at some point) ahead for the coming week - still a few beans to eat up (they should stay good for another day or two at least), leftover cheese grits, plans some time to make tomato soup, and I have assorted canned things. And I bought several cans of the Annie's "tomato soup with bunny pasta" because sometimes there is just something comforting about a meal like that (it's at the upper limit of sodium for me but these days I don't notice a HUGE effect of one slightly-more-salty meal on my blood pressure).
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Weekend plans MIGHT be to get a quilt top down to Home A La Mode, I don't know yet. I don't need to do "big" grocery shopping, I know that much. But I want to get a top in to them soon...
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