Monday, Aug 6 - Nothing really eventful, just HOT

Today we just did errands -- too hot to do much else. It was already in the upper 80's by 9AM and it just got hotter, though the humidity actually dropped as the temps went up. On the back porch, it reached about 106, but the high on the front porch was only about 98. I thought I'd mind the heat, but, as Barry says, coming from air-conditioned everything out into the heat is probably worse than just staying out in it.

We went into Danville, looked for a china cabinet, got some composted manure and topsoil ('cause we don't have much real "soil" here, just broken bits of shale and limestone -- a great disappointment to the guy who made the South End of Waterville bloom), stopped at the post office, Barry got a job application, we got some new short-sleeve dress shirts (job interviews coming up, we hope!), and Barry got a pair of bib overalls -- now with one of my straw hats and his KY license places, he'll fit in with the locals just fine.

We then dropped down to Liberty, the county seat -- about 20 miles away, and I got my truck registered and got my new KY driver's license (pics here aren't any better than Maine. Barry had gotten the thoroughbred plate, so I got the cardinal plate, so we wouldn't get confused as to which vehicle is the car and which is the truck! Just kidding -- I ain't THAT stupid! I'll upload pics of both our plates as soon as I get the chance. My truck inspection consisted of the county sheriff walking out to the truck, checking the VIN number, odometer and registration, and that was IT! Plus, including the cost of the special plates and registering the truck for 14 months (registrations expire here during one's birth month and mine's October), it was about half the cost of registering the truck in Waterville with the same old chickadee plate everyone else has!

We also found out that Kentucky's environmental laws aren't exactly as strict as Maine's. If we want to burn garbage and toxic waste in an old oil barrel out in back of the house, a friendly call to the volunteer fire department might be appreciated. In Waterville, we had to call the fire department every time we wanted to grill a hot dog! Of course we won't burn mercury or uranium, but it would be nice to be able to burn the slash pile from trees, and an occasional cardboard box as we empty it. Of course, in cities like Lexington, or even Danville, if everyone did that, the air here would be unbreathable, but out in the "Knobs", quite a few places actually DO have the oil barrels, and they are used.

Then we stopped into the IGA grocery store. Now keep in mind, Liberty has only about 1100 people which makes it about like Belgrade Lakes! But the IGA's meat prices in particular were great, plus we actually got some frozen haddock, shrimp and scallops! Haven't found those yet in Danville.

When we got home, we fixed the haddock -- or at least Barry fixed it and I ate it (mmm, mmm, good). We fed the fish -- seems weird eating fish then going down to the pond to feed the fish -- is that some sort of cannibalism?

Anyway after that, we headed out on Butchertown Road, turning left at the end of the driveway for only the 2nd time since we've lived here -- looking for the Butchertown Cemetery. We drove up nearly to the Boyle County line (not far since we're only about 3 miles from it) and didn't find anything. Well, on the way back, Barry spotted a stone up on a hill between some trees over a ridge 500 feet off the road! This guy is going to be amazing, helping me find the 184 cemeteries in the county. I've volunteered to photograph the stones, and to transcribe the records of some of the others here in the northern portion of the county. Anyway, we looked around, and I was quite amazed at how well-kept a place it was, being literally in the middle of absolutely nowhere (wait a sec -- isn't this where WE live?) So one of these days when the temps drop below 90, I'll take my camera and go back. This fall as temps cool even more, I'll venture out even more.

Well, it's late, I'm tired and it's time to upload this novel!