Okay, here we go.  I woke up at 7 and got Yaya out the door for school.  I threw on some clothes and walked halfway with her because it seems I was out of coffee creamer and that just won't do at all.  So when we got to the corner, she went to the right and I turned to the left toward the IGA.  This is the part I love about living in a small town.  the crossing guard that helps the kids cross the street is about 80, super thin and kind of dumpy.  he sits in his little red van until a kid shows up, then slowly crawls out, shuffles to the middle of the street and with no stop sign, no crossing guard paraphernalia, he stands there with his hands in the air like he is being held at gunpoint while the kids cross the street.  It's absolutely adorable.

I had Smella the Squeek dog on the leash and she was happily trotting along beside me, chasing leaves and errant milkweed fluffs.  A lady came out of the vet clinic while we were pausing to smell all the pee spots from the other clients.  She thought Smell was adorable and asked what the heck she was.

Adorable.  I can't help but laugh when someone says adorable about my goofy looking under-bite dog. I have to admit, she has grown on me.  Shes more...adorugable now.  Anyway, in the 5 minutes I chatted with the vet lady, a standard poodle lady and cat lady came to tell me all about apples and canning and how fluffy needs her nails trimmed.  Smella smelled, snarled, snapped and got smelled and I had a nice chat with 3 perfect strangers who walked away knowing I thought my dog was ridiculously ugly and I was off to buy creamer and pick grapes this morning.

We strolled past the bank and waved at the ladies inside, stepped down onto the street where a pickup stopped to let us by with a wave and a smile.  When I got to the IGA, I tied Smella to the Gerry bar (there is a hoist bar like you would see in an old person's bathroom to help pull yourself up onto the step instead of a railing) and opened the door.  An old man who obviously just went in to t buy a paper came out and I held the door for him.  he asked me if he should be worried about the vicious guard dog tied to the rail.  I said she only kills if I give her the signal, all the while she looked up at this man with her lip stuck up in her teeth and her tail between her legs.

 I said hello to Jerry and Grace on my way back to the coffee stuff.  They asked how my parents were doing, how they don't see dad out much anymore.  Has he been working on his tractor? Are they ready for winter? I told them I was going over there next to pick grapes.  Oh they are ready now?  Are there a lot? What are your plans for them?  Grace said one of these days she will have to stop in and see mom...

Smella and I were off again with my creamer in hand.  We crossed the park uneventfully and waved at the crossing guard.  Mom's neighbor was outside and I said hello as I passed.  I was sure mom was in bed when I got there, but didn't want to just storm in the back yard without her knowing I was there.  True to form, her window was open and a couple of hushed, "MOM! MOM!"  Woke her up enough to let her know I was there.   The dog, oddly enough, didn't bark at me at all and I thought I was pretty slick in that I was able to tell mom I was there without waking up dad.
I put my creamer container next to the gate and grabbed my box. as I walked past dad's room I heard his TV blaring and realized he was awake anyway.  Eh well.

I managed to pick about half of the grapes before my box was full.  I was walking, so 1 box was all I was getting at the moment.  I told mom I would come back for more later on in the day after I worked a while.  Bella ran around under my feet eating grapes that hit the ground.  They really are good grapes.  After I had picked my fill I went in to tell mom goodbye.  she asked if I wanted coffee, I said not today, I had a full plate today, but maybe Sunday I will make time.  Have you heard from your sister?  What is Curt doing today? Can Lucas come and help me with the yard later?

On my way out, I looked down to grab my creamer and was instantly irritated that it was covered with dog piss.  Thank you so much Rooster for marking my creamer.  I stomped inside to wash it off grumbling about stupid boys having to pee on everything...

Grapes and clean creamer in hand, Smella and I crossed the street to go back home.  For some reason, the walk home always involves Smella pulling on the leash with all her might like, she knows where she is going and she wants to get there now.   I saw my neighbor mowing her leaves and I waved.  Surprisingly, she didn't shut down her mower to chat and I finally made it back home unscathed.

Now Emma is quietly hugging her Little Ponies and watching Super Mario Brothers Super Show.  Luke is working on homework and I am getting ready to start work.  If everything stays this way for the next 4 hours, I can be done working and can get going on the mountain of grapes and apples I have.  Oh, don't forget about the 40 pounds of potatoes Curt picked up after the potato truck flipped over in town the other day.  Sigh. I forgot about those.