It's been miserably hot lately. Today saw the thermometer reach over a hundred, and yesterday was nice and muggy. So, my only relief has been making floating down the canal a regular activity. Yesterday I even convinced mum to float down from Hess home. And then later, I went from home to the end of Miller, where mum had dropped off my jeep. By the time I got out of the water it was probably around 8:00, so I was definitely ready to get warm. My fingers were so stiff that, try as I might, I couldn't turn my key in the ignition. I finally resorted to using both hands. It was ridiculous, but better than bearing the warmth.

Today I went to Samantha's and we went downtown for lunch. We consumed slices at Andrew's and then wandered over to Mike's where we met Chelsea (after waiting about 20 minutes that is). I got some delectable lemon yogurt. Samantha got a vanilla malt shake - a novel and delicious quiescently frozen treat. I headed for home around 3:30, picked up a roadkill grey digger for the eagles, and soon after arriving home had mum drop me off at Hess for another float. This was by far the best floating experience I'd had, since I'd been so uncomfortable from hours of downtown and in-car wandering. The water wasn't even cold to me, just ridiculously refreshing. And, coolest of all, a hundred or so feet before I had to get out to avoid the pipe, I came upon a large deer standing in the water! I was fast approaching her and she finally turned her head and stared at me for a few seconds, no doubt attempting to comprehend this composite living creature/crazy bright plastic ring approaching. Finally she jumped out of the water when I was about 20 feet away from her and trotted up the steep bank. She stood at the top looking down and I didn't hear her bound off so she probably came back down when I was out of sight.

For dinner we went up to a campground off 35 and ate sandwiches. It was uneventful but cooler and peaceful.

Oo, in other exciting news, yesterday I read all about David Sedaris's crazy adventures picking fruit in Odell, working at Duckwall-Pooley, and making Oregon-shaped clocks from slabs of jade for a crazy Christian man somewhere near Hood River! Oh, and fighting off the unwanted sexual advances from a man who lived in a trailer with his mom with a bedroom full of penis sculptures. Sometimes I don't know what's truly true and what's embellished. But I came away believing it all. Heck, Odell in the late '70s, early '80s...there had to be some crazy people. Anyway, it's in Naked, it's called "C.O.G" You should read it.

Two days of work and then off until Saturday! Woohoo. Becky, are you reading this? You're going to spend time with me and you're going to like it :) Oh, Andrew - you too.