CLAY AND WATTLES

Strange Machines and Cove Cottage

This morning, I "helped" as Mark ran this cycle of bills. All I did was watch for the ending number of each batch and stack the sealed envelopes in the trays. But I did learn that each tray starts and ends with a number and the computerized machine recognizes the tray number to assemble all of that address's bills for one envelope, and puts postage on the envelopes. It's quite an operation and pretty smart, doing technologically what Sharon used to do with the "pull list." (Of course, a human had to program it, so the machine only does what it's told.) The "pull list" entailed pulling all of one consumer's bills for one address (usually farm accounts) and putting them manually into an envelope. This train-like machine is really a huge computer and programmed to recognize everything that Sharon's "human eye" did before. And it takes maybe a couple of hours to do at the most, where it took her easily most of one day. I've helped do the manual pull list before, too, and it's very time-consuming. This was a short cycle of bills; the thousands of bills will be printed and mailed at the end of the month.

We ate lunch at Ameca today and parked in front was this cute little three-wheeled machine. I've seen three-wheeled motorcycles with 2 wheels in the back, but none with 2 wheels in front. Donna is back home after being at Venessa's in Arizona for several months. (Second from left).

Paul and I ate at River Restaurant on Highway 64 West tonight (David and Nancy Taylor). If you haven't been, do go! Great food! This was my dessert, blackberry cobbler with ice cream.

I talked to Jean earlier and she and Sarah had been to Killough's to pick blueberries. I immediately called and left my order on their answering machine for two picked gallons. (Did I tell them "pre" picked? What is that, anyway? Pre-picked would be unpicked, I think... Oh, well, I left my phone numbers and said I would pick them up.) You can pick your own or they'll pick. They're less expensive when you pick, but heat is not my friend, although we've had two wonderfully cool days in the 60's and 70's.

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Called Sher on my way home - she closed on her house today! Celebration! Not only does she have her "Cove Cottage" but the house in Columbus (which the AF will do a buy-back if she does not sell it through the agent in a certain time). She and Melanie were going to look at a pretty chair for the front porch. "It's so pretty, if it doesn't fit the front porch, I may still get it for the sun room." Mel's supposed to send me a picture of it. Mel's done a lot of work helping her mother buy the house. She's the real estate agent in the family and Sher says it's amazing to her her daughter talk about it. Not surprised - the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree!

So nice to have a sister with a house in Florida... So wonderful to have a sister!