Take a guess what Sam and I want for Hanukkah this year.

Holy crapola, Howdygramsters. Our total rainfall for the huge storm system that chugged through here this week was EIGHT INCHES. Eight! Here’s a photo of the storm as it approached Sunnyvale and Mesquite late Monday afternoon. Cattle are clearly indicated for your possible interest.

Believe it or not, the water restrictions from last year’s drought are still being enforced all over north Texas even though our lakes are full and our rivers are flooding. Why? Because north Texas buys its drinking water from Lake Texoma (in Oklahoma), and since Lake Texoma is currently fighting an infestation of zebra mussels it’s illegal for them to sell water! (Take a guess what Sam and I want for Hanukkah this year.)

Last night when Sam got home from work we ate snacks and watched an amazingly swell film, The Moon and Sixpence (1942) with Herbert Marshall and George Sanders, which is based on Somerset Maugham’s biography of artist Paul Gauguin. Sanders’ portrayal of Gauguin — a scoundrel and a misogynist —is so outrageously evil you almost want to throw furniture, but it was also so riveting that Sam actually managed to stay awake for the entire 90 minutes even after we ran out of brownies.

In case you’re interested, my projects for today include: 1) ongoing work on my new client’s website; 2) emptying the dishwasher; 3) reminding Sam to pick up a prescription; and 4) waiting for UPS to deliver a couple of packages from Wal-Mart and Amazon. Tomorrow’s deliveries are actually a much bigger hoo-hah, however, as I’m expecting those canisters of freeze-dried ground beef and onions (see post) from Shelf Reliance and a ton of sugar-free Vlasic bread & butter pickles from Buy the Case. I’m so excited I might wait outside for the truck if it’s not raining. (Yes, we’re expecting more rain.)

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