We're having our first bout of hot weather all summer - up until now we've been in the 70's and high 60's.

I have a hound with a deep bark and a spitz with a mid-level bark. Both dogs love to bark - the spitz most of all. The neighbors are watching a little yappy dog and a half grown Huskie. It's going to be call and response all night.

True or false: the pipeline will go to refineries in Houston, and all the refined oil products will be shipped to China.

Related questions: where does the oil that is shipped by rail today come from, and where is it going? Would any of the oil shipped by rail today be transferred to the Keystone?

My Dad is downsizing and I have his very extensive library - we're talking 200-300 books, easily. Now some of these are out-of-date, but the bulk are solid history, philosophy and classics. We had a cousin interested in Civil War history, so he got that part of the collection. But how do I get the rest into good hands? I'm willing to give them away, but I doubt our local library would take them.

I'm very lucky with my tinnitus - the low level background sounds like a summer's night -insect noises or little frogs.

My left ear has me convinced there is a cricket in the room. My right ear makes me think I'm hearing a windchime in the background. So, nothing too intrusive. Ironically, I can't hear actual windchimes any more.

has always supported (whatever).

Here's my problem; if these are all long held positions, why don't I know that already? Digging through old, relatively obscure speeches and statements for proof is not impressive. I really can't think of any particular issue associated with Hillary outside of being the first female President. If the Fates had chosen differently, Palin could have been our first female President. Somehow, the gender of the President is not my first concern. I've grown up in the age of the first female this or that, but women's wages are still at 70% men's. There seem to be too many important issues on which Clinton's response is "me,too".

receive a medical bill? If so, is this covered by insurance?

I'm going to wait until the chemo is finished to buy some hearing aids becuase I'm uncertain how much worse this will get.

To show how new I am at this - I spent five minutes trying to figure out why the little bells hanging over the front door weren't making any sounds.

After a certain point, there are no more commercials to buy. My guess is that people toss most brochures received in the mail.

so please excuse my spelling! WHat have you noticed?

I think she was speaking of lily flowered tulips, but now I am wondering if she meant the tulips with a fringed edge to the petals.