Solar And Stuff

I had set my phone alarm for 6:00, got up, dressed, had coffee, and made the bed before the solar panel guys came a little before 7:00.  There were two youngish guys, very polite and friendly.  They said it would take several hours--up to eight, in fact--as Ellen had told me. I asked them to lock the front door after them and packed up a few things, including my breakfast cottage cheese, bread, and orange. Had that at home, then went to WinCo for supplies. Stopped at Sprouts and finally got my $4.99 a pound shrimp. I prepared my usual large salad lunch and put it in the fridge. Drove to Kimball and did the walk, even though it was afternoon and hot as hell.
When I got back in the car, I looked at the e-mail on my phone, and found a reply from my widder group friend, Barbara Quaid. I had asked if she could show me where I'd be doing the Carrie Dudley thing in "Uncle Leo's Barn." She wrote back and asked if I could come then--"today at 1:00." It was about 12:15 and I immediately replied I would, so drove directly to the fairgrounds.
Barb has been CEO of the fairgrounds for thirty years (she turns 70 in a few months) and yoicks, what an office she has! It's very large with big windows and is filled with all kinds of fair memorabilia, antique and otherwise. The display is not tacky, but very tasteful in built-in niches, nicely appropriate frames, and shadow boxes. She gave me a big hug when her secretary showed me in, later introducing me to James, one of her employees "because he's from Jersey, too" (New Brunswick).
After we chatted a bit, Barb took me out to the grounds and "the barn" where I'll do my thing. Okay, I was glad to get at least some idea of the venue, although it wasn't set up with a stage so far. Walking back to her office, Barb and I bonded, ranging over topics such as men (and how the older they get, the more self-centered they seem), self-euthanasia (we're both solidly in favor), and the similarity of our husbands' deaths (both heavy smokers, hers lung cancer, mine emphysema) and, most bonding of all, I should be ashamed to record (and my tongue's in cheek), our own heavy cigarette habits in times gone by.  After the fair is over, we'll agreed to go to lunch, hugged goodbye, and off I went.
Didn't get lunch until 2:30, but that was okay. I went to town after, parked at the museum and went in to ask if they had a costume expert. They do, Anna somebody, and I left a note asking her to contact me with a view to finding an appropriate Carrie costume.
Did my walk and when I got to the library, was surprised to see it was closed. I thought it might be because of the heat (last year that happened), but a sign said there was a "major water leak." Okay, so I just walked back. Stopped into Rumfish, where I'll meet Diane this afternoon for Happy Hour, just to look the place over. Bought gifts for the granddaughters,which I'll send to New Mexico ahead at a trendy little expensive shop called "Passport." Stopped at Von's and got a mediocre Lean Cuisine for dinner.
Back at El's, I found the air on and everything okay. Called Betty and we talked. She goes back to Jersey today, but will return in just another week.