IMs from IA

[Editor's note, dateline the AppleBox Café with the writers group gals: I wrote this last night and meant to post it, but something funky happened to my settings and I can't get online at home. What will I dooooooo?]

7/1 6:07:48pm
Minor explosion in area. Knocked out power to neighborhood. Power crews scratching their heads. Hospital won't release gran 4 some stupid reason. Luv u paw. [Editor's note: The power outage had nothing to do with not releasing his grandmother's remains. I know, I was confused too. Oh, and this one's from LA.]

7/2 12:48:01pm
On tarmac. Two hour delay so far in dallas. Luv u.

7/2 3:41:00pm
Cedar rapids. Quaint. Rental car waiting time. Another hour of driving to go. Hungry. Miss u luv u.

7/3 8:46:27am
Luv you. Visit funeral man today. Shades of 6 feet under. Miss u.

7/3 9:45:14am
Pictures from our wedding will be on display. Mom wrote a nice obit 4 the paper. Director is a bit of a character. Love u.

7/3 10:19:23am
I have to do some clothes shopping. Think I can find a big and tall? [Editor's note: M mentioned that the downtown area was sparsely populated, but that the WalMart just out of town was hopping. Sigh. That's where he'll be shopping. He brought good clothes, but not nice enough to be a pall bearer.]

7/3 11:29:43am
Learned something. Always hated my name, murray.Thought it only came off great grandfathers grave. Wrong. Sterling Murray Turner. Suddenly much prouder. Luv. [Editor's note: Sterling was M's beloved grandfather.]

7/3 5:48:12pm
Just drove 1oo miles. Got chris. Dinner @ tc,s gran,s favorite bar. Luv u.

7/3 6:11:17pm
My i m is your cannon fodder. Ill work on my eloquence. Iowa is the culinary center of the universe, by the way. Luv u [Editor's note: He was amazed at his club sandwich composed of supermarket coldcuts and Velveeta. He's been living in NorCal too long, had to remind him that he never had used olive oil til he met me. However, I heard on Talk of the Nation today about how they deep fry dill pickles in Cedar Falls, IA, so maybe Iowa really *is* the center of the culinary universe.]

7/3 7:30:27pm
dairy queen. Struck up a conversation. Mom knows everyone this guy knows. His brother was in her class. He said aunt bonnie busted him 4 throwing a snowball in 1959

7/3 11:30:09pm
The 4th ccme early. Incredible t-storm. Must have rained 2 inc in 2 hours. Still going strong. Aubrey is a commodore off the cape. Has a squadron, must take isle

7/3 11:41:31pm
Call sonic. Theyr nice. Aubrey has to take heavily defended french isle w/ 3ooo soldiers & 5 ships of the line against 4 french frigates. Luv u

7/4 11:56:55am
Our hosts are painfully nice & CLEAN! I suspect christ is involved. We lunched on their deck. I inquired about native fauna. We r now proud owner of buckeye pod

He has a free day tomorrow, now today, which should be a nice break from the duties.

*****

In local news, I worked most of the day (hark, is that the world's smallest violin playing?), but took a break to get Thai food and new knitting needles for a "kitty pi"--basically a large felted bowl for the cats to curl up in. And of course while at the sewing store, I couldn't resist getting a pattern for a felted handbag. I think I might need to find a Felters Anonymous.

I also rented "Marie Antoinette" (the Sofia Coppola version) and "Music and Lyrics" while I was out, but I just can't bring myself to watch them tonight. A treat for tomorrow, then, though once the fireworks start, it'll be canine mayhem in these parts, we live so close to the fairgrounds...