We're still in diagnostics here. Monday at 6:30 am Lyman is due for a full scope.

In the interim, the nurse-practitioner suggested old-fashioned enemas. Not the cute, prebottled little squirts, but protracted hot water bottle style.

He is dreadfully embarassed, and they are momentarily uncomfortable.

Boy should get over it. I've handled worse than that. Those mothers will say, with truth, that they have.

Criminy. Lyman needs to be scoped, but he can't see a gastroenterologist until next Friday. He's doing okay, but that's a long wait.

My poor Lyman. He looks like someone stuck a spout up his nether parts and pumped him full of air.

This came up more than a week ago, but he's gone to the doctors and had an ultrasound and a ct scan. He should have some results tomorrow.

There's an obstruction in his gut. From what I read, could be impacted feces. Hard to think so, since he went from viable one day to incapacitated the next. Couldn't do that on a Greek salad, could you?

Anyway, I'm a pretty good nurse if it comes to it. I just need to know what to do.

One of our long-term renters at the condo has complained about the sofa for a while, so I put in an order for a new one today.

Without the time to shop at the beach for a month, we went looking locally. Unless you want an antique, there's not a lot here. So we went with a La-Z-Boy sofa-sleeper in this style and color. It will be be a push with the lime love seat, but we'll work it out.

It will get along with the art, the blue chair, and the wicker.

It's been six years since we bought furniture at the coast. Furniture wears quickly.

Speaking of squash, we had collected quite a bit and needed to dispose of some of it.

I tried Emeril's zucchini and summer squash casserole last night to go along with some barbecued country ribs.

It was a pleasing, light, healthy side dish, and reduced our stash by four pounds. (Lyman didn't like it at all. He likes crisper, more highly seasoned squash dishes.)

Unusually, the thyme and oregano we planted in the garden are surviving, along with the basil.

The gardens are running riot this year.

I spent an hour and a half picking and pruning the Kentucky Wonder beans:

Here are the squash that ate Vidalia:

It's time to leave good enough alone.

Ahem. The side-by-side refrigerator indoors went out. The seal system has a leak. It was purchased in November 2002. I understand that's a pretty good run these days.

Yesterday we went to the local hardware and purchased a new French-door model. We went with a Samsung because it fit the enclosure in the kitchen. It has plenty of complaints. So do Whirlpool, GE, Frigidaire, Kenmore and Maytag. Wouldn't you think that a company named "Frigidaire" could make a reliable refrigerator?

New refrigerators come with one-year warranties. The old Hotpoint that Girl selected for this house lasted for over 30 years. Then we had a Whirlpool that just outlasted it's five-year warranty. Then a Kenmore that lasted for close to ten.

Buying appliances is a crapshoot these days. Yes, we purchased a three-year extended warranty. The seal system will go out in four.

We were finishing the bar when we brought Lucy home in November 2001.

Consequently, I don't remember a thing I did at the time. A lot of water under the bridge both literally and figuratively. The previous job left a nearly perfectly smooth surface. Using a brush this time, I'm running into marks.

I surfed around until I came to a skateboard forum. The guy uses Polycrylic on all his boards. Up to 25 coats with sanding and buffing in between. He recommends cheap foam brushes.

Now I have a passel of those on hand. Another day or two.

The sanding and filling went fine. The cheap Black & Decker Random Orbit Sander is doing a fine job so far.

I love the gown Laura Bush wore for her White House portrait. I have a dress closely akin to it in khaki. Mid calf, shorter sleeved, epaulettes, but the shirtwaist style with a belt and dropped gathered skirt is right on.

It's been a while since we've undertaken a project. Here we're refinishing the much-used bar in the kitchen.

Stripped with Citristrip, now we're sanding. Then I'll be filling some cracks and finishing with Minwax Polycrylic. Another couple of days, at least.