Rita and Roger got home safe and sound.

Roger got his birds, Rita and Bert went shopping and everyone had a great time.  All the kids were there so it was a big party.

A strong storm moved though town early this afternoon.

We got some really heavy rain, for a short time, early this afternoon and strong winds.  The National Weather Service reported half inch size hail on French Island.

Woody Harrelson, of "Cheers" is having a birthday today.

My goodness, he's just a baby.  He turns 50 today.

This is the South Dakota I wish I could have seen.

This is a Lakota village on the South Dakota prairie in the 1800's.

Thanks to my good friend, Gary, from Rapid City who sent this and other great shots which I'll publish later.

 Gary mentioned how sharp and clear the photos were for being so old.  So true, if you didn't know better, you'd swear they were digital.  The more things change, the more they stay the same!

I've posted the August birthdays.

If I've missed anybody, let me know.

Isn't it interesting that, after Angela, all of the rest of the August birthday folks have names that begin with "J".

I just signed up with HULU.

And, I wonder, why do you want to pay outrageous prices for cable (most of which you never watch) when you can have HULU for nothing?

I still haven't made it down to the new Olive Oil store.

I have to get down there and check it out.  They not only have 40 different kinds of olive oil, they also have spices and vinegar selections.  They're located at 515 Main.

I was checking out Twitter this morning.

I came across a Buddhist quote that said, "We do not suffer so much from what happens.  We suffer mostly from our own reaction to what happens".

That reminded me of what one of my psychiatrists told me many years ago.  "Depression isn't caused by what happens to you.  It's caused by your REACTION to what happens to you."

If you think about it, there's a whole lot of truth there.  Of course, that philosophy isn't so easy to follow.  It's much easier to blame our unhappiness on someone or something else.

Do you need more vitamin D?

An interesting article in USA TODAY says a vitamin D deficiency increases your risk of Cancer, MS, Lupis and  rheumatoid arthritis.  Guess I'd better keep taking the mega-doses of vitamin D the doctor perscribed.

Rita and Roger head east today.

Roger is going over to pick up some new birds and Rita is going along to visit with Eric and Bert.  They've got a good air conditioner in the car, which is good.  They're going to need it.

We had one day of cooler weather. Now, it's back to the heat.

Temperatures will get up to 92 today with a heat index of 102.  There's a 50% chance for thunderstorms too so it's not a good day to be outside.  More a/c and closed windows.

What I hate worst about winter is the closed windows to keep out the cold.  This summer isn't much better.  We have to keep the windows closed to keep out the heat.

That's bad 'cause I'm a "fresh air" kind of guy.

In case you're interested...

Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are selling their home on the beach at Malibu.  $14.7 Million.  It ain't Ipanema but it's a pretty nice beach.

Donnie calls this photo "The Three Hams".

A picture from Roger:

"Thought this would help you cool off.

West of Gillette, Wyoming.

Looking west towards the

Big Horn Mountains"

Donnie plans a quiet birthday.

"Lunch with an old friend in the city and then I'll drop off cans and bottles at the recycling center.  There's a birthday theme, perhaps, in that.  When I'm empty just drop me off at the recycling center."

Sounds like business is good in South Dakota this summer.

Sales tax revenue is up 9%.

CONGRATULATIONS RAPID CITY!!!!!

USA TODAY NAMES RAPID CITY THE MOST PATRIOTIC SMALL CITY IN AMERICA!!

Rapid City was one of 5 named as the BEST SMALL CITIES IN THE U.S.A.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE STORY AND PICTURES

MACHU PICCHU was discovered 100 years ago Sunday.

Click here to see a slide show of the most beautiful place I've ever seen.

I saw it on Twitter this morning:

"The art of being happy is to be satisfied with what you have."  Or, in my case, I could say, "It doesn't take much to make me happy" but that isn't really true either.  The fact is that two anti-depressant tablets a day make me happy.

I see the American Association for Nude Recreation wants to establish a nude beach at Coney Island.

That, I suppose, would replace the Fun House.

THE ANSWER IS: Alex Trebek

THE QUESTION IS: What game show host turns 71 today?

I haven't heard much from Donnie the past couple of days.  I suppose they've been busy planning the parade, and other exciting events, scheduled for his 64th birthday today.  I can't even remember 64...who am I kidding?  I can't even remember yesterday.

We're not done with the heat yet.

The high today will be 88 with a heat index around 96.  Tomorrow, another scortcher, with highs around 92 and a heat index of 102.  Yesterdays high, by the way, was 86.

This is not the hottest four day heat wave for La Crosse.  The hottest was way back in 1936 with the second hottest in 1995.  Our current spell of hot weather comes in at #3.

X-Cel Energy says power usage has been at an all time high this week.

Here's a "COOL" picture from NASA

SNOW IN JULY IN THE MOUNTAINS OF UTAH!

The La Crosse County Sheriff's Department now has a page on Facebook. Wonder what Uncle Ed would have thought about that!!

I was actually able to open the windows this afternoon.

The humidity was nothing like it has been the past few days and the temperatures were a lot cooler.  At 4:00, this afternoon, the temperature was only 83 with a heat index of 84.  Compared to what we have had that's, almost, chilly!!  FEELS GOOD!

Back in the saddle again!

The power pack in the modem burned up.  Hard to say why but it happens from time to time.  Anyway, I got a brand new modem from Rick, the cable guy so, hopefully, I can get through a week or so without a problem.  At least, I was happy, this time, that I DIDN'T CAUSE THE PROBLEM!

Interesting how times change.

Donnie sent an interesting article on a recent Pew Research poll asking people what they "can't live without".

It used to be that, when that poll was taken in the past, TV was always at the top of the list of things they had to have.  Now less than 50%, of the people questioned say they can't live without a TV.  Not surprising when you consider that cable systems across the country lost 2 million subscribers last year.  Apparently the "more channels" the cable systems are always talking about isn't much of a selling point.  People are wise to the fact that "more channels" just means more junk you pay for but never watch.

Among the younger people, E-Mail is as outdated as I am.  The kids never use E-Mail.  It's all texting and social networks.

And, desktop computers?  Forget it.  NO ONE OF ANY AGE is buying them anymore.

Just about the time you've bought all the latest stuff and you think you're on the "cutting edge" they change all the "stuff" again and you're back to square one.

Carl sent this:

The weathermen say the temperature is going to reach extremely high levels today and everyone should check on the elderly and senile.

ARE YOU OK?

Sure!  Go ahead!  Make fun of the old folks!

The "Wheel of Fortune" is still turning, turning, turning, for Kay Starr. She's 89 today!

I guess this is more proof that I'm totally out of touch with the rest of the world.

I just read a news story that says Kim Kardashian is suing Old Navy because they used a model that looks like her in their commercial.  Guess what?  I have not seen the commercial, I have never been in an Old Navy Store.  I have never heard of Kim Kardashian so I fail to appreciate what the big deal is.  I used to be "with it".  Now that i've tuned out of this world I'm totally "without it"......and, I don't miss it!

Are we back in business??

I left the modem unplugged yesterday.  No power meant it was nice and cool this morning and it worked fine, yesterday, as long as it was cool but would die every time it warmed up.  We'll see what happens today.  Keep your fingers crossed.

I used to think I was a bit above average in intellengence.  Even my I.Q. tests confirmed that.  Unfortunately, I must conclude, when it comes to computers I'm as dumb as a post.

A cooler day today!!

Yesterdays high was 98.  Todays high should be around 88.  A ten degree drop should feel very good!  By yesterday, it was even getting too hot for me.  If I'm too hot it is hot!

Donnie had some good weather news yesterday.  They got a bit of rain on Tuesday.

He said, "After seven months of drought, we finally got a good soaking thunderstorm.  An hour and a half of heavy rain, our yard turned into a lake.  The ground is so dry that it all soaked up in minutes when the rain stopped, and the weatherman says it was all less than an inch, but it was enough to give us hope of surviving the summer, and we were overjoyed, walking from one window to another the entire time."

MORE COMPUTER PROBLEMS

I know it has to be me.  No one else seems to have as many problems as I do.  I really don't think I'll ever master this.

Actually, it's not the computer, this time, but the modem that connects the Internet to the computer.  It works, for a while, when I first turn it on but goes out as soon as it gets warm.

I am smart enough to know that's a faulty chip in the modem.  I have a small "personal" fan that I hooked up to blow on the modem and that seem to keep it cool enough so it works...for now...until I can get it fixed.

If I do, however, fade away, please be aware it's not me that's doing the fading.

MORE HEAT: HIGH TODAY 98

Will it ever end?  I'm beginning to wonder.  They say our heat index values will be as high as 111 this afternoon.  We will have a little breeze, out of the south, at about 8 to 15 MPH.  It might help a little bit but it won't be enough to cool Roger down.

From Omaha reports that, at least, two dogs have died in the heat because of owner neglect.

As far as I'm concerned they can throw the owners in prison...a VERY HOT PRISON....and throw away the key.

Art Fair on the Green is a week from Saturday.

I hope it cools off by then.

Donnie and Linda were here, last year, when it was on and we took it in.

I've gone the last three or four years.  It's always a treat but not if we have heat indices of 110 or more!

The number of storms has been on the rise for 30 years but this year is the worst EVER.

Read this interesting story in The New York Times

Heat index at 10 A.M. was already up to 106 degrees.

Donnie's fun pun of the day:

 Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. Unfortunately, all the Swiss league records were destroyed in a fire, and so we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled.

Rita stopped by with coupons this morning.

After today she has the rest of the week off.  Thursday she has a dentist appointment and Saturday they're going  east.  Roger is going to pick up some birds and they're also going to visit Eric and Bert.

Quit complaining about the heat. We're not alone.

14 states had temperatures above 100 yesterday and more than 40 states recorded temperatures above 90.

DONNIE SAID:
"We had a couple days of 20-30% chance of rain, and got nothing.  Now back to another 10-day forecast of hot sun and no rain.  Linda is thoroughly depressed, as even trees are fading, losing leaves and drooping from heat exhaustion."

This comes from Willard this morning.

Man sitting at home on the veranda with his wife and he says, "I love you."
She asks, "Is that you, or the beer talking?" He replies, "It's me... talking to the beer."

GOLD UP TO $1,610 AN OUNCE. SILVER OVER $40.00 AN OUNCE. And, here I sit with nothing but paper and very little of that!

Happy Birthday George McGovern. He is 89 today.

And, Vikki Carr turns 71.  That one surprised me.  I always thought Vikki Carr was an old timer who had been around a LOT longer than me.  I keep forgetting that I'm an "old timer" too.

The La Crosse Tribune says home sales for June were down 23.7% from June of last year.

I'm not surprised.  I sure see a lot of "For Sale" signs on my walks around town.

Our high in La Crosse, yesterday, was 95. Duane said it hit 100 in Rapid City.

I was checking out how often we get such hot weather in La Crosse and came across something that surprised me.

According to the National Weather Service, out of 63,263 temperature readings in the weather service record books, La Crosse has had a temperature of 95 or higher 391 times.  What surprised me was that, in Chicago, which is quite a bit farther south, out of 63,606 readings it has hit 95 or higher only 317 days.

So, there you go.  if I hadn't looked at the numbers and somebody asked me which had the most hotter days I would have said Chicago.  I, of course, as usual, would have been wrong.

I wonder if humans will ever become as civilized as the rest of the animal kingdom?

If you want to know what love is all about, watch this!
The pit bull and the kitty

DID YOU KNOW???

The urban area of Houston, Texas covers 1,295 square miles and the Metro area covers 10,062 square miles.  I know that sounds impossible but the numbers are correct.  So, if you live in Houston and you say your going to "drive across town" you'd better pack a lunch because you have a hell of a lot of driving ahead of you.

There's an interesting health story in the news today.

The National Institutes of Heath say there are, probably, around 26 million people in the U.S. that have chronic kidney disease and most of them don't know it.  Sadly, by the time they do find out it will be too late.  Finding it out early won't stop it but, at least, you can slow it down if you stick to your diet and do as your told.

Hot enough for you?

At 3:00 pm La Crosse had a heat index of 110,  Onalaska 119, Tomah 115 and Viroqua 107.

There's a pretty good chance for thunderstorms tonight.  These could become severe with hail, wind and heavy rain.  There's even a possibility of an isolated tornado.

Tomorrow we're going to do this all over again.  And, the heat goes on!!

I love this from My life is average.com

Today, my friend's grandpa explained to us the difference between knowledge and wisdom. "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." mind. blown. MLIA

Hug your kids day is a great idea. While you're at it, hug the rest of the family too!

Click here for more about HUG YOUR KIDS DAY

The heat index was still at 92 at 3:00 A.M.

The forecast says the high, today, will be around 94 with a heat index of 110.

The heat will stay with us, at least, through the end of the week and, possibly, into the weekend.

I've got to pick up pills at Walgreen's this morning.  I'll go early before it gets too hot to trot!

Hope everyone is staying in and staying cool.

That's what Thunder and I have been doing.  When I checked the weather around three, this afternoon, they were showing a heat index of 110.  That's a bit on the sticky side.

Of course, with the hot weather there's always the storms close behind. The latest advisory from the U.S. weather service says:

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE THE ENTIRE AREA
TONIGHT. IF THE STORMS DEVELOP...THEY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVED HEAVY RAINFALL THIS PAST WEEK WILL BE THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING.

This is just for the married golfers.

A guy stood over his tee shot for what seemed an eternity, looking up, looking down, measuring the distance, figuring the wind direction and speed. He was driving his partner nuts. Finally his exasperated partner says, "What's taking so long? Hit the blasted ball!"

The guy answers, "My wife is up there watching me from the clubhouse. I want to make this a perfect shot."

"Forget it, man," said his partner, "you don't stand a snowball's chance in hell of hitting her from here!"

They're expecting a high of 101 in Rapid City today and that's NOT the heat index!

On a hot day it might be nice to take a boat ride on the river.

Of course, not all boat rides are the same.  This was a boat on a tributary of the Amazon.  Donnie took it, docked at Leticia, Colombia, before he jumped on board for our trip to Benjamin Constant, Brazil.

And, believe me, it was not cool.  In fact, Benjamin Constant is the absolutely hottest place I've ever been.  And, I can attest to the fact that, in the middle of the Amazon rain forest you ain't gonna find any A/C!!

Happy Birthday to Phyllis Diller. She's 94 today!!

Click here to see the trailer for the film HOW TO LIVE FOREVER ...it's cute.  I sure would like to see it.  It opens at The Landmark Lagoon Theater in Minneapolis on July 29th.  It's also available on DVD.

There's an interesting story, in the La Crosse Tribune, about the BODEGA BREW PUB.

Without a doubt they have more brands of beer than any other place in town.  There are beers from all over the world, including Unibroue Maudite Ale.  You're welcome to try a bottle but bring a lot of money with you.  A single, 6 liter  bottle will set you back $320.00!!

Check out these two beer "experts" as they try a bottle On You Tube and you can read more about it Here.  Read the Bodega story here in the La Crosse Tribune

HIGH TODAY: 94 HEAT INDEX: 110 CLOTHING OPTIONAL