TWELVE. HOURS.

That's how long it took my desktop to run a Norton Antivirus scan yesterday. Twelve hours.

I run a scan every Friday night, usually set it going before I go to bed and it's usually done by morning. I cannot imagine why on earth it takes so long for it to run.

I was supposed to be editing yesterday, but I could neither read it off the flash drive, since my laptop doesn't have Word, nor does it have the right kind of port to hook the printer up to so I could print off, say, a chapter at a time. So that was a day lost.

Today I went in to work and got my boss's table done and forwarded to him by 2:00, so he should be a happy camper.

This weekend is my little town's summer festival--from now until the end of the summer, every little town in the area will be having Heritage Days, Sodbuster Days, Pioneer Days--so since it rained all day and it was too wet to take the dogs out into the dog pen, I put on their collars and leashes and walked them up to the courthouse square. They were pretty good, but we didn't stay long, either. Timber looks at everyone who walks by like they're his long-lost owner and Taenzer gets really stressed out. I WISH I had my boss's energy level--or even a normal person's energy level--so I could get them out and work with them individually. Timber needs to learn to focus on me when we're out, and Taenzer needs to learn to trust me. I don't know, it might be too late for Taenzer; she's nearly 5, and that set of behaviors is pretty well developed. At least neither of them was so stressed they couldn't take a treat; I guess that's something.

I was asked if I was going to take them up to the square tomorrow, but I don't think so. It's only 81 here right now, and I was sweaty-hot when I got home--tomorrow would be worse unless we went really early in the morning.

The people next door look to be having a garage sale tomorrow, which means Taenzer will spend the morning barking at people unless I pull the shades so she can't see them.

I'll post some pictures of the asiatic lilies tomorrow--they're looking pretty spectacular, even if 90% of them are cream-colored. I was thinking they might look good against the bush honeysuckles along the west side of the yard, where they could glow against the dark background. I suspect they'd be willing to naturalize--if I got someone to till that strip and worked it full of manure and leaves before I planted them, that would probably make them happy.

On a happier note, the person I was plant-sitting for overpaid me big-time. We had a discussion about it, but I let her win, and was able to use it as part of a great-big payment on one of the credit cards (along with the rest of the roof money). And I've been using my debit card to buy the dogs' food with. I'm not saying this is the beginning of financial stability in my life or anything radical like that, but at least I'm trying.

Which reminds me--I need to order some food for them--Pet Food Direct takes for-freaking-ever to deliver.