Since I’m not going down water slides, I opt out of the water park. BW seems to want a lazy day, so the two of us stay back while the rest of the gang heads out for water adventuring.

Just as they leave, the power goes out.

Oh well.

BW and I read on the patio, and since the gang doesn’t quickly return, we assume power is okay where they are. And fortunately, it was only out a couple hours here.

I watch a grackle land by the pool, then his companion, and they play their own water games. Another joins. Then I see one sitting on the wall and start getting Hitchcock vibes when one more lands.

We do not have an attack of the grackles, so we read on.

I decide to trade my book for some work on my own.

Time for a snack, and shortly after, power’s back. I can now check my email as a lot of business is going on at home, and I need to keep up.

The gang has lunch at the park before they return. Fun for all. In fact so much fun for the youngest member,  he didn’t want to leave. Some serious crying and strong objections to departure is reported.

Jason said while there he wanted to go on the slide. Was very determined. But the rules are you must go down alone, and no floaty vest. The kid’s too young to slide down into five feet of water alone—especially since you’re also not allowed to hang out at the bottom and catch the kid.

While disappointed, Griffin found much else to do, especially since the place was packed with kids.

Some hang time before dinner.

Then it’s back into town for food. Griffin’s new thing is delight in: 100-citement. Which means 100% excitement. We have some on the drive as a doorless Jeep pulls well into the road. Jason dodges it, then has to dodge another Jeep coming on the other side, THEN dodge a man in the road fixing a water pipe.

It’s like Mario! 100-citement. Do it again!

At the restaurant, Griffin settles for his iPad version of excitement. I have my own with the biggest margarita to date.

Good food, good drink, good company. The older kids go across the street for the sunset before we head home.

We’re a little later than usual, but there’s still time for Poker. Texas Hold ‘Em is the game, and this time I win the first round. There are bluffs, hopes rise and fall. The river has two queens and an eight—I forget what else as that’s what mattered to me as I have a queen and an eight for a full house in my hand.

Logan goes all in. I call on the biggest pot of the night. He has a full house—eights over queens. My queens over eights beat that. So I win the first and last pot of the night.

Some pre-bedtime Chase wraps things up.

Quiet this morning. Maybe the birds are planning something after all. I hope not as the sky is a pretty summer blue and so is the water.  A big white excursion boat just passed, absolutely packed with people.

It feels like it’s going to be a lovely day.

Nora