I doubt I could’ve been more wrong about the weather.

The potentially pretty day clouds up by late morning. Rain comes, fairly nice at first. But before much longer, we have a driving wall of rain, and the palm trees are whipping. Even the covered patio won’t do during this.

It’s impressive with some quick lightning and its answering roll of thunder.

Griffin spots me, and the chase is on. He’s adopted my cross-arm Wonder Woman-like shield. And his, naturally, proves more powerful. He takes my hand in my defeat and guides me to the corner of a wall where I understand I will be stuck. With much effort, I gain my release.

We repeat this awhile until Colt takes my place.

JR and Kayla do laundry.

As it’s cooled considerably, I open the big accordion doors so the outside is in, the inside is out.

I make progress with some business at home—that’s a big check mark! My forever friend and our business manager makes more on Boonsboro business. Yay!

Time for a pitcher of margaritas.

The rain passes, and the sky blues again. Here’s the sun.

Kat and Griffin enjoy the pool. I think nobody enjoys the pool as much as Griffin, but Kat comes close.

It’s been a lazy, rainy day so the sun, the pool time, the cooler air (that won’t last) are welcome.

Off to dinner, and again, we have a live band. We’re not seated so close this time, so conversation’s possible. And the music’s fun. After considerable debate, I decide on a burger. I can’t remember the last time I had one. I manage to make it clear I want burger and bun, no more. I am a burger and bun burger person.

The enthusiastic pool time has Griffin conking on the way to the restaurant. He sleeps on Mom awhile, then wakes, blinks around. He has yellow ice cream (vanilla) chicken fingers and fries. My burger is tasty, and huge. I cut it in half and nearly manage the half.

The sun’s begun its drop toward the water as we head back. But on the walk to the car, I spot a shot, and take it. Back home, Colt dashes for the dock, and I follow behind him, Kat and Griffin.

The red sun’s hardly more than a dot at water’s edge, then poof! Gone. But the sky is still more than worthy for documenting.

We’re going to try six-handed Hearts. Kat, BW, Colt, me, JR, Kayla.

BW has a rough start as he takes the Queen on an early trick. And although there are a couple hearts in the widow, as it turns out, he has no chance to run them. We’re only playing to fifty.

After she racks up some points, Kat claims to have a plan. She’ll take just enough more to hit fifty and go back to zero—and does the math. Her plan falls apart, so it’s onto Plan B. Meanwhile Kayla gets stung a couple times, as do BW and JR. Colt makes the classic mistake of announcing he has zero and will win.

Oh, sweet summer child!

He takes the Queen and a handful of hearts in the very next hand. You do not tempt the god of cards.

I, on the other hand, have taken the Queen once, and a scatter of hearts throughout the game and remain low man. I am also seasoned enough to shut up about it.

In the end, Kat’s plan—even Plan C—fails, Colt’s hubris puts him over fifty, and I slide quietly into victory.

Bedtime for Griffin, but not before a Chase. Now he simply points to where I must stand and be stuck.

This morning, the yellow warbler is perched on a branch just above my own perch on the bedroom balcony. He doesn’t sing or call, just sits and looks around. Blue skies, so fingers crossed there can be some home-style snorkeling and kayaking today.

Time to work out.