Kaboom! A summer storm

On the way home from lunch friends and I speculated on the ten percent chance of rain and laughed at the likelihood that if it came it would only be a sprinkle. But about 4:30 there was one big kaboom! of thunder that sent me to let the dog in. Within seconds, it, as we say in Texas, came a gully washer--fierce wind, sheets of rain. I looked out and saw that my gutter was leaking--afraid it would drown the basil plant. It kept up for a good while, then gradually lessened, but with another kaboom! my electricity went. When that happens I wander the house like a lost soul--no TV, no computer, not knowing how long it would last (I remember a four-day outage after one summer storm) I didn't want to use up the battery on the iPhone or iPad. Figured I'd sit on the deck with wine and read on the iPad but it was still sprinkling at six. When Elizabeth came home I said we might as well sit and drink wine, since we can't do anything else. Just then the power came on and she asked, "Can we still drink wine?" She had cracked her car windows because of the hot day and had a soggy car.
But my daughter's house sustained much heavier damage. The tree above is in her back yard--praise be it didn't hit the house! And the worst--Jacob's basketball hoop, put up with much difficulty, blew over, effectively blocking the driveway and garage plus it will be difficult to get back up. Can't tell if it's damaged or not.
Other than that food has been the big thing on my mind. Two longtime good friends and I shared joint birthdays at lunch today. Went to Piccolo Mondo, a lovely, classy Italian place in Arlington, as we had last year, and once again I had carpaccio. Almost too pretty to eat but it was delicious.

The waiter, having seen the gifts we arrived with, asked whose birthday, and when we said all of us, he presented us with dessert--a profiterole with chocolate sauce and small scoops of whipped cream on either side. I wasn't full until I ate every bite of that, but it sure was good.
Last night, after a birthday party for Representative Lon Burnam, friends and I went to Ryan's Fine Grocery and Deli and had a fine dinner indeed. I had the cheese and charcuterie platter with three wonderful cheeses, sausage, smoked ham and a wonderful jelly for the thin crackers. They each ordered three sides and got enough food for three full meals. Lesson learned--great place for dinner if you share. They serve salmon, steaks, lamb shops, scallops, roast chicken--but the servings are so generous you need to share. And one side will do for both, though they all looked delicious.
So tonight, with no power, I had a pimiento cheese sandwich. The life of luxury is fleeting.
I am grateful for the storm but sorry for the damage it did. If it did so much at my daughter's it must have hit hard throughout the area. Jordan lives 20 minutes south of me; someone who lives 20 minutes north said she didn't get a drop. Capriciouos summer storms.