Oh frabjulous day!

In honor of National Puppy Day, here's my almost five-year-old
She's still a puppy at heart

This morning I thought I would be home alone all day. I’d miss the sociability, but I had a load of work on my desk and it would be okay. My home-alone day turned into one of sociability. Lewis, my contractor, came by, and then Greg, who does my yard. Both like to chat, and I enjoy their company immensely. Lewis brought the painter to survey the hail damage, and Greg mowed, promises to trim, weed, cut out dead stuff next week. He’s going to remove a large youpon in front of the house, and I’m ready for him to do it. He says I have a pretty house, and the youpon hides it. On the other hand, he doesn’t like artificially trimmed trees and bushes, so this one is growing wild and bushy. I asked him to take out the houseplants for their summer vacation, but he said not until next week. It was 29 degrees last Monday. When he does take them out I’ll have to get in the habit of watering again.

Jacob has taken on chores around the house—he empties garbage and takes the carts down to the street, walks Sophie who now goes ballistic every time she sees him because she thinks she’s going for a walk. When spring finally is here I imagine he’ll inherit the chore of watering too.

This afternoon, a dear friend came for happy hour. Jordan and Jacob were gone to a play date. Jeannie’s husband is in frail health and naps every day from 4:30 to 6:30, so we were free to visit. And it was way overdue. We caught up on grandchildren and restaurants and all kinds of stuff, and we sat on the deck so Sophie could run in the yard. The temperature was in the low 80s or high 70s, with a pretty stiff breeze occasionally—the kind of spring day that makes you ask, “Isn’t this wonderful!”

Nothing lasts. Jordan just called to tell me to get a flashlight. Apparently there’s a lot of lightning at their house which is two-to-three miles away. I only saw one flash here, but I am dutifully carrying the flashlight around. I don’t navigate at all well in the dark.

She was at the neighbor’s directly behind me this afternoon, sitting on their deck, and photographed all kinds of damage to the back side of the cottage roof. Maybe we need to rethink re-roofing until remodeling is complete. Hail possible tonight. So far, the cottage has been intact, and ‘d love for it to stay that way. I don’t need any more damage.

Oops. I hear thunder. Went to let Sophie in and discovered it’s raining fairly hard. Spring in North Texas.