allo allo

Welcome to the summery days of little peace. Last night K.Lo had a sleepover and I was smart this time about ending it early today on a good note, rather than dragging it out to the point of (my) insanity. They always wake up a little off-kilter and before you know it, not only is the puppy across the street with her eff-you-I-can't-hear-you ears on, but one child is being bopped by another with an inner tube and screaming ensues. Be kind, people, be kind. And wear shoes while bike-riding, and a helmet too. 

I feel like it's been forever since my last correspondence, although I continue to write you letters in my mind and wonder why you don't receive them. Have we not worked out all the bugs in our telepathy program yet? They keep landing in your eyes, I think! The dead ant was horrifying, by the way, and the whole peach-picking attack. What an insult! Kind of like the epic battle with fruit flies I've been fighting in both the kitchen and my car, not to mention the miniscule ants and that terrible winged thing I saw by the sink this morning. Oh, July. 

I'd say it's my least favorite month, and maybe it is, but not really. There' are always silver linings, such as an almost anonymous ninja's visit! Which rocked. Although I hope we weren't too grumpy for her. J.Lo's sciatic nerve is fully pinched and its pain and inconvenience continue to radiate through all of us. However, we all enjoyed a lot of downtime and some driveway fireworks along with water balloon target practice. And some mini-tours through town. 

The white and purple calla lilies are blooming and the brown-eyed susans have unfurled. But don't clip those and arrange in a pitcher, as they will soon become wilty and sad. Not unlike myself in the humid-blanket-like heat. We're drawing straws on who gets to mow the front yard (I think I lost). I'll be taking care of that at dusk. 

Also my shipment of succulents (THANK YOUUUUU!!!) has taken up temporary home on the back pork, where they're growing roots before planting. I have a location all picked out, on the previously overlooked side-porch, although I might have to play puppy police there for awhile. Because some furry creatures have destructive agendas toward new plantings. Their names rhyme with Loafie, even though she is anything but. 

I haven't been Listening. I know. I'm not sure it's for me, like I can't help feeling like I'm playing on a Ouija board, though I know you'd completely disagree. But my mind just can't accommodate its possibilities at the moment. Too full. Too worried. To which you'd say, duh, it's the perfect time then. But I have to go about it in my own way, right now. (Uh-oh, I can already hear you railing in response!) 

But I do feel like, in spite of my resistance to the marriage book, I'm learning some things or absorbing some ideas anyway, about love. The daily work of love-as-action, in spite of what you're feeling. Important not only as a spouse, but as parent, friend, teacher. And yet sometimes so hard to execute... 

I hope you spot your fish soon, little pelican. Let's phone-chat soon! 

xoxox

pen

Penofwar,

True to the ghetto, fireworks though illegal are going off like a riot, or what i assume warzones might sound like without the flyovers. Zeppelin luckily has gone mostly deaf. She vaguely senses things that would send her tremoring are afoot but defers to sleep on her dogbed instead. She is 98. The cats however are not happy. They freak me out by sitting in the exact center of the hallway and then creeping low and looking left to right. Marley for instance is just sitting up in the frame of my doorway. Turtle due to fatigue let me place her on my footstool. To to the frenetic energy on all counts i find my productivity severely curtailed. I emptied the closet in the artroom and have begun placing things here and there as previously mentioned. And must remind myself things look worse sometimes before they are better. Plus my heel hurts and there's still that crick in my shoulder.

Besides that it was a strange day at church. I was going through the basement and i felt things touching me all over the place and then later upstairs this girl appeared in the doorway and sent both aimee and i jumping. After that this woman was upset about something or other and then she emailed me and then we were emailing back and forth. But before that there was a stop at juicy burger. They were juicy but needed a little more flavor, but the fries were good. And in honor of ... well holidays i did buy a frap and ate way too many bing cherries. i do love this country and i can't say a row of flags isn't beautiful.

oh, also, And, my left ear itches. It totally bugs.

Tomorrow is gym, lunch/tea, packingstuff, games, stuff to garage, etsy?

m.