A low pressure system stalled over us last weekend and we’ve had four straight days of heavy, oppressive skies. Dark gray clouds as far as the horizon and barely a wisp of breeze. Every two or three hours, the wind will quickly pick up and we’ll get slammed with a deluge of rain. Then, the clouds will churn again, crawling back into themselves, and hoarding their moisture for just a little while. They’ll lie in wait, watching for the next unsuspecting, comically unprepared, umbrella-less pedestrian to bolt across the street with no cover. Then, once again, the entire city will be instantly soaked. We have binoculars and a covered patio where we can covertly watch the storm’s victims, along with other pedestrian antics from our new 18th-floor “home.” People watching has become a voyeuristically fun new pastime for us since moving to St. Petersburg!
It’s been so dark this week that we’ve had the inside lights on all day, every day. From sun up until bedtime, lights are ablaze in the living room and bedrooms as we go about our summer work and leisure tasks, holed up with no sunshine and (sniff) no swimming. One minor problem is our dog, Coco. She will NOT relieve herself outdoors when it’s raining. Not even in the covered areas right outside the doors! She will suffer for hours if need be just to avoid squatting over wet grass. Poor puppy.
I can’t say I mind the dark, damp weather. We’ve had zero excuses to leave our new “home,” so we’ve been quietly working on our computers, making dinners together, and snuggling up for a brief bit of TV time whenever we have a few spare minutes, which usually only occur after 10:00 p.m. most nights.
As I sit here in the warm living room on our old, cushy, comfy, “swallow-your-butt-whole” sofa, I can see another squall coming across Tampa Bay. It’s approaching quickly. I better have the boys take Coco out pronto…and it’s time to grab the binoculars once again. Heh…
THIS WEEK’S MASONISM:
From the mouths of babes. Sometimes, the logic of a child goes in a different direction than what you’d expect.
After hearing the tragic story about the little boy who died on a water slide this week, Mason (age 10) became very upset. He’s a smart and logical boy, and also very loving, affectionate, and empathetic. I thought he was going to mention how tragic it was for the family members, or ask if the accident happened nearby (we’re not far from Orlando), or ponder how the ride malfunctioned.
Instead, Mason looked very angry, and matter-of-factly said, “It’s a complete waste of money if you die on it.”
RELATED:
Sometimes It Takes a Tragedy to Remember What’s Important in Life…
What Did Mason Drop In The Toilet?!
Angela Hoy lives on a mountain in North Georgia. She is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the President and CEO of BookLocker.com and AbuzzPress, and the author of 24 books.
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