Ahhhh...Friday afternoon, almost 3:00. There are 4 of us left in the building, each focused on our own last hour of the day. I love the way we all feel as if it's a loooong weekend, instead of just a 3-day weekend. Big fucking deal, we have Monday off. Guess it's better than a kick in the teeth, as some say. I'm looking forward to it, that's sure. There are a ton of people in my neighborhood, more being imported today. Summer begins this weekend. I was talking on the phone last night, distracted from reality, and two people came up my steps accompanied by all 3 of my dogs. I walked to the door. "Are these your dogs?" Yes, they are. Where are you from? They identify the camps just below my house, newly purchased 2 years ago. (oops, howdy neighbor). "We have a dog who's kicking the shit out of your dogs." Since there's no blood and my dogs are all wagging their tails and happy, I'm not getting this. Thanks for returning them, I'm sorry for the inconvenience (I hope it wasn't your garbage they trashed the other night at 2 a.m. when Tess came home with an empty juice box in her mouth, reeking of someone's sloppy joe dinner). Yes, it's true these dogs are all new to the game of wandering. Yes, it's true they have a different pattern from those of my past: they STAY where they wander to, the others used to go from camp to camp, in search of good grub. These guys are looking for attention, not just food. This is turning out to be a real drag. I know my life centers around my dogs, but this is not the way I want it to center. This morning I let them out one at a time (pain in the ass). Jackson took off. Tess snuck out when I let Chances in and refused to come back in, following Jack's scent down the driveway and into the woods (shortcut to camps, no doubt). The only good thing was that it was 6:30 so vacationers hopefully were still asleep and ass-kicking dog was not out. Tess returned soon, Jack just before I left for work. Good old, half-blind Chances, misses the whole thing most of the time, stays at home waiting for me to slip up and leave a bedroom door open so she can pee on a bed.

Got to go to Burlington yesterday. Had to have a mammogram, which took 10 minutes. You can see the results as they do them now, on a tv screen. Looked ok to me, no big spot showing, but there was a suspicious concentration that puzzled me. Not for me to figure out, they'll let me know soon if there's a problem. Anyway, on the trip over there was a big storm to the south, in the Adirondacks. Lightning striking about every 2 minutes, way cool. Lake was rough, not too bad, no waves over the cars the way it gets when it's REALLY rough, just some bouncing. The lightning was just really neat to watch.

Since the mammogram was so quick I stopped at Barnes & Noble--there's a 2-story store there. I bought a copy of The Sirens of Titan, since I want to read it again now, as an adult, to see if I still think it's way cool. I just loved it in the 70's, let's see what it's like now. First I have to read White Teeth for the book group, though. I just finished Curious Incident, it turned out to be good, not quite as fantastic as I'd hoped, based on all the high praises I'd heard about it. Anyway I had fun in B & N, then rewarded myself with an over-priced iced chai for the trip home. I slept all the way on the ferry. Soundly, as in "I'm afraid they'll have to wake me up" when we land.

So yes, I'm feeling better. While I was in B & N it started to rain really, really hard, then the rain turned to hail, big pea-sized stones. I love that, it's just amazing in June/July. Love the concept of stones going back up and coming down, going up again. Coming and going until they decide it's time to fall to the earth. Such meterological drama. Went grocery shopping on my way home for just a few things. Peaches, watermelon, Diet Coke and q-tips. The good and the bad. The peaches are sweet and good, the watermelon is sweet and seedless. I ate half of it last night. I love watermelon even though it's hard to eat when you live alone. I can eat a whole one in one sitting but then I feel pretty queer. So I'll finish it today and want more.

There are people who will want to see me this weekend. Some I want to see more than others. I'll buy a bottle of expensive bourbon for Linda and Erdvilas, will refrain from buying myself a bottle of single malt scotch (maybe). Don't know if any cousins are coming to Sonci, the ones who always do sent me an email saying their plans had changed and they're not coming. WHAT? 4th of July without John and Phyllis? Too queer to contemplate. I may stay in camp after all. But then, I've been saying that for weeks. What am I afraid of? That I'll just think and think and think about Henry? Or maybe I just like being at home in the summer.

Got a call from the funeral home saying that Henry's stone had just been "put" by the monument and something has to be done with it. Shit. I thought it was, like, you know, installed. The story continues. It just goes on and on.

Got my firewood to stack. Big pile in the middle of my driveway, supposed to spur me on to pile it so I can have a circle drive again. Fuck no, I can turn my car around, I don't need a circle for that. I have 4 cords now, must stack soon so it can start to dry. Will not dry in a big mother pile, found that out the hard way last year. I don't mind stacking it, I just get bored in about 20 minutes (max). Plus my mind starts to wander to unpleasant things. And now my dogs will wander too.

So now I'm on this list where you send a paperback to the person at the top of the list, add your name to the bottom of the list and see what happens (thank you Brook). Anyone want to join in? The pressure's on to come up with an appropriate paperback. Not one of those "I always meant to read it but never got to it" ones, either. Reading certainly is the leading activity in my circles these days (wouldn't my mother be proud). Since she used to offer to pay me 35 cents for each book I'd read, maybe I should ask for $35 now.

I have to do "Performance Characteristics" for my staff members. 9 characteristics I have to think of things to comment on. Good things, and different things about each one. Not an easy task. She's punctual. Dependable. Nice smile. Good sense of humor. Has a good beat and can dance to it.

Am feeling optimistic about the weekend. Will THIS be the time I finally get the geraniums in the ground? Jesus I hope so, just so I can stop thinking about them. I hate to leave Silver Lake on the weekend, though, it just sucks. It's supposed to rain on Monday so maybe I'll go then. Supposed to be sunny and beautiful both Sat. and Sunday. Big Sunday dinner at Linda's camp. Eat Like A Pig marathon I'm sure. Only this week I can drink like one too because I don't have to go to work on Monday. God BLESS America.