August 26

I'm grateful for the thunderstorm that rolled through during the night. It swept all of the smog and wildfire smoke out of the valley and left us with an unseasonably cool, clean morning. I thought for a minute we'd fast-forwarded to October!

August 25

TGIF!

I'm grateful this evening for cheap entertainment provided by Joie, our neighbor's black lab/lush. She doesn't drink ALL the beer -- only the backwash you left behind -- but you'd better watch your can around her if it's full!

August 24

I'm grateful the first day of school brought nothing but blue skies to both of my kids. They love their teachers, they love their fellow classmates, they're excited about the upcoming year. There was even not too much complaint about getting homework done! Of course, I'm not naive enough to believe this will be the status quo all year long, but hey, it was nice to have it happen today.

I'm also grateful that today, Pat's lovely wife, Kellie, came into this world. I'm so happy she's counted among the family. Happy Birthday, Kellie!

August 23

When I was a kid, we had a cat that loved cantaloupe. He would chew a hole in the end and then carefully eat out the meat of the melon, leaving the empty rind still attached to the vine. It would drive my father nuts.

I'm grateful that mom and dad brought us back melons from Green River, the ultimate melon-growing spot in the entire US. They were so sweet and juicy, they almost melted on your tongue.

August 22

When I was a kid, back-to-school shopping rocked. But now that it's MY wallet that funds these trips, not so much rocking is going on.

However, I'm grateful that we managed to get it all done in only one afternoon and between a minimum number of stores. Plus, we squeezed in haircuts. I'd forgotten what color Ruthie's eyes were.

August 21

I'm grateful my mother had the foresight to phone in a reminder to check her mail and water the cat while she was gone. Although I'm sure that I agreed to do this at some point in the last few weeks, I do not remember the actual conversation. *sigh* Of course, this is not really new, I forget when co-workers are leaving for vacation all the time, even if I say that yes, I understand they are leaving on such and such a date. Maybe I have some deep-rooted angst about vacations. Maybe I should use my pocket calendar more often.

August 20

I'm grateful that all 100 Chilly Roast invitations have been glued to their matching photographs. This year's event is shaping up to be a blast, with Hart's good buddies making the trip from far-away places (like New Mexico). If you're in the neighborhood Labor Day weekend, drop by and roast a couple of chiles!