Long Time No Blog

The old clock on the wall keeps ticking away. Actually, it's battery driven and it doesn't really tick. It hums a little until the batteries run down, then it twitches. I hate it when the second hand cannot make it uphill from the six toward the twelve. It looks so pathetic, like time itself is in its death throes. Which, come to think of it, is a fairly fascinating concept in itself. The death of time. Then what?

My point is that we are past the solstice and into summer proper now. Yes, I know; the days are getting shorter already. But I made the most of it yesterday, cleaning a small forest and wonderfully fertile soil out of the rain gutters on the east side of the house. Then I attacked some moss growing up on the roof. As I noted on Facebook (which has taken me, more than I would like, away from this beloved blog), I had looked at an interview with Elton John during lunch hour when I walked over to the library. Then there I was that evening, as I.. "sat on the roof, kicking off the moss." This, of course, started an uneasy chain of Elton John lyrics suitable to the occasion.

Anyhow, I hope you are enjoying the summer thus far. The weather here in northern Ohio has been gorgeous. and I a hoping it isn't going to be as hot as they say it might.

We are adjusting to the two dog lifestyle. Chloe has settled in and she and Ollie have learned to play together - hard and well. I am learning the techniques involved in walking two dogs while avoiding the braiding of the leashes. And we established a pen area back beyond the deck where they can run around a bit, untethered.

I should report there was a marvelous memorial service for Tom, my friend, guitarist in our band at church, and all-around great guy, this past Sunday. I do not exaggerate when I estimate that 400 or 500 people attended the service. Our band played everyone out to pay respects to the family, and we went a good ninety minutes before the place was reasonably cleared out. I guess that is a pretty good measure of the mark that Tom left.

Let me see if I can round up any pictures that represent life over tha past two weeks.
Here is the new order around the house. Left to right: Chloe, Ollie. Both dogs came with their names. I get a bit tongue tied calling them both.
The pictue may not do it total justice, but this is a meal the kids prepared for me/us the week before Father's Day. They couldn't be around for that day, but they more than made up for it with this meal - William's special spicy meat loaf, and Emily's potato au gratin dish. A great meal.
there was a period of a couple days where we were boarding five dogs, including (of course) our own two. It was nuts.
This is just a troll's view of a bridge in Toledo, bridging the mighty Maumee River.
Another view of the bridge - is it the Brent Spence bridge? Something like that? Anyhow, we were on our way to a do at the Hungarian Club in Toledo, celebrating a friend's birthday and her one-year mark since a breast cancer diagnosis. Always ready to help someone celebrate bein' a survivor!

So that's about all there is to bring us up to date. Perhaps there will be some fireworks or quaint small town parade pictures in the next week or so, eh?