The rain came last night. It was heavy at times. It stopped but started again a while later. The weather for today is rain on and off. The air has a damp chilly breeze, but I love it after all that heat.

The dogs and I slept upstairs last night. It was the sleep of the dead. The morning had already started when I went to bed. The light had come, and the birds were singing. I slept until 12:30. My Monday night concert is already cancelled because of the weather prediction. I’m okay with that. We have two more concerts this week.

I watched a mouse here in the den come out, see me then run and hide. The beastie did it a couple of times. I set a trap and caught it, but I don’t think it was the same mouse. I’m going to reset the trap.

When I was a kid, I didn’t know anyone who played a musical instrument. My foray into the world of music had been a triangle in the rhythm band and a tin flute the nuns taught us to play in the third grade. My grandparents had a piano, but it was a status symbol and sat unused in the living room. Never did I imagine I would learn to play any instrument. Big Brother Bob Emery and Arthur Godfrey played ukes, but I always thought of ukes as mini guitars. I can actually play music now. I love my uke, have two of them. The one I use most times was a Christmas present from my sister. The other came from a friend. It had belonged to his sister who passed away. I cherish both my ukes, my very wonderful gifts.

When I was a kid, the future was the next day or even that day after school. I had no answer when my aunt the nun asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I always made up the answer. Writing a Christmas list was one of the few look to the future things I did. I remember hoping for a bike, putting it first on my list. My mother taught me to ride. I can still see in my mind’s eye when I finally figured it out. We were on the road in front of the house. I was on my own headed to the hill. I got scared and fell off. I remember counting the days until Christmas and to my birthday. I needed to count to see so far into the future.

I’m back to thinking of the future as a day or two in front of me. That’s about as far as I need to see.

Did you hear it? I imagine it was so loud it went far and wide. That was a sigh you heard. The heat has finally broken. My world is getting back to normal. Last night it even rained, sort of a cherry on the sundae of cool air. I slept soundly though still on the couch as upstairs was beastly hot. During the night I even grabbed a throw as it got cold, yup, cold, at least in comparison. The dogs have stopped panting. Nala slept with me on the couch. I have stopped sweating without even moving. It is 74°. Tomorrow may even get down to the 60’s. Glorious!

I have hit that stage in my life when small things brother me while other things I can easily ignore. I am not fond of too much heat or too much cold. I have trouble getting up and sitting down. I have a stoop when I walk. I want comfortable shoes and loose clothes. I can ignore dust. Most times I am content just staying home. I eat at odd hours. My meals no longer have names, no longer breakfast, lunch or dinner. They don’t fit anymore. My bedtimes are whenever. Lately I go to bed close to when I used to wake up when I worked. My complaints are small, about little things. I have settled well into this stage of my life.

In Ghana, small cardboard coasters came with every drink. I used to put mine under my glass, American style. Ghanaians put theirs on the top rims of their glasses. I never gave that much thought. Since then, especially lately, I have appreciated those rim coasters. They are big deterrents. The gnats are back, but few bother me. They are drawn to the den light. Small black bugs are piled under the lamp. They are also attracted to whatever I am drinking. They float belly up on top of the liquid, but now I am using a coaster on the rim. In the way back days, before Ghana, bugs in my food would have disgusted me. Now I just pick them out

I can hear the world returning. The birds are singing. I heard voices earlier as people emerged from their caves. The people next door even had a bit of a spat, yelling at each other. I didn’t understand as they were speaking in maybe Portuguese. They do speak perfect English, but I guess fights are far better in a family language.

Today’s dump day. My trunk is nearly filled. The heaviest one is waiting by the front door. I’m going to go late in the afternoon. I also need a few groceries. That’s my day.