The morning is cloudy and in the mid 70’s where it will stay all day. The air is a bit humid. It is the sort of day lending itself to quiet. Even the dogs feel it, and both are lying around napping on comfy spots, the couch and the bed. They are my heroes.

When I was a kid, we didn’t have our own house. We lived in one side of a duplex in the project where most of the families were young. Living there was usually a first stop, the one before house ownership. When the families moved, most of them stayed in town. It was a good town. I think we moved the furthest away. Later, when I was in Ghana, my parents and my two sisters moved back to that town. My sister still lives there. It is mostly a good town.

When we first moved to the cape, I didn’t settle right away. I kept taking the bus to spend weekends with my friends. I’d come home from school and stay in my room, hating it all. I don’t remember when that changed, when the cape became home. When I got back from Ghana, even though my parents had moved away to our old town, I went home to the cape.

We sometimes went on Sunday rides. My father took all back roads. I remember seeing a few deer eating grass in a field. I was so excited I probably scared them. I think it was the first time I had ever seen animals in the wild other than the spawns and maybe a skunk or two. In the fall, we’d stop to buy apples or pumpkins. In the summer we’d sometimes get ice cream at one of those dairy farm stands that appeared on the side of the road almost in the middle of nowhere. There were always lines.

Later, after I finish here, I’m going to go get checked. I still limp, and I still cough. I woke up coughing once last night and scared Henry. He went downstairs. He came back at some point but I didn’t notice. Mostly they stay close to me. Nala tilts her head. She is trying to figure out what is happening. I just tell her it is okay, and she wags her tail.

Today I am late again. I stayed in bed for a while as did Nala and Henry. I figured I was comfortable so I wasn’t going to move. Yup, I’m still coughing, but it is less intense. I’m still limping for reasons unknown as my leg hurts. I’m contemplating heading to the medical center tomorrow. That gives my leg one more night to heal miraculously.

The morning is again lovely. It is quiet except for the birds. When I was a kid, Saturday was the nosiest day. It was the day for lawn mowing. Back then the fathers used hand mowers, and the blades clicked as they turned. My father cut the same pattern with his mower every Saturday when he mowed the grass. Green grass and a lovely lawn were objects of pride. No yards were overgrown. That would have been frowned upon.

Most Saturdays I was out and about. I never had a plan or a direction. I made my lunch figuring I would be gone most of the day. I went by myself. My neighborhood friend wasn’t a bike rider. I was fine with that as I could just ride wherever I wanted. Sometimes I just rode around town looking at the old houses. Sometimes I’d stop at the library. I’d sit at one of the tables and read a magazine. It was a rest stop.

I got fifty cents allowance, an extravagant amount. My father always encouraged me to save it. I didn’t. A new book was only $.49 which gave me a penny to spend at the corner store. I’d hurry home, go to my room and get cozy in bed to read. My new book was often a detective story with a teen girl as the main character. My favorite was Trixie Belden with Ginny Gordon a close section. They solved mysteries. Every book had a new mystery. I never had any mysteries in my life so I was always a bit jealous of their adventures.

I haven’t been anywhere all week. I missed all of this week’s uke events. I have just been resting and complaining. I hope to attend this Monday’s last outside concert. I can’t believe it is the last. The summer has just whooshed by. Soon enough the leaves will be changing and carved pumpkins with lit candles inside will sit on the front steps. I am glad for autumn. It is my favorite season.