When I was lying in bed, I could hear the rain. I turned over and went back to sleep. When I woke up and looked out the window, it was sunny. Did I imagine the rain? Am I losing my mind? Well, as far as I know, I am sane and well grounded. Everything is wet so it did rain. I did hear it. Whew!

Nala is not happy at being thwarted. She is now pulling folded boxes from the recycle bag as there is nothing on the counter to grab and eat. When I went out on the deck this morning, I picked up more cardboard, slivers and small pieces of a box which once held cat food. The yard too has paper and cardboard. I’m nervous she’ll figure out how to open cabinets. I swear she watches me.

I have a couple of errands for later, and I need to go to Hyannis. It being cloudy and damp is a bad sign for finding parking spots in Hyannis. Tourists flock to Main Streets when it rains. I’ll have to brace myself to sitting for a few light cycles. I don’t do patience well when it comes to traffic.

When I was a kid, I made a scrapbook of my travels. All of it was imaginary. I used folders from the airport and cut out pictures of airports and planes, my transportation to exotic locations. My scrapbook had pictures of mountains and monuments in far off countries, like the snow on the Andes and the statue of Christ in Rio. I knew I’d be going there someday. I had no doubt.

On my first trip to Europe, I carried a backpack and a rolled up sleeping bag. All my packed clothes were also rolled, all the better to stave off wrinkles. On my first night in Helsinki, we slept in the woods. I used my sleeping bag for the first and only time. After that, we stayed in university housing, hostels and B&B’s. We ate at train stations, cheap and quick foods. We ate at happy hours, buying one drink and eating a meal’s worth of food. I budgeted so well I came home with money. How silly!

Traveling is so much easier now. I use a suitcase with plenty of room for gifts and souvenirs, and I pack an empty carry on, a canvas bag usually. Mostly I stay in small, not very expensive, hotels. I don’t carry much money and no travelers checks. In the old days checks were all I carried. Now I just hit the ATM’s for cash. I have been known for hitting the ATM twice in one day. The machine and I are familiars.

Today will be cloudy. Rain is predicted for tomorrow so today’s weather is just a dress rehearsal. It is already hot, in the mid 80’s. I turned on the air conditioner and will let it run until the house is cool enough for open doors and windows. The odor of skunk is mild. After I pat Henry’s head, I sniff my hand. He is clean. Last night he slept on my bed, and my room has no eau d’skunk. I do get a slight whiff when I come in from outside.

I did a yard clean-up yesterday while I was checking the back 40 to try to find out how a skunk got into my fenced backyard. I found no entry, no holes below the fence, and we can eliminate flying so I’m stymied. Anyway, while I was in the yard, I picked up the trash strew all over from Nala stealing stuff. It was paper mostly, a paper plate, an empty chip bag and a folded box from the recycle bin in pieces all over the deck. I saw Nala steal that one. She did so quietly unaware I was watching. She got it into her mouth, no small task, and trotted out to the kitchen, to the dog door and then to the deck where she chewed the box into tiny pieces. I picked up every one of them. The yard and deck are clean for now.

When I was a kid, we had metal trash barrels kept in the back. They had to be hauled to the sidewalk on trash day. My father did the honors, but he expected the empty barrels to be returned to the yard before he got home. Sometimes they were but mostly they weren’t. My father would moan and carp and accuse us of laziness, a horrible but true accusation. Back then, in the 50’s, my father had stereotypical views of the world, of the rightful places of men and women. Men and boys had their own responsibilities as did women and girls. In keeping with that, my brother was the go to trash guy. I applauded that choice. My father made him move the barrels.

A couple of times, when we went on vacation, my grandparents had to dog sit Duke. They weren’t happy. Neither one of them was a dog person, and Duke was not easy. They’d let him out, and he’d take off and walk the couple of miles back to our house, our empty house. My grandfather, alerted by the neighbors, had to drive and get him. Duke would not get into the car. He was a stubborn boy, our Duke. Our next door neighbor usually loaded Duke into the car. This happened a few times so Duke had to be leashed and walked. Poor Duke.

My conversation with Alexa has me wanting a drink. I noticed a green ring of Alexa light so I asked her about my notification. I had one new notification. An author whose books I have bought has a new book. Did I want it. No I said. No what is what Alexa asked. I told her not to put the book on my wish list. Her reply, “I have put this book on your wish list.” I told her to remove it. She asked what. I said the book on my wish list. She said I have no wish list. I asked about a list. You have no lists. I screamed.