first family cookout

The little kids met up at the Treemendous playground today for some play time with what must have been almost every other little kid in town. Then we came back to Nana's house for the first family cookout of the season.

PopPop made hot dogs, chicken, and steak on the grill. We had smores for dessert and Ella said that is the best part of every cookout. In the end, we had chalk all over the sidewalk (Including some great spelling words, Ella!), banana chunks and graham cracker crumbs on the floor, toys in every corner, and three very tired children. It was a blast.

It looks like the weather will be cooler and wetter over the next few weeks than it was this weekend. That's fine...we made full use of the beautiful past four days and we can use the rain.

Gus is sprawled across Regis's lap. His habit in the morning is to sleep as late as he can, then get up to go outside and eat his breakfast. When those two tasks are complete, he jumps on the lap for some petting and combing. He usually takes his first nap of the day there. Such a dog.

Gus and Ace like to go to the park together. I think they're keeping an eye out for hawks and eagles in this photo. Gus is in no danger but Ace...they might mistake him for a small edible rodent. The dog park is close to the Minnesota River and several ponds of backwater so there is lots of raptor action.

I've had more anxiety dreams the last few nights. Last night, I saw a bad guy in the living room and tried to let Regis know in that whining, mewling kind of way that I do in nightmares. Regis had to wake me up. It was scary.

I know the anxiety comes from cancer. I know in my head that it makes no sense to worry, that the survival rates are just statistics, that I won't know really what will happen...just like everyone else who walks the planet...until either cancer or something else kills me. I know this in my head but I can't integrate it into the rest of my self yet. I'm working on it. Serenity. Serenity. Serenity.

I have to finish up my writing and my coffee by 8 o'clock this morning. We have places to go and things to do.