Duck and cover.

I'm just so full of things to tell you I must go postal and spray you all with bullets. Sorry if anyone gets hit.

• Asia always has Friday afternoons off. This isn't really as nice as it sounds, since I always work Friday afternoons. We're like ships passing in the night. But yesterday, he took the morning off. We were able to go have coffee together (where I had a chocolate croissant - the world's most perfect food), stop at a few garage sales, and go to the bike shop together. The weather was stinkin' lovely, and our morning together sheer bliss. I really love my husband.
• Before we left the house for our little date, Asia decided to empty the kids' pool in the backyard so he could mow later. I was sitting in the living room. He went out, then not more than a minute later came running back in the house "Catherine - GO LOOK AT THE POOL!!!" He ran to the sink and started frantically washing his hands. Well, obviously, my curiosity was aroused. I walked out t0 the backyard, and from the deck, saw that the pool water was totally yellow. Pine tree pollen. (More on that later.) Not impressed, I figured there had to be more going on to elicit the use of my full legal name. I walked down the steps to the yard, and as I got closer, I saw a strange shadow at the bottom of the pool. It was difficult to see through the murky, yellow haze, but as I studied the shape it became obvious that Jack, our beloved squirrel, had tried to take a swim, and had met an untimely death in the kiddie pool. Now, before you go thinking we're a bunch of freaks for naming the squirrels, I should tell you that E. loves squirrels, and has named them all Jack. I think it's genius. No need to try to differentiate between the bushy tailed squirrel and the skinny one - they're all 'Jack'. We'll be miles away from the house and he'll see a squirrel, and will say "Look, Mom - it's Jack!" Of course, now we were dealing with drowned Jack. Stiff-as-a-board-with-his-mouth-wide-open-Jack. Thank goodness the kids hadn't gone into the backyard before they left for school. We had to get Jack out of the pool. I'm sure we were a sight - first Asia with the garbage bag and me with the pool net, then switching because I couldn't bear the thought of scooping Jack's stiff little body up with the net. I held the bag out as far away from my body as possible, eyes closed, as Asia fished out his waterlogged, furry little body. We decided to put him in the garbage, although I still wonder if we should have buried him. Of course, the garbage doesn't come until next Thursday, so I can't stop thinking about Jack's little body down there with the pizza boxes in the bottom of the big garbage can. So sad. I've never seen a drowned rat - but I have now seen a drowned squirrel. I keep thinking about the poor thing trying desperately to get up and out of the pool, little paws scritching ineffectively against the slippery sides. So much drama in my own backyard, and I had no idea. I still giggle when I think about Asia, who thought it was a Gracie toy, and fully reached in and picked it up by the tail before he knew what it was...
• I had dinner out with a friend last night. A delicious salad, lots of laughter and deep talk, and a convertible VW Beetle. Awesome. Really. So fun.
• The pine tree pollen. This time of year in Spokane is just gross. Everywhere you look, the world is coated by yellow dust. The sidewalks, cars, houses - anything that isn't moving is covered. And - if your husband decides to try to cool your un-air conditioned house by using a window fan all night long - your whole living room can be coated in yellow pine pollen. Lovely. Great idea, hon.
• It's pouring down rain this morning. And I mean P.O.U.R.I.N.G. - Oregon Coast-like pouring. No garage sale-ing for me today. Probably no Lilac Parade tonight for us, although the parade will still happen - just not with us watching from the street corners. It's really miserable out there. But hey - at least it's washing all the pollen away.
• I've used Secret deodorant for years upon years. Love it. It works great for me - and since they came up with a non-marking gel formula that eliminated those nasty white streaks on my clothes, I've been even more in love. Now, there are lots of different scents available - and as a rule, I've liked them all. I tend to be a 'Glacier Mist' kind of gal - it's my favorite, I think. But when I was shopping for toiletries the other day, I noticed a new scent. Some sort of "Vanilla Sparkle" or something. Well, I love vanilla scents, so I bought it. Save yourselves the $3.59, friends. It's just weird to have your armpits smell like cookie dough. Bad idea, Secret makers.
• We're tackling S.'s drawers today. The child has so many clothes that they're literally spilling out onto her floor and she tends to wear the same three pairs of pants because she can't manage to dig through the pile. It's time to sort and eliminate and hand off the hand-me-downs. I'm sure there are tons of things in there that don't fit her anymore... It's a big chore, but a satisfying one to trudge through. I love the sight of a nicely organized drawer.
• Asia leaves town tomorrow morning for a training on the coast. He'll be gone until Tuesday night. I'm looking forward to it. It's always nice to have a few days where I'm the only grown-up. The kids and I eat Mac-n-Cheese and I stay up way too late and generally get lots done in my studio.
• I really love the rain.
• Church tomorrow. Good.
• Good day, friends.