Zap and a whiff of ozone

We had a special visitor last night.

It was the hand of G-d delivering a death blow to our house, our satellite system, televisions, pool pump, and who knows what else.

Both of us were sleeping when it happened but our neighbors were standing on their patio watching the storm when they heard a very loud clap of thunder and then saw the lightening and a giant puff of smoke arising next to our pool. Our neighbor friend kindly called to tell us we had been electrocuted. When I innocently got up around midnight, I found a nice note from husband on the bathroom counter telling me about our visitor. I also found two of our three TVs offline.

After arriving home from work this morning, I spent quite a bit of time on the phone calling our insurance claims office, the satellite company, the electrician, and our friends to tell them the pole which used to hold their basketball hoop in back of their house next door was lying on the ground in a million splinters. I guess they also had a visitor in the night.

Apart from the uncertainty of what was damaged, we are experiencing withdrawal symptoms because the satellite repairman won't be able to come to the house until next F.R.I.D.A.Y. What on earth are we going to do until then without television? Will we actually have to start talking to each other?

We experienced a similar situation in February during an ice storm when our electric line to our house was downed and we were without power for a week. We survived that mess and I guess we will survive this one also.

I keep telling myself that things couldn't get worse, but maybe I'm wrong.

I will know more after the insurance adjuster and the electrician get here tomorrow. In the meantime, I have lots of books to read and we can also listen to the radio. This reminds me of when I was growing up in the 1940s and 1950s -- before we had a TV. Now I'm dating myself, aren't I?

Flowers, flowers, everywhere

Some of the lovely colors of my garden this spring.

First Day of Summer

Today is the first day of Summer, 2008. Instead of being able to work in the yard or go swimming on my day off, we are faced with:

It's okay, really, because this lovely, gentle rain has given me an opportunity to hang around the house and do some things I've been meaning to catch up on. This morning I actually made a nice breakfast for husband. Then, I got busy and made this:

I had some Georgia peaches (purchased from the Farmer's Market on Tuesday), a package of organic strawberries, and some nice raisins. Mix them all together with a bunch of secret ingredients and you get a lovely treat for a relaxing, rainy day at home.

Pie Song
Michael, movie soundtrack and album

Pie
Me oh my
Nothing tastes sweet, wet, salty and dry
all at once o well it's pie
Apple!
Pumpkin!
Minced
an' wet bottom.
Come to your place everyday if you've got em'
Pie
Me o my
I love pie

So, if you're in our neck of the woods, come on down (as Drew Carey's announcer likes to say) and enjoy a piece of Motherkitty's homemade pie, me o my.

Yesterday was another sweet day, spent with daughter alipurr and the grandkids.

Alipurr

Little Fencer Boy (enjoying some guacamole and rice)

The highlight of our visit was a ballet recital at the University. (Both girls had been enrolled in a week-long ballet class and the girls and their classmates were very proud to show off what they had learned to the parents and visitors.) Both girls are very graceful and talented and we wouldn't be surprised if they continued to dance throughout their lifetime.

Little One, getting her ballet slipper shoelace tied

Dancer Girl, doing what she does best

Before we left daughter's house, we were presented with this video, purchased by daughter at her local library for $1.00. We watched it last evening and, surprisingly, it was wonderful. I actually remember watching this live-action performance (on NBC) in 1960 featuring Mary Martin as Peter Pan and Cyril Richard as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook. The video was in great condition and I can't wait for the grandkids to see it. They will really enjoy all the singing and dancing as much as we did. Not at all like the cartoon version. (You couldn't even see the wires used to make everybody fly!)

Clap if you believe in fairies.

Tomorrow it's back to work for me. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy myself in spite of the rain.