I’m under the gazebo on the back deck. Coltrane’s ballads are competing with the birds and distant firecrackers. Shadow is next to me on the loveseat. M and the boys are across the street. An anti-mosquito candle burns brightly on a nearby table. The city fireworks start in less than two hours. Something nearby smells bad, I’m not sure what it is. Life is good.

Today was one of those days you don’t realize you need until you’re halfway through the day. This morning, after crashing on the couch, I woke, worked out to Samantha Brown’s San Francisco episode, and showered. The boys “helped” (code for “got in the way”) move the woodruff along the side of the house to a spot east of the garage. I added three small plants to the empty area, bought mulch at the gas station, and spread my purchase both around the new transplants and under the tree I trimmed last weekend. Next I cut the grass around the old lady on the next block’s house. A few of us have tag-teamed her yard. The experience was interesting. The yard includes what looks like once was a fine garden. Raspberry bushes seem to have taken over most of the space. The garden reminded me of an overgrown English estate or something through which a fairytale prince would have to traverse in order to rescue a princess. I wonder if my garden will look like that someday because I’m too frail to care for my plants. I hope someone cuts my grass then.

Afterwards I ate lunch (eggs) while M and the boys marched in the parade with the park and recreation department. I cleaned most of the first floor and settled onto the couch for the Brew game. They kicked the hell out of the Pirates. Later I thought of riding my bike or walking with Shadow but a wave of exhaustion settled the issue. I read on the porch, took a bath, and ate vegetarian hot dogs for dinner. This evening I finished Atmospheric Disturbances. I thought the novel was strong but perhaps too obtuse to enjoy. The Borges and Murakami influences were obvious, but not in a bad way, but I felt like I was working too hard as the reader to piece together the literary devices. Fun by not that fun, I guess.

Ok, enough for now. Maybe tomorrow I’ll work on some poems and do some yoga. I could use both. Good night. Back to the deck, candles, and Coltrane.