Look at us kayaking!

Will always urges us into the kayaks for an annual trip around the point to peaceful Forest Service waters. There is so much construction going on east of us and I was anxious to gawk at all the changes. Neighbors are doing a massive remodel. Other neighbors have blasted a beach out of a rock cliff and have erected stone walls.

Gawking is a lot easier from the water. Just ask the people on the pontoon boats who slowly cruise past our house and point.

I used to wave.

We had a lovely time on the water until dark clouds and the sound of distant thunder made us paddle faster towards home.

Yesterday was Banjo Man’s birthday! We celebrated on Tuesday by going out to lunch with special friends. Afterwards we stopped to run an errand and then the car wouldn’t start back up. Dead battery! Dealing with AAA was a two-hour nightmare, so Banjo Man called an auto repair place to come jump our battery. They had closed ten minutes before our call, but a nice young man drove over and helped us anyway.

There would be no more errands done after that. According to the sign at the grocery store, it was 98 degrees outside, plus we didn’t dare turn off the car.

Our trip home was detoured into a maze of farm country roads due to a semi and its metal cargo completely blocking Highway 200. It would not be open until after 10 PM, I learned the next day.

Despite everything, Banjo Man loved his birthday trip to town, his birthday burger and Patty’s chocolate chip cookies for dessert. He wouldn’t let us sing to him.

Yesterday the car started right up, so we headed to Clark Fork to visit the Post Office, get gas, drop books off at the library and take our garbage to the dump.

I defrosted peaches, baked an angel food cake and took a nap. A long nap.

And now it’s August. We are alone, except for our beachfront guest. Dorothy the Duck is still here, though I have found a good home for her. We’re just waiting for Dorothy’s new owner to tell us when she is coming to pick her up.

Happy August, everyone!