rooftop view

Monday: Up around 9:30, as MB headed out to do some personal dance practice at Third Life. Shower. Breakfast. Down basement for morning practices. I was wrapping up just as MB returned.

I gave Leo the cat some outdoor time in the backyard, letting him lead me around as he sniffed at things. We got up on the roof of the shed, and I cleaned out the gutter, while he surveyed the neighborhood. MB and I had some lunch (grilled cheese and fruit salad).

After cleanup, I headed out, returning milk to Stop and Shop (the cap didn't fit correctly and it had spilled on its way to our house). Back home to drop off the milk. Went to Home Depot and bought some flashing and caulk. Over to KKC to say hello to Wnd and fill water bowls. There was a lot of clean-up to do in the teaching room (old flowers, floor sweeping). Said hello to Hln, Jf and Tsun-mala as well. Hln is living at the center now. I put on some monk chants (throat singing) on the tape deck to listen as I did my work. Hln made us all some tea. Wnd and I went and sat in the backyard, sipping tea and eating bread, and talking about home repairs and the real estate market. Headed out around 5 PM. Stopped at the grocery store again, and picked up a few things for our little cookout.

Back home, got the charcoal going, put away my new underwear, and reorganized my sock drawer. MB practiced guitar. Cut vegetables and marinated with teriyaki sauce. Put them on the grill and made a salad, while also tending the veggies. Some got a little overdone as a result of my multi-tasking, but not bad. MB came down and helped set the table, make drinks and put out other goodies. I grilled the tempeh 'ribs' and then, we had a lovely little 4th of July feast. Part 2: ice cream and tea.

I talked MB into going to see the fireworks. We drove over to our secret fireworks watching location (roof of a parking garage). The main event didn't begin for quite awhile, but we had a nice time seeing fireworks at a far distance in the neighboring communities, and some at not enough distance, being fired off by kids who were also on the roof. Turned on the radio. The network cheese-balls were giving their commentary. We were a little cold. Eventually the event began. I don't think I had ever listened to the 'soundtrack' to the fireworks before, but the synchronization with the music was quite good. Beautiful ephemeral fire-flowers. Zipped out as easily as we had zipped in, only hitting a little traffic on our way home.

Helped burn a CD for MB. Some final things of the day. And soon bed.

At one point today, a flash of sun, and a realization that there are many places in the world that are bright and pure.