and rain and rain and rain...

This is an actual WWII era pram used in France, for resistance work. The bottom panel hid a radio.

This museum, outside of Boston, was so very interesting...the actual dishes Hitler ate from, stuff from his bathroom cabinet, his dog's collar, complete with horrific swasticas, all there on display. Guns and real uniforms, adorning lifelike mannequins. There were yellow stars worn by Jews, documents and letters and General Patton's walking stick.

After walking through and looking at it all, I felt sick inside. How on earth can human beings be so cruel to each other? War is barbaric, and I just can't comprehend it. I feel bad if I don't give the kitty a splash of half and half when I make my morning coffee...or if I raise my voice when I find empty ice cube trays.

And I'm not meaning to make a joke of it. I partly enjoyed the museum, but it did make me feel sick.

Home...ah, home. We've had a few cookouts...summertime meals, burgers and sweet corn, and grilled chicken and salt potatoes, and zucchini from Emily's garden, tossed with yellow squash and onions, with olive oil and lime juice, cooked right in the grill basket. Yumminess.

Kathryn left yesterday. I know she'll be back in a year, and hopefully I'll go visit her this winter in Norway...but, she did take a piece of my heart with her. I love that she's so grown up and independent and can travel internationally all by her lonesome, but part of me fretted and worried. She's been texting me, she survived the 8 hour layover in New York, and then another one in Iceland, and her suitcase ripped, her credit card was denied when she tried to buy train tickets from the Oslo airport, her phone was dying and she couldn't find a charger...and she's almost there now. She's tired and hungry and probably a bit nervous. I want to hug her and take care of her, but...she went and grew up on me.

Our house is quiet today. Mariel so nicely is sharing her vacation with five of her siblings! She had some days off this week, so she took Samuel, Suzanne, Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, and Camille, and headed for Massachusetts, near the beach. They left a bit after eight this morning, I was there making sure they remembered the beach towels and umbrellas, and helping make them some bagels for the road, a coffee for Suze, remember sneakers for the Freedom Trail (in Boston)! Then they left, leaving me in silence. Sonja was still asleep, Joseph busy with is art, Paul at work...the puppies came in, ate brekky, and took naps.

Sonja is up now, and we have things to do today...Sunny is having her first appointment at a new vet. We are switching because this place is cheaper, and she needs to be spayed. She also has a rash, very sensitive skin, almost like a redhead or a pale blonde girl, ha...she might have poison ivy or maybe a reaction to something. So we're taking her in today.

And tomorrow, Sonja has knee surgery. The hospital is supposed to call today to tell us what time.

Sam got up with Duke last night, and lo and behold, Suri had gotten into the kitchen garbage! She KNOWS better, but it must have smelled too yummy for her to resist. He cleaned it up, nice boy that he is, Mr. Sammers...but I had to mop the floor this morning.

Duke...oh Duke, your days are numbered...he won't let anyone sleep...Sam has been taking him into his room every night because he is nice, and knows he can go back to sleep after taking him outside at random times, he knows I can't fall back to sleep...yes, Sam is nice. But Duke...he is feeble, he is old...and wah.

Anyway...time to get a move on...