A few days in a row.

Friday, August 14. Cloudy. Rain is imminent. Nine thirty now. The mowers are out in the park. There was some drama with the crows and a hawk. A murder if crows came flying in all wound up and noisy. They’re trying to worry the hawk away from their territory. The hawk stays put calling back in its high pitched voice. I love that sound. Blue Jays have a similar pitch. The perfume of the freshly mowed grass is nice. I’m watching the guy/gal on the mower going back and forth, around and around. Now another mower has come to ride tandem. Two mowers going back and forth, around and around.

Saturday, August 15. It’s very dark. Rain is moving in any minute. It’s very warm, humid. Still, I have a window wide open. A while ago the crows came swooping in. They were in an uproar again. It was the hawk. It has become a regular morning drama. The hawk vs the crows. What a gift! Now a Cardinal is singing.

The rain has started. It coming straight down at a steady pace. All is quiet. The puzzles are done. I slept well. That’s two days in a row that I woke up so late. It was close to eight.

There were dreams and dreams. In one, a boyfriend was preparing and smoking crack. It was outside in a backyard? I’m not sure? I was standing in a doorway. I smelled it in my sleep. The burnt electrical wire smell. When I woke up I thought that it was Todd. I can’t be sure? He comes to visit in my dreams from time to time. It’s curious. He seems to be a harbinger of danger.

Then later, in another dream I was at a beach. It was a perfect day. The water was clear and cool and deep. On the sandy bottom were huge drawn outlines of a turtle. They were leading out into the deep water one by one. I was swimming. There were lifeguards in boats just like at our Chicago beaches. There were kids playing with boogie boards.

When I woke up I knew that I was safe.

I am forever grateful to be alive and sober. I’m grateful for this quiet morning in this place. For the crows and the hawk. For the Cardinal. For the steady rain coming so straight down that I can keep the window open. For a cup of strong coffee. For more work this coming week. For plenty of food. For swimming at the Y and all of my new friends there. For all of these books and Hank the dog.

☮️🙏🏻🌻