As I sit here sipping my very hot cup of coffee, I'm thinking of all my friends who are dealing with difficult situations--spouses, parents, friends, children. Themselves. I can't ever remember an earlier time when so many people in my circle of friends were coping with distressing and exigent issues, often matters of life and death.

Maybe it's just that my generation--now on the knife edge of 60, one way or the other--has entered its time of major life changes. For the second time. The first time was when we were 30 or so, marriages were starting/ending. Job changes (not always voluntary). And so on.

It seems that things get upended every 30 years or so.

On another front, immediate situation: still coughing (oh how the rib/diaphragm muscles hurt!), somewhat productive (a good thing) but no shortness of breath, no rattling deep in lungs, so I think I dodged a bullet. Taking omeprazole (or however the heck you spell it) to reduce stomach acid at night.

Cat brought in a mouse, big one, about 1 a.m. I heard her loud announcement (analogous to the way hens cackle when they lay an egg?), turned on the light, saw nothing, fell back asleep.

This morning her catch was laid out nice and neat on the bedcovers. Perfect specimen, not rigid yet and still a bit warm. No visible injury. I just LOVE dead rodents as bed companions (come to think of it, better than live rodents running around on the bed).

Mornings are still cool--a blessing--but the afternoons get really hot, especially as the core of the house away from the windows never really cools down. I have central A/C but I never use it because it is outrageously expensive and not absolutely necessary. It's been so long since I turned it on, I'm not sure it works any more.

I'm up to my elbows in tomatoes. Seven tomato plants are now giving me more than I can eat or give away. But they're not setting any more fruit in the heat, so the bounty is short term. Wonderful flavor. I have them for snacks as well as side dish at meal times.

Speaking of tomatoes, it's time for me to go water plants before the sun burns off the cloud cover. I hope your day is beautiful and bright.