I can hear thunder in the not-too-distant distance. Well, that stands to reason--the weather forecast showed a storm front heading for us. In fact, I think a couple of tonight's parades got postponed because of the expected weather.

Most of today, however, was really nice. Pleasantly warm, which got me busy doing yard stuff. I tossed some more papers into the pool and saw three or four turtles of assorted sizes leaving the step where they had been sunning to head for "safety."

And then some perverse spirit infected me and I decided to tackle the area between the back of the house and the side of the garage. The last time I had reason to even be there was when we were trying to find the water shutoff.

But I got between a third and half of it de-weeded. My new little electric trimmers are great for clipping up dewberry vines. Getting that cleared out is high on my list of Things To Do while the archivist is on vacation. I also located the two leaks in an old garden hose and duct-taped the areas containing holes. This hose is so old that more leaks are bound to appear, but I'll deal with that later.

Part way through the afternoon I headed for McDonald's for something to eat and to test it out as a place to hang around and read. When I got there it was NOT crowded and the two hours were not marked by steady business. I shall probably repeat this.

McDonald's is getting more and more "upscale." For starters, they have a couple of big flat-screen TVs in the dining area. And they have a wide assortment of seating areas--plenty of tables for two, but also tables for more. I've seen people using computers there, but I don't think they have internet.

I faced a window and watched while four huge trucks that dispose of various types of liquid waste (more complicated than the usual honey wagons) managed to maneuver themselves up the down staircase (go against the flow) to make turnarounds and merge with oncoming traffic.

Spot was around when I fed my girls, so I put the unwashed cans on the porch for him. Earlier I saw Stripe going up my neighbor's steps. (We discuss what we will call the feline visitors. And, of course, Pogo.)

I'm hoping it will be not-rainy tomorrow morning so I can continue to get yard stuff done.