Sometimes vacations just aren't, and sometimes they are a bit too much. This year was a change, we went to the beach in August ~ not my choice of times since I really, really don't like the beach when it's hot, hot, hot. Huh. Temps were in the very low 80's, close to twenty degrees cooler than home. DD made all the arrangements for the house: close to beach (it was), on a quiet side street (it was), minimal stairs. The realtor blew it on the last: a 3-story townhouse which was not good news for my bad knee but it didn't go out. SIL's mother also came, she's a really nice lady and it was a pleasure to have time to visit with her. During the week we were there, a wild thunderstorm blew in and stayed all evening and most of the night. Remember that widely-published photo of a thundercloud with multiple lightening strikes shooting downwards all at the same time? That's what this storm was like; I sat on the balcony as it approached and there were literally too many simultaneous flashes to count; a dozen or more flashes at once. Over and over again.

A couple days later, we were on our way home ~ guess who was stuck in the traffic while the Bay Bridge was closed for inspection?! The TV showed some footage that evening: DH yells and says "I think that's our car beside that white tractor-trailer." I'm glad the bridge officials take safety seriously, but it seems that someone should have given more thought to the warnings (signs only that there was a delay on the bridge, and that two of the preceding exits were closed (reality was four or five exits were blocked by police cars); the "traffic conditions radio station" was silent). For almost two hours we idled along the last mile-and-half (after several miles of stop-and-go) before being able to exit for lunch. Well, I guess that got us back into the rhythm of NVa's local traffic.

And about the cobwebs? That's what I was vacuuming. While we were gone, there must have been a contest among the spiders to see who could build the biggest web. Where did they all come from? I vacuumed thoroughly the day before we left, ceilings walls and under the furniture, too. Sorry, spidies; no prizes for you.

The electronic rain gauge showed .51 inches fell during that week ~ just remember that it will add in moisture even a hundredth-inch at a time, which doesn't do much for the plants, especially when the temp is in the high nineties. The gardens are dead. DH arranged for a neighbor to fill the birdfeeders daily, but forgot to mention watering the tomatoes and the flower beds in front. We've had less than eight inches of rain since March, most of it in tenth-inch dribbles. Those storms wandering through area right now? .03 inch.