May 8th

Before eight o'clock that morning... heavy rain...

Yali is already busy imagining ways to create a “wizard army” from the other kids in the neighborhood... Patience is then complaining of him “karate kicking” her like a stork which he mostly denies... but by this time he's making his snake dance to the rumba while I try to get him seated for Creative Writing... about halfway through that he distracts himself holding the handle of a duster extension for Patience to practice the limbo...

Patience meanwhile moves to eagerly choreographing a new slip jig for her future dance school to be founded with her two BFFs at some unspecified time...

Puck also emerges to review various ASVAB math concepts with me... working arithmetic in his head (no calculators allowed) while he and Yali stare each other down from across the room for no really necessary reason...

Mama's ready for a lunch break... stuff down a quick salad sandwich before the insurance claims adjustors arrive to inspect damage... both kids run out with drumsticks and freezy pops to watch the action from the yard while both guys walk around the also-hail-damaged roof...

Evening blows in quickly... after Puck and Yali roughhouse for awhile Puck leaves for four hours in Produce... Patience and I at the studio... readings from “Braiding Sweetgrass” and extensive discussion via text and call with Oxbear over our insurance claim results...

Patience and I then drive towards a panel of rainstorm in the west for a quick stop at the old school... Spanish and art exhibits at the Expo... including the coral reef arranged by one of C.P.'s friends with a degree in museum exhibition design... leave under towering sculpture of dark cloud sliced into honey sunset...

We all return at the same time for tacos waiting on the stove... Puck walks up the driveway back from work carrying a beautiful magnolia-white “waterfall orchid” for his “ma”... “Happy Mother's Day” he announces... (melt)...