The clouds parted:
Weather
The storm is in its final stages. We got 7 inches of rain so far. A little more and we’ll be done. Clear weather tomorrow.
Along the way
Scissor-tail flycatcher
Thursday
Annie is back! Regardless of what her blood chemistry says, she’s back at full speed; eating, drinking, running, playing, sleeping, digging crabs on the beach; all with enthusiasm. And the coots are back. We’ve been cootless until this morning. It was nice to see them paddling around the pond. We don’t know if it’s the same pair as last year yet, because they haven’t actually knocked on the door demanding food, but they might be last year’s coots. One turtle is back too. We tossed some dog kibble out on the water and he came right over. Nessie, the grass carp, lurks just below the surface in the shallows. Smooth weather today, but there is a big storm coming. Strong thunderstorms. Not cold; 70 degrees. Heavy rain. Predictions of up to 6” of rain. Accumulation in the ponds tends to run about 4 to 1, so if it rains 6”, the pond water should rise 2 feet. Judy put a 1 foot stake in the ground at the water’s edge. If we get the predicted rain, the top of that stake should be a foot underwater. Got the rain gauge out, the chairs all put up, the leaky slide closed, the awnings all retracted. We’re ready. In the meantime, Tropical Pie Night at the Welcome Center, compliments of Susan and Carol. Key Lime, Mandarin Orange, Lemon Merangue, and Grapefruit Pie. It took two trips down the pie table, but we got to sample them all. Dessert before dinner. Don’t need much dinner after that.
The pelican commute
Texting
Early on at the conference they told us that the more technologically advanced accountants text. I don’t text. I have email and I’m always at my computer, so why do I need to text? So there I was in class, cellphone in my pocket, sound set to stun (silent), time on my hands, thought I’d try some out-of-sight under-the-desk texting. I sent a couple notes to Judy. It’s tedious, texting with a telephone keypad, but it works. I put the phone away. Later, my attention was drawn to a beeping noise. I checked; it wasn’t my phone. I looked around. Took me a few minutes to spot the person with their hands down low, typing furiously away on a full smartphone keypad. That person’s hearing must be even worse than mine. That telephone was not set to run silent. Every out-of-sight under-the-desk keystroke was accompanied by a distinct audible beep. Maybe accountants shouldn’t text after all.