I want not to think about the Supreme Court. I want not to think about my sister's eye surgery. I am thinking about both of those things.

Yet, somewhat unexpectedly, my Frost Place life is about to rekindle today because my friend and sort of boss M is stopping by to spend a day and night here before heading south toward home, and that means our mutual friend Z, who lives in Portland and was at the conference, will also be here all day. Hurray for unplanned holiday parties that balance out the fury and the worry--

One great thing about the Frost Place is that everything there is so grubby that my own home, unvacuumed for a week, looks pristine. So I am not going to be rushing around like banshee: a little bit of cleaning here and there, fresh sheets on the guest bed, and a steak on the grill. Good enough.

And remember that crazy mulching I did before I left? The gardens still look damn near perfect. Some things really do work out the way you imagine.

Yesterday, fog hung over Portland all day long. This morning it's back but supposedly there will be sunshine, sometime, before the rain starts up again tomorrow. I don't know if I'll ever get anything dry on the outside lines again. The humidity is deep, even when rain isn't falling. But this evening we can wipe the dew off the outside chairs, and sit beside the fire pit, and talk and laugh and watch the flames. Independence Day. Let it mean what it needs to mean, for you.