Lesson for the Day: It isn’t what they say it is until it is what it is.

Gretchen is the first to get up in our household. She stretches a bit then makes her way downstairs while Ann and I cuddle in bed. And no, I don’t sleep on the bed until the morning — Gretchen calls me up when she’s leaving. Anyway, she makes her way down the stairs and inevitably turns on the radio to listen to the news while she makes the coffee and gets things ready for breakfast.

This morning the news reporters were abuzz about the incoming storm. “High winds up to 75 miles an hour!” they exclaimed. “It will be 68 degrees, but thunderstorms and heavy rains will batter the Puget Sound area!” they proclaimed. And so today, when we started our walking, Gretchen was a bit hurried as if at any moment the wind would knock us down and the rain would wash us away.

Only there wasn’t any wind, there wasn’t any rain, and thankfully, there weren’t any thunderstorms. Instead, it was blue skies and warm temperatures the whole day. About halfway through the day, I finally said to Gretchen, “You worry too much!”

To which she replied, “I know, Rubin. It’s not a good quality is it?”

“Nope,” was my honest response. “You need to remember that it isn’t what they say it is until it is what it is.”

“You’re so astute, Rubin,” she said and I walked a little prouder all the rest of the day.

And what a long and busy it day it was. We didn’t have to teach this morning because the students are still on their field trip, but we did need to go into school so we picked up Monty and headed that way. Monty LOVES to go to school only he didn’t love it as much today because the students weren’t there. Still, we watched Gretchen do a bit of work and then we headed out for a nice, long walk. No photos (sorry, Colleen) but we did take some of Sir Montague and the boys — Oshi and Perrito — after we picked them up for a walk through the park.

Aren’t we cute? Well, that’s what this one lady in the park kept saying. “They’re so cute just sittin’ there posin’ for their pictures!”

Gretchen dropped the boys off at their house and Monty and I hung out at our house while she walked to Rosie’s. Rosie was surprised (as we all were) by the warm weather and when it’s warm, Rosie moves a lot slower. She pokes along according to Gretchen since the warm weather tends to overheat her. Yes, it was that warm today and I know exactly how Rosie feels.

Of course, the nice weather made for beautiful views today and Rosie encouraged Gretchen to get a photo of her standing in front of Mt. Rainier, only you really can’t see the mountain in the background so Gretchen took another of just the mountain.

Rosie eventually made it home and she was mighty happy to be back in her cool house. Gretchen then picked up Gemma and the two of them headed over to Zoe’s house. Remember that storm they said was coming? Well, it still hadn’t arrived. In fact, it was so warm Gretchen let Zoe jump in the lake!

Gemma was hesitant, so when Gretchen saw the opportunity, she gave Gemma a little nudge of encouragement and what do you know?

And the view of Mt. Baker to the north is one we rarely see this time of year!

Gemma and Zoe were extremely frisky after their little dip in the water and kept bumping into each other all the way back to Zoe’s house. When they got to the house, they both wanted to rumble, but Gretchen still had the need to hurry since she knew, she just KNEW that storm was coming.

So Zoe went home and then Gemma and finally Gretchen picked up Saber whose first words were, “Storm’s a comin! I heard it on my TV here.” They walked back to our house, leashed up Monty and me and then we all went for a walk through the park and to our favorite little field where we played fetch and chase and eventually relaxed in the cool of the shade.

Okay, it was at that point that I looked to the Southwest and what did I see? Clouds — big, gray banks of clouds and that’s when I turned to Gretchen and said, “Now it is what it is!”

We finished our walk with Saber and Monty and then Gretchen came home to get her stuff ready for her night at the pool. Right when she left, the rain started coming down and by the time she arrived at work, we were in the middle of a mighty storm. It’s still rather windy out there now and though the rain isn’t as violent, the wind is supposed to stick around for the next few hours. Sure hope there aren’t any thunderstorms!

Until tomorrow,

Rubin