Nikki

A blue sky with many voluptuous white clouds, plus the sun with a bit of flare, all above a large electric-generating windmill and cut cornfields.

Today Dexter and I started our road trip west, and I saw some pretty clouds in either IN or IL.

A tropical drink in a plastic cup in a wooden picnic table with a marina in the background

This doesn't suck.

A partially, but catastrophically, burned white farmhouse, with outbuildings and vehicles to its right and a field of brown crops in the foreground

As seen on one of my back-road drives

A pint of beer in a colorful, decorative glass for "Ohio Pint Day," atop a weathered wooden picnic table, with additional picnic tables and a folded, yellow shade umbrella and scrubby trees and shrubs in the background

A solo visit to Arlyn's, spending some of my birthday gift certificate and enjoying a nice Tuesday evening

A bourbon cocktail in a martini glass is next to a large, multilayered slice of carrot cake with fancy whipped cream and candied nuts on top, on a black plate, both shown on a wooden restaurant table

I had a birthday last week.

*Twinkle Toes* 😍

A freshly-mowed lawn, with large leafy trees across a gravel road and Lake Erie and Kelleys Island in the background.

I mowed today.

Why yes, I *did* shed a few tears watching the new "King of the Hill" because I am so overjoyed to see all these characters again. I'll own that.

On our last visit to London, we enjoyed Old Mary's, a basement bar under The Mitre, near Paddington. I would also give another vote to the Old Cheshire Cheese.

Some friends had this last weekend. I tried a sip and was not won over. Also, it was in cans so I didn't have to see the creepy color.

My dad would use Hawaiian Tropic brand oil that was, like, SPF 2, and in our house it was called "suntan lotion."

I saw that earlier, too. What a loss! 😞

I see Gollum.

Colorful sunset with clouds in a sideways arc shape to the right, Miller Ferry dock toward the left, shoreline rocks in the foreground, and vibrant setting sun toward the center

Sunset, 3 July

Muted sunrise with multiple types of clouds, over trees, farmland, and a two-lane highway

The clouds and sun were having a moment on my early-morning drive.

Started reading P. D. James' first novel today.

The squirrels around my house are doing this, too, but on trees with smaller branches, so their little arms just hang It's both pitiful and comical.

Now that GOBA has concluded and all of my houseguests have returned home, I can start thinking more about going to Iceland in November.

Every year I get all excited about buying annuals because flowers are great. And then every year I get about 75% into the process of preparing the area and planting and I think to myself WHAT THE HELL PEOPLE this work is some bullshit.

I'm back into the Ohio routine. Had a weekend at the lake with lots of hangout time: at our place, at the dive bar across the street, and at the brewery down the road. I even got a smidgen of yard work done.

Yours is an excellent list! I would choose some of those for mine, too.

I recently discovered this band and I've been listening to a lot of their songs over the past month.

Another annoyingly windy day that will likely prevent me from productive yard work. At least it's a pretty view.

Radio on! 🎶

Well, I got the place at the lake opened up today, so now I can sit and look at the water to my heart's content. It's a good place to be, although I also have a space heater going because it's wicked cold and windy.

It's a day when finding a non-rainy amount of time in which to walk the dog is a challenge.

Small dog in a fenced play area, at dusk, on the grounds of a motel along Route 66.

We're road tripping.

Best thing I've seen on the internet today.

Charcuterie and two Manhattans for supper at friends'. You know what's good? Candied jalapenos. I gotta learn how to make those.

Futuro is my favorite coffee shop, and today they also sold me an *outstanding* almond croissant, probably just as good as the best one I've ever had (from a bake shop in Penzance several years ago).