My body this morning, passing the window, it’s raining, says: take a jog. Instead of a swim, that’s what I do. It’s so wet. Charlie, good buddy, follows. We jog in the wet wet woods. Five miles, and it feels good. Happy 4th of July! A true washout. Don’t remember the last time we had such a rainy 4th. I have my Ukrainian group. So nice to be together. In the afternoon I weed and rip out brambles that have overgrown in the side yard in the pouring rain. I hear a crick and a crack. Nearby, a massive, live tree branch falls and somehow doesn’t fall through the ceiling of the barn. Frank’s tractor is blocked in. Crazy! He spends two hours clearing up the mess with the chain saw. Friends for a lovely dinner on the deck; it stops raining and of course everything is damp, but it’s so pleasant and cheerful and wonderful to be outdoors and catching up with them. Charlie has been extra hungry all day from our run in the rain. While we’re having dessert on the deck he breaks into the trash! He’s never done anything like that before! After I give him a stern talking to, and after the mess (corn all over the floor) is cleaned up I give him his third meal of the day. He’s forgiven.