Wow, it’s gloomy this morning. It seems that overnight the forecast on my little weather app has gone from partly cloudy to four days of rain. Not that I’m complaining – we still desperately need the rain and it will help fill up our reservoirs and aquifers, not to mention our rivers. It’s almost tubing time on the Guadalupe and Comal and the water level in both rivers has been looking mighty scanty of late. Of course, who knows what the tourist situation will be like in our little town with the virus but I’ve a feeling that most Texans out for a float on the river aren’t going to give a toss about social distancing. Not that it’s easy to stay apart from others on the river anyway. If the current pushes you toward another group of people about the best you can do apart from paddling like mad is to say “excuse me” or “mind if I join you?”

Awww… My little Thelma brought me something this morning! Her husband had made some fruitcake from a recipe he had gotten from his mum and I was presented with a little loaf of it. Now, I know what you’re thinking: fruitcake? Nasty, hard, dry, useful-only-for-a-doorstop fruitcake?!? Oohhh, no no no, this stuff is AMAZING. Moist, not too sweet, tender… just all-around crazy stupid good. I’ve got it squirreled away in the coolest part of my room and I intend to nibble on it until it disappears. YUM.

There was a lot of rain today at home but I missed most of it here in San Antonio. There was even a tornado watch, which according to one of my friends in town graduated to a warning for a bit. It was interesting here though. Most of the storm cells were passing to the northeast of the hospital and I had a great view of the lowering black clouds in the distance and occasionally a downpour. I think I even spotted a few lightning flashes in the distance. Last night during our regular FaceTime session Rory said that the thunder was almost non-stop and Leyna was dancing around hoping for a midnight downpour. She LOVES the sound of the rain on the roof of her bedroom, especially at night. Seriously, it roars in there when it’s really coming down!

I think I can probably classify this day as one of the nicest I’ve had since being in the hospital. No discomfort, feeling pretty darn good, plenty of appetite, lots of stuff to look up online for kicks and giggles, recipe research and transcriptions… It’s all good. My favorite chaplain, a father in the Reformed Catholic Church, came by in the afternoon and we had a lovely chat, mostly about teaching children and the struggles that they and their good teachers face in the public school system. Wonderful guy! Wish he was based in a church in New Braunfels… His gentle, all-embracing attitude reminds me strongly of the vicar at the Episcopal church we attended in Glendale.😊❤️