an inconvenient storm

Tonight Angel, the teen and I were going to Aqua Zumba in P'burg. We were going to meet Beth there.

As it turns out Beth couldn't make it because of a family emergency in Rhode Island. But we were still going.  She also asked me to check in on the dog she was sitting for

Around 2 the clouds rolled in. By four it was drizzling.  I headed to Easton anyway. By the time I picked up the teen at her grandmother's and drove to Easton, the storm had begun in ernest. As I was going around the block to park, the lightning struck RIGHT NEXT TO THE CAR. I thought I was going to poop myself. We sat in the car at least 10 minutes in front of Angel's house before it slowed down enough to go in. The teen wanted to go in during the heavy rain. I said fine. I'm waiting here. She waited with me.

I took fresh tomato sauce and cauliflower for dinner. Angel was providing the pasta.  By the time dinner was over, the sun was out. I called the pool, no answer. Not a great sign. The web said open. So we went anyway. My map sucked. I knew it was near Beth's. The teen got directions from the  GPS on her phone. I thought we were going wrong. We were going right. (Trust me. Trust the phone.) When we arrived the pool was closed.

We headed to Beth's. It was only a few blocks away. The dog was happy to see us. We gave her a treat, put on her leash and headed out for a walk around a large block. The teen wanted to run the street with the dog, and I saw a package on the porch. She went to run the dog, and I grabbed the mail, the package, and headed to the patio. By that time the teen and dog were back and we took everything in the house. I filled the dogs bowl with water and the teen played with the dog. Then it was time to buy cheap gas ($2.17 in NJ) and head back to Angels.

On the way home the teeen asked why Beth's house smelled gross. Beth is a smoker, and I think most of her friends are smokers. All of us over 35 are well aware of the lingering smell of smoke on your clothes when you are out with friends. And in resturants, bars, hotel rooms, and yes, maybe your house. Her Mimi and "Butch" smoke outside. (as did my father, before it was cool!) Her grandfather also smoke but grandmother keeps the windows open. If you look there's probably discrete bowls of vanilla sitting around. Clearly, the smoke free kids movement is working.

Earlier today I walked thru Lehigh's campus and back home Fourth street. It was so humid. But not super hot.

Miles/Steps:  About 4.5 with walk and dog walk
Bathrooms:   None used
Wildlife:        squirrels
Weather:      AM walk: Sunny, hot, upper-80s, humid        
Extras:         Dave and Barb showed up today with a bag of fresh kale. Yum.