The clouds are back, but the sun every now and then tries to poke through. Right now it is in the 60’s but could get warmer. The nights still go down to the 50’s so the house is cool in the mornings. When I went to get the paper today, I noticed the pine pollen. The green powder is covering my car. I need to keep the windows closed.

My dance card is near empty this week. I have the usual uke practice and lesson, but no concerts, and nothing else is scheduled. I think I’ll have no excuse for avoiding cleaning. The dust balls have taken over. Even a sloth has to work occasionally.

When I was growing up, I learned certain things. My mother used to tell us it was too cold to snow. We believed her. If we swallowed gum, it would form a giant ball in our stomachs. I envisioned something the size of a cannon ball just waiting to burst. I never swallowed watermelon seeds. I didn’t want a garden of them growing in my stomach. We couldn’t leave anything on our plates. Kids were dying of starvation in China. Drinking coffee stunts growth. Going outside in winter with wet hair causes a cold. We all know about sitting close to the TV. Lying makes your tongue turn black. Eating chocolate gives you pimples. Despite all the carrots I’ve eaten, I’m still waiting to see in the dark.

My house has sounds, but I know most of them. The nights are noisy, but I know who or what is making the sounds. I usually sleep deeply, but every now and then my subconscious jolts me awake to a sound I don’t recognize. Sometimes I go to the window and listen out of curiosity, not fear. The sounds are not scary. They are just a surprise.