Following an initial, brief period of discombobulation, Jackie and Jillie have now settled into the routine of accommodating themselves to the presence of two more family members in the household. They've been exposed to similar such events when from time to time one or more of our children come to spend brief periods of time with us from their homes in other cities. They renew their familiarity with other trusted family members and then when they leave, wonder where they've gone off to.

 

What they don't reconcile themselves to, ever, is the presence in the house of unauthorized creatures, particularly when summer brings the occasional big black fly into the house. Neither Jackie nor Jillie acquiesce to the presence of insects, flying or otherwise in the house. They may take their cue from me. They don't, like Irving, carefully lift the creature and expel it to the out-of-doors. If they see a fly on the sliding doors they vie with one another trying to capture the insect with unkindly intentions.

But if they're in bed, and a fly whizzes by that we weren't aware had entered the house, Jillie is stricken, actually petrified. She behaves as though she's haunted, and won't settle down for anything, until she has been assured that the creature is gone and will no longer present as a threat to her well-being.

 

Out-of-doors it's a different story altogether. They neither of them like flying creatures, but accept their presence and tend to pay them little attention. And as it happened we had the rare displeasure of being assailed by mosquitoes today while we were out on our afternoon tramp through the woods. The forest floor is slowly beginning to dry from its constant inundations, and the mosquitoes have come back to life.

 

The day turned out mostly sunny, and warmer than it's been lately. What truly distinguishes the day, however, is far fewer clouds coming it to crowd the sky and shut out the sun. Uncontested, the sun is searingly hot on any skin exposed for any length of time. A dry, but humid day. Still, before we had completed our fairly short circuit through the ravine this afternoon, a light patter of rain began, without amounting to anything substantial.

 

By the time we returned home to wander the garden briefly, a light shower sprinkled down on us, but if that is all the rain this day presages, we have nothing to complain about. We would appreciate no rain of any substance until after dinner, however, since Irving will be busy with the barbecue. We've decided on ribs today, and potatoes and green beans. Earlier, I prepared and refrigerated a piquant salad of fresh chopped broccoli, Vidalia onion, dried cranberries and French dressing for a bright, fresh taste on our palettes, balancing the barbecued ribs.