One morning this week I was awakened by Scott calling the power company to inform them that we had no electricity because a bird had flown into the power setup on the pole in his parents' yard. After sipping my hot black coffee out on the step, there was still no power, so what could I do? I couldn't work at the computer, or even wash dishes or use the phone. Instead I took my cue from the cat, who was stretched languorously on the swing. The day was already becoming hot, so I put on my bathing suit, grabbed a notebook, a library book, and some cushions, and headed for the swing myself. I spent a couple glorious summer-holiday hours there before the power came back on and my friend called to say he could come over and help me wash windows.

He and I spent six hours (including a couple half-hour breaks he took so he could smoke two cigarettes in a row!) at it, with him on a ladder doing the outsides and me on the inside.

When Scott came home at 7 and I told him how long we'd been at it, he remarked, "I guess you two won't be going into business as window-washers any time soon." Smartass. He should've been the one helping me with those damn windows in the first place, shouldn't he? I may just ask him to reimburse me the $50 I paid the fella to do Scott's job.

*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,

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