Scott took these from the truck window as we were turning west onto the road. We wondered what those clouds were holding. Someone southeast of us got a storm that evening, but we didn't hear anything.

Here, a week later, it thundered all night. Woke me up, sounding like a train rumbling past. "Scott," I said softly, "is that thunder?" and he got out of bed and took a tour.

We can hear trains here, although we're about four miles from the highway, where the tracks are. There are plenty of trees between here and there, and it's at a similar elevation as far as I know. Go figure.

Some of you know Cathy, who has been a very, very good friend to me since I was 15 years old. Her daughter Caitlin graduated from Grade 12 this year; the little one in the photo is Emma, the baby of the family. Also quickly growing up.

When Everett was a baby, Caitlin used to call him "my baby" — she is what, two years older than him? — and when he got big enough to keep up with her, the two of them were inseparable when Cathy and I spent time together. It's not all that long ago that they stopped telling us quite matter-of-factly that they planned to be married one day.

***

I had appointments in town this afternoon and haven't been home long. My van has had an oil change, my head has had a hairstyle change, and the doctor has looked at a tiny lump in my armpit and is not worried about it. I had to go, though, once I mentioned it to Scott, even though I first noticed it a year ago and it has not changed any.

I still think of the time I had a lump removed from a breast and how worried I was between the time the procedure was done and the report on the biopsy. It had made me consider the worst-case scenario and that was not pretty, especially with my boys as young as they were. Not that it would be easier now to think about taking my leave of them.

Mom had been staying with us for a few days when the phone call came from the doctor, telling me that the lump had been benign and all was well. When I told Mom, we grabbed each others' hands and danced gleefully around the living room. Until that moment's relief I hadn't realized how worried either of us was.

I'm repeating myself, aren't I? I've told this little story before.

Well, back to work.