May I?

A couple of years ago we grandparents introduced the time-tested old game of May I. Rules are easy and clear, and everyone stays focused in case a fellow player forgets to ask "May I?" before obeying the request.
Yesterday the players came up with an aqua version accompanied by essential splashing. The photo shows younger granddaughter, friend, friend, and older granddaughter poised close to the finish line but cooperating patiently with my photography.
I have always liked the idea of requiring children to ask politely for permission before they can make even the slightest move. And if they don't, consequences. Then there's the real world.

Back in the Routine

Exercise class this morning was just what I needed after the two-week break away from Concan. Good to lift those weights and stretch those muscles. Although we walked often during our trip, not much was cardio. After my regularly scheduled massage this afternoon, I'll be good as new, or at least newer.
Last night's fajita dinner with friends helped me to catch up with all the neighborhood happenings. Hottest, and wettest, topic was the afternoon rain, showers that put 1/2 to 1-1/2 inches in our gauges. Other hot, and sad, topic was the news that the V&F W plan to "test the market" by putting their house up for sale. They are not committed to leaving, they purport, but time will tell.
(I know my travel log lacks a few days, so I'm working my notes up the priority list.)
Sent from my iPhone

First Fire

Last night we celebrated our first fire of the season with a few friends. With mornings in the low thirties and the sun setting early, it was time to burn some wood. The outdoor fireplace was clean and ready, but I did have some concern for a couple of black squirrels I had seen scurrying around there recently. No desire for roasting any animals in the process! Husband stacked more logs than necessary, added some fire cubes, clicked the butane wand, and flames jumped to life. (I so badly wanted to write "struck the match," but that action happens so rarely these days.) Friends appeared, wine disappeared, and everyone stayed warm as the sun retreated behind the bluff.