A Nice End to a Day

As I sat next to Katie, watching the boys in the pool, I pondered the end to my day.  It had been a full day, for the most part, and although the clouds were dancing intermittent sprinkles upon my head, I didn't think the day should be given up just yet.  It started with the usual early morning wake up, and feeding of the pets, but with sprinkles prohibiting my sitting on my deck, I ventured over to the coffee house to try something new( another story).  Upon my return there was the usual making and eating of breakfast for all who would partake, the clearing of the table, and cleaning of the dishes.  Once the laundry was started, I decided to visit Terry.  An enjoyable couple hours of fraternal banter ensued as we watched our three dogs act like Bumpus hounds.  When they were tired, and we were out of words, Princess and I came home.  The house was empty, but the laundry needed changing, the pool needed cleaning, and wood needed to be cut, chopped and stacked, but the sun was shining, so it was inviting to outdoor work.  I'd like to say my Christmas present electric chainsaw made short work of my logs around back, but I had a lot of logs, and it took about an hour or so.  I then took a break and briefly joined Eddie and Jimmy in the pool...they were now back home, and Jimmy, being so tall, and quite the swimmer, no longer needs a life jacket in our pool. He's fun to watch.  I got back to the wood, and chopped and nicely stacked it upon a new, now my third wood rack; if only I had a fireplace:)  With that done, and it still being in the 80's, the sun poking through the clouds more than not, I unrolled the hose and attached the pool vacuum.  There was a lot of junk at the bottom of the pool, but not nearly as much as when we had the tree back there, and the helicopters are almost over with.  Before I knew it, the pool was clean, the elder boys were home from Grammy's and we were getting ready for church. 
So, now it's 8:00, all are inside, and the rain is still playing games with me.  I decide to blast the rain, pour a drink and begin my fire anyway.  I get a visitor from the indoors now and again, and welcome the company, but they don't last long, and once again I am alone with my fire; which isn't so bad.  I'm really surprised the rush of marshmallows and chocolate hasn't burst through the doors in the hands of Jimmy.  The fire starts easily and is quite warm, the drink is cool, and the rain is soft.  At times I feel like I'm undergoing a Chinese Water Torture, but when I get that out of my head, I make believe I'm in a campsite by the Galatian river, out west.  I listen for a stream flowing or the wind whistling through the pines, but can only hear an occasional firecracker and my neighbor still working with his air compressor.  I look around for my tent, but see only the house and the pool around me.  God whispers softly through the trees and raindrops.  The fire slowly dies, and I am through with my wood for the night.  As 9:20 hits, I clean up my area and smile at the glowing orange embers.  I lid the pit, and as I make my way inside, the rain ceases.  I think it was there just for me.