Finally, the rain stopped, at least for now. We’ve had almost six inches of rain since the first of the month and I’ve felt as though each drop was a direct assault on my personal being. I’m looking forward to drier conditions this weekend and a high near 80 on Sunday and Monday. Maybe the calmer weather will help me feel a little less like I’m in the active process of dying. The forecast shows more storms for the middle of next week, though, so I’d best get some rest in while I can.
Today is Tipper’s birthday! Our baby girl is officially 14, though she’s been acting that age for a few months. She is so incredibly bright, creative, and artistic that it’s difficult to keep up with what project she’s working on at any given moment. Of course, her room’s a mess with all that creativity going on. I think we’ve about given up on ever seeing the floor in there ever again. But she’s such a wonderful delight of a person. I love the way she’s taken to calling me Papa, how she comes flirting into the Recovery Room each morning to snuggle with each of the animals on the bed, and how she’s taken on the title of primary rice maker for the entire house. I hope she feels all the love we have for her, forever.
Keeping the world safe for her and her brothers is a strenuous undertaking, though. The fight to keep Iran from attacking Israel is back on the front burner. I’m not sure that previous diplomatic tactics that helped keep the peace between the two countries are going to work this time. The ties between Gaza and Iran are too strong. Iran’s taking of an Israeli tanker this morning pushes the entire world closer to the brink of war. At this point, I hope we make it through the weekend.
At the same time, there is every reasonable concern of a domestic act of violence erupting at any time. Every agency head has told Congress the same thing: it’s coming and we’re not sure we can prevent it. That’s heartening, isn’t it, when you’re sending the ones you love out to work in public every day? Sending kids to school was already scary. Between loose gun laws and overly obsessive parents afraid that children will learn too much about things that make their parents insecure, school has been a dangerous place for several years. The danger now extends to anywhere that people gather. Anywhere. Anything you want to do outside your home comes with an increased risk factor and we are each largely helpless to do anything about it.
And we’re supposed to raise happy children in this environment. All we can do is watch and try to stay away from any kind of extremist: religious, political, or ideological.
Maybe I’ll get Tipper a blast suit for her birthday.