It's 9:00 and only 74*, we're all loving this cooler weather. Thank you for the break, Lord. Ricky and the boys left early to go fishing. I hope they have a good catch. We're planning to visit Mother after they get home. Not sure what they will want to do after that. I've given them options and let them choose. Clay could happily spend hours just playing with his Legos. He goes into a state of intense concentration, unaware of anything else going on around him. I can do that when I'm painting. I worry that he's isolating himself, but people have said the same about me. It's a very peaceful place, so I don't begrudge him that, and all his other needs are met, so he's ok. He's not being compared unfavorably to his younger brother, and his parents seem to accept him the way he is, a very unique and brilliant individual. Their parenting style is a little more enlightened than mine or my parents' style was. Benji isolated himself a good bit with his books, preferring to read for long periods of time while the other children were doing other things. Maybe it's a family trait.

All 4 dogs are asleep while the boys are out. Gus and Jay-Jay were even reluctant to get up this morning, very unusual for them. It's funny to watch Maggie herd them when they're running. Jay-Jay is not used to being outrun and having his direction determined by another dog. It's quite frustrating for him.



Rick just called to say Clay is still the only one who's caught any fish. I'm glad he's the one, if there had to be just one. Cooper excells at so many things already, Clay needed some bragging rights, too. Mary Ann and I are going out there to see the baby and the new house.