Washed clean

After several days of hot and sticky weather, strong storms blew through Friday and Saturday. The drenching downpours cleared the air, making this morning’s early walk with Sienna heavenly – cool and dry. It’s good to see light, too. The old house stays pretty dark inside and, since it was either too oppressively hot outside or too stormy, I was beginning to get light deprived. One thing I love about my condo is the light – large windows and high ceilings with skylights keep it light and airy, which always improves my mood.

Yesterday afternoon, in the rain, M made the relatively short trip up to Chelmsford and then we drove to see “Maria Full of Grace.” It’s about a young woman who becomes a drug mule as a way out of the bleak prospects of life working at a Columbian flower plantation. It’s harrowing at times, but a fascinating look at one immigrant’s dangerous journey to New York. The Columbian actress playing Maria gives a subtle performance as a quietly determined young woman who is uneducated but sharp enough to size up situations pretty clearly. But will her instincts and enough luck get her through? You pull for her all the way.

We watched some of the Olympics when we got back from seeing the movie. Sienna put M to work tugging on a rubber ring that looked suspiciously like one of the Olympic rings, then I put him to work trying to get the damn kinks out of my neck and trapezius that I’m still suffering from. The worst part was that it hurt the most whenever I laughed, and M was being particularly silly. Feeling somewhat better today. When I got home, I watched the last hour of the very exciting women’s marathon. Frontrunner Mizuki Noguchi of Japan was challenged in the final stretch by Kenyan Catherine Ndereba (a three-time Boston Marathon winner). The favorite, Britain’s Paula Radcliffe, dropped out in tears with 3 or 4 miles to go. And American Deena Kastor surprised everyone by coming from behind to take the bronze. Very inspiring, Were it not for this pain in the neck, bad knees, tight calf…

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