My wife is still asleep while I peck away at the keyboard. The dark rain clouds are conducive for snoozing, while Tally is in no hurry to go to the dog park, knowing that it would entail putting on her rain suit again. I already had her outside for a quick one earlier, so she’s content with a lazy Thursday morning. I fought the wind and rain to get my mile in this morning. It was great with the breeze at my back but a struggle running into it. One car braved the conditions that could have been a lot worse. Hurricane Nicole stuck the east coast last night and is making her way northwest. Fortunately, we are not in the path, so I’m sure our insurance agent, also named Nicole, is relieved. I already have a call into Nicole from Ian’s recent damage, but she is already apparently so busy that she’s yet to get back with me. 

We have a busy social week coming up, including a party tomorrow night, “Meet the Neighbors” pitch-in on Saturday, Sunday brunch with recent acquaintances, “Matinee Monday,” and a Tuesday cocktail party. I’ll also have a chiropractor appointment, tooth cleaning, blood donation to make, and a much anticipated service call from the refrigerator repairman. I also planned to pick up my grandson from school this afternoon, but classes were cancelled in lieu of Nicole. I’m feeling lucky that the storm is nothing more than lots of rain and wind. I don’t thing it’s enough to bring down more trees, power lines, and roof tiles in our neighborhood.

I started watching Power of the Rings yesterday and joined my wife last evening for the season finale of Handmaid’s Tale. We then got through another episode of The Bear before I sat through the final half  of the I.U. soccer victory over highly-touted Maryland. The Terps had stolen the regular season conference title from the Hoosiers on a last minute tying goal. “Revenge was a dish served just ten days later,” as I.U. now moves on to the BIG Championship game against Rutgers on Sunday. It’s a record-tying sixth straight year that they’ve advanced to the tourney title match. Hoosier basketball action against Bethune-Cookman is on my calendar for tonight, but tomorrow’s expected football massacre against Ohio State should probably best be ignored. Nonetheless, Go Big Red!