Well, I can't let a whole day go by without a post in Natter so: there have been three big, booming claps of thunder in the last couple of minutes, but it is super sunny out the front windows. I'm hoping for a big rainbow (though I have not yet seen any rain; so far only thunder).

That's the exciting, up-to-the-minute news in my neighborhood.

Brendon's sister and boyfriend are visiting and his other sibs and various friends and spouses came to my place today and we did the beach thing.

Tired now.

Beach day sounds nice, though.

I found a local Peace festival to visit. Live music, craft vendors, lots of tattoos and tie-dye. It was fun! No thunder though—I guess that stayed south with you, Steph.

Last night I went to a board game-centric birthday party. (I won a round of 7 Wonders Architects. Go me!) On the way home I saw Jupiter and Venus close together in the sky. Very cool.

I went out to dinner with friends and had ribs, yum. DH was getting over a stomach thing, so he stayed home.

And I just listened to the first in a special hiatus series for The Amelia Priject, which is another fiction podcast I love. I have fallen deep into the audio drama hole. It's awesome.

I'm back from Alembic where I ran into my friends Rowan and Sebastian.

Rowan's birthday is coming up this month and I've been invited:

At the stroke of midnight, as the Friday of SF Pride crests into a fever dream, our darling Rowan completes her third decade of mortal existence. This isn’t a birthday; it’s a coronation.

THE EVENT

We have seized The Alembic from 7 PM to Midnight, transforming it into a sanctum of excess with food and libations flowing like the River Styx. To ensure the vibes are sufficiently legendary, the illustrious Haus of Cream will descend upon us for a private, scintillating drag spectacle designed to bring the house down in Rowan’s honor.

THE THEME

On this auspicious night, we shall peel back the veil. The theme is Dark Fantasy - interpret it with maximum drama or don't bother showing up. We want you dressed like the protagonist of a story that’s probably banned in several states.

Be it a smoke-stained velvet 1920s occultist, a creature of the enchanted dark forest draped in diaphanous silks, or a bejeweled courtesan of a renaissance backstabbing drama, there is only one rule - Dress like the Main Character. If you aren't the most interesting person in the room, you're doing it wrong.

Dress like the Main Character. If you aren't the most interesting person in the room, you're doing it wrong.

I think that's a dress code whose challenge you are well equipped to meet.

Did anyone else watch the Tonys last night? I wasn't surprised, but pretty disappointing to see Ragtime take Best Revival over Jellicle Ball. (Ditto Schmigadoon winning over Two Strangers...it's fine, but could we not have awarded the only ACTUALLY ORIGINAL musical in this category??)

Joshua Henry was all over TikTok/Instagram for his singing of New Music. I didn’t see either Ragtime or Jellico Ball, so I don’t know which is better. But a Henry does have an amazing baritone.

Hec, that party sounds like it will be amazing.

The family (13 of us) gathered poolside yesterday. I stayed in the shade while the northerners and kids played in the pool. There was a variety of food stuffs, but best was SIL's coconut tequila with cranberry mango juice with a side of pretzel chips and hot honey hummus.

My watch this morning said I slept almost 9 hours, "but not well enough to bring your stress levels down overnight". You would think lounging by the pool for multiple hours wouldn't be stressful, and yet.