That week the air conditioner went out, the garbage disposal didn’t work, the windows wouldn’t open (rusted shut), and there was a strange smell, something old and rotten, leaking out of the pipes outside. It was the first week I’d spent in the house, though still it remains probably the most pleasant. A heavy fan, followed by the changes brought on by a Blue Norther, made the July heat less intense. On our way back from walking the dog, we all watched the sky change, a deep blue rolling heavily across the plains. In a matter of minutes it swept us up into its torrent, leaving us soaked, stripping together in the back, next to my washer.

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