1987 Pine Island July 23 Thursday.

1987 Pine Island: July 23, Thursday.

    Another day of record-breaking heat 98° in the Sault! We had a breeze that became a wild wind in the midafternoon. It flipped up John's yellow dinghy and flung it into the reeds by the marsh. The lifejackets rolled and flopped across the lawn.

     Suzanne came down at noon and delivered some groceries and a bucket of Kentucky fried chicken for supper. Steven and I had said that we did not want tacos, Sloppy Joes, or anything made with buns, hamburgers or wieners. She took Amy home and Michael and Kyle to the ballgame and sailing respectively.

    It was an odd afternoon the water came up very high. The children went to the island swimming then the water became very rough. Steven went out to the gap and said the whitecaps were rolling in the channel.

     Wilf came down to the camp. The heat in the Sault was unbearable he said.  We had supper and the wind stilled. It started to get dark early and Wilf decided to head back into town.

    It is very still not a ripple on the water! Michael and Donna arrived with Kyle and the wind came up, the water in front of the cottage whirled in an arc and the wind and rain and storm were upon us! Chain lightning and fork lightning continuous thunder and a down for of rain!

    John arrived in the back delivering Michael, the storm abated a bit and he took off after helping with the decision on sleeping arrangements. There is always an argument. Tonight Joanna, Rachel and Michael are sleeping in the front room twin beds and the rollaway. Kyle is on the cot in the main room and Steven is on the couch.

There is an apparition in the doorway! Joanna has a headache and needs an aspirin. Rachel has one for a stomachache (She doesn't like storms). The storm is rumbling around and flashing on the horizons.

    An item on the TV has just informed us that the storm centered in the Sault with half the city without power. Wilfred is alone in the house and like Rachel he doesn't like storms either! His upbringing was such that storms meant panic in the house. If they occurred at night everyone was awakened and gathered downstairs. My grandmother was terrified of storms too and prayed and sprinkled us all with holy water. Mother said that in Ireland they all gathered in the open hearth and said the rosary.

    I am just happy to be indoors. We sat on the wide porch tonight and watched the display. It was spectacular! We had to come in because the slanting rain in the wild wind was drenching us. John said that a great blue heron flew across the road and over the truck on the way down along the curve on Lake George near Echo Bay. I wondered if it was our blue Heron or another. Perhaps there are more around this year. Now to get Michael and Kyle settled