Speechless, Summer Schedule, Summer Evening

1. Daughters two and four are getting ready to go to the pool. Number two emerges from the hallway and says, "What do you think of my new European bikini top? Sha-BAM!" There is a moment of stunned silence and then all three of us double over in laughter.
1.a. Every woman should announce herself with "Sha-BAM!"
2. Tess and I sit amiably in the family room each reading our respective books. We don't care to have dinner any time soon, so we just keep reading.
3. I visited briefly with the neighbors on their porch this evening. It was our porch for one year when we rented that house and the porch was my favorite room. It faces such a way as to catch every little evening breeze. It also has a beautiful view of the valley spread before it.
3.a.They were waiting for the appearance of the bear who has come every evening to eat from the apple tree, but it didn't come this night. Their Border Collie chased it last night so it might be afraid to come back.
3.b. As I crossed the horse field to the neighbor's, Vander Bandy and Seniorita galloped towards me. Empty-handed, I quickly plucked some apples off the tree and tossed them as a treat. I like the crunching sound of a horse eating an apple.