* Stitches came out today. Into a little plastic jar that is now rolling around some sofa here.

* We bought a new washing machine...and then returned it 8 hours later. T-minus one day and counting until I leave for the tennis tournament and four days until Ollie leaves for camp, and our washing machine had some problem with the hose not draining. Clothes were piling into, if not Everest, at least a K2. After wasting a few hours waiting for phonecalls from service providers who ended up not working on our brand of washer or who would have to wait a week for parts, we weighed the hundreds for a service call against the thousand for a new machine and went for the latter. And then, like a charm, our old washing started working. Yeah, our clothes don't always come out all that clean, and they don't always smell great, but we're $1500 richer for the return.

* Ollie made Champs for the summer dive team. We thought about switching his camp week to week after next, but then realized that he'll be back in time for Champs and he'll have the time open for All-Stars if he makes it that far. Not bad for someone's first year diving. And both Ollie and Frances learned new dives today. Ollie's Reverse is going to premiere at tomorrow night's meet, and Frances is still working on her inward.

* It finally rained. Many times today. Hard at times.

* Ollie and I finished _I Am a Star_ about the Holocaust and Terezin holding camp, and yesterday we finished _Sign of the Beaver_, which is such a great book. We started _Island of the Blue Dolphins_ today. Unfortunately, with me leaving tomorrow and Ollie leaving Sunday, we're not likely to finish it for another 12 days.