Midweek Midday Memes

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

In the summer months the girls and Joe have been playing volleyball on Mondays on an all ages all skill levels mixed team in Michigan. It was a blast the first time I played with them. On Monday I asked Jasmine if she wanted to go play volleyball, as it was her 19th birthday and all. She said yes.

No major plans had been made for the day there had just been a few small gifts bought. I’d considered taking my daughter to Windsor, Canada, just over the Ambassador Bridge, where drinking and gambling is legal at 19. Some of my friends did that for their 19th birthdays but with school starting up it did not seem practical and now she can do that anytime the stars align for her.

I told Jasmine I wanted to be on her team for the volleyball games but we kept on losing. I did tell the other participants that it was her birthday. We finally were in the lead 10-6 on the third game when some clouds covered the late afternoon sun and a downpour came out of nowhere. Volleyball was postponed for rain as everyone sought cover.

“This is a light rain I think it will stop in a minute.” One of the guys said, as a means to keep everyone from packing it up and going home for the night.

The sun began peaking out of the clouds just a minute later. “This is perfect conditions for a rainbow to form.” I said as the rain lessoned.

“I saw a double rainbow once in North Carolina.” He mused back.

“I’ve seen a few of those in Utah and Nevada. But it was years ago.” I said. I’m oddly hard pressed to think of ever having seen a good rainbow form in Thailand.

The rainbow only lasted for a minute, with a slight double one forming above the first. But it was glorious and perfect. Eliza snapped the best picture of it:

Along with a selfie of course of the youngest mixed team volleyball player:

“There’s got to be a pot of gold back there.” One of the other teammates said regarding the rainbow’s ending. Nineteen years before she had been born in a thunderstorm with white lightning streaking chaotically in every direction in the night sky. It seemed as though God had nodded fortuitously at us. Happy birthday Jasmine.

One of the other players slipped out before volleyball resumed again to buy my daughter a birthday cake. It was an incredible gesture and capped off an excellent day. To the shy Virgo whether she likes it or not. Happy Uruguay Independence day.

Random song:

Speaking of birthdays the newest family member of the Las Vegas household was born on my father’s on July 5th in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio. He or she (unnamed as of yet—and suggestions?) has been the best travel kitty ever: alert, curious, hungry and ever playful. My mother has been looking for a kitten since her two cats both died in the past few years of old age. It seems like a perfect fit and has already been to three different US states:

Does clawing my nose in my sleep count as an attack kitty?

Here’s to young blood. Happy Wednesday!

Buy me a ko-fi