Monsoon.
...so of course the major road that led to the noodle place was flooded and blocked, and traffic around that area was an unholy mess, such that it took us nearly twenty minutes to go half a mile, with the Jeep threatening to overheat the whole freaking way.
But only threatening.
Anyway, got to the noodle place, ate a late lunch, went the last 1.5 miles to the cat place, and then waited an hour to pick him up. Got there at 3:05, left with Smudge at 4:05. What the fuck.
And then drove through a major downpour all the way home, me trying not to bite my nails over the panicky phone call from Mrs. Fungus' mother about the funnel cloud sighted over the Fungal Vale.
When we got home everything was normal, except that Joe's yard has a pond in it. Turned out that the funnel cloud was sighted at least four miles southeast of the bunker, and since weather moves from southwest to northeast here, it was never a threat to the bunker.
The back yard is a swamp and the sump pump is running every ten minutes, of course.
Anyway, Smudge is fine, we're home safe and dry, and the only possible place I have to go this weekend now is to the store for basic supplies. So, F it.
* * *
So, while waiting for my ramen I happened to see the news that SpaceX is planning to try orbiting a Starship next month.
That's the big test where they're intending to have it land near Hawaii--still no info on whether they mean a fractional orbit, or a complete orbit with subsequent landing.
Regardless, awesome.
By the way--China's talking about building a big rocket which looks surprisingly like Starship and its booster.
Someone tell Fred Reed this is what "Chinese ingenuity" looks like: stealing whatever they can from Americans.
* * *
The forecast is "rain" as far as the eye can see. Until Friday, when it turns to "clear and cool".
I don't think I'll have to worry about having the pool put up by the 4th this year. *sigh*