Written June 17, 2025
Hello Dear Readers,
Last night, I did my usual weather-check routine—part hopeful planning, part meteorological gambling—and saw a full day of thunderstorms on the forecast. My wife has been saying all year, “There’s so much more thunder and rain lately!” but honestly, to me, this just feels like Nashville being its dramatic self. If Nashville had a personality, it would be that friend who wears flip-flops and carries an umbrella… just in case.
Now, my wife used to live in Ontario, Canada. Up there, thunder rumbles in early spring, then summer arrives with the vibe of a responsible librarian: calm, dry, and polite. You’re lucky if you can water your lawn once a week without breaking into a guilt sweat. We used to live in Oregon, too, where the seasons are basically “rain” and “not-rain.” People just accept that lawns go a bit crispy in the summer—no judgment.
But here in Nashville? It’s a lawn’s fever dream. Hot sun plus relentless rain equals unstoppable weed and grass growth. Our yard is turning into a botanical uprising. I’m half-convinced we’ll find a Venus flytrap next to the mailbox if this keeps up.
With all the thunder talk, I figured mowing would be a no-go today. But lo and behold—no rain when I woke up. I double-checked the forecast (because I’ve been burned before) and saw I had about an hour before the skies opened. Cue the Mission: Impossible theme music. I hustled outside and managed to mow the front yard before the first drops fell. Not bad for a guy dodging lightning bolts with a lawn mower.
Meanwhile, indoors, my wife has been tackling home projects on top of her full-time job—because apparently, she’s secretly five people. Right now, she’s on bathroom renovation duty. We bought a grout remover (a tool that sounds more dramatic than it looks), but she’s still figuring out how to handle it without accidentally turning the tiles into modern art. The machine needs muscle, and she’s being careful—removing grout little by little like she’s defusing a bomb.
I plan to tag in soon and give her a break. I know she hasn’t had much personal time lately—barely any reading for fun, and I haven’t seen her play a game in ages. She keeps saying it’s temporary, and she’ll get back to a better rhythm. I believe her—she’s a master planner when she finally has five minutes to herself.
So, today’s wins: front yard mowed, grout battle halfway managed, and a decent shot at finishing the lawn later this week (Thursday, I’m looking at you). Plus, I’ll handle some grout removal while she’s working. It’s teamwork… with thunder in the background.