Brick...

...and cement and pebbles and boards and shadows all go together to make an interesting pattern. The bricks are the row at the around the bottom of the stairs which used to be filled with river stones. They looked nice but got kicked out of their grooves throughout the patio and became quite dangerous, especially for a man on crutches.  We're very pleased by this new, safer look.

I wouldn't exactly say it rained this morning but everything outside was quite wet. It was all over by the time I got up, but too cold and damp to sit outside at Trail House where we met Maggie and Larry and Larry's little dog, Sadie. She and Spike got on just fine, John got his weekly beer ration of Russian River Brewery Happy Hops, and we came home with just enough time for me to take John home, change out of my Pilates garb and go back the same way to the doctor. 

We are both puzzled as to why my blood pressure is so high in the morning and perfectly normal in the evening, but at least she is willing to spend time with me going over the options. I was able to strike a bargain with her...more aerobic exercise instead of more medication. 

I suspect it is some genetic thing causing it since two grandchildren have more or less the same thing and were diagnosed when they were both teenagers, and I have had it for decades....

I had cardamom cake and chocolates for lunch. 

Thanks to Laurie54 for hosting the mono Monday challenge...