As promised, the rest of the City Museum photos, which only took two days to back up via dysfunctional Spectrum.  See the axolotl?!  The rays were gorgeous.

I’m at Avdi’s to spend the night.  Tomorrow they say it will return to normal hot summer for the duration?  We’ll see.

Words will have to suffice to describe Uncle Robert’s fabulous visit and experiences.

First thing yesterday morning, Avdi showed Robert the museum TRAINS!  I opted out because of the extreme heat, but they got to have their trainscendental moment!

After a break for rest and regrouping, we met at the City Museum.  This time Avdi and I got to initiate Robert!  This is where words fail to describe his first experience!  We let him “lead” the way, and all three of us got fully immersed and engaged in crawling and sliding around in funny positions through dark tunnels and mazes, having a blast.  Robert was astounded and delighted!  We were like kids again.  I saw parts of the museum I’ve never seen, which is normal.  We were unable to make it to the roof, but it was too ghastly hot anyway.  We spent hours there, even after Avdi cut out early to be home for the kids.  Robert and I fully enjoyed and exhausted ourselves.

We adjourned to my apartment to chill and talk for a while, which was equally as nice as all the above.  There was so much to catch up on.

Later, we picked up the Chinese takeout order, and got to talk while waiting–it was a huge order.  Then we did Shabbat blessings and overflowed the table, there were so many of us.  Jess, Stacey, and most of the kids joined us.  To the kids’ credit, they mostly hung around, though tired.

After dinner, for our grand finale, we took Robert to Ted Drewes frozen custard, which also duly impressed him.  Stacey and S joined us.  It was still meltingly hot out, but the typical crowds didn’t mind.

Finally we all dispersed to our various beds, exhausted but happy.  Robert is taking the train to KC to meet Bob today.  It’s back to Cinderella for me, but that’s fine.  I got my fine and worthwhile blood fix for the foreseeable future.

The temp now is 103º, feels like–wait for it–121!?!  It’s almost volcanic.  (“If you’ve made it alive this far…”)

I have a lot more photos than this, but I think backup has heatstroke or something, so this is just a teaser.

“Uncle” Robert arrived yesterday evening, and we all had a long-awaited fantastic reunion.  Everyone got to meet him or reunite.  There’s so much to catch up on.  Some funny stories were recounted.  Robert got to know the kids a little, and hear about some of their experiences.  K/S cooked a wonderful meal for everyone., and Robert brought cake and ice cream.  R finally got to meet Jess, and see Stacey.  I was just soaking up the sense of closure, all the good blood in one room!  It was like an impromptu party.  Loucious was overjoyed.

Today Avdi is taking Robert to the Museum of Transportation to bask in all the trains.  Later, we’re planning to go the City Museum so Robert can experience it.  Erev Shabbat is going to be very condensed to store challot and take out dinner, so we can spend more of the whirlwind visit giving R the mini-tour.  After dinner we hope to get Ted Drewes frozen custard.  Hopefully in all the excitement, I’ll remember to take photos of not just vegetation.

Yesterday I got a clean bill of health on my left eye!!  I’m so excited to get the other one done.

I did extra cleaning at Avdi’s, so hopefully it won’t give “Uncle” Robert a shock!  Today’s the day!  K/S wants to make him (and whoever shows up) a nice dinner tonight, if Robert makes it in time.  Then we have to figure out which one of all the obligatory STL points of interest we can fit into this very short visit.

The garden is really suffering in this extreme heat with no rain in sight, so I watered some of it again.  There are so many kinds of butterflies finally, plus a hummer or two.  It’s hard to get my cam to focus, but you can get the general idea.  Bees, etc. are happily doing their jobs.  The Mex. sunflowers are too high up to get a good pic, but the bflies like them.  I was happy to see the fall crocuses blooming.

There’s a huge, gorgeous owl that lives up in the trees, and often swoops across the back yard right in front of me during the day!  I wish I could get a photo, but alas.  It’s brown speckled, with a large head and tapered body.

Well, back to the “grind” , which I don’t mind.

This time I made sure to have my phone cam.  First, I watered again, as it’s supposed to be a high of 100º and feels like 109º.  Everything really needed more water.  I had to wear my dorky free shades from the eye doctor so I didn’t get blinded by the light.

I made sure I got photos of the Mexican sunflowers soaring into the sun, and the masses of native blue mist flower, which I’m excited about.  The air was fragrant with sweet autumn clematis draping everything.  There are drifts of delicate white allium/garlic chives all over.  The tall forest of yellow silphium is hanging over the path, it’s so heavy, and covered with bees and pollinators.  The red amaranth is drooping over like arches.

The okra has gone wild like a crazed red sculpture garden.  The shade natives area looks like an actual jungle.  The eucalyptus variety I planted in the herb garden has tripled in height, as have the lemon verbena and lemon balm.  It’s pretty fragrant over there.  Pumpkin-like gourds are hanging from fences.  I’m seeing all kinds of butterflies and hummers, enjoying all the flowers.  I could go on and on.  But I won’t.