Picked the eldest son up at his favorite coffee shop (and our town's only) yesterday, and then dropped him off for a quick errand.

Happened to be in the same building as the wife's office.

The wife whom the heeler sisters, who were along on this ride, had not seen for two days. And they know where her office is.

So, naturally, they were a little excited. (And hungry, I assume. The little maskless one doesn't eat her dinners when the wife, her Alpha, is gone.) After a few minutes, it occurred to me I could check on something in that building, as well. (A book sale. Got a great hardback 1958 "Quick reference" for 10 cents. Should be great on the New York Times Sunday crossword.) So, it was probably 40-45 minutes before we came back out.

Sans wife.

Heeler sisters were visibly disappointed.

Not so much because she didn't come home with us, but because we males were so stupid!

"She's in that building. She's always in that building at this time of day. How can you be in there so long and not find her?

Needless to say, neither one slept with me last night.

And they're sleeping with their Alpha right now.

So, the wife finally gets home this evening. Heeler sisters and I are waiting in her office parking lot. The little maskless one is dumbfounded to see the wife arrive in another car. Her outfit's car.

"When did she get a new car? And why haven't we ridden in it?"

But that's not the point today.

The point is this...

I keep forgetting to take the camera along on routine trips to town. Missing the beautiful reflections at the new golf course's pond. Missing the huge plume of smoke from the fire on the east end of town yesterday (the ATV place went up in, well, smoke).

And today, as we waited in the parking lot, I looked up to see the brightest rainbow I'd seen in a long time. Well, months, at least. Half a rainbow, anyway.

Wife says it was a full double for them along the flats north of town. Her with no camera, either.

So, we get home, and the rainbow is faint, a coloured stub in the southeast sky.

The wife makes some comment about grabbing the camera and chasing it.

So we do.

Go east and south, and it disappears. Turn west again, and we get the bright stub back. But, it might get better, so we don't stop for any shots.

We turn south.

About five miles south of town, I can see the rainbow is gone for good. The thundercloud has risen, and is starting to thin out. No raindrops to break up the sunlight.

But the wife has been talking nonstop all this time. The longest conversation we've had in, literally, 20 days.

And yeah, she looks great, sitting in the seat beside me again. When I can see her over the heeler backs.

So, I keep driving. Bearing in mind we had just over half a tank of gas to start with. And hear all about her conference, and her playing magic assistant. And the comedian who magnetically adheres a Starbucks coffee cup to the roof of his car, just to watch people react and try to warn him.

And the fashion show, with models 70 years old.

(By the way, for those few who knew... she didn't get the promotion. But is content with who did become her new boss.)

Finally, 13 miles from town, she notices our rainbow cloud is gone.

And the heelers get their running/crapping break in the sage. At one of our usual stops.

The wife in a panic because the hillside is steep, and the masked one almost blind now.

And because I drive her SUV like I'm in a truck. Right up to the edge.

So. No rainbows. But still a fun chase.