As the rain starts, I step to the back door and let the little brown dog back into the house.  She’d been enjoying the cool morning air.  I had broken down and turned on the AC last night, not because it was unbearably hot but because the pressure had dropped, or risen, or whatever it does, and my asthma responded with its own signals:  Too close in here, get us air.  But I rose at six and when I went out to feed the cat, I felt the misty chill of impending rain and threw the windows wide open to capture the delicious wind.

Now I stare at the stacks on the table which I resist perusing:  Appellant’s submissions; respondent’s filings; research; legal file; transcript; notepads.  I have an oral argument in the morning and though I prepared once before now, I’m going to spend the day looking at everything with fresh eyes.  I apologize in advance to any friends whom I might neglect today.  I feel this day of renewed understanding of the record and the applicable law is necessary.  And it’s raining; what better day for staying indoors, playing some classical music on Spotify, and looking over the long history of one of my thankfully few trial losses?  Happy Sunday, every one.