1) The deficiencies in weather reporting continue becoming apparent. Earlier today I began hearing thunder, and then what sounded like hail. I looked outside and it was clearly raining, and then began raining hard. Radar showed absolutely nothing within an hour of us. After the rain stopped, a cell suddenly appeared on radar over us, and then was predicted to move east, joining up with the cell that had previously been a small area north of us. My partner reported he had been driving through hail for a few minutes as he headed home.

Fortunately it was only rain and brief hail, but it certainly explains how our event last week came out of nowhere.

2) Repair update today was frustrating. It was a hectic morning. My partner had to go do a site visit for work, and then he had a dance lesson to teach after, so he had to eat and head out early. He'd been gone for about 20 minutes when I got a call from our property manager that she needed to come in with a guy from insurance before the drywall people arrived. Since it was half an hour before we were told the drywall people would start, I was still finishing up exercising and not dressed!

But it was lucky she did because the drywall people had arrived 15 minutes early and she had to stop them from coming in while the insurance adjustor took photos and inspected the damage. After she left, the workers came in but nothing happened.

They were very clear yesterday that today they would simply be opening up the walls and airing them out before installing new drywall tomorrow. Instead they got absolutely nothing done in the 15 minutes after they arrived before heading back out to their truck as it started raining. After half an hour the office called me to say they didn't want to bring in drywall when it was raining -- which makes perfect sense if that's what they were supposed to be doing. But I see no reason why they couldn't take it out.

Instead it was two hours after they first arrived that they even got drop sheets down, then they took what might have been a lunch break before coming back to remove the drywall. And that took only an hour, after which they said they'd be back sometime the next day to install the new stuff.

The problem was that they had not opened the wall at all, which they'd agreed with the property manager that they would. The wall showed some water stains but it's possible it was all dry by now. Regardless, I doubt they will be back tomorrow because the entire afternoon has a severe weather warning, so if they didn't want to work in today's rain, they sure won't tomorrow.

3) We finished watching Dune Prophecy and I liked it a lot. It almost amazes me that it was only 6 episodes because they seemed to pack so much into stories from multiple time periods.

I really liked the way I could see elements tying into the future Dune stories, and this was a show which had the same level of attention to visuals as the films have had. It seemed all of a piece with that verse.

I also really enjoyed the political intrigue, the personal alliances, the random things that went wrong and changed plans, and seeing how the young women had developed. To some degree I think the characters were less characters than pieces on a board to tell a certain story. That is to say, that what got sacrificed in this plot heavy short season was wider development of the characters. We only truly get to know the Harkonnen sisters. But speaking of that, I think they did a remarkable job of casting the younger and older roles, particularly Emily Mortimer's younger self.

I imagine we'll get to know other characters more deeply in a 2nd season, and as this season ended on a fascinating reveal, I want to see that explored.

4) Sweden versus Tunisia. Sweden's first goal seemed to emphasize that a keeper should not be way out of their goal unless absolutely necessary. He should have left the defense to his defenders. As a result there was just one defender standing in the goal as the ball went by.

Tunisia's first attempt on goal was of the soaring over the net variety. By contrast, Sweden's second goal was so quick I didn't even see it until the replay. There was no pass, just a far shot into the corner.

The difference in team capabilities just became more obvious. I was amused, though, by Sweden's corner kick at 32 minutes. I don't think I've ever seen a group of players so tightly clustered in front of the goal. All they needed was a clown car.

However Tunisia still had surprises in store. At 42 minutes Tunisia got a goal from far out past defenders. A great shot and a perfect little intercepting head tap to get it in goal. Why they didn't get that guy to do the goal kick later, I have no idea.

Sweden's third goal came via a simple steal as Tunisia was heading back out of goal and were just too careless about the Swedish player placement. The keeper tried to rush the player and left the goal open, although he had already been fairly far out just delivering the ball so it was a logical effort to smother a kick.

Tunisia wasted their next set piece, and with lots of time still to play things were not looking good for them. At 83 minutes, Sweden's sub got a goal. The offside argument after that seemed odd to me, given the cluster of players. But it went in Sweden's favor anyway. At 87 minutes the keeper finally kept the Swedish goal out. He was standing in goal too.

Sweden's final goal was a nice shot from distance. Overall, Sweden would have won regardless of the Tunisian keeper. But the goal differentiation would have been smaller: three to one instead of five to one.

Saudi Arabia versus Uruguay. The keeper took care of the first corner from Uruguay and defended well against the second goal attempt. Good attempt with the header from Uruguay but fast reaction from the Saudi Arabian keeper. Nice play.

The Uruguayan keeper got to return the favor around 38 minutes. Then at 40 minutes, the Uruguayan keeper was defeated by a second shot after he had deflected the first. Good follow up by Saudi Arabia, but unfortunate lack of marking by Uruguay.

No joy for Uruguay at 44 minutes as the keeper kept one out and kept out another at 46. Neither was a particular challenge to him though.

The one in 45 minutes could have gone in had he been less attentive though. Yet another save at 53 minutes, and all the effort by Uruguay had yet to yield a result. He deflected a shot at 59 minutes and one of his defenders cleared it before Uruguay had a second chance. He took care of the wall kick at 66 minutes as well.

He was finally defeated at 79 minutes, when he again deflected, but this time the Uruguayan player escaped his marker and shot the rebound in goal.

Saudi Arabia had a chance for more around 86 minutes but couldn't get a clear enough shot for accuracy. At 90 minutes the Saudi Arabian keeper saved them from another goal. He was an absolute lion for them. Yet another save at 92 minutes!

Knowing nothing other than the national team reputations, I would have expected Uruguay to have an advantage. But these teams seemed well matched. I wonder if the story of this Cup won't be that of defense by smaller teams getting them far into the tournament.

Belgium versus Egypt. Similarly, I did not expect Egypt to have the first goal in their game. A great shot in between two of the defenders and to the right of the keeper. Great way to start the game, even if it did come19 minutes in.

32 minutes in, Egypt had a chance but sent it too wide. Belgium was definitely getting nervous, because at 33 minutes they did not one but two sliding tackles to prevent a goal run.

The Egyptian keeper saved them at 52 minutes. And 54 minutes. Belgium tried hard to get something going early in the second half, but kept being stymied. At 61 minutes they took another shot on goal but it went just wide. A quick repeat ended up in the hands of the keeper.

Egypt failed to get a second goal at 64 minutes when it was deflected, but they had few chances during the half because of all of the attacks on their goal. Belgium finally got their goal at 65 minutes though, when two of their players managed to outrun the Egyptian defenders and shot from right in front of the goal. They tried it again at 72 minutes but this time the keeper was on it.

As everyone crowded up to the Egyptian goal, their keeper managed to punch kicks away twice at 82 minutes. At 83 minutes Egypt might have had a chance for a second goal, but there was too thick a cluster of defendants. After that there were a couple more attempts that went nowhere and that was the game.