Today we are staying cool indoors. The boys and I went to the library to see Unique Derique, a clown/juggler. Last week Daniel and I went to see Norman Ng and he was fantastic! We've been swimming every day this week. This month we are probably using a ton of energy on the A/C, but WE HAVE SOLAR!! Our total electric bill for the last 12 months was $145. For information, read Tim's post here. Tim is still on crutches, so today in the yard I added edging along with the mowing and it took forever. Not like the guys that come in and edge and mow your lawn in about 5 minutes. My tomatoes are getting ripe, but they are still pretty small. At least this year I have tomatoes instead of just bare tomato plants. Next year, we'll work on getting them a little bigger. Daniel and I found an enormous tomato worm last week and we named him Heimlich (like the one on Bug's Life). Before we found it, Daniel said I was the "finder" of tomato worms and he was the "smasher." But when he saw how big it was, he said I could smash it.

Ode to Bermuda Grass
Long, trailing vines.
Rooting indiscriminately
among the fescue.
Shoots of seed
waiting to be blown in the wind.
Your ugly blades growing
all directions.
You trail like a snake
along the cement and dirt.
Why can't you be pretty
like the tall, staunch fescue?
It grows and stays
where it was planted.
So soft and orderly,
not haphazard and gnarly.
Bermuda, go away.

Ode to Spurge

Oh spurge you are the perfect weed,

You make me feel that I'll succeed

in ridding you out of my yard

but you are, in fact, extremely hard.

You pop up in the dirt and lawn

and don't need any water drawn.

I pull and pull and hoe away

and you come back the very next day!

You hide the ants under your flowers

that ooze with sticky milky powers.

But just at OSH today I spied

a postemergent while passing by.

I'll have to give that drink a shot

When it is not so dreadfully hot!

Que Pasa?
This week Michael is in Ohio with Nana and Papa to visit his cousins. Daniel has been a little bored but we have been trying to keep him busy. It has been hard since Tim can't walk or drive, so they have been playing lots and lots of Sorry. Saturday I mowed the lawn for the first time (I've mowed a lawn before, just not at this house). Tim usually likes to do it, well maybe not "likes," but it makes him proud to have a good looking lawn to play on. So I tried my best not to butcher it. One day, Daniel got tired of waiting for us to play with him, so he sat down on a pile of blankets while he waited. He started to get quieter and quieter, and before we knew it, he was asleep in this pile of blankets next to the couch. Pretty cute!

One other thought... Does anyone actually enjoy shopping at Walmart here in California? I was there the other day to get school supplies. Sharing the aisle with someone else, we were both interrupted by a man pushing a large floor cleaning machine. Now, we were not loitering, we were not acting bored, WE WERE SHOPPING. It was the afternoon, it was not closing time. He actually asked us, mid-reach for product, to please leave the aisle so he could clean the floor. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I am here to spend money and you want me to leave? It's not like the floor was slippery or crunchy. It was dirty, but what floor in Walmart isn't? So this man proceeds to walk the machine down the aisle that he just kicked us out of, followed by a lady with a dry mop. Then as this other customer and I try to go back to shopping, they wave and say that no, they have to come back. So we back up again, and they push the machine around again, and dry mop again, and then the man takes a "caution" sign and starts fanning the floor. Let me tell you, I was so excited to shop on a clean floor! So I calculated the extra 5 miles plus time it takes than just to go to Target, and figured I had to have a savings of $6 over the same stuff, had I gone to Target in the first place. But, I hear the Midwest Walmarts are actually clean and a nice place to shop. I'll stick with Target. Hello. Goodbuy.

Foot Surgery

Tim is recovering from foot surgery to remove a damaged "neuroma" between his 3rd and 4th toe on his right foot. It was very unfortunate that I forgot to take my camera to the surgery place or else you would have had a great shot of Tim in a hospital gown with a shower cap on. But here is his foot.

What a great way to spend a 111 degree day! Inside, feet propped up, a nice dose of vicodin, and a handful of DVDs. Speaking of... Did you see Casino Royale? Finally saw it, and a bit disappointed. Not really a typical James Bond movie. Even from the opening credits it was very unstereotypical. Usually there are so many subplots and strategies that I can't keep up with it on the first viewing. This one was pretty shallow... I mean, why would M reveal to us in one sentence at the end of the movie what could have been an interesting subplot. It was filled with too much Texas Hold'em obviously playing to the increased popularity. And what about the missing Q?? Oh, there were so many omissions, I hope Ian doesn't turn over in his grave. Please, "Bond 22" don't let me down next year! And leave out the torture scene written by someone's 14 year old son!!

Independence Day

Our day started off with yardwork and a pancake breakfast. Tim stayed home to work in the yard before it got over 100 degrees and while he could still use his foot before surgery. I took the boys to the North Fresno Church pancake breakfast at Woodward Park.

Then it was time to make apple pie. Daniel helped with the crust.

That evening we had an all-American dinner with Tim's parents and then watched the fireworks outside of Buchanan stadium. Michael was extremely worried about something catching on fire and hoped everyone would be safe. We barbecued chicken, had corn on the cob, baked beans, watermelon, garlic bread and salad.

Sailing at Hume

Last weekend we went to Hume with Tim's family in town from Ohio. Tim took all the kids out on his cat (not all at the same time-that would sink it) and they had a great time! Even without a jib!

We had fun at Sandy Cove while the kids took turns on the cat.

They built lakes with dams, rivers, sandcastles, and blew bubbles.