Fruits of our Labor

This is one of the cantaloups from the garden. They are so sweet - nice and jucy.  There are about 12 out there getting ripe.   Problem is, once they are ripe something is eating them.  I find a whole cantaloup with part of the skin broken off and the inside hollowed out.  I think maybe it's rabbits - the deer would be eating more than cantaloups.  So now I watch every morning and rescue those that are barely ripe.  After all, the rabbits did not work at preparing the soil, planting, weeding, etc.  so why should they think they get the fruit?   I'm excited to plant next year in a bigger area - once the outter fence is up - so I can have more cantaloup plants, and some watermelons, pumpkins etc.  The space I have not does not welcome large, vining plants.  The peppers, however, are very happy!

Danny's BooBoo

Danny and Greg were unloading a pallet jack from the back of Greg's truck.  It took a lot of pulling,  and then suddenly came out fast - right onto Danny's let.  Pretty scary!  Danny had a hard time walking for a while, and it's still all black and blue.  In fact, the picture was taken a week after the accident.  Still, it hasn't stopped his golf game.  He played 36 holes the day after I took this picture.

Just Hitching A Ride...

The other day I was in the garage when Beezer came out to his car to head to work.  He jumped back out of his car and started banging his hat on the ground - and the scorpion just kinda fell out and started crawling.  Beezer stomped him - the picture is what is left of the scorpion.   Gee, all he wanted was barbecue, right?  After all, when you work at Salt Lick lots of "folks" want to hitch a ride.   Or maybe he liked Beezer's haircut...

No More GusGus

Sadly the little doggie that we enjoyed for a few days went back home.  His previous owner decided they couldn't stand to part with him after all.  It felt really great to have a dog in the house and now it feels pretty empty.  Maybe Danny will agree to look around for another......

Meet GusGus

Ike's been gone for a year.  I decided it's about time to get another friend.  Terri DeLeon is moving to an apartment and her Chiweenie was looking for a new home - so I brought him home to meet Danny.  Suprise!! He likes him.  Of course he thought of a few different names for the little guy, but we're sticking to Gus Gus.  Pretty much potty trained, hyper but settles down fast, and loves everyone.  It will be strange having a tiny dog for a change, but I'm sure I'll love him just as much.  Tyson was hoping Charlie would love him enough to claim him for Tyson, but no chance on Charlie wanting a dog.  So Tyson and I will share him - with Danny - at my house.

Chilly Danny?

Austin in August is HOT HOT HOT, but we did have a fairly cool day. Danny got a big chilly in the A/C after playing golf in the rain, and decided this funny hat was just what he needed to warm up.  I just happened to be visiting the office that day so of course I got a picture.

Washington DC

Danny and I took a late anniversary trip to our nation's capitol.  I was sick the first two days and couldn't leave the room - which worried Danny but at least he got to see the golf tournament.  We visited the capitol and took a tour, toured Mt. Vernon - home of George Washington, and drove around Annapolis.  Missed out on seeing the Temple.  Being sick took a chunk of time out of our trip.  We did, however, get to eat turtle soup and yes, it's as good as I remember from over 14 years ago.   We also ate Indian food but missed the chance to visit the Ethiopian restaurant.  Our hotel, the Saint Gregory,  had a life size Marilyn Monroe in the foyer.  What more could a guy ask for?

Froggie Update

If  you've been waiting for a frog egg update - sorry.  The poor little guys went the way of the garbage disposal.  It was an accident - I promise.  Charlie was being a good frog mommie and changing the water around the eggs.  She put them in the sink, with the stopper in place, while she cleaned their bottle, but OOPS.  The stopper was not as in place as she thought.  The little guys (and girls) slipped down the drain.  Poor little potential froggies.  Charlie has asked me to watch for more eggs so they can watch them turn into tadpoles/frogs - without the trip down the drain.

To Pre-wash or not to Pre-wash

Recently Amanda asked me about pre-washing dishes before putting in the dishwasher.  I never do.  She doesn't.  But it caught my interest so I did some research.  If anyone tells you that you need to pre-wash, tell them they're old school. There were over 24,000 web sites that said don't do it.  One site:  oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/scitech/4h2o/dirtydishes.pdf   actually as a chart so you can see what you are wasting if you pre-wash.  

I feel justified in my laziness about dishes now.   If only I could find web sites that say the dishes can just sit around in the sink.............

Sometimes Tyson has sooo much energy.....

Aubry and I went to watch  the boys the other night after Savior of the World - the theater is in Kyle,  just a  few  miles from Charlie's  house.  Tyson was bragging about his fighting skills.  Looks like Aubry won.

One More Joy of Having a Pool

Today Tyson found a black spot on the steps of the pool.  I asked him what  it is  - he said he'd clean it off  for me.  He  picked it up and YUCK!  Gooey,  jello-like frog eggs.  Of  course we had to save them so Charlie - I mean Tyson -  could have the joy of watching them hatch.  I just wonder what they'll do with  hundreds of little frogs.........  at  least they won't have  a problem with flys.

Movies

We saw Batman:Dark Knight tonight.  INTENSE.  Not your "feel good" movie - but well done and certainly brings out emotions.  The complete other side of the coin is Mama Mia - fun, happy, and who knew Pierce Bronson could sing????  Well, sort of.  I guess there are all sorts of choices we make - sometimes dark, sometimes happy.  I think I will let Danny go to the Batman type in the future and I'll stick to the musicals.

Cow Update

11 babies so far.  Danny is going to upload pictures for me to post here.  Just 7 more to go.  And Danny got two of our "girls" back from the neighbor's farm.   Just one more skittish cow to go.  He's headed back next week to see if we can entice her to come home.

Savior of the World

These last few months have been crazy, busy and amazing.  The stake decided to put on the musical "Savior of the World", using the YW/YM program.  Salt Lake did it with adults and professionals and the church only recently released rights for stakes to put on the play.  I watched kids gripe about having to have song practice, try to sneak out, hide in the bathrooms, or just stay home when they knew that the youth program for the night would be SOTW practice.  Finally, this week, they met at the Kyle Performing Arts Center for practice on the actual stage, with props and everything.  I worked with the kids - mainly keeping the "angels" from getting into trouble while those with speaking parts were practicing.  It was hot, the kids were fussy, and the first few days of the week  were no fun.  Then the audience came to watch.  Those kids were wonderful.  I worked the first three performances and finally got to sit in the audience today - I used up many tissues.  I think the thing that touched me the most was watching the change that came over the youth.  They were so moved by what they were doing.  The first day of actual shows was hard, the second almost ran itself - those kids WERE angels, apostles, disciples, townspeople, Mary, Joseph etc.  Only for the moment, but they were so into the story they were telling, and the audience really felt it.  I'm pretty proud of my youth.  You would never have known that the little shepherd with the beautiful clear, high voice was a holy terror on Sundays in class.  And that Peter bar Johan was a junior in high school, and Mary Magdalen will be a sophomore next year. Only Christ was played by an adult.  Way to go kids!