1. En route home after a beautiful week based in Radium Hot Springs in the stunning Canadian province's of British Virgin.

2. Feeling quite dizzy as I seemed to be coming download with the bad cold my husband had last week. Looking forward to getting home and unpacked. Seeing occasional Trump signs as we drive through the red parts of our state is not helping.

3. Bemused by the huge focus on the gorilla story here. I wish it hadn't happened but it is hard to see how it could have been foreseen. I wish there had been no gaps in the zoo enclosure of course.

Coming down. Stupid spell check.

1. Our baby is now one month old, and we've actually managed to have a pretty social weekend, between hosting yesterday's D&D game, attending an IRL Mefi lunch in our neighborhood, and having two close friends over for a very low-key, low-impact dinner tonight.

2. After being banished from the crib, changing table, and Rock-n-Play, our orange tabby has claimed the "Boppy" pillow as his own, and we've decided to let him have it.

3. I was out in the backyard earlier, clearing out some major overgrowth coming over the neighbor's fence (the house is uninhabited), when I realized with a start that I was gripping a large vine of poison ivy with my bare hands, and about 10% of the overgrowth I'd cleared were poison ivy vines. This was followed by about 45 minutes of frantic decontamination (showering, rubbing alcohol on affected areas, collecting all contaminated clothing and bedding items and throwing them in the laundry on high heat). Should be OK now, and no rash has broken out yet (it can take hours). Still, I'm still kind of terrified of touching the baby, even though I'm sure I've rid myself of all the poison ivy oil.

Senyar, I had a similar experience once on a plane when I couldn't get my ears to pop while suffering from a cold. I cried and begged the heartless flight attendants to compel the pilot to return to a comfortable altitude, I was eleven and out of my head with pain. I thought my ears would start bleeding it hurt so bad.

Duffell, congrats on the baby! But what a horror on the poison ivy, my nephew came in contact with that devil weed last week, and every day it seems like a new rash pops up on his little body. I hope you were able to get all the oil off you!

1. We just got home ourselves, after spending a long weekend in Virginia Beach visiting family.
2. Saturday we went Colonial Williamsburg, which I had never seen before. Hamilton has awakened in me a desire to read all the things regarding the Revolutionary War period, and I am deep into colonial American history, so I geeked way out in Williamsburg. I was astounded by how many international visitors we encountered - it is really cool that so many people think Colonial Williamsburg is a worthy destination. I know it's not really that great of a 'living history' museum, but all things considered, it's pretty neat to visit.
3. Yesterday it rained all day, but it cleared up long enough to head down to the beach to listen to a band and fling the frisbie around.

I am tired and still recovering from a weeks-long cold, so I feel all your sick pains.

I worked at my weekend retail job which was extremely hectic. Sunday after work I went to my Mom's to see my nephew and his family who are visiting. They live in Colorado so this is my first time getting to know their youngest.

Nephew's godfather was down for weekend visiting and stayed at my place since all berths were full at my mom's. Nice visit too.

Today has been a day of downtime for me spent reading a great book sent to me for my birthday!

Tomorrow will be back at mom's to take her to doc appointment and visit with everyone while they are in town.

If we're lucky, the weather will cooperate and the whole crew will get to watch a sea turtle release. (Cold-stunned turtles that are cared for at a the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital until they are ready to return to the wild.)

1. Graded final exams and graded courses.
2. Dug holes in the garden to plant shrubberies.
3. Played music as part of group "Your Parents."
4. Visited non-colonial Williamsburg Brooklyn for lunch with friend.
5. Played 3-minute blitz chess in Tompkins Square Park.

1. Wrangled a sick friend to urgent care on Saturday and then, once they transferred him via ambulance to the hospital, sat with him until they found him a bed, by which point it was nearly 3am Sunday. Went back yesterday afternoon to visit. I think he'll be okay, but he's not doing so well. I hope his distant family sends an emissary to help look after him once he's released.

2. Today, did some determined housecleaning to avoid worrying about the above friend plus two other people -- a cousin and an ex -- who aren't in great shape either, physically and emotionally.

3. Bought some new Topo running shoes. Hoping that the space in the toe box helps prevent the blazing sensation after 3-4 miles that's been keeping me from running more than I do.

1. Attended an anime convention one day, and ferried the niece back and forth the other days. Went to a couple of incredibly good craft panels while I was there, which inspired us to work on DragonCon costumes. (and possibly learn how to mold things!)

2. Caught up on some tidying around the house and laundry - I've been out of town twice in the past two weeks for work, so it was really nice to get a chance to clean things up a bit.

3. The bunny has been particularly snuggly lately, perhaps because I was out of town, so it's been nice to catch up with him.

4. They are closing all the Hancock Fabrics near us, but they opened a Jo-Ann Fabrics closer than I have ever had one, and they're having pattern sales this week, so we stopped by, and will be back a couple of times for the other brands.

1. Holiday weekend was the last weekend of my vacation, so today I am back at work with a very bad attitude. Very bad.

2. I now have a large radio antenna in my back yard that attaches to the shortwave radio in my living room. I can pick up things as far away as Australia.

3. There are lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, oregano, basil, and tomatoes in my vegetable beds.

1. Visited New Hope, PA on Saturday. Kids loved the Children's Museum, the railroad, and hanging with grandma and uncle.

2. Finally hit up the new pool we joined. It's lovely and the kids are enjoying themselves.

3. Two of the families in my congregation are facing difficult tragedies. My emotions are sapped.

1. Trying to gear-up for a long road trip to NW Kansas (a.k.a. The Billiard Table of the Gods) to bury my father-in-law. We're driving with my brother-in-law, who just had knee-replacement surgery and will have to stop and exercise the new knee every 1.5 - 2 hours. That's going to make for a very long drive. We leave Friday morning.

2. Trying to find anything that doesn't suck among the tv shows and movies that are included with your Amazon Prime subscription. Good lord. It's like the graveyard for grade-F shows. We need some entertainment during the aforementioned Kansas trip.

3. Just realized there will be no chance of grabbing a nice cold beer at any time during the Kansas trip. Poop.