nightly guitar

this is the new almost-nightly ritual. ethan has been reading the little house series to the kids. in the book pa plays the fiddle at night for his family. ethan and maria decided it would be cool if he played the guitar at night before the kids went to bed. they love listening to him play and i love that ethan is (1) developing a talent and (2) creating lasting memories for our family.

what the . . .?

boy, people will try to sell just about anything nowadays. this is in our local classifieds right now.

Push lawn mower Runs okay sometimes catches fire, easily put out with garden hose. $45.

interesting bit of news

apparently it can be handy to be obese. this was in our paper today:

Aug 8, 9:26 PM EDT Obese Texas inmate hides gun in his flabs of fat

HOUSTON (AP) -- An obese inmate in Texas has been charged after officials learned he had a gun hidden under flabs of his own flesh.

Twenty-five-year-old George Vera was charged with possession of a firearm in a correctional facility after he told a guard at the Harris County Jail about the unloaded 9mm pistol. The Houston Chronicle reported Thursday that Vera was originally arrested on charges of selling illegal copies of compact discs.

The 500-pound man was searched during his arrest and again at a city jail and the county jail, but officers never found the weapon in his rolls of skin. Vera admitted having the gun during a shower break at the county jail.

flee, fly, flo, mosquito!

hudson is suffering from a common ailment among kids during the summer time:

mosquito bite! poor guy, his right cheek got bit and swelled right up. the squitos really go after him, too. he will have dozens of bites at any given time. i don't even know where they're coming from. we don't really like our kids playing outside at night after the mosquitos come out. somehow they must be getting into the house and seeking out hudson. i dunno. i guess he does look tasty . . . nice 'n' plump . . .

here's the funny buddy story of the day. i was in the bathroom, and, i'm sure it's this way with all moms, when i'm in the bathroom i am always bothered. privacy in the bathroom no longer exists. it's like, as soon as i go into the bathroom they think, "oooh, mom's in the bathroom. what do i need from her right this very minute?"

anyway, today while i was in the bathroom i heard hudson's little knock on the door, "mom, i got a boogie." "okay, hudson," i said, "i'm almost done. i'll be right out." as soon as i opened the door he laughed and said, "oh, you open the door." then he looked down at his finger and said, "oh, where'd the boogie go?" oh, but that's not the end. then he sat down on the floor and said, "boogie, where awe you?" that really made me laugh. he's such a funny guy.