Dear Dadd-n

I sure miss you. Mom said you got stuck in Denver and you're probably tired and you shoulda just stayed an extra day if only we'd known, but we didn't and if we had we wouldn't have made you late to the airport anyways, but I wish you were here. Tonight Grandma gave me a bath and I gave 'er a real hard time because she wasn't you and Mom said I was a handful but I know I'm bigger 'n that already, so I don't know what she meant except that grandpa held me in his lap tonight and let me drink iced tea out of his glass but then he got himself another glass because he said I backwash. What's backwash? We watched part of the Pirates who Don't Do Anything and I liked it except for the scary cheese nip thingys. Mom closed her eyes then, but she was laughing and I laughed too, but I don't know what was so funny and what's a cheese nip? We had pasghetti for dinner and grandma made it with lots of garlic and onion and when mommy kissed me good-night I could still smell the pasghetti, but grandma smelled like chocolate chip cookies because she made 'em and we ate 'em and boy were they good - so good that I climbed into grandma's lap to eat hers but she didn't wanna share but later when I climbed into grandpa's lap I fell outta his lap and Mom said I landed on my head poor baby, but I meant to do it and grandma said, he's okay he rolled out of it and Nellie was prob'ly laughing at me 'cause she doesn't like me and she wanted me to get hurt and go back to where I came from but I like her just fine because she makes me laugh so hard when I throw her ball at her and she growls and runs after it. Ally's pretty good too but she doesn't chase the ball she just does some tricks when Mommy uses sign so I threw her half of my bagel at breakfast and grandma laughed and gave me cheerios instead which was good cause I like cheerios too, and Ally shouldn't get too conscious about her weight like when Mom says she's a fat girl I feel sorry for her because she's smaller than me and she just wants to sleep all day. I went outside today too but it was hot and my feet got hot on the concrete and grandma held me but I wanted to go in the grass only it was itchy so we went inside instead and grandpa got me up from my nap before I even fell asleep so it was a really good day.
I love you.

Luke

I can see clearly

Today we are drinking iced tea, taking long naps, visiting in air conditioned cave-like coolness, throwing wedding bells into butter churns, climbing recliners, pushing a tricycle around the kitchen floor, and laughing at our reflections in the oven door. We are musing about "home" and living a vacation.

To the Beach

Today we went for a quick day trip to the beach. Actually it was more like a lunch trip than a day trip because we drove during Luke's morning and afternoon naps and we were only at the beach for about three hours. Still we got to enjoy delicious chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, sand in our toes (and diaper), and some cinnamon rolls for the road. It was sandy and salty and thirty five degrees cooler than Shafter. It was a beautiful jaunt.

Monkey Suit

It is so right that Luke rhymes with Cute. He was the hit of the wedding on Saturday (after the bride and groom of course). There never was a sweeter, more interesting, intelligent, or handsome boy.

And here comes the Shafter heat. Yesterday we arrived in Shafter to a balmy 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Today's just more of the same. We're taking it easy in the air conditioned house, Derek working on his sermon and me reading a book and playing with Luke. Mom's taking a class from today to Wednesday so she's not home, but Dad's home with us recuperating from a blood clot in his leg (we found out why his leg was hurting when he and Mom went to the ER Saturday night in Sacramento).

More pictures and stories tomorrow. Today I am tired, and am going to lay down here in a few minutes when Luke goes down for his nap. It's time to rest, at last.

We're in California

It's not as hot as we thought it would be.

Flying with a toddler is as fun as it sounds (not).

Internet is being uncooperative, so expect pictures Monday.

Get 'er Done

Today we are ploughing through last minute things before our trip. Tomorrow we leave for sizzling California, so to prepare we are packing sunblock, sunglasses, hats, flip flops and bathing suits, tank tops, ice cold beverages, and a camel.

That's right, we are leaving this green and golden valley for the piping hot Western shore. Most people, when they hear that I grew up in California and moved to Manitoba ask incredulously, "WHY?!" When I tell Californians that I'm leaving Manitoba to come to the SJ Valley in July, they ask incredulously, "WHY?!"

Yes, why would anyone choose to subject themself to 112F temperatures when they could be sitting in the shade on their new deck watching the birds chirp cheerfully in the sprinkler? Why would anyone wander around in the pounding heat with a ten pound camera, wearing long black pants? Why would anyone give up their gloriously cool car, parked in a slightly chilly garage for a stifling vehicle with a seat belt so hot you can't buckle up for seven blocks? Why would someone pay $400 to go 2,000 miles to stand in the sticky, murky heat?

No, really.

Why are we going to California in July?

Scratch and Lick

Someday I'm going to put books away and find that several pages from this book have been eaten.