Thin air kills brain cells

We mountain dwellers tend to despise heat, so it is natural that we head off to Palm Desert with two other mountain dwelling families in late July for a week of vacation. Monday is supposed to be 114 degrees. Sounds like a good day to head off to legoland and cool off in the sub 80 degree weather.

Row, row, row your boat.

I have frequently wondered about the logic of heading to "the lake" for the day. I have always thought that being confined to a shadeless expanse of blazing sun was a form of torture reserved for international terrorists. I am not talking about fishing. Spending the day fishing makes sense to me, but just hanging out at the lake has often baffled me, so when one of our daughter's friends decided to have his birthday party at Lake Mary complete with canoes and kayaks, I feigned enthusiasm, dreading baking under the 95 degree sun for 3 hours. Besides, I had not paddled a canoe in over 20 years. Anyway, Saturday we headed off to the lake for a day baking in the sun for three hours. The result: After 5 (3 was not enough) hours paddling canoes and kayaks in the sun I have concluded I WANT A CANOE, I WANT A KAYAK, I WANT A TRAILER OR RACK TO HAUL SAID TOYS TO THE LAKE. I WANT A CANOE OR KAYAK. I WANT A KAYAK OR CANOE. I WANT BOTH! I WANT BOTH NOW! I am also pissed off that nobody ever told me that a day at the lake is fun. Nobody told me that one simply ignores the heat and sun. (is this enough sarcasm?) Maybe somebody could profess that there is logic in heading to "the lake" for the day.

Bowling For Birthdays

Our daughter had her birthday at the bowling alley Saturday. It was a blast as all the kids as well as adults had a great time. I have found these work out much better that the ones held at "Upchuck Cheese" and clones thereof. This is our daughter attempting to pick up the spare. Is she ready for the pro bowler tour?

Anderson Cooper and Dogs

As we wind down the day by throwing the tennis ball in the house for the dogs to chase, Anderson Cooper on CNN is anchoring coverage of the floods in IA and MO. Levee broke blah, blah, blah, underwater blah, blah, 1993, blah blah. Happen again, blah blah blah, development in the flood plain, blah, blah, blah, should we develop in the flood plain, blah, blah, OOPS! the ball wasn't supposed to go there. Should we really play ball in the house?

I've got bats near my belfry!

We wound up at an outdoor party/mini fair at one of the elementary schools in town today. There were free burgers, hot dogs, sodas, games and baloon animals. Kim wound up getting a tattoo of a koala, and I got talked into getting one of red bats (the flying mammal type) on my arm. It looks more like a mottled bruise, so it't probably a good thing it is temporary.