HI Bridget!...feels like I haven't visited you forever!
I'm not sure I deserve any praise!!

Hi Fran, glad I'm not the only one thrown off by those cryptic handles!

Hey KAW....nice to have your back!

1) No, the quadrupling of the hours CJ's putting into this course will have NO effect on when he finishes. It's just contributing to his excellent marks. Perhaps giving him more time to work on the applied project portion.


2) The house being a mess is a joint effort. I'm not much of a neatnik myself. ...just that for a few months HE was doing more of the cleaning and I really liked that.
(Acts of Service!!)

But REALLY, over the last year I have let go of a lot of my "standards" for what the house should look like. I too had the realization that some of it was petty and not worth making a big deal of.

Now I've tried all kinds of tactics...of late it's just wait it out until he does some stuff (like the vacuuming on Friday) or until I can't stand it anymore and start doing it myself. (Actually the vacuuming followed my cleaning of the kitchen and diningroom).

Now I TRIED a little "honey" with some yard work on Friday evening. I'd already been out there for a couple of hours, came in for some water, mentioned tackling the large milk weeds out back (ready to seed). CJ suggested bagging them as I went along, mentioned the bag holder we have, set it up for me.

At first he was just filling the bag (with stuff I'd yanked) and then I said, playfully "Why don't we see who can make a bigger pile of weeds!!! ". CJ kind of shrugged, but pulled up some weeds from the veggie garden. I was just getting started, when he said he'd had enough, mosquito bit him.

So I persevered out there until it was too dark to see.
Not sure what point I'm making, but it would have been nice if he'd have gotten into the fun spirit I was trying to create, nice if he'd have helped out more!! Some of that is HEAVY work.

3) Good news on the boredom/spontenaity front:

Yesterday we were invited to our pals for darts (same old, CJ isn't overly fond of the W, tends to be long-winded and a bragger)....But while having dinner out I called our other pals D and H and they were heading out to another pal's camp for a swim.

(Yes Fran, it's still ungodly hot here, too).

Usually, I'd probably want to do the "safer thing" with less prep, less of a drive etc. But I could sense CJ didn't want to do darts, so I said "Why not? Let's go, just grab our suits, clothes, booze and go!"

So we did, and had a fun time for it. Ran over a skunk on the way home, but that's another (funny...not for the skunk!) story.



Well today is another scorcher. We're going to the local Fair to check out booths (not much for rides), and watch my nephew in yet another music competition!

He said we need to yell, as part of the judging is audience support....can you tell I can hoot and holler with the best of them? ...Sure wish I could learn that finger-whistle deal.

Okay, perhaps a few minutes to check on you all!

Shiny