HAPPY FOURTH

We spent the Fourth at my sister's in Portland. The weather was great, they've gotten some more work done on their house, the pups are growing like small weeds (two boxers-Marley the male reminds me of Winston Churchill and is just short of having a "Hapsburg" jaw). They live next to Powell Butte in Portland. She's looking forward to getting the six foot cyclone fence in and letting the blackberries grow up it. With luck, that way the garden may grow faster than the deer can eat it. Squash leaves and blossoms seem to be the favorites right now.

There wasn't much traffic going up and there was none coming home. My definition of no traffic is about eight to ten cars visible in front of me on a three lane highway, three or four visible behind me and about one truck per mile. I took a vacation day today and I suspect that is was pretty slow at work.

We came home to one seriously pouting cat. Lucky's nose was so far out of joint it was in the next county. I think part of it was the fireworks during the day-she hates loud noises. Misty didn't seem to mind so much. But we left early and came home late and the Phantom Furball was not happy. Oh well, she got happy in the same fur coat she got unhappy in. We brought my nephew and half his worldlies back with us. We got a chance to see his apartment. It's the typical student digs. Small and kind of grungie but only three blocks from campus. He has to be down here for conditioning and weight lifting sessions for football. Besides, if you can swing it, it's the best way to get a place locked in for Fall Term. I suspect he won't be spending all that much time there anyway.

Back to the grind tomorrow. A three day week, whoopie. I like my job but trying to work full time and get over the dental work has been a little more stressful than I anticipated. Just keep putting one foot ahead of the other. It's weird some things are easier to get used to than others. Tomatoes, no problem. Cucumbers, no problem. Lettuce-a wee bit more difficult. Leaf lettuce-now that's another story.

Anyway, I hope everybody else had a good time too. And Lisa, I hope you had time to take a picture or two in Seaside. :-)