In Other News...

It's yard work time around the house. Going to try to get some tomatoes in tomorrow so they'll be ready before the hot summer. We've also got to fill in the rest of the flower beds before we head for the UK next week, so this weekend, like last weekend, is going to be all about sorting out the garden. I also took the time to get the pool back in shape, but the 6lbs of chlorine I put in it over 3 days didn't deter the little fella in this photo. He seemed to like the cool of the skimmer basket and really didn't want to leave.

I did my best snake wrangler impression and got him out of there with minimal shuddering, jumping about and high pitched screaming.

It's a.....

It's a......baby!
Sorry I don't want to know if it is a boy or a girl, Ian does but he didn't win this argument. So you'll just have to wait until July 30th to find out.

Boots!

Hers

His

Vogue

Milan...?
Paris...?
New York...?

Lewis!

Thanks Mum. Please stop digging in the archives now.

How Dare You?

I got a strange book recommendation from Amazon.com today:

"As someone who has purchased or rated books by John Sandford, you might like to know that Como Tranformar El Hombre Interior will be released on March 4, 2008."

Strange title for a book from one of my favourite thriller writers. A little digging suggests the book is actually by John L. Sandford, editor of the gripping mysteries "Statistical Methods for Physical Science, Vol. 28" and "Biology of the Mycobacteria, Vol. 1". (Once you put it down, you'll never pick it up. No. Wait...)

Simple database mistake on Amazon's part, I'm sure. Funny thing is, it's long been an ambition of mine to be proficient enough in another language to read a book in it. When I was in Bahrain I worked with a guy from Pakistan who lent me his English language copy of 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'. He'd written definitions of words he didn't understand all over the margins. I asked him about it and he told me it was the first English language book he'd ever read and had improved his understanding of the language no end. Amazing.

Since, over the course of life I've attempted and failed to learn Gaelic, French and Spanish, it's probably not going to happen for me, but I like to think that one day I'll find the time to get back to it. Amazon sending me this link made me think, 'Sandford would be an easier place to start than Gabriel Garcia Marquez'. Hilariously, these customers are massively insulted. I mean, how dare Amazon even think they'd consider reading a book in a language other than English? 'Just what are Amazon trying to imply? That we studied languages in School?'

Yeehaw!

It's rodeo time in Houston. The festivities always start with the World Championship BBQ Cook-off. Nikki and I went along last night. It was crazy busy, even in the hospitality tent we had tickets for, but at least in there the food was good and free and the beer, even if it was Miller Lite, didn't cost anything either. The thumping bass did drive us outside, where the beer cost money, but Shiner Bock was available. A very fair trade. Also, we had funnel cake. Mmmmmm. Some pics...