We went on a quiet walk about this morning with coffee cups in hand.  Looks like we finally have a moonflower bud!  The garden is weedy but glorious. 

While the campers were here we had company on our walk abouts on some mornings.  I’d make them hot chocolate with froth on top so they’d feel grown-up.  It works with one, but adding to that mix just brings chaos.   Our quiet stroll became a jog with pajamas covered with stains and zero contemplation of the garden and the fresh day. 

Crossword puzzle were done this morning with no jumping up and down to greet sleepy kids or toast bagels.  We promised ourselves we wouldn’t do anything today.  I’ve succeeded but Gerry can’t stop doing things, loading the dishwasher and carrying out trash.  I don’t even feel guilty and just watch him work, pleased with myself that I haven’t a single urge to join in.

Those kids wear us completely out.  We get grumpy.  They get louder.  I want them to remember how much fun it was to sleep outside in the tent, play in the yard and tree house, stay up waaaay too late, river rafting, eating Aunt Kaye’s pancakes and Grammy’s cheesey scrambled eggs, outdoor showers at Rhodallen, steak night, gem mining, the beach and learning to love barbequed ribs.

We packed a lot into 26 days. 

I spent today installing the new Zip Line in the front yard.  It’s made from a kit I bought with 1/8 “ steel wire, and a commercially made handle.  As you can see in the video, it’s even strong enough for me!

I got a phone call Sunday evening from the 13 year old.  He told me to get a pencil and piece of paper.  Here’s the list in the order it was given to me:

Bagels

Cream cheese

Bread

Pretzels

Jelly

Wheat Thins

Coco Crispies

Carrots

Broccoli

Milk

Ice Cream

Strawberries

Fireworks

Grapes

Baby Bel Cheese

Steak

Bacon

Marshmallows

Brownies

Here’s a few pictures of what we get to enjoy every morning with our first cup of coffee.

And as an added attraction.  Here’s one of the tents we will be sleeping in at Camp Grammy and Bompie this year.

As most of you know, I’ve been personally handling my investments for the last few months and am doing pretty well.

Today I found a reference to William O’Neil who expressed my exact philosophy on the stock market. 

There are only 5 rules.

Buy expensive stocks  and stay away from low priced issues.

Do not average down in price–only pyramid up to your position.

Be quick to take losses with your max being 8%, average wins being 20%.

Let your winners run as long as they are behaving properly.

Diversification is for those that do not know what they are doing.

The last rule can be can be expanded to say:

It is better to have a few of the best stocks and watch them closely.

It is interesting to me how my learning and experience in the market over these last 5 months led me to these same beliefs.  So far, since I took control of my own investments, I am up 22%.  I guess these rules are working.

Whew.  I’m just now getting caught up with the new season of “Big Love”, that hot mess of religion, ugly clothes and recipes for weird food.  I’ve been busy with trips and what not but also so caught up in “Californication”, “Detroit 1-8-7” and “Shameless” that “Big Love” was taking a back seat…until tonight.  TONIGHT!!  “Big Love” met “Californication” in the most unpredictable and unforeseen manner that I’m still kinda breathless over the whole dang thing.  Let’s just talk frankly about statutory rape.  Hmmm.

I love Dean Winters in those Allstate ads.  He was so adorable/loathsome in Oz!  Speaking of ads, which I devote no small effort in avoiding with my trusty TiVo, I did accidentally catch Bob Barker in an ad 2 days ago and my eyes are still hurting.  Old, wrinkly people with spray on tans are HIDEOUS.

The movie marathon continues.  I’m going to watch “The Kids Are Alright” by myself tonight and spare Gerry the agony of giving it 15 minutes and then bolting from the room.  I know his limits.

I finished Antonia Fraser’s “Must You Go” and am now re-reading her “Wives of Henry VIII” while I wait for 3 of her other books to arrive.  The woman loves the word uxorious.  I think it pops up in everything she writes.

I have also ordered “Barney’s Version” and am searching out how to catch the flick.

8 dead mice and I think we’ve finally solved the mystery of how those little beasties were getting in.  If not, we are moving.

Stay tuned.

This  48” x 24” oil on gallery wrapped linen is for my private collection.  A composition puzzle that intrigued me and kept me guessing until the very end if I would like it or not.