Close Talkers: the Solution

From Hyperbole and a Half

Fun with Putin

If you're blue and you don't know where to go to, why don't you go where fashion sits...

Watch a Gorilla Behaving Badly!

Here.

Question: Why do people hate Russian dolls?
Answer: They're so full of themselves.

This just in! Pictures of the aforementioned dock:

The Most Excellent Weekend

I had a most excellent weekend; the kind of weekend that makes me want to live in the woods, surfacing only when I experience attacks of nostalgia for "the city" (which would, in reality, probably happen a lot...).

Getting to the cottage at a decent hour on a Friday makes a huge difference. Having Monday off makes a huge difference. Sleeping in makes a huge difference. Life can be so relaxing.

There were a few highlights.

First, it was Daddio's birthday so my small, nuclear family had a lovely dinner of fall-off-the-bone ribs (an annual birthday special), tomatoes with goat cheese and basil, peaches and cream corn and a delicious lemon cake made by Mama with blackberries that we all had a hand in picking.

Second, I helped my Dad build part of a dock. Our old one got crushed by ice in the Winter, so a new one was necessary. I successfully used a miter saw (I think? Like an electric hand saw), and measured and lifted and felt very carpenter-esque. I think I could be quite handy. Who needs men anyway?

Third, I had three very cool run-ins with nature, and some more standard run-ins with nature. We had heard that there were bears at the dump, so Daddio took me on his birthday to see them. We were not disappointed, I'll tell you what. At first, one large black bear was keeping our attention, ripping into bags of garbage and eating the remnants of Lays potato chips. He (or she...) was soon joined by another bear, and then another! Three gigantic black bears right before my eyes! I found this exceedingly exciting, and was convinced to leave after we had watched them for almost an hour. Yes, I like bears. Getting back to the cottage, we encountered a tiny fox sunning himself (or herself...) at the top of the driveway. Nifty! Then, I was out in the canoe and saw two loons in the middle of the lake. For a lark, I decided to paddle out to them to see how close I could get. For some reason, they let me get right beside them, and we paddled along together for about two minutes, exchanging "hellos" and "woohuhuhus" or however one might phonetically spell the cry of the loon. Very nifty! The standard run-ins were those of chipmunks allowing me to give them chippy massages and chickadees, nuthatches and blue jays eating from the feeder, and ruby-throated hummingbirds drinking sugar water.

Fourth, our bestest family friends were up at their cottage (on the same lake) with delightful family from New Brunswick. We went over for dinner one night and got a little tipsy and had a gay ol' time. We also went cliff jumping/diving the next day with all of the kiddies. (Still no one has beat my record for highest jump...just saying). I also got to catch up with a very good friend of mine who I don't see often enough.

Fifth, I got to relax and do the cottage things I love to do: play golf off the dock, dive for the golf balls after the game is done, swim, do crossword puzzles, play Crib, hang out with my parents, have an outdoor shower, and even experiment with taking photos.

All in all, fabulous.