Ok this seems to work fine.

Today is a beautiful California day...light breeze, sun shine, a few wispy clouds. We will be going to a heavily political play this afternoon, shopping at the natural foods coop, and then out to dinner. Trying to get out of the house more.

Ken is experimenting with the lathe, and is making serious progess on his bed and sideboard projects. When I came home from visiting grandbaby princess Kiva yesterdat, I could smell sawdust from the driveway.

The garden is flourishing, but the harvest is still small. I checked the potatoe plants and the red and white potatoes are coming along, about small egg size right now. Green tomatoes on the vine, and a couple of green peppers. Don't know about the cabbage, it's our first attempt and it still looks a little "unfurled" to me. Kiva picked a few carrotts last week, had grandpa wash them right away, and crunched them up between those pearly whites immediately. Her appetite is amazing and it is a joy to watch her tuck in.

I am continuing with my fiber projects. I'm spinning some lovely soft caramel brown merino, and am making good progress with the white lace wool shawl. The green lace shawl is taking a brief rest, as is the pair of socks and the camisole top. I'm getting ready to dye some wool with the coreopsis tinctoria we picked in South San Francisco last weekend, but need some alum mordant to continue. I'm hoping for a soft buttercup yellow.

We are thinking much about our current traveling child Scott. He is due back from Denmark late this month, and the family circle will feel much more complete with his return. We are expecting a lot of wonderful stories from him, written and verbal, and think his recent description of traveling in the middle east shows great promise. Having Lisa and Chris close has been a wonderful change in our core group. We have loved seeing Joy (and now Dave), Jim, Vanessa and Kiva on a regular basis, but having Lisa and Chris around will certainly add some zing to gatherings. Their housewarming babecue was a success, and we drove home comfortably well fed and admiring their creative home.

I spent some time visiting with Vanessa yesterday. She is blooming and in good spirits as usual, and taking each day as it comes with the new baby project. I wish I could carry the little guy for an hour or two just to give her a break, but it don't work that way. Maybe it is part of the joy of childbirth, to get that physical relief as well as the pure psychic joy. The babe's name is still up in the air, but I'm sure they will settle on a wonderful, appropriate name that they are both happy with. If not, well "snugglebunny" should work for a year or two. :-)