Hey Sippy Cup Man!

I have told people back in the states that you can really buy anything on the street, but that was always an exaggeration. Then last week I saw something that made me think maybe you can buy anything on the street. I saw a push cart vendor with a cart full of sippy cups. Well over 100 sippy cups. The vendors usually have carts full of fruit, veggies, and other such things. This man had sippy cups.

It is starting to warm up. Today we walked down to the Sav market during our lunch hour and I had forgotten just how sweaty I can get just walking down the street. It is one thing to have a slight sheen of sweat on my arms and face from walking down the street. Today I had that wonderful feeling of sweat running down my thighs and my shirt stuck to my back so that not only did I sweat through my undershirt but all the way through my work shirt as well. I can't wait for full on summer when this is a daily feeling.

We have started some hobbies in our off time. Last weekend we planted a nice little garden by our house. We have tomatoes and green beans in our garden plus some pumpkin and squash that we planted in the yard by the ocean. I have more squash plants to transplant and some cucumber plants have come up in my little starter trays. We also have some herbs planted that we are waiting on. This weekend we are going to start a batch of wine. Our first attempt at wine is going to be pineapple wine made from juice. In a couple of weeks we are going to start a small batch of orange wine and then once mango season starts we will do a large batch of mango wine. I am sure somewhere we may do a banana wine or a grapefruit wine.

As time goes by...

I find that the second time a remarkable event happens, it is distinctly less remarkable. I recall very clearly what it felt like that morning back in January when Scott, Gabe, and I all discovered the dozens of tiny tiny ticks that we were playing host to. This past weekend, when I inadvertently picked up another dozen or so, I simply plucked them off, had Scott check my back, and then carried on with my day. That is just how it goes.

I would say, however, that the seventy-seventh time a remarkable event happens, it can still elicit a helluva response from me. We have ants in our house; always, everyday, we can find at least a couple dozen and that really isn't a problem. Yet when those sneaky little bugs get gutsy enough to start parading across my wall (or bed, stove, couch, shelf, clothes, towels, shower, etc.) in a nice organized line of hundreds or more, the full arsenal of chemicals and frustrations comes out. I cannot go on to another task until I determine 1) their entry point and 2) their destination. As far as I'm concerned, those two things constitute my being able to address the root of the problem at the moment. Though my rational side knows that since this happens so often, the root of the problem really probably resides under the foundation of the house which is sadly beyond my reach.

If You Like Good Folk Music

I am a huge fan of folk music. While out of the country I don't get many chances to check on new artists, but the other day I spent some time looking at some Canadian folk music online and found David Francey. If you like folk music I suggest you check him out.

Stupid Ankle Bitters

The weather is starting to turn and summer is just around the corner (an odd statement when the daily highs are in the mid-80s and the lows are in the low-70s). It is time for a change of seasons. Not seasons like we know them in the states (spring, summer, fall, winter) but rather the dry and wet season. I am pretty sure the wet season officially starts in April, but it has started to rain more and most afternoons in March it has clouded up and given us a nice shower. With the return of the rain comes the return of the bugs. I had hoped that I hadn't itched for the past four months because I had gotten used to the insects. I am finding out that is not so. I now spend most mornings and evenings walking with an odd shuffle as I try to scratch my ankles with the other foot as I step forward. I don't know why I don't really itch during the day, but I don't. Mosquitoes and sand fleas are now out. I hadn't missed them.