Today, one of my long wished for dreams came true. 

No, not that one.

Not that other one either.

Nope, today Xander and I took a tour of US Coast Guard Station Seattle.

Well, tomorrow marks the first two weeks of summer. Based upon all the fun-looking things posted to FB, the Hardys have been slacking. Sigh. This is what happens when I’m in charge.

First of all, Xander is now officially too old for M&M summer camp. He’s quite delighted but I am scrambling trying to keep him occupied. There have been rumblings of going swimming with neighborhood friends and he came very close to going to Wild Waves. Sadly, Xander’s continued need to improve his writing skills put the kibosh on that plan. Maybe sometime in the future when he isn’t working at Sylvan or swimming at the Y. We just got his report card yesterday. Definitely more practice at writing.

Well, here I am enjoying the comforts of the living room couch. Wendi is at the other end. Tina's upstairs getting ready for night two of her stay. I was almost positive she'd planned a two night stay but today I learned it was three nights. Uh...yea?

We're thinking we will do some shopping tomorrow for a sleeper/sofa; one we can put upstairs in the library. Not saying we will buy anything but if we come across an adequate one......

Woke up way early. Couldn't get back to bed and so decided to load up the car. Have now done so but it's still way too early to go visit people or swing by the store. Might as well update you all on the Valley Situation.

From where I sit in the Ranch Living Room, things look wonderful. Sky is clear. There's a light breeze. However, if I look directly south, all the hills in the distance seem to be smoldering.

Been a while. Summer's been mostly working on the To-Do list. Not terribly exciting. Last weekend, Xander and I went over to the Ranch to goof around. It's much more relaxing; without Harold, a foot in the grave, demanding all of Tina's time/energy. 

That's her grandson's job.

Sad to say the results are in and are conclusive. The test, developed at some of the finest universities in Europe and North America, consists of one deceptively simple question. 

In a room with a low ceiling AND a chandelier that your mother has lugged from house to house for over 35 years, your preferred entertainment would be:

A) Reading Quietly.

B) Practice Swinging Your Light Saber. 

 Today, Wendi, Xander and I went to Arlington High School to watch the 2014 Washington State Knowledge Bowl Championship. We have been talking about doing so every year for, well, ever but 2014 was the year to get it done. 

Well, yesterday was supposed to “The Night”. We were no longer worried about some body part falling off my wife were she to visit me upstairs. (If ya know what I mean, wink, wink.) 

Sadly, That Source of All Evil: Mrs. P organized a swimming party at the Bainbridge Pool last night from 5:00 to 7:00. That meant the two of us spent a couple of sweltering hours watching the Spawn frolic in the water. Okay, get the kid some fast food he can chow down on the long traffic-y ride home. 

Get home, he wants to watch something. Uh…DwTS? Nope. It’s still a 2 hour show and neither of us adults got a whole lot of sleep the previous night. Wendi woke about 2ish and had great trouble falling asleep. I woke up at my usual time of 5:50ish and quietly got ready to go; keeping all the lights off so as to not disturb the Sleeping Beauty below. (Actually, if I so much as change my mind somewhere in the house, Wendi is instantly awake but I keep trying.) 

Okay, the original plan was to go to Dosewallips State Park. The boy has been pestering us to no end so I decided to bite the bullet and look for a place to go. In addition to having a silly name, the above park would be a bit of a drive; being on the other side of Hood Canal. That was both a plus and a minus. It's a pretty drive but would be at least an hour-hour and a half to get there. The name came up since a friend of mine used to go there to go clamming.  

I'm just walking from one chair in the dark to the next. I am taking a sensible caution of avoiding light on the off-chance I might burst into flames. 

Wendi and Xander have gone to the grocery store to get won ton wrappings for the BBQ and....some other stuff. Legos, maybe? (Yes, she probably told me about 8 times.) After that, Xander has his TKD lesson so it's back to the Y for the second time today. I'm considering going there a second time simply because they have a/c.