A$$hat politicians. This time it's someone local. Revoke the NYT credentials. He must be smoking some of that stuff that comes across the border.... If they didn't print some of the corrupt stuff that our government does, where would we be. In the dark and certainly not in a democracy.

Another beautiful day with CP is in the tank as she dreams on the couch. It actually rained here today as we kicked around the house. I was trying to catch up on some sleep this afternoon and was awakened by water running off of the roof into the back yard. The LW was nice enough to unplug everything due to the lightening and made sure that I didn't get shaken out of dreamland by random pot clanging in the kitchen. I found myself awake near dinner time and she was mixing and baking some granola-type stuff while watching CP in the swing. I don't know how she does it. At least three times today CP was screaming like there was a fire in her diapers and as soon as she hit the LW's arms - calm, it's like she was instantly intoxicated with the smell and feel of mommy. I can't blame her for that.

I didn't realize that the job of SAH Dad would require me to shave every day, but evidently it does. I can't really hold CP without her random head balancing act causing her to smash some tender part of her face into my beard. She's backing off of the post-shot crankiness a bit, but a smattering of it remains. I was advised by my brother to never let the LW take CP to get any more shots. "That's your job", is pretty much what he said. The LW is still somewhat traumatized by the screaming, but is recovering well.

We got up and out this morning to water the plants and were met with a 5-0 convention in our front yard. At one time there were four unmarked cars, a crime scene van, and three marked cars. The only time I've ever seen more cops in one place was at the Dunkin Donuts on the corner of Grant & Swan when someone apparently must have tried to rob it a few weeks ago.

Anyway, there's a chop shop on the SE corner of our neighborhood and it's a bit of a diversified business because they apparently sell drugs as well. Guess where the crackheads and crankers go when they need money to get their fix. Thaaaaaaat's right Bob, into our neighborhood looking for things to steal. The carpenter next door surrendered his tools, I gave up several dollars in change, my owner's manual for the truck, and my ashtray that held the aforementioned money. The neighbor across the street had his kid's christmas toys ( a battery operated atv toy) stolen. The theif/crackhead apparently dropped his hat on the way out of the yard and while the neighbor was calling the cops, the thief sneaked back into the yard and took his hat. By the time the police came the hat was gone. Of course, there were only two of them and they stayed at the house for about 20 minutes.

The neighbor evidently found out that the brain surgeons over at the chop shop/crack emporium were somehow involved. I had been told that it was a chop shop/crackhouse by a neighbor. It's supposed to be an auto repair shop. Evidently people take their vehicles there and the "technicians" take the cars out and make drug drops with them. Heck the next door neighbor even owns an old "drop car". The gas tank is gone and it has an open hanging area for bales where the tank was. It wasn't made for carrying hay bales either.

This last theft of toys was six months ago. Well, someone shot at the crackheads last night and they told the police that it was our neighbor. I guess the cops showed up early this morning at about 4am and went through everything that they own looking for gunshot residue and a gun. I doubt that they found either one since the neighbor is a good kid and he doesn't even own a gun. He's had a bit of a checkered past, but has his stuff together now and loves his kids. The cops didn't find a thing, but he had a four year old warrant for something or other (probably parking tickets), so 5-0 had to take him in. The cops even remarked that they wish that they could shut the crackhouse down, but haven't found anything yet to hang them on. Something tells me that they soon will. The 5-0 finally took off at around 10am or so.

CP got her first chance at the pool the other night. We took her over to Oma Darlene's place and she enjoyed a short dip. She was very calm, but kept turning her head to get her hands in her mouth and got more than she bargained for when she'd get some water in there with all of those fingers. It was a good time though and any time with Oma is good as gold for her.

I've been having some trouble coming to grips with this fatherhood gig. The LW took to it like a fish to water, but she has spent a good bit of time around babies. It's tough when CP gets handed to me after eating or when she needs changing because she's usually not very happy. Then, of course, the LW shows up when she's screaming, takes her from me and it's like a switch goes off in her and she immediately quiets down. Odd and a bit more than disconcerting.

The LW was up early this morning and made cinnamon and raisin scones. They're the best batch yet. Just right! CP got her first round of shots this morning while I was over at the garden meeting. It was hard on mom and baby. They're both sleeping it off right now. CP weighed in at 11lbs 2oz this morning and she's 24" long. Every inch is beautiful.

It's a bit humid at 24% and 93degrees at 11am. That's nothing to everyone back in the midwest and south, but it's double what we've had for months now and you sure can feel it.

8:30am Loud music coming in the sliding door to the bedroom. LW and baby sleeping soundly. I spent the night with CP on the couch, so the LW could get a good night's sleep.

Holy @##$$# @#$%, who in their right mind blares the radio at 8-@#$%^&-30am in the morning? I wander out to see what's up and there's a Jeep Cherokee in the new neighbor's driveway idling with one rear door open, ac running, music blaring out of it, and the open door pointing toward our house and our bedroom window. I got my nastiest duds on and tromped sleepily over there.

Go to door.
Child opens door to find me.
Child's sister is on couch watching tv.
Child's sister sees me and yells, "shut the door".
Child slams door in my face.

Knock on door.
Child's mom comes to door.

"Is that you're...", as I point to the Jeep.

"Yes, it's a rental", she says.

"Is it supposed to be sitting out here with the radio blaring?"

"Oh, I'll tell my husband. He must have had to run in ...blah blah blah..."

"Uh huh...thanks...", as I tromped angrily back across the yard and to bed.

What the hell is wrong with people? Can one be so utterly clueless? Like I've said before, it wouldn't be all that out of the ordinary if it was a couple in their 20s, but it's not.

Well, yesterday I moved their trash can back into the yard just to be neighborly and in order not to send out the advertisement to the local sticky-fingered crackheads in the area that noone was home. I see the folly of my action now. Good neighbor my arse....

CP sleeps quietly as the LW sits with her laptop in the office/nursery on a conference call for work. Mrs. G will come by soon for a bit of lunch and reverie on her day off and then the LW will be off to the BWHC later for a visit. I hope to get some things done on the upcoming issue of the garden's newsletter today and I've already downloaded the most recent video of CP for the upcoming DVD. We started a Vanguard Star fund account for CP's college/first house fund today, so in lieu of toys or other things that she will never remember, we would like to request that anything sent to CP be sent in monetary form in the LW's name. Flimsy Chinese toy today, or college tomorrow. It sounds like an easy decision to me.

Thanks to Google Video and a link from the World Wide Rant, I got to watch the Root Of All Evil part 1 and part 2 videos by Richard Dawkins. This is the guy who was invited to take on the school boards in Kansas and said basically that there was no point in arguing with clueless midwestern fundamentalists. He does it well enough in the videos to expose them for what they are.

__Update______________________________

Mrs. G was just by and brought some tasty stuff from Feast on Speedway. She said it was from there anyway. See, she's a wonderful cook and I figure that she just whipped a few things together, put them in little plastic take out trays and brought them over. It was good to see her and it did the LW a world of good to have someone to visit with.

Got up early yesterday, got the LW ready for the day, went out to the truck ready to go downtown to the CNF meeting and as soon as I turned the key I knew how my day was going to go. RRrrr... RRrrr ....clickttttttt. I've been putting off any sort of vehicle maintenance for a while now and it's finally caught up with me. This battery wasn't very old, but I can only assume that the heat and low humidity had finally beaten it out of liquid and the spark of life needed to start things spinning. I took the superJetta over to one of the local parts stores where I parted ways with over $100 and loaded up on things involved with engine electrical and lubrication systems. Once home and rushing to beat the heat, I smirked as this was one of the few times that I've ever actually worked on a vehicle while taking advantage of a "shade tree". Humor for a guy who used to work the flat-rate system in dealerships. In short order the truck was done and the car followed. Thanks to this, we can now take off in the car with the A/C running without having to rev the crap out of it.

I had to work in the afternoon, so most of the day was spent lazing around. An uneventful and indulgent pre-father's day trip to the grocery store wound out the evening. Lots of smiles for the middle-aged bald guy carrying a 6-week old infant! Cake mix, sour cream, ice cream, and a package of oreos. I think that I'll get accustomed to this father's day thing....

This morning we were all up and out - headed for the Chaverim garden and the monthly garden meeting there. It's a good group. Very few of the gardeners actually belong to the congregation there, but they make the garden a beautiful, quirky, and interesting place. George was being peppered with wilt questions, as usual, and handled them well. Tomato russet mite and my buddy the squash vine borer were about and making themselves known. The plants seem to be holding up pretty well to the heat and insect pests. Life struggles to go on, no matter what.

The LW, CP, and I went over to the Kelly's place for tea and cherry tomatoes afterwards where we discussed everything from babies to strawbale B&B's. George and Darlene were there and told us of their recent trip to the Antiques RoadShow as it stopped here recently. George was a bit disappointed in their review of a portable writing table that was given him by his grandmother, but noted that the reviewer took notice of the brass Tanganyikan military uniform buttons that he had purchased when he was a young horticulture agent there in service of the Queen.

I had an agreement with the LW that we wouldn't buy things for each other, but it seems that she has taken this first father's day as an opportunity to blow that deal. On my first father's day, not only did I win the beautiful wife and child lottery, I got a copy of the oft-quoted movie Raising Arizona and a box style cheese grater. Mmmmm cheese graters... See, we've had one of those pampered chef flat ones for a while (that they won't even sell anymore) and I curse that thing's very existence any time that I have to use it in the kitchen. It flexes, it threatens to injure my digits, it doesn't shred very well, it just sucks! Now, there's a shiny metal one that sits ready for use, in the cabinet. Ahhhhh...just knowing that it's there is a comfort. I'm going to try to sneak out back and treat it to a little bit of Office Space style love a la 3lb sledge hammer. You know, like they all gave the copier in that movie.

We got home at 11am and I had bacon, eggs, toast, grapefruit, and lemonade for lunch. Dessert was cookies and cream ice cream with more oreos added (since they never give you enough in the ice cream anyway). It's a good day!

This haze of a week has apparently come to an end. I did a little work and got to try out some anatomy trains type work. We'll see what the consensus is and see if the concept helps me to help people take care of themselves.

I had to go on base this week and it just brings back memories of being Uncle Sammy's little pawn. Can't hardly stand it. I pulled up to the house to hear "Made It To Arlington" blaring. I got into a little discussion of how the song is sung in the first person of a dead military person. (It was apparently lost on this person that I spent six years in the military as well.) The song is basically speaking for a dead person and presumes that this dead person saw his father the day he arrived in a casket...as a dead person. I guess I'm the only one that finds this rather odd and bit morbidly disrespectful. The song presumes that there is some sort of afterlife, another thing I find strange as a materialist. I wonder how many of the dead, if they could come back, would look upon all of us and scold us for the folly of killing ourselves as a matter of common course because our governments believe that one creation myth is better than the other. Simply absurd.

CP and I spent a little time with mommy at the credit union today getting the details sorted out on the little trail bike that I picked up a couple of weeks ago. It's all plated and ready to go, but I have to get my permit/license endorsement to be fully legal. I look forward to being able to run short errands on the thing around town so I don't have to fire up the truck. You just can't beat 50mpg. After we got home, the LW made some mushroom enchiladas and I took CP out in the garden for a tour and a look around. She seemed enthralled by the corn blowing in the breeze and I got down close to the Mexican Hat that's growing in the flower plot. The cantelope are growing like mad and I wonder how much CP will have changed by the time they ripen. We started getting goldfinches this week. They're fun to watch and the house finches have been trying their best to hang upside down and get at the tiny thistle seeds.

Our new neighbors to the west have been in the house for a couple of weeks. Seem to be nice folks, but still have not put any curtains or window dressing up. It's kinda strange. If it were a couple of college kids, I wouldn't really think twice about it, but it's a family of four. Oh, and trash day is on Saturday, but they put the can out on Thursday. The lid blew open and not only filled the yard and desert plants with various trash, it smelled like something died in the trash can. Niiiiice.

The Coronado National Forest planning meeting is tomorrow downtown and I hope to get enough sleep between now and then to make it and be able to compose coherent thoughts. I'm sure that some of the folks from the Center For Biological Diversity will be there and it might be a good show. The gal that was at one of the meetings last year was an angry person. She seemed in a huff the entire time and snapped when one of the guys at the tables started talking about something concerning critters. They're working for "roadless", and while I agree on many of their points, I'm just not down with that.

Life lately seems like a broken record. This one spins on a 12 revolutions per day. It goes: Child cries, mom rushes to pick up child, dad looks on as child quiets down. Now, if you alter this tune to where dad listens as baby cries to see if she'll settle her self down, it turns into something that sounds like a Rob Zombie tune. It changes in the latter part to: Child cries, dad looks on, mom comes rushing in, looks at dad as if he's an idiot, mom "rescues" child from dad, and leaves in tears. We're vascillating among the different versions of this twisted tune daily as the chorus of sleep deprivation plays in the background.

Other than this it's just pretty warm here.

Last week in Santa Fe, CP started holding her head up by herself and she's been improving her fine motor control ever since. She no longer bounces as bad as she did when she started and can hold her head up while she's prone on the blankets. She's growing fast and just this week started throwing out random smiles, creating enormous joy for her parents. Yesterday was a big day. She was awake and not really screaming for most of the day. She had little catnaps, but no real long periods of sleep. When we put her down last night at around 9pm, she was out until about 2am. This was HUGE!! The LW and I got some much-needed contiguous sleep and well, it just made us really happy. I hope that this will continue.....

The first planting of corn turned out to be a bust. I got about 7 half ears out of two 8' long rows. Now, if I'd been raising earworms, it would have been a bumper crop! Most of the ears not only had worms, but hadn't been pollenated and the kernels were unformed, so I dropped about a dozen empty, worm riddled ears into the compost heap. This is a definitely a learning year. I also, had to get rid of my "Black Beauty" zucchini this week. I saw it slumping during the day, but didn't think much of it. I should have been inspecting the vine closer because a few days later it REALLY slumped over and the leaves wilted. When I went to pull it up, the squash vine borers had eaten completely through all three vines and they just snapped off at ground level. Sad to see a productive heirloom variety of plant cut down like that. I got a little bit of revenge by putting the caterpillar and the grubs out in the water bowls that we keep in the front yard for the birds. Cucumbers are on the vine, as are the tomatoes, peas, and okra. A dozen or so red peppers currently hang from our 3 year old "Anaheim" plant in the mid morning sun.

Whew! It's been a while since I put anything down here, or anywhere else for that matter.

We just returned from Santa Fe. I had to attend a massage seminar there. It's a racket really. The states mandate that you take a certain amount of continuing education within a certain amount of time and the providers know that they have you over a barrel. They're all too happy to charge you $450 for a weekend of their opinions on this or that "new" technique. There aren't really any new techniques as such, just new names for them. I managed to skim a few new ways of looking at things and some ideas about assessment that I can use in my practice. We'll see.....

It was CP's first road trip and she did well. She slept in the car seat most of the way and then spent the night fussing and keeping her parents awake. Maybe we'll travel at night in the future. I don't know the answer to this problem. We have to go to a family reunion in July, so maybe we'll try something different then.

We rented a Hyundai Sonata for the trip from Budget and it performed well. It's pretty evident why the US carmakers are taking it in the shorts after a long drive in that car. It was nice. I wish that it got more than 23mpg though, but if they don't have to conform to any efficiency standards, why should they?

I found out this morning while listening to the local NPR station, that the county is going ahead with the purchase of some Diebold voting machines under the ruse of helping better serve the disabled voters in the state and county. I don't really think that this is a good idea and I like the old paper ballot method. Call me crazy for wanting a verifiable vote count. It makes me wonder if our secretary of state is looking to follow the path of Katherine Harris.

There was an interview also with John Peterson about the upcoming documentary movie that's being shown on PBS called The Real Dirt on Farmer John. It sounds like an interesting show and it showcases the promise of Community Supported Agriculture. Through my work with community garden projects, I'm a bit biased toward that idea, but for people who don't want to or can't grow their own, I think it's a pretty good plan. It was pretty sad to hear about how the community reacted to him initially by calling him a devil worshipper and other crap. I guess small town small minds will do as they may....