Where has the summer gone?

WOW!! Where on Earth has the summer gone?! Here it is July, already and kids are starting to talk about school starting soon with groans ~hears the softly voiced cheers of parents~ and yet--it's only JULY!! We just had our Independence Day celebrations and even the news is discussing the "Back to School" needs?! WTF is up with that?! What happened to summer break? For what possible reason is it considered a GOOD idea to start classes again the 4th day of August, when the temeperature guage is still tilted? Who decided this, pray?

Okay, off that rant. It's been a while since i updated my blog--mainly because I cannot think of what to say. As i stated before, it gets hard talking about yourself all the time and well, I don't want to turn this into Miki's whining spot. I don't need that. I do well enough all on my own to an empty room.

We had a quiet 4th. Dani and Mike were off with their friends--so it was just the mouse and me. We went swimming and played like fools, since we actually had the pool to ourselves. She's getting to be a good little fish--now if i can only break her of that nasty "gotta hold the nose" habit she has aquired since moving to Florida. she never needed to do that before when she jumped in or dove. I taught all three kids to swim when they could barely walk! I think it's more a case of "well, everyone else is doing it and I don't want to look different, bad enough being the new kid" than anything else, but I got the obligatory eye roll when i questioned the action. She didn't, however, do it again that day.

We watched fireworks on TV, since none were allowed in our park--fire danger and drought. ~eye roll~ drought my--nevermind--come to NM and see the annual average precip and THEN we can disucss drought, buddy! You got more rain this MONTH than we see all YEAR there! Anyway, off that tangent ~chuckle~ here I go again, eh? Oh yes, fireworks--we watched the Boston Pops and also the Capitol Fourth--both were utterly wonderful! I remember vividly the fourth in Boston when I lived there--and to be honest, nothing has compared since. I would dearly love to get the kids up there at least once to watch the fireworks on the Charles and out in the harbor--2 different shows--amazing!!

This is the time of year when i reflect on how things must have been so many years ago and remember just how lucky we are that so many have done and still do fight for the rights so many of us take for granted. I may not like what you have to say, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it! Wish some loud mouths would remember that little detail while they're running their mouths on how everything in this world is stupid, how the President is a war mongering asshole, etc. Do i agree with every decision that Mr Bush has made? Oh Hell no! Do i respect and admire the courage he has to stand by his convictions in the face of the conflicts thrown his way? Oh you better believe it! Again, I don't have to agree, but i can and do support those in harm's way, whomever made the choice for them to be there. Contrary to popular belief, President Bush is not the antichrist, nor is he omnipotent. He's a deeply religious man with his own beliefs and convictions--and to send our people anywhere, takes more than his say so. Just one small request, Mr President? Keep your religion outta my politics and we'll get along just fine.

Okay off that tangent, kinda like religion, i prefer to agree to disagree and let's just get along and leave that topic behind us, shall we?

Starla has been to Canada to see her grandpa. He's dying. Her rock, i believe. The man that is 8 feet tall, yes yes!! even to her now grown up eyes. He is no longer recognizing folk, she tells me. How I ache for her. I have been there and wouldn't wish that pain on anyone! I just tried to keep my yap shut and let her talk. I hope she knows that I am here for her. Hugs, an ear, whatever. I really hate to see her hurting and feel helpless in the face of it. She has enough on her plate dealing with the MS and the bad reaction from the best meds for it and now having to go to the 2nd best, which apparently will give her the flu (or at least the symptoms) for the next 10 weeks as she builds up to a full dose and her tolerance for it. ~sigh~ Why do good people have to get smacked like that? Why can't it happen to, say--serial killers or rapists or paedophiles? Some things just don't make sense.

-Miki