Things that are new around the house:

BABY TEETH. The Little Digger's got two little whitecaps poking through, ready for steak. All theories about whether or not he's been teething are now dismissed. Sleep, anyone?

SECURITY SYSTEM. We've had the thing installed for a few years but a nice young man came by the other day and told us we could get the same service with an upgrade for $5.00 less a month. We will save every $5.00 that is being spent needlessly, so we signed up. Now, with the upgrade, every time someone opens a door or window a female robot voice upstairs announces it. Also, we're currently getting billed from both security agencies.

COUPON FILE. My sister uses a handy little file folder that she puts all her coupons from her world into. When she pulls up to a store, say, Target, she flips to "T" and peruses the Target coupons. We've tried it for a month now, and it seems to work. We keep it in the coupon drawer under piles of coupons.

BOB DOUBLE-JOGGER STROLLER. It's the Cadillac of double strollers, with it's cushy shock absorbers and a little digital speedometer/odometer/thermometer attached to the handlebar. We got it with our sizable REI rebate this year, which we usually use for a vacation, so, no vacations. Just marathon training. The odometer has never really worked and the kids just scream and cry when you put them in it. Just like a vacation.

NEW BACK GARDEN PATH. I finally got around to staining it a reddish terracotta color and it looks swell, though it was a lot more work than may have been worth it. I'm still going to have to tear out a bunch of the rocks to retrofit the irrigation for the grass that's supposed to grow between them. Not really looking forward to it, but then again I am. The Tax Commissioner recently reappraised our house at being worth a hundred grand less. I'm hoping the two aren't connected.

LIGHTBULBS. I went to stock up on light bulbs the other day. We typically use 60 watt incandescents around here but they now only sell 57 watt bulbs to save the environment. This is good news because those compact fluorescents are environmentally unsafe -break one and a puff of mercury dust fills your living room and you have to call in a hazardous materials team to clear a perimeter around your house. The future is looking dim.

BUTTERFLY GARDEN. Plants are popping up! The butterflies have yet to arrive, but we await their glorious homecoming with baited breath and uncontained anticipation. Hoping the flowers come out before the summer water rationing kicks in.

2008 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. Just kidding. (I can dream can't I?)


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