Swingin'
So, turns out, the Booglet is a little daredevil. Once she found out she could go on the swings, she was all over it. I told her the g-forces (that's right--used g-forces) were good astronaut training.

Now of course, her mother (Calamity Jane), won't have anything to do with a ride like that, so Daddy gets to do all the stomach churning. You can just see my elbow as I'm climbing in for fun fun fun...

Hard to believe the Booglet is soon to be four. She's in a good stretch right now, and lovin' her Daddy.

One of her favorite quotes:

We are the music makers,
and we are the dreamers of dreams.
Willie Wonka

Who's the Watermelon Girl?



From our boating adventure last week.

And so the Booglet said...

"Daddy, you're the bestest boy ever."

Oh man. If only you knew sweetheart, how sweet that sounds to Daddy. Earlier tonight she said, while we were playing Candyland,

"Daddy, have you been waiting for me?"

I couldn't help but say,

"All my life."

Happy Fathers Day.

Fishing

That's not Old Henry...that's his brother.

Election Primer

The 2008 election is in full tilt now, some 18 months before the actual voting. Even though Diebold has already decided who will win, there's still going to be lots of teevee on this so, think of this as TV Guide for politics. Here now, as a public service announcement, is a primer on presidential candidates:

First up: Republicans...

Mitt Romney


Pros: Devilish good looks, good at going door to door, no Jennifer Flowers problems

Cons: Mormon, Flip-Flopper, Being confused with the Grecian Formula Guy...

Odds at being elected: 3:1

Comments: If only he were Amish...


John McCain


Pros: Vietnam POW, Experienced politician, "straight-talker",

Cons: Old. Very old. Older than Reagan old; Experienced politician (like Abscam); Bush sucker-upper (campaigned for W in 2004...)

Odds at being elected: 7:1

Comments: This guy missed his chance in 2000. Sorry WALNUTS, but the time of your time has come and gone as Steely Dan used to say...

Rudy Guiliani


Pros: 9/11, 9/11, 9/11

Cons: Press conference divorces, cross-dressing, egomaniac

Odds at being elected: 10:1

Comments: Wait till the rest of the country realizes the mess you've made of your life...

And now the Democrats:

John Edwards


Pros: Great hair, a Southerner (see Bill Clinton), Mill-worker's son, did I mention great hair?

Cons: Trial lawyer, how can he ever expect Merk & Co. to get on board?; accent; too many "Breck-girl" comparisons...

Odds at being elected: 4:1

Comments: I actually met this guy and liked him. But can we keep him away from the freaking mirror for 18 months?

Barak Obama


Pros: Can say all the black jokes he wants without the FCC getting involed (eat your heart out Imus), doesn't have a Senate record which will result in crap like "I voted before the bill before I voted against it", most buff.

Cons: He's ah, um...he's a negro (Note, this only applies in the South or wherever NASCAR is really big), middle name--OSAMA!, and he's a former? smoker.

Odds at being elected: 5:1

Comments: Dude, smoking gave you that voice--stick with it. And more Def Comedy Jam please...find your peeps!

And of course,

Hillary Clinton

Pros: Bill, first serious woman candidate for president, Bill

Cons: Every single snaggle-toothed redneck will come out to vote against her ensuring a Supreme Court which allows no redress for anyone unless you have a last name of Bush or Reagan, and a generation of control of the White House by two (2) families...

Odds at being elected: 2:1

Comments: May God help us all...

So I hope this helps. Yeah, I know there are some other people running for president but they don't have enough money to justify searching for their pictures. Now that Fred Thompson, he's got gravitas...

Blue Moon

Full moon tonight. One due at the end of the month too, making it a "Blue Moon." Two full moons in one month: rare because the moon revolves around the Earth every 27 days and...oh, you know. It's rare. I guess like my entries.

Vacation.Was so much fun. My favorite picture, which is currently being withheld from me no doubt for a Father's Day enlargement, is a great shot of the Booglet, in a rare reversal of roles, making her best "funny face" while her daddy justs smiles behind her--absorbed in joy with her and her mother out on the grass flats.

Where we saw...

a....

shark Charcharhinus limbatus, sea turtle Caretta caretta, and lightening welk Busycon contrarium. The Booglet caught a fish, we explored Fort Crooked Tree, and did some body surfing in Shady Pines. I really need to write about the shark encounter. That was a big fish...I realized my excitement about it's size just as Calamity Jane gave my the look and the Booglet simply said, quietly, "Shark?"

Work. Is non-stop. I'm not complaining--just baffled. Where is time and what have all you bastards done with it? How does fifteen minutes here and next thing I do conquer years? My Mom just retired and I remember teaching her Plumbum in college. My neice, who I put to sleep by walking around with her on my shoulder, just graduated from college. My own little Booglet grows bigger. And yet, oddly enough, I remain 13, excited by finding a horned toad Phrynosoma wigginsi on our nature walk.

The garden is starting to come in. I'm especially proud of the blueberry production this year. At least a cup of home-grown blueberries every night for a while now...the Booglet has her hands full trying to drain the bowl I keep full of them. That's food I know is safe...it's grown in the acre kingdom.

We're Going On Vacation
To play on the beach like this river otter (Lutrinae Mustelidae). And yes, that's the Gulf of Mexico behind him. Surf's up!