An incredible and continuous siege by the hurricanes in Florida, and their poundings are relentless. And interesting. I would love to chase them. I'm joking that disasters either succeed or precede anywhere I go, seeing that earthquakes hit Japan today. Of course there are no fewer degrees of separation between me and disaster than anyone else and disaster. Disasters happen. Utterly heartbreaking are the ones humans cause, and those children in Russia, those beautiful children, deserve more than my useless tears. I saw a picture of a rescuer carrying out a little boy, with a sworl of hair at his crown so much like Micah's...I long to know that little boy...I love him.

We saw the Toyota/WEBN fireworks-spectacular as always- perfectly timed with the music- they really had it on each beat, timing the explosions and music-by-radio in near-perfect synchronicity. We all went with Karl and Kenny and Karl's friend Mark was there. This was the guy we used to know as "Booger" (since he looked like the character "Booger", the guy who on some show married Allyce Beasley)...boy was he annoying then...but I didn't even recognize him as the same person. Until they reminded me but since I didn't really see him in the light, I just couldn't believe that was the same person. I mean he's still kind of goofy but not like he once was, though Steve says he still is as cheesy. I mean he actually has a woman and kids and grandkids. Or stepgrandkids. Or his wife's a stepgrandmother. Or they're married off and on and have a daughter. Or something. I don't know. There are 3 grandkids. I don't know who is the parent of the daughter. I think he is. Whatever. The grandkids are cuuuuuute.....adorable... But who can figure families out when the daughter has 3 "baby daddies" and who knows whose DNA is where. At least they're mixing the DNA up a healthy bit since Mark is of Philippine origin and 2 of the baby daddies are Mexican and other people of other origins are all in the mix.

OK we get home and the first thing Micah sees is a pile of...something...on the NEW carpet...Nathanael says "I thought you put out all 3 cats!" "I did!" I reply, frantic to know what this heap of black stuff is. "Oops," he then remembers, "Uh, I left my window open." NIIIICE! So the cat comes in and barfs BUGS onto the carpet!!! WWWWTTTTTTFFFFFF?!!!! I mean at least since I just defleaed the cats the bugs in the carpet will at least all be DEAD. So I clean up the mess, figuring I could scream at him to do it but he would end up not cleaning it WELL enough since lately any housekeeping job I ask him to do is done sorta halfway. I used some of Martha's ultra-powerful lye soap which gets out ANYTHING 100%. Thank goodness for stain resistant treatment, too, and the fact that not much fluid accompanied what looked like a nice Fear Factor meal. Do I have you gagging yet?