Pink Oleander - Saturday 8/2/2008

Another weekend of hiking the hills around our house. These oleanders are in bloom a couple of houses up from ours.

The Road Home - Friday 8/1/2008

Hydra's favorite road cut... on Escondido Canyon Road heading toward Acton from Agua Dulce. It's a nice reveal when you drive through here.

It's easier to drive 55 and get better fuel economy on these smaller roads than on the highly competitive 14.


Hydra on Sundry's Mountain. Can you see him? Hiker Man!

Dodger's Helping - Thursday 7/31/2008

Hydra's on a lemonade kick. Dodger is ready to help.

I'm not sure sticking his beak in the sugar is really helpful, but it pleases him. He gets a little dish of lemonade.

Me, I've been making Arnold Palmers with the lemonade. That's half lemonade/half iced tea. YUM!

p.s. For those of you who eat at our house from time to time, I assure you that no beaks, feet or feathers are allowed in anything I offer to my friends.

Ya Think? - Wednesday 7/30/2008

Really? You don't want me to attempt to use this device?



I'm offended! Offended, I tell you, that you tell me that I can't use the payphone when I know I am perfectly capable of operating one!

Rollin'! - Tuesday, 7/29/2008

Wow, we really felt this morning's 5.8 earthquake in Burbank this morning, even though we're about 45 miles from the epicenter.

The building shook and then it rolled. It went on long enough that I bent over and considered whether it would be better to duck under my desk or my computer table.

We're on the second floor of a two-story building. The window blinds swayed for a while after the movement had probably stopped, but it's disorienting. I felt like I might still be moving!

I have already gone to the USGS site and entered my experience in their database. I think it's cool that they gather anecdotal information. If you felt it, you can report too! (Click on USGS and then when on the site, click on Report an Earthquake.)

You can also just use it to look at the activity that's going on right now. They've had two aftershocks already!

P.S. My all-time favorite earthquake video. I was working in a restaurant in Century City during this one, and the TVs started bouncing on their chains. The cooks ran out of the kitchen because the grease in the big deep fryers started sloshing out!

Water Conservation - Monday 7/28/2008

I really like this graphic on the cards they put out on the tables at Andrew's.

I actually drink the water, so I still get it!

Stand Off - Sunday 7/27/2008

Technically, this is Dodger's playset.

But sometimes Nick likes to pretend he's the big cheese.