Really not a lot going on lately. Grandparents are at the lake, aunts are back to work, cousins at school, and we’re plugging away on a few last projects (i.e. anything that requires internet) before we gather ourselves up and head back to the boat next week.

We did get out and begin our training for the Appalachian Trail hike next summer. Ha! Hilarious as that adventure might be with these two leading the way from marker to marker, I don’t think that it’s in the cards.

Lowe took a fall the other day under my watch. He was climbing around on a big metal umbrella stand without the umbrella in it. Just a big post for plugging the umbrella into. When he slipped he went mouth first into the top of it. He didn’t cry much, but when he came up he had blood pouring out of his mouth and I was sure he must have lost some teeth. Luckily it was just a couple of big scuffs on the chin and a nasty cut on the inside of his lip. When I carried him inside the house with blood streaming off of his chin you can imagine Ali’s response. Let’s just say that I think I’m losing the “protect the baby” contest again.

I drove out to the Social Security office this morning, joining the morning commuters. Ninety minutes later I arrived at the office, twenty miles from home. That is such a great way to start a day. The office itself was a model of efficiency (no, seriously) and in no time I had secured Lowe his nine digits. Next year I had better score some hefty tax breaks kid.