Completion

I'm happy to announce that the deck is finished, except for staining which will happen in October, and accessorizing with planters and what-not. We added railings to the sides and stairs. I'm using we in the marriage-as-a-parnership way, since I didn't do much to help except offer my opinion. I highly recommend this method of helping. It's pretty easy. Our friend Jorge* (pronounced "George") helped Stanley both Saturday and Sunday. It took longer than they expected.

Here we are enjoying the finished deck for the first time.



In this photo, Jorge demonstrates the most important use of the railing.





In other news, today is the last day of the Minnesota State Fair. I've been to it three times in the last couple of weeks. I want to go again but you have to draw the line somewhere. I'm going to miss it when it's gone. The entrance is only two blocks away and I like to sit outside and listen to the music from the grandstand, and smell the roasted corn. For some reason, out of all the food they serve there, the roasted corn fragrance is what reaches us. We're also lucky to be able to see the nightly fireworks from our back yard. They go off about 10:30 p.m. It's nice when you happen to be sitting outside, but when you are inside trying to sleep, or on the sofa with a cat on your lab, it can be distressing.

Speaking of corn, thanks to Colossal Waste of Birdseed '08, we have corn growing in the front yard.



But back to the fair. Some of my favorite memories of the fair, in photos.

The goats.

Wishing Al Franken good luck in his campaign for U.S. Senate.



The butterfly house.

I like most insects but butterflies are near the top of the list. For $3.00 we got to stand in a hot, steamy room filled with confused butterflies. They got to choose between landing on blossom-filled trees, the floor, or people. This one chose my face. I was flattered, but annoyed because I was in the middle of a conversation, and so of course the conversation had to stop.

Speaking of insects, look at the somewhat horrible creature I found in the back yard today, clinging to a hosta blossom.

To get the full effect, click on the image. Definitely one of the ugliest insects I've seen. He's fat and about an inch long. Some kind of locust or something. I'm pretty sure he came up out of the ground, in part because he had dirt all over him, and in part because a couple of weeks ago while I was digging dirt up so I could lay bricks, I dug up something that looked a lot like him.

My sister Jasmine* is coming to visit in 3 days and I'm pretty excited about it. I plan to put her to work.


*Names changed.