Ketchup

A brief summary of the summer so far.
Aspen competed with the YMCA swim team this summer. Big improvement over last year and does pretty well in her age group for a summer only swimmer. Glad to see the early morning practices end.
Aspen and Mom went to Savannah, GA for Aspen's Girl Scout Troop fly up to cadette. Way too much to write about there.
Dad and Ember went backpacking for a couple days while they were away. Did practically nothing the entire time. "It should be an annual event" - Ember
Major work on the house remodel has been suspended for effort to be focussed on installing a hot tub. Diane has waited long enough.
The Saturn wagon has convinced us to get rid of it. The only car we have not taken over 100k.
Gas prices and the unreliable Saturn had Gary tweak a bicycle a little to pedal to work. He did it a couple times one way last year - fear-sourced adrenaline had him pedalling to fast. This year he kept his head, ignored the idiot drivers, and quite enjoyed the ride. The plan is to pedal to work twice a week.
Aspen may have a similar allergy to dad regarding bees. She had a strong localized reaction, just before the Savannah trip. Her foot swelled up nicely.
Ember leaves for Girl Scout camp Sunday, at Camp Peairs on Lake Bloomington. Diane and Gary volunteered there a couple seasons before the girls were born. She'll be an L.I.T. Hopefully learn to sail. Ad we're sure she'll teach a few things also.
The barn swallows came back, and decided the nest shelf was good enough this year. Second brood is near hatching.