Brooks and I had a relaxing Saturday. We went and bought some plants for around the pool and inside, though I'm skeptical anything can grow in our cave of a house. After nap time, we went to the American Club and had the place to ourselves. It was fun to play around on the playground and enjoy a snack just as the air was cooling down - though strangely enough, 102 is just a little too warm to be comfortable. 90 would be perfect I think.

Sunday was going to be another hike day, but Brooks has decided he'd rather just stay at home. I think we are both a little sad that Robyn, Anders and Rhys aren't here with us. We're all hoping they are able to come back on Tuesday. We'll see if Washington cooperates.

Something just doesn't seem right about watching cross country racing and curling after going for a run in 100 degree heat. I got home from work early yesterday and Brooks what having a fun time playing with Aicha so I went out for my first exercise in months! It was a little surreal running down my dirt street - past our friendly neighborhood crazy homeless dude (don't ask Robyn about the bird incident) then through the little makeshift fishing village (four blocks away). Then weaving through new homes under construction interspersed with little plots of land being cultivated with healthy looking vegetables. I felt very guilty running by like that. There are many Malians that have energy at the end of the day for a workout.

First, how do you keep your kids from saying things like "that stupid thing" and "that sucks" when you say them all the time. I thought I was doing pretty well by not using too many four letter words around them - after Anders started repeating things anyway. Now I am realizing how much other language is in that grey, sort of bad, zone. Some words and phrases are clearly inappropriate for a 3 or 5 year old... but "that stupid car"? Should I limit my language even further? Should I preach to do what I say, not what I do? Stupid parenting questions!

Blogger went and took away my FTP access so I had to completely redesign the way the blog gets embedded on the website. Stupid Blogger. Also - I'm making a switch to picasa web albums for all your photo viewing pleasures. The server install of Gallery 2 was decent but took a TON of effort and time to keep running and uploading photos was always a challenge. Picasa makes all that transparent - but google has control of my photos now. I guess they already have everything else - might as well make it universal.