The last few weeks....

Busy. So why isn't it reflected here? A certain dear aunt of mine has pointed out that the posts have been severely lacking.

It's partially it's because it's been THAT busy.

Couple of weekends ago the Groves came up to see Téada, a traditional celtic music group. They are very good, and a bunch of young pups. Cami "discovered" them at Irish Fest in KC last year where she was art director (and I believe will be again this year?). Anyway, it was a small, intimate setting... the sanctuary at the Unity Center here in Columbia. The Unity Center is a kind of really, really generic Christian (mostly) church. It's kind of like to belong you have to agree that Christ, or someone like him fictional or othewise, had some really wise things to say sometimes. :-) Actually, that's just my take. I really know very little about it except what I saw when I was there.

It was kind of funny because live Irish music is generally accompanied by the audience participating by clapping and short, sharp "whoop"s at tempo changes -- the atmosphere in a church sanctuary, however generic, wasn't real condusive to that at first, but eventually the spirit (no pun intended) caught the best of everyone.

Took the kids down to Rock Bridge State Park and took the trail back to Devil's Icebox (the entrance to Conner's Cave and Devil's Icebox Cave. Stepped in and looked about a bit. Nathanial was very excited. Here's a shot up to the top of the sinkhole that you go down into to get to the caves:

This last weekend we helped Kev move, and Bri get packed. He left yesterday for Indianapolis. Tomorrow we go to Indianapolis for a seminar for how to stay in touch with him while he's in Iraq, what to expect and all that. Then we'll drive back that night. We could be home by 2:30am if all goes well.

With Brian leaving for Iraq, and Kev having the dogs, we pretty much had to take Bart back. Last week I had the carpet he'd basically ruined at the bottom of the stairs replaced. According to Brian he was well behaved the whole time he was over there -- and today is day two -- so far, so good. This was our best chance of getting him over the habit, anyway. Several months somewhere else, and clean up the old damage so he can't smell it. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Also rented a roto-rooter type machine and routed out our sewer pipe because of a backup we had the week before when the washer went to drain.

Tomatoes are growing slowly. Probably need more fertilizer/water and definitely more sunlight.

I've been collecting everything for the Colorado trip. Got maps, park info, books describing back country campsites and trails. My equipment will all fit in my daypack -- sleeping bag, tent, cook kit, extra clothes and warmth/dry layer -- but no room for food. I ordered a Mountainsmith Outback backpack that's supposed to be 2700 cubic inches. It's about the same size as their famous Ghostpack. I'm not sure what my daypack is, but without overstuffing it can't be any bigger than about 2000 cubic inches. But the new pack isn't here yet. I have Sam's frame pack if that doesn't work out. Just tie everything that won't fit inside to the outside.

No matter, I will make do and have a good time.

I did get some WorldWide Sportsman shirts and a pair of their zip-off pants/shorts in the water-resistant teflon fabric at Bass Pro. Niiiiiiiice. I think I want another pair of those pants. They're better than the Columbia Packables I have -- fit better, and are water resistant and fast-drying.

Had molds made from my teeth a couple weeks ago to check out my bite. I've had some jaw problems so doc is checking out how my teeth fit together. It's all related. Long story short $525 for a night splint to hold me over until I decide if I want braces/a retainer later.

Oh, the car is fixed, too from the deer damage.

There's more, for sure, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

I need to be better about keeping this thing up to date.