In the category of Strange Things I Didn’t Know 10 Minutes Ago: Apparently, there’s something special about the note of B flat. Play it to a male alligator and he’ll bellow back at you. No one knows why, he just does it. Only for B flat. And, just to increase the strange factor, there’s a black hole out there that is more or less humming to a nearby gas cloud, humming in the frequency of B flat. Sort of makes one want to go around with a B flat and see what else out there sings back…

It’d be great if this gets off the ground: a plan to connect Seattle’s parks to each other with pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly paths and boulevards. More green! And, even better, making it possible to get to the green without getting in the car.

I am pleased to announce that I have finally completed our Germany Journal. While I doubt that anyone was still holding their breath waiting for the conclusion, it does feel nice to have be able to say that it’s all finished. Now that’s checked off the to-do list, whatever will I do with myself? Oh, yes, there it is: “Write best-selling novel”.

Things Caitlyn says: “Coffee-bake” (for coffeecake) “Trampa-boing” (for trampoline) “Oh goomis” (for oh, my goodness) “Won awound” (when moving at high speeds in a roughly circular pattern) “Fan-gees” (for sandwiches) “Gargawoyal” (for gargoyle) and of course, “Mama help” and “Kitlyn do it”

Bumper sticker of the day: I live in my own world. They know me there. Caitlyn and I went down to Southcenter today, mostly for something to do. I never thought I’d be so appreciative of free balloons. The mall is doing this major upgrade, and the food court is completely shut down. There are snacks available, and lots of chocolate, but no sandwiches or pizza that I could find. So we had our peanut butter and jelly sandwich squares in the car. And that gave me lots of time to think about parking lots. It’s probably not in the …

Ian and Caitlyn were playing with our smaller camera (it fits in Ian’s pocket, as opposed to the big camera, which needs a backpack) the other day. Caitlyn loves the cameras. Recently, though, she’s stopped mugging for them and wants to push the buttons. One of these days, I should post one of her pictures… sometimes they come out as something recognizable (even if it’s just the ceiling), sometimes they are very “modern art”. Anyway, Ian was explaining why one shouldn’t put one’s fingers on the lens; it’s the camera’s eye. Caitlyn got that. Later Ian turned the camera off, …