Final trip to the airport last night, DIL had to get back to work. We had a lot of fun while she was here, but I am totally exhausted. I spent the day cleaning and doing load after load of laundry. She had actually straightened up her bedroom (!) which meant I didn’t have that to do, but the guest bathroom needed a major overhaul. Now it’s back to me and the captain discussing home repairs and projects, trips we’re hoping to take, and surf, of course. He wants to get an inflatable kayak and take it with us on when we go camping and hiking. I’ve lived near the beach for more than two decades and rarely get wet above my knees! I’m not a great swimmer, but I’m always excited to try something new, and I’d feel a thousand percent safe with the captain in charge. In fact, I’m thinking of letting him give me a surf lesson tomorrow. Even though it’s still summer, I’m gonna wear a wetsuit. The last time we did this, he gave me strict orders not to let go of the board, no matter what. (It’s obvious what his real priorities are, right??) He promised he’d guide the board as the wave propelled me forward, but it happened to be a really strong rogue wave and he couldn’t hold on. I ended up getting flipped over and was dragged under the waves and pounded on the rocky bottom but I never let go of that stupid surfboard. The next day my legs were covered in huge black and blue bruises but his surfboard came through unscathed with nary a scratch or a ding. That was about five years ago and I think I’m ready to give it a try again. Like giving birth, ya know, they say you forget the pain as soon as it’s over. Well…that was never my experience, but I’ll try positive thinking and a never-give-up attitude. If it happens, I promise there will be pictures.

On the home front, we’re being overrun with ground squirrels–and not just the adorable Spirit Squirrel™ who carried off Victor’s rawhide bone. He’s brought his entire extended family and then some, and they’ve taken up residence in our yard. The hills are peppered with so many holes and tunnels, we fear a collapse. Squirrels are running rampant across the deck, bringing their cracked corn and sunflower seeds pilfered from the neighbor’s bird feeder,  watching us through the window. I’ve tried deterrents like cayenne pepper and fox urine crystals to no avail. They laugh at my futile efforts. One of the more brazen intruders stole tomatoes from the garden, and took a few bites out of each before discarding. When I found a huge den dug out of the floor of the greenhouse, I knew it was time to take serious action. We called a humane critter relocation specialist. He arrived with very nice Havahart traps and filled them with an irresistibly delicious mix of seeds, nuts, fruit, and peanut butter. We’ve had immediate success and the first family has entered the witness protection program and have been relocated to a safe house (nature preserve.)

And on to a more pleasant topic: starfish sandals! Aren’t they just too cute?!