Turtle Found

The other day we got a call from our neighbor asking if we had a lost pet turtle.  Yes, last summer our turtle went missing.  So, a year later "Milky Way" had chugged East exactly thirty feet, dug under the fence and somehow survived a harsh Utah winter in an old lady's yard, happily surviving on bugs and greens.

Good for him!

Now he's Willow's pet and she's whiling away the afternoon as he crawls around in the grass nearby.  The perfect pet for a three year old.  That animal exists for the entertainment of that girl.  And she is so kind and gentle and protective of the little creature.  He's an animated one, not just hiding whenever anyone is near.  He plows through high grass, bushes, towels, and bowls of water.

I've been playing D&D with my two boys, Jonah (10) and Griffin (7).  We made the toy room into our D&D room.  It is a sheer delight.  They are totally stoked about it, we've played every night for three nights.  This is the first time they seem to be actually getting it.  Griffin is actually just old enough to sit through a ninety minute session.  I can't tell you how proud I am to find them sneaking D&D books to bed so they can read them after supposed bed time.

On Saturday I came across a garage sale and picked up a washer and dryer for (what is now called) the BTP house.  And a microwave and toaster oven!  I love garage sales.  Apparently it's like two blocks from Renn's place and they were all up playing Mordheim the other night.

Me?  I'm not feeling well.  Something is terribly wrong with my left elbow.  I have to cradle it carefully.  It feels like a hot ice pick is in there and the stress of it has moved up my arm, to my shoulder, neck and now my head.  It's like my whole left side is crumbling.  I don't like to talk about it, but it seems dissimulous to not say the bad things, too.  My wife got back from a three day conference and tended to me, though, rubbing arnica gel on me which has made me feel a ton better, de-stressing the whole area.  Oh, how I love that woman.  There's nothing like a long marriage to a good woman.  She is more poised and regal than ever.  She's so mature and refined.  It's like being married to a queen; humble royalty.

In spite of that, I still consider my life to be like heaven.  It's really super.  I am myself.  My life is zen-like.

Stay on the beach or move inland, but you can't put up a "No Hurricanes" sign.  That's me.  I'm like a tempest.  I do what I do.   I am naturally doing the right thing.  I am clay in the Maker's hands.