July 2022

In July I went to Boston again for our summer team meeting and while I was there I was able to gather up a couple of actual, real-life books that I helped create to bring home:

Over the last 18 months I've designed/templated/worked on over 100 books that are now in print and sold in schools all over the country. That number is unusual because typically I work on maybe a dozen books during that same time span. And I have no idea how many books I've worked on since I started in January 2010. It would be cool to have them all on one bookcase at home, but not very practical!

Flying out to Boston again:

The row of tail rudders looked cool:

My company planned out every minute of each day I was there from 8:30am to 8pm, so it was kinda tiring. Even though they kept us so busy that week, a group of us (about 18 people) did get to go to a go-kart place and race for a couple hours. We did five races and I won a race (after starting off in 5th place) and then almost won a second race, but spun out on a turn right near the end. I did record the top two fastest lap times out of the 18 of us, though. The cars were governed at 50 mph, so the races were pretty intense.

Getting lined up to start a race:

Group photo afterwards. Some people kept their head socks on like a buncha dorks:

When I got back home from the work trip I discovered that the pumpkin patch had taken over a large part of the backyard, but I also spotted five pumpkins! Seems kinda early for them to start growing. I'm excited to see how many we end up with and how large they get. There are only three pumpkin plants, but they are monsters.

These are pictures of the same pumpkin taken a week apart:

And there are still more blooms, so possibly more pumpkins:

The garden has kale, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeños, string beans, pumpkins (at the far left), and radishes. The spinach and radishes have already been harvested:

Even though it's been so hot, I've still been riding my bike often. Here's a toasty Saturday pic just outside of Center Point:

Trying out a newly-opened place for date night... the photo's not blurry, we're blurry, just like Bigfoot:

Kitty cat knows how to enjoy summer:

November 2021

So here's November; my birthday, new siding on the house, our anniversary:

This year I turned fortyschmchmmphsomething it doesn't matter:

After cake we went to Speedeez and tore it up on the go kart tracks. We started off on the normal track with the 15 mph karts. These people are bullies behind the wheel, always cutting us off and stuff:

THEN... we got on the racetrack where the go karts go 40 mph. Twelve laps go quicker than you think, it was so much fun:

Huh, our house was originally yellow. Who knew:

Looks like the house blew up:

New foam insulation and house wrap before installing the siding:

I forgot to take an "after" picture, but it looks great. Same color, just a lot cleaner... it looks like a new house.

Also, all the Wash cheer captains won post-season awards, which includes Rose. Go Rose!

For our 20th anniversary we stayed in an Airbnb in Washington, where I of course forgot to take pictures. Sheesh. Some photographer. I love Cynthia and I'm so blessed to be married to her.