This is from LAST weekend, when I decided to let the grass grow so we could go the the orchard. It was a good decision, and the grass didn't mind. Joel loved the "off the tree" peaches and apples. We walked around with him in a state of feeding/fructose overload for quite a while. We went up to an orchard in Erie, MI, and I think we may go back. The apples were plentiful, delicious, and cheap. They also had plums, peaches, blueberries, and some tomatoes and misc vegetables. The coolest thing was the peaches. They were awesome fresh. The blueberries were too picked-over to get enough to buy, but the handful we picked were fantastic.

This past week or two has been fantastically busy. I really don't have any spare time for much of anything, but the house will be ready for winter. I edged back the sidewalk for the first time in probably 10 years--it had lost about half of its width in some places. Sealed some roof stuff, did some electrical stuff, organization, added a basement window well around the crawlvent, graded that area well and then graded the area near the dinette (which had a horrible slope toward the house). I understand now why breaking soil by hand was such hard work.

I really wish we would have bought a house that needed less work. I took a dissertation day on Wednesday and came up with what I hope will be the "homerun" proper diagram for describing the mechanisms, assumptions, and models that take place in my study. Now it is just a matter of integrating all of that information into the paper. Time. I really need time.

I also just got an offer to do some contract work (on the side). It pays well, but it is hard to throw anything else on the plate. I looked through everything we were given by the previous owners. We have nothing about the roofing that was done! Next week, Ryan (B., from across the street) and I are going to be replacing about half of the roof over the screened-in porch...I think. On top of everything else, this week is going to be super-busy at work. I haven't had a high-profile job for a few weeks, and now I have 2 important "they JUST came up" jobs in the course of 2 days, with "regular" work due shortly after those.

On the good side, Anne made some really good hommus and everything else is good (nothing new breaking, besides the roof). I am a happy guy for that.