To get there, we had to go through oil country. Wouldn't you know it,gas was cheaper in Pennsylvania than across the state line on the Seneca reservation, those Indians must be jacking up the price to profit off white man's vices.

The evening of the fourth we went to my dad's brother, and had a swell old time, the dog even got to eat two hamburgers. Nearly twelve year old was upset about missing the fireworks Rochester's was on the fourth, this city's was on the third, so I bought some PA Legal ones for her. Wouldn't you know, I burned my finger tip on a legal spinner thing, I guess you're not supposed to throw them. I also got a ringing in my ears from a quasi-legal bottle rocket who popped a second too early. She did get to see a few big displays from far away, maybe Kersey or Emporium.

I also found out my parents are related, maybe on a fourth cousin level. Nearly everyone in that small city is related if you go back three or four generations, except for maybe the two black people we saw. Yes, it's getting integrated, wiki says .23% of the city is black, which matches our observations.

The reunion coincided with seven year old's birthday, so my mom brought a My Little Pony cake, and My Little Pony favors. Fortunately there was one second cousin that was an approximately seven year old (she even brought a gift) so seven year old had a playmate.

Nearly twelve year old was not so lucky, there was a second cousin that just turned 13, but they didn't really connect. Nearly twelve year old ended up catching tens of tree frogs to play with, as well as a few grasshoppers and a lady bug.

Seven year old also discovered water balloons, and had a fun time.

The comfort Inn was nice, a dog friendly jacuzzi room sounds like an odd combination, but it worked. The girls and Mrs. Ha got in the jacuzzi nearly every day, I got in once.

It was a good weekend, in that dam full of good stuff all of sudden bursting sort of weekend.

For nearly twelve year old's birthday, we're doing a small get together in a nearby park, we vetoed the six girl sleepover as I'm not sure we have room in the backyard for the tent, or the energy to host six girls on an overnight.

Porsche-girl came over yesterday, and then nearly twelve year old went to her house, where they made invitations, invited a friend they met at a book club, and generally got the planning going.

The garden is doing good this year, so far we've harvested basil, cilantro, parsley, greens, and snow pea pods (most of which were eaten by nearly twelve year old and Porsche-girl yesterday). I made the mistake of planting an odd variety of basil that while very fragrant, just isn't thriving like my usual basil. I'm happy to see marigolds coming back, and the cucumbers are taking over my pipe frames, we'll see if we ever get any.

The mild summer (so far) has paid off for us on utility roulette, the meter reader came by to read our meter, and found out we had been using less gas and electricity than they predicted, our July bill is -$79 USD. Woot!

The other day I used up the last of my Chiavetta's marinade to marinate some chicken wings, they were the only boned chicken I could find in our supermarket. They were awesome, and reminded me of this old k5 diary. Flashbacks.

On to media reviews. We had another movie we didn't finish, Conversations With Other Women, in which two guests at a wedding become start up a conversation. I figured out the hook in about ten minutes, and it was filmed with a split screen that I found intriguing, but distracting.

I also read Ghost: Confessions of a Counterterrorism expert, by the vice president of
Stratfor. It was a quick, easy read, about how they worked to prevent terrorists from killing Americans, mostly abroad. I read about what scumbags the Libyans were in the 80's and 90's, and how he suspects the KGB of killing Zia in Pakistan with nerve gas.

Not too much planned for the weekend, I need an easy weekend, the stretch from the end of school until nearly twelve year old's birthday is always exhausting. We may buy nearly twelve year old a cell phone, she wants one, or a Wii, for her birthday. I should fix my bike's starter clutch, I haven't ridden in a few weeks. Neither has seven year old, she's still using training wheels.