All of a sudden I'm looking at kitchen books and shows and web sites everywhere. But I can see myself being (uncharacteristically) patient as I work through how I want to do the remodel...there is SO much I want to do that I think I'm actually going to have to start with a designer or even an architect so I don't make any big, expensive mistakes.

"They say that breaking up is hard to do..." (Am I dating myself if I quote a Neil Sedaka song??) This week I'm hearing pundits everywhere talk about how Obama is "breaking up with the left." And though it seems that way and the MoveOn.org types are none too happy, look deeper into every single "flip-flop" and you'll see the real story. For instance: he claims he's going to keep and strengthen Bush's "faith-based initiatives." Well for the first thing, most of that plan didn't ever pass anyway. Plus, he insists that any church/parachurch org getting approved for his programs would have to agree not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. Well, there goes a huge chunk of the programs that are really faith-based enough to make a difference. At this point, I think Obama is actually WANTING people to think he's flip-flopping when he's not. No matter how much the lefties complain, they're going to vote for him anyway. And in order to get the crucial middle, he HAS to appear that he's abandoning some of the more radical positions on the war, on FISA, and on taxes. Stay tuned.

So how was your 4th of July? We had a nice group of family and friends here and we broke in the new grill. And while out shopping this week, I made sort of an impulse buy of a 10 x 10 gazebo which allowed us some extra shade and atmosphere on our deck. Little did we know we'd also need it to shelter us from the rain which hit, of course, just as the chicken went on the grill!

We decided to get XM satellite radio in time for our big road trip this summer. The kids are excited about being able to listen to Broadway showtunes and movie soundtracks, and I will be happy to check in with FOX news on the road. It was frustrating, however, to get the radio and then realize it doesn't come with everything you need and we had to go looking for the adaptor we need to make it go through the FM radio system in the car. If you get one, talk to someone who's installed one before!

One more (much) smaller purchase lately: while at Lyric's two weeks ago we were shopping and I spotted something I'd seen on TV and already done a little bit of research on. So I picked it up and she and I promptly fell in love with it. And now The Papa keeps stealing it! It's the PedEgg--a little contraption that makes a pedicure, at least the dead skin part, easier than should be legal. And since nail salons are now legally prevented from doing the stuff they USED to do to make your feet nice and soft, it's nice to have a safe and effective option at home! So go get one...it'll be one of the best ten bucks you've ever pampered yourself with :-)

I just counted, and I've finished 29 books so far this year, so I'm on pace to top 50. Currently reading Three Cups of Tea, a birthday gift from Lyric, and listening to several on the iPod.

One other thing I did the math on yesterday: was it time to trade in one of our two Suburbans on a new, small gas-efficient GM car while GM is offering 0% interest? After a lot of complicated calculations that include gas prices, distances, and the patterns of use among our three vehicles/five drivers, I concluded that gas would have to reach $10 a gallon before it would pay us to take on another car payment, higher insurance, etc. So for now, we're a two-Suburban one Toyota family. Spending a lot on gas.

Beloved lyrics from this morning's service...


May God's great faithfulness be seen and acknowledged in your life this week...

Labels: Books, Decorating, Good Stuff, Holidays, Music, Political Observation, Sundays