Spades

Four conservative bidders. Super conservative, at that. We're only playing to 200, instead of the usual 500. After 7 hands we've barely broken 100. Pete said, "This is a game of attrition."

Brewing Beer

Summer Evenings ...

... might be my favorite thing ever. Small brewery. Patio. Good beer. Great company. Definitely one of my favorite things, at the very least.

Driveway Oil Change

New Restaurant

This place, Schoolhouse Libations and Kitchen, is fun. The menu is presented in an old school folder. The bar is full of books - and booze, of course. There are classroom style chairs and even some desks scattered around. And the drinks are served in beakers.

Garden

We planted snap peas, lettuces, cabbages, broccoli, carrots, and mustard greens in late March. The greens have done well and we're starting to eat some. The carrots were a complete bust; we've had zero. The peas were a delicious, smashing success. But they're all done now and we've ripped them out to plant cow peas. We've never planted cow peas so we're not sure what to expect. They look like green beans except they are purple.

Tomatoes, eggplant, and cucumbers followed in mid-May. The tomatoes and eggplant were all choked out by mint. (Mint is delicious -- we've made many a lovely mojito with it, but it grows in quantities which almost no backyard gardener can use.) We thought the cucumber was another mint casualty until we got into the patch today to rip out the mint and discovered a healthy, thriving cucumber plant in its midst. Much rejoicing followed.

To make up for the sad lack of tomatoes, Pete bought some pre-started tomato plants at the famer's market today. We plunked them into the ground this afternoon and we're hopeful that we'll end up with some good tomatoes by the time August rolls around.

July 4th

Ribs and potatoes. Mojitos. Playground. Fireworks after a drizzle. Oh, yes.

Hiking

Teeny orange caterpillar of some sort.

We hiked about 6 miles, round trip, through part of Golden Gate Canyon State Park to Windy Peak. It was fun and difficult and very worth it.