The big news would have to be that after months of running a quarter mile, then getting up to half a mile, then back to a quarter during the time I was working full time plus taking a class, I have finally broken my half mile limit.  As of Tuesday the 16th, I am now running three quarters of a mile.  My body needs this.  My heart feels stronger, healthier.  My weight is creeping down again (hardly noticable).

My goal is to be running 1 mile by October 1st, 2005.

No change.  The August colors and this page are new.  I haven't gotten the pictures up from the STP yet, and it won't happen this week either because I'm too busy.

No change.  I need to find someone in Dutch Harbor Alaska who I can use as a partner to help me install a new Firewall unit.  I fixed MailScanner on our server and I'm feeling pretty confident about being able to install, uninstall, and configure most usual types of programs on Linux.

I STILL haven't done anything about my ISP and Majordomo major headaches with SeattleLinuxChix.  I need to call tech support but I need to have some time when I can do it.  That hasn't happened yet.

So far this summer, Tom and I have gone bicycling, canoeing, boat camping, and van camping.  We have yet to go bicycle camping, backpacking, or motor boating.  We'll get to do at least some of that.  There never seems to be enough summer or enough free time in summer.

Friday is Mike and Deb's farewell party.  Saturday, Tom and I discovered a new outdoor swimming beach that we want to check out.  Sunday is Hempfest.  Originally we weren't planning to go, but some old friends contacted me and wanted to go with us for their first time there and that sounds like fun.

Timing seems to be a little off on everything this year.  I don't remember ever seeing so many duck babies in the middle of August before.  It has been a great year for berries.  The blackberries are doing amazingly well, but so are the strawberries and blueberries.  That is, the June strawberries are producing like crazy in August.  They didn't do anything in June.

I've been finding bird feathers for the past couple of weeks.

The phlox, lillies, and hosta are still in bloom in my shade garden.  The tigerlilly is in bud.  The tigerlilly bloom is always bittersweet because it heralds the beginning of the colder weather.

Out front, the daisies, coreopsis, butterfly bush, roses, catnip, and tansy are blooming profusely.  The sunflowers have started to bloom.  My pumpkin plants and tomato plants have not done well this year.  I'd be surprised if I even get 3 pumpkins.

Last year I planted those pumpkins in April and I had 30 orange pumpkins by July.  This year, I planted the pumpkins at the end of May and I haven't had a single flower turn into a fruit yet.  Strange.