It is a beautiful evening and I am sittitng outside with Samantha while she draws with chalk on the driveway. So far she has made a self portrait and a carrot. I hope the whole summer stays like this, not too hot and not too cool, just right...and I'm Goldilocks.

John and I have been trying to figure out what to get Samantha for her birthday. She is of no help. Every time one of us asks her what she wants we get a long pause followed by an "I don't know". Well, we still have a week to decide. Oh my god! My baby will be 9 years old in one week!

It probably is not a very good idea to wave to you neighbor down the street and then proceed to pick your nose. Maybe she didn't notice.

From where I'm sitting I can see Jess and Mark's house and I am wondering why they didn't come to our party. Maybe they forgot. I hope they forgot and are not mad at us for some reason.

Neighbor guy just went by on his way for a run. Good Kate, I waved but didn't pick my nose this time. Oh, he has a cute butt.

I did a really good job with the hedge trimers. I used to attack the bushes with the pruning shears and they would always come out cock-eyed. Gute would stand at the end of his driveway and laugh. (He used to call me Funky Winkerbean.) When they moved he gave us their electric hedge trimmers. I used them for the first time last week and as I sit here admiring our yard I have to say: "Mighty fine job, Kate." All the bushes are even, well, for the most part, and they are all rounded nicely and everything.

There is a black cat in the yard across the street and I think it's Mr. Marshal. Samantha says it is not him. I called to him and he looked over here. Maybe it isn't him because if it was he would come running over her and jump into my arms. After all, John is the one who took him "away", not me therefore he would still like me, his mommy.

Wow, it is 7:30pm already. I can't believe how the time flies in the summer and how fast it goes by when you are just sitting and doing practically nothing.

This week at work Ellen is on vacation and so is Lynn. Today I missed not having Ellen right next to me to chat with. And, I figured Stacey would act as though she runs the office like she does when Lynn isn't there but surprisingly today she was really quiet. The whole office was pretty quiet. Ron is gone today and tomorrow for a trade show.