Super-Relax

Tiring but not that busy a weekend, really. My ex is in Aruba, so I had the kids the whole time, and we ate out some, rode bikes, walked around, collected bugs, watched cartoons, and I let them stay up later than usual. Now they're at their old daycare provider until Thursday, as I just can't lose that kind of time from working taking them both to and from preschool. Especially now, as July 1st is a huge time of year for the line of work I'm in. We had a great time at the pool and outside. I've noticed on the plus side that Trevor is trying to be funny and make me laugh, which is where it all starts, in the family. On the negative side, I don't care for him saying, "whatever" or yelling so much at his sister. I'm glad I have Ainsley's tricycle here rather than the house, as she's using it a lot more now.

The Heffalump Movie is actually very good for its kind. Pastoral, but detailed backgrounds, and very good expressions on the characters, especially Roo, who I never noticed to have much of a character at all before. Eeyore really gets the shit detail in this outing, having to lug a ton of equipment on his back and only getting a couple of funny but gloomy lines. I like how he announced the sky was (erroneously) falling as if he was pleased to be right. The Heffalump himself had an affecting British accent, kind of taking things back to their Milneian origins a little.

For Father's Day, I bought and broiled myself a good steak and I baked some Au Gratin potato mix, which turned out just burned enough on the top like I like it. As I feared, a piece of steak rolled off the plate and onto my new shorts, but I have Zout, which should take care of it. Bought the kids the bug habitat, some 3.5" Teen Titans figures (the Bumblebee and Hot Spot are a disappointment due to their too-soft rubber legs not being able to stand; Starfire's like that, too, actually, more from the thinness of the feet). Oh, and bought them a more colorful Magnetix set, too, for building. I noticed that, probably due to my humidifier, the old set lost the silver luster on the steel balls. I do so hate lackluster balls.

Downloaded the new Stephen Malkmus but wasn't in the mood. Also the two-disc Belle and Sebastian non-album singles and b-sides collection, PUSH BARMAN TO OPEN OLD WOUNDS, which I'm enjoying right now. Also was extremely pleased to find, on emusic.com, two classic Spacemen 3 discs, THE PERFECT PRESCRIPTION and PLAYING WITH FIRE, both of which I almost bought for much more money a few months back. I'll play one of those to send me to sleep.

Wrote one page of Irregular Joe. Very relaxed right now, because after some light weight-lifting and watching an excellent Padres game against the hated Dodgers, I actually went for a swim. The pool was pretty warm and no one was around. I got in ten laps with plenty of intermissions. I've never been much of a swimmer except for underwater, but I had a decent, relaxed stroke going. Seems like a more fun way to get cardio work in than a stationary bike, I think. I may buy a real bike this summer, too. Worked until almost 7:00 tonight and it sucks ass, especially as the air conditioning goes off in the office at 5:00. I probably left a lot of ball luster in my slacks by the time I was done.