Cooling Off

Because of the heat, I took my kids to a water fountain play area where water shot up from the ground. Many other parents and their kids were there also playing and cooling off in the water for a brief respite from the hot afternoon sun. The ice cream truck found this spot and also found a lot of eager young customers. Cooling off with ice cream and blasts of water was effective.

WEDNESDAY

During this heat wave, news stations have provided safety tips to parents to not leave their child in the back seat. It is unfortunate that parents do endanger their children in such way so that these safety tips are needed. Hopefully, these safety tips will eventually protect children who would be otherwise harmed.

THURSDAY

This economic recession has forced people to change their spending habits in an attempt to be more frugal. One frugal habit is to check out books from local libraries instead of buying them. I have been checking out books more often. Another frugal habit is to borrow DVDs from public libraries instead of paying for rentals from video stores.

Heat Wave

This summer heat in incredible--over 100 degrees today, and still in the 90s tonight. In such heat, everyone seeks cool relief by going to the mall or other air-conditioned locations. I even heard of people without air conditioning staying in hotels until the heat wave dissipates. I understand. A heat wave makes everyone lethargic and unable to work or sleep. A respite, even if only for a while, is needed.

Summer Reading

I like the Summer Reading Programs put on by libraries. A kid signs up to read a certain amount of books during the summer, and after reading those books, gets rewarded. The prizes include free games at fun centers and sporting event tickets. Yes, a child should read just because she or he likes to read. But having incentives every now and then is also fine.

Theatre

I love live theatre. My wife and I just saw The Producers comedy. It was a blast. When presented on the stage (as opposed to the big screen), it is a hilarious romp. There is so much to admire in theatre--the sets, costumes, actors, lights, and everything else. Comedy, drama, the human condition--all can be experienced in the theatre.

Fun in the Park

I like these free festival days in the park they're hosting during these summer days. At one park, there was a triathlon competition for kids. For even smaller kids, there were big inflatables the kids could play on. Also, there was a rockclimbing activity for the kids. It was an enjoyable morning (before the sun got too hot) for the whole family and community.

Sushi

My wife and I like sushi and so we like sushi restaurant Todai, especially when we have a birthday and the birthday person can eat free. Otherwise, sushi is somewhat expensive. Still, sushi is a nice treat every now and then and is a definite improvement over hamburgers and fries. But one has to not overdo the sushi because there is quite a bit of white rice. So moderation will make for a tasty and healthy sushi meal.

The Reward System

It is well known among psychologists and others that a reward system can be a powerful motivator. That is, providing a "reward" (rather than, say, a "penalty") can greatly affect a person's behavior. I see this with my kids when they go to some fun center where they pay a token (or nowadays swipe a card) to play games that reward them with tickets that spew out. They later take the tickets to a ticket counting machine to find out their points, and with the points, get all sorts of trinkets. The trinkets are low-quality items that break easily or are easily forgotten. But the kids are motivated to play the games because they get the reward of points and trinkets.

Kids' Vaccines

I read a newspaper report saying some kids' vaccines went bad because of improper storage temperature. Vaccines need to be stored within a certain temperature range, and some were not but had been given by clinics to children. I feel for those children who need repeat shots because of this problem. Of course kids need to be vaccinated, but it is just too bad that they have to repeat the discomfort.

Shady Trees

Shade from trees around the house during hot weather is a blessing. I like trees less during fall when I have to rake the leaves and clean the gutters. But during summer, I like the trees a lot. When I take my kids to a playground, I always look for ones shaded by tall trees. When parking my car, I look for a shady spot. Trees are indeed a blessing in the summer.

Crater Lake

Oregon has many scenic places to visit, from the coast to Mount Hood. Another place is Crater Lake. My wife and I visited Crater Lake years ago. I still recall the blue water. The idea of a volcano with an enclosed lake just fascinates me. Hopefully I can find time this summer to revisit Crater Lake.

Water Toys

My kids received water "gun" gifts and had a lot of fun with them spraying things and each other on this hot, sunny day. Some people, though, object to kids playing with toy guns. I do too, actually, especially with toy guns that look exactly like real guns and have similar parts. But water toys that have bright colors, are not shaped like a gun, do not produce "bangs," and spray water instead of shooting bullet-like projectiles are more permissible, I think.

Summer Hours

These summer days with lots of sun into the late hours allow my kids lots of time to play. I've got to start making them clean up much earlier. For example, tonight they played on the outdoor play gym until the sun set. I didn't realize it was late because the sun was still shining even into the late hours.

Wood Work and High Temps

THURSDAY
I used to not care much for saving scraps of wood. That's because I do not do much outdoor work. But I've learned (or relearned) the benefits of saving scraps of wood now that I'm working on the wooden outdoor play structure. I bought it at a garage sale and most of the parts work well, but some parts rotted and need replacing, which is when having pieces of wood laying around can be very handy.

FRIDAY
The temperature is into the 90s and the best thing to do is to stay indoors where there is air conditioning. I ventured out momentarily with my kids to walk to a garage sale a block away. But even that was a chore in the heat. For dinner, we decided to go to the mall because it would be air conditioned. The main thought during this hot weather is just staying cool.

Extreme Weather Work

Working in the sun is exhausting. The heat and dehydration take their toll. They took their toll on me as I continued setting up the kids' outdoor play structure. I had to stop frequently to rest in the shade, take a drink of water, eat some watermelon, or munch on some snacks before getting back to work. Then again, working in freezing weather would also probably be just as difficult and tiring. On either end of the extremes, work becomes difficult.

Working The Land

Doing things the old fashion way by hand takes a lot of time. I was leveling the backyard by using a hoe-type tool to peel off the top layer of grass, and then using a flat shovel to level the bare dirt. All of this took the entire day for a small piece of ground. Using machinery would have done the job in probably half an hour. But then again, working the soil with one's bare hands does bring us closer to the land, I think, and that is worth something.

Helpers

My kids helped me out in the yard today when I was removing the grass to put in an outdoor play structure. They helped me shovel and remove the grass and dirt all day. Maybe they were motivated by the installation of the play structure, or by my wife's point system that allows them to earn points for good deeds. Whatever the motivation, it was enjoyable working with my kids on a common project.

Lowe's

I was at a Lowe's building supply store looking for wood pieces to replace the rotted wood of an outdoor play structure. Lowe's has all the material necessary for do-it-yourself homeowners. I like the free wood cutting service they provide. The downside is that they do it only for thin pieces of lumber (and not 4 x 4 pieces, for example). For thicker pieces of wood that are long and will fit into a non-truck vehicle only if cut, I guess one could always bring one's own saw to do the cutting at the store. I think I will have to do this.

Outdoor Play Structures

Those kids' outdoor play structures are heavy! I helped break down a play structure today and it took a lot of work to unscrew the screws and separate the various large pieces. These play structures look like easy "ready-to-build" items. But even with cut-out wood pieces, pre-drilled holes, and pre-packaged screws and bolts, it still takes a lot of work to build (and tear down) these play structures. How true it is that appearances can be deceiving.

Telescope

I bought a simple telescope at a garage sale for the kids. I tried looking at a star tonight, but it was difficult. The kids and I will try another night when the moon is out. This should make an easier target. Through the telescope, I hope to get my kids to discover the wonders of astronomy.

Car AC

I've heard some car buyers in the Pacific Northwest purchase cars without air conditioning thinking they can save money because of the cooler Pacific Northwest temperatures. But actually, summertime in the Pacific Northwest can be quite hot with temperatures in the 90's. I certainly would want air conditioning in my car, and not just for my own comfort, but for my kids (and for my newborn babies when my kids were babies).

Duct Tape

I just picked up a used, rusty wheelbarrow that was being given away. The front part that is held in place by two screws has rusted a bit, but I think that a bit of duct tape in the area will fix the problem in a snap. Yes, duct tape can fix many problems. With duct tape, I'll add a few more years to that wheelbarrow.

Media Focus

The media extensively covered Michael Jackson's funeral today. One could say this is not surprising because he was the world's greatest entertainer, according to some. This might be true, but still, one wonders if the "news" media could do a better job of staying true to its mission of providing comprehensive news that affect our communities, our nation, and our world. By this, I mean news about the current economic crisis, the renewal of the Cold War with Russia, the outbreak of violence involving the Uighurs in China, the continuing war in Afghanistan, and other news events that substantively shape our lives and affect our future.

Summer Events

I was looking at opera and Broadway tickets and realized there were none during the summer months. I was disappointed, but realized that summer is probably a slow time for opera and Broadway shows because people are doing summer things like going to the beach and taking vacations. Plus, these opera and Broadway performers and directors need time to recoup and to get ready for another season.

July 4th

Friday/July 3

We drove to Seaside for the July 4th holiday. The road into seaside was clogged probably because many others were thinking of also going to the coast to celebrate. We heard there were probably more people going to see the Seaside fireworks probably because Vancouver canceled its fireworks show.

Saturday/July 4

The July 4th weather at the coast was perfect--not raining, but also not too much sun due to a slight overcast every now and then. Seaside is packed with people, but it is understandable. They're here to enjoy the fun and games, the 4th of July parade, and of course the fireworks at night. The kids loved the fireworks. It was bright and loud and exciting. At the end of the night, we were tired from a full day of excitement and ready for bed.

Sunday/July 5

Before leaving, we went to Funland where the kids could play the games. We ate a pizza and salad lunch, and then drove back home. The drive home was also slow due to an accident, but the ambulance arrived to take care of the situation. We drove home to await our next adventure--vacation bible school (VBS)!

Fort Vanouver

We visited Fort Vancouver in Washington State with friends and saw how early life was lived in a fort setting. We learned how people traded beaver pelt and other items. I asked if people could get items on credit. The fort volunteer said no. But I think he is wrong because I read that credit was extended at certain frontier posts. In any case, we saw more an we learned about woodworking and other crafts. It was an educational experience.

One World

We have friends visiting from Canada. They said that there are difficult economic times in Canada also. This shows again the reality of globalization. With the economic downturn, every country is affected. No country is immune from the global economic downturn. As the years pass, the world will continue on the path of globalization.