Still swamped

I know, I promised a real entry this weekend, but duty calls (not to mention an entirely pleasant afternoon into evening at our friends' house). The long and the short:

1. My mom is doing much better. She is at home. The pneumonia is gone, but she is tired. I am doing the cooking and other chores for a couple of days at least. If wild mushroom risotto doesn't restore her strength, I don't know what will.

2. Our 419 friend is getting very frustrated at me not responding. My friend Joel has been keeping hope alive in her. I should probably dangle a carrot myself, and then throw a curve ball again.

3. The next bullfight is in Gustine on Monday the 12th. It is usually a good one. If you go, be sure to be there by 6, as it will sell out. If you go, look for me. I will wear a Hawaiian shirt and am six feet tall with a reddish beard. Hopefully I will have gotten a haircut, so I won't be shaggy, but you never know.

4. I totally forgot to mark Amalia's birthday on the blog (as we were in Portland), so wish her a happy fourth birthday by eating some belated cake (or a purple dum dum, her favorite candy).

5. Fishing with a four year old is a blast. You ought to do it sometime. No patience whatsoever, not to mention a tendency to jump up and down on the bottom of the boat whenever a fish jumps nearby (not conducive to luring the little things to the bait, but awfully cute) make for little catch, but oh what fun. Letting her drive the boat is quite a ride, too (even with a parental hand on the tiller).