1. Woops. I forgot to post something yesterday and thus ends the streak. Lauren and I finally did our due diligence on checking out daycares. To just type in “daycare” on Google Maps brings up like 12 places in Austin, which is ridiculous given there are 900,000+ people here. But Lauren found a good reference on a state webpage that listed everything and then it was overwhelming how many places there are to choose from. So that’s how we spent our evening. Now we just need to go visit some of them and see if they are death traps or nice.

2. A retired Indian neighbor with a cane walks by our house every evening, and the last couple days he’s stopped by to visit and is always full of useful advice. I was trying to fix the irrigation and turn off the water at the source, and showed him the valve I couldn’t get to turn off. He told me the valve, despite being labeled “Irrigation Control Valve”, was actually for the sewer. I went along with it, humoring the guy, but then he told me he had worked 30+ years for the city in the water department, so I suddenly perked up and took note. He said there must be an irrigation control box somewhere, and started tapping his cane around in the grass until he uncovered two plastic covers that I had never seen before, as they were buried under the thick St. Augustine grass. Wow, helpful dude!

3. Minnesota bud Dan Jaker is in town for business. We had planned to paint the town a reddish color last night but Jaker was all wiped out from his big day of work. We’ll try to do something fun tonight.

4. Speaking of tonight, the Callaway softball league is back and I’ve agreed to play in the first two games before birthing classes begin. I am sure our team will be beyond horrible, as we’ve once again been placed in an advanced league. Nothing like going in knowing you’re going to get mercy-ruled before the season even starts, but that’s the way it’s always gone! Teams I play for are always horrible and teams I play against are always amazing… in every sport I’ve participated in since college pretty much.

5. Random photo of the day… Since softball starts tonight, here’s an action shot of me pretending to pitch before a DSU intramural game in 2002. Photo credit: Chris Ahrendt.

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