One day, I'm on the porch and look over and see this big bee's nest in our tree!

Eek! I don't think I've ever seen a live hornet's nest (except in a museum). It was very active.
Despite Paul's possible allergies to bees. He took care if it. My hero!

Coffee

Paul and I had a little breakfast date today. We went for donuts and coffee. The donuts were good (not Krispy Kreme good, though). I really dislike drinking non-homemade coffee, but I ordered some today anyway. I wanted some! After I doctored it and doctored it, I told Paul that I was a "high maintenance coffee drinker."

When I get coffee somewhere besides my homemade brew, it is too bitter. It takes too much sugar and creamer to get it the way I like it when I order it in a restaurant. I like my coffee with lots of creamer and sugar, but today at the donut shop, I had to use a kajillion sugar packets and half a kajillion creamer tubs. Blegh, it was still bitter, but I managed to drink it anyway.

But this post really isn't about me or my coffee drinking preferences. It's about Paul.

When I told him I was a high maintenance coffee drinker and that my coffee was too bitter, he said, "The bitterness is what makes coffee fun." I thought that was an interested comment.

After our cup of coffee and two donuts (each), we got in the car. He put both hands on the wheel, and in a giddy, bright-eyed-bushy-tailed look, he said, "I've had my caffeine. I've had my sugar. I'm good!"

I had to giggle. He really WAS good to go!

Summer Camps

We have not loaded down our summer with a lot of activities - mostly on purpose. We skipped swim lessons this year - finally, I can say, she doesn't really need lessons anymore unless she just wants to perfect her skills.
I did let her pick some activities - major ones - and we've scattered those throughout our calendar. We've been to Splash Country, and we've painted pottery. We've gone to the library. We went to Jonesborough for lunch one day to hear a storyteller, but the show was sold out so we strolled and bought expensive chocolate instead. In a few weeks, we're going to Forbidden Caverns. We still need to go to Dollywood.
Last week, she had a half day summer camp at her school. The teacher she will have in 4th grade was doing an Ooey Gooey Science summer camp. They made some pretty neat stuff everyday - volcanoes, slime, quicksand, gopher guts, lava lamps, etc. I think they also blew up some stuff with alka seltzer or maybe it was mentos in coke???
This week, she is in an all-day camp associated with the Methodist church. It's out in the boonies, but she is really enjoying it! Maybe next year she might like to try sleep away camp. If we let her.
I'd also like to do an all-day letterboxing adventure with her. We've got to get that on the calendar. After summer camp this week, there are no more summer camps scheduled. We'll spend the rest of the summer drinking Kool-Aid, eating Popsicles, and hanging out. Our weather has been very agreeable this year (I think the last 2 summers have been mild).