It's Better in Wyoming.

i was hoping to have the garage mostly built by mid-july.   i'm a bit behind the plan, but it's coming along.  this counts as more than .5%, for sure: my dad and his neighbor came down last friday to help set forms (along with my old roommate and another guy he works construction with), and then my dad and jack came back down today for The Big Pour.  and george came over today too to lend his skills.  it's nice to know People With Skills: i'd still be scratching around in the dirt if i didn't have great family and friends. the redi-mix guy told me this morning, when i called to order the cement, that there was a 40% chance of rain forecast for today.  luckily, the rain didn't turn out to be much of a threat--a few drops during the city inspection this morning, and then a few more during the pour. tomorrow is delivery day for materials, and then, during the holiday weekend, comes The Big Build.  oh, yeah.

I suppose that one advantage of not being especially good at picking out lyrics is that, when you finally DO notice what the words are about, you're blown away by yet another Avetts tune: I see the end of the rainbow But what more is a rainbow Than colors out of reach .... When you swept me away You swept me away

on hulu a few weeks back, i discovered the show ' dating in the dark .'  it's terrible.  and awesome!  but mostly, terrible.   i usually hate this kind of reality tv, but somehow i can't get enough of this show.  maybe because it seems somehow more 'real' than most reality tv.  the set-up is as much a fabrication as any other reality show, but the contestant (er, i mean 'participant') reactions here seem candid and genuine.  it's not exactly a show that builds my faith in the depth of our society.

from this: to this: in two months. not bad!

i called quincy earlier today, hoping she'd be interested in a hike.  lucky for me, she was. we headed out around 5, up to the green rock parking lot, and walked a good bit of the libby creek loop--a new trail for me, and one i'm excited to revisit.  we spotted a curious mink (or maybe a weasel, or some other member of the mustelidae  family). then we rewarded ourselves with vegetarian green chili pizza and beers at the bear tree, and with some live music at the trading post.  i'd run into my colleague colin earlier this week and helped him pack some speakers down the stairs.  he was getting ready for a reunion gig with some guys he'd played with twenty years ago.  it was great music, not too loud, and the crowd was good-natured.  here's a tiny, bad cell-phone pic of the venue and the band: these are the nights when i wish for endless summer.

ended up on another bike ride today.  thinking about heading out to corner mtn tomorrow. maybe i'll catch some music at the trading post afterwards, since my colleague colin is playing out there. 9.22 miles tonight: also, check out this suweetass shirt i picked up at the farmers market today: yes, it does  say "bosler, wyoming."  and yes, it's orange .  yeah: sweet, i know. i might end up with the other two shirts from these designers by the end of the season......

two soccer games tonight. think i might head out for a longish hike tomorrow. not ready to face the looming semester. what the hell am i gonna do with a head of cabbage? the new arcade fire album i picked up when steph and i were in ftc is growing on me: let's go downtown and watch the modern kids / let's go downtown and talk to the modern kids / they will eat right out of your hand / using great big words that they don't understand / they say / rococo, rococo, rococo, rococo / rococo, rococo, rococo, rococo yeah, their lyrics definitely lack the depth of the avetts, but you gotta love a band that can turn the word 'rococo' into the chorus.

8.4 miles tonight, with a stop-off at safeway.  bike ride and rhubarb cobbler: not a bad way to end a tuesday night.

The bit of digging I did this evening probably represents less than half of one percent's worth of the total garage project, but it feels good to be started.

a while ago, after a work day in the yard, steph suggested that i enjoy a beer in the shower.  i'd never heard of such a thing, but it's pretty amazing.  even better: a garden fresh tomato and  a beer in the shower. awesome.