At least we have had some relief in Iraq with the death of Zarqawi. Although there will be another terrorist to take his place, the ranks are being thinned considerably. Removing the most experienced, vicious terrorist leaders will destroy the source of leadership and training for the misguided young men and women joining these groups. It is ironic that he died from the blast of two 500 pound bombs dropped on him, and that he lived long enough to realize that it was United States troops that finally got him.

We're having a little dispute at home. Mom wants to go on her summertime western vacation, but Steve has decided that he is too sick to drive her across the country anymore. His diabetes is affecting his legs enough that he is not getting around town very well. I'm surprised that he made it to the west coast last year.

They are trying to decide how she might get to see Yosemite Park this year. The Amtrak fare for a round trip there with a stop to tour the park was way too high for Steve, even though he loves trains. Fiddling with different routes didn't help much. Then we looked at flying them out with bus links and tours with a few overnight hotel stays. That was still too expensive.

I found them a local airline that ran a combination flying tour and park bus tour that looked perfect. It would take an overnight stay in Las Vegas between the flight from here to Las Vegas and the tour flight, the tour would take all day and return them to the hotel for another overnight stay, and then a flight home. It was pretty reasonably priced, too.

Then Steve objected that Mom would stay up all night at the slot machines and be too tired to stay awake for the tour. Mom denied it, but she had a strange grin on her face. The trip has been postponed to September unless another cheap option occurs to us.

The first tropical storm of the season is drenching Florida with much needed rain. A storm this early is not a good sign where the hurricane season is concerned, but I'm almost jealous given how hot and dry it is here. I ran the hose most of the day Sunday because I noted that the grass was turning crispy tan in the back yard. The daytime highs have been in the 90's with choking humidity. It feels like the worst of August already.

I lost a few tomato plants but most of them have taken root and are growing rapidly. The pink roses are spattered with new buds opening into another flush of blooms, joining the altheas now opening white, pink, and lavender blooms. The little fig tree is bigger and growing well. The pear trees even surprised me with a few pears growing here and there. Their spring blooms didn't get totally wiped out after all.

The cats have trimmed down from their chases of the few birds and squirrels seeking water when I run the hose. The mockingbirds are trying to raise another clutch of nestlings, and the dive-bombing is going on with traditional fervor. So far I haven't seen any rats this year, and the usual locations for their tunnels have collapsed. That may explain why the new irises are still with us.

The spring membership drive for my ABWA chapter was unsuccessful. The chapter is still marching on, trying to get more publicity. We got contacted by someone at a local hospice interested in speaking to our group from reading about us in a local paper, so we're more visible in the area now.

The latest doctor said that her tests were largely normal with one exception that might mean nothing. She's sending me back to the endocrinologist to see what else can be tried.

I've got another child's sweater nearly done as well as finishing the velvety red shrug. I had those needles racing to get the shrug finished just a few days before the wedding, and then it was so hot that day that there was no way I was going to wear it. So many places have the air conditioning turned low that I suspected that the church chapel might be warm, and I was quite right about that. I wore the Boa Scarf that I made for the ABWA knitting class with an amber pin instead. It brightened the silky cream blouse with black slacks enough for a wedding. The shrug is tucked into the closet where Mom won't be tempted with it. I'm back to two patterns behind on the cotton towel set. Life is still too busy to stay organized for long.