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We have termites. Blech! We discovered something weird growing from the ceiling in our bedroom. Ches took down the weird looking things, and discovered some gross bugs. He went online, and sure enough... termites!! This house had just been treated in January for termites, so we called the company and someone came out yesterday to have a look.

Turns out there's a lot I didn't know about termites. You see, these are subterrainian (?) termites, so while they are traveling up a beam in the back patio and into our ceiling, they have to return every 12 or 24 hours (I forget what he told me exactly) for food and water. When they sprayed the poison in back in January, it killed off the colony of termites. However, these little buggers leave a pheremone trail, and a new colony of termites moved in and followed the eaxact same path as the previous inhabitants. Luckily, the poison is still working, and this colony is dying off, too.

The things growing from our ceiling are their little tunnels that they build. Termites are really quick, and once you take one down they will immediately start to build another and you'll see it within a few hours... and it won't be just a little spec of a tunnel either. Our tunnels took them a while to rebuild after Ches took down the initial ones. Also, the termites keep their tunnels moist, and these were very dry. They almost turn to powder when touched, so we know the termites just aren't surviving. The termites have been crawling through this poison without knowing it and spreading it to one another, so now this second colony is almost gone. Yay!

So much I didn't know. I'm still so grossed out, though!

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There is this song on Noggin that the character "Moose" has been singing lately about Halloween. It talks about all the great things Moose likes about Halloween, but then he sings, "But I don't like candy corn." It's a really cute song, and Aiden has taken to singing along.

I think it's sad that Moose doesn't like candy corn. It's such a Halloween candy must-have! You knew it was fall and almost Halloween when you saw the bags of those delicious litle bits of orange and white. It seemed like you could only handle eating a few at a time, but would find yourself popping more and more in your mouth.

Now that candy corn comes in pastel colors at Easter and Christmas colors at Christmas, candy corn doesn't seem quite like the Halloween treat it once was. If I eat candy corn at other times of the year, I feel like I'm being unfaithful to Halloween. It's the same as Peeps. Peeps are for Easter, so why do they have them in different shapes and colors for other holidays now? Soon we'll be seeing candy canes in red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July, and maybe the red, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates that you get on Valentine's Day will turn to purple hearts for Veteren's Day. Okay, that's going too far. I sure hope that doesn't happen!!

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Last night I was awake about 1:30 am (any guesses why? Just kidding). We have turned off the air conditioner about a week ago and have a window fan in our bedroom window. It's quite nice and cool. The only problem with sleeping with your windows open and a fan bringing in the air is that it also brings in other smells from outside. Our neighbors were hanging out in their backyard, smoking. I'm pretty sure I smelled some pot, too, but then again I was half asleep, so what do I know? The cigarette smoke smell gave me a headache, but what can I do?

"Hi, I know you are in your yard and there is nothing illegal about smoking cigarettes, but could you stop? I really hate the smell. Thanks."

Yeah, I'm sure that'd go over well.

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Yesterday afternoon Aiden wanted to go check the mail, so I walked out with him. At the same time, a woman and her son (who looked to be about a year younger than Aiden, maybe) were out checking their mail two doors down from us. The little boy was wearing a full-on Batman costume. He was running around, swishing his cape, and making funny sounds, which I assume were swishing, Batman sounds. I chuckled to myself and thought, "Boy, does that look familiar!"

Aiden, of course, noticed Batman, and got kind of excited. We may have to make some cookies and meet them.

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The school year starts so early here (Aiden started Aug. 7th, Ches' kids started Aug. 16th) that in October the schools give a Fall Break. You know... like Spring Break, but in the fall, not the spring. (Can I state anything else more obvious for you??) Aiden's break was this week, and Ches gets a few days off at the end of next week.

Maybe Ches will have some time and we can do something about getting some grass in the backyard!

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You know what I hate about election time? It's not so much all the ugly signs everywhere saying thins like, "Vote YES on Prop. 103!" when you have no idea what Prop. 103 is (I figure that can't be too hard to look up). Well, it's kind of annoying, but I'll get over that.

No, I really hate all the ads on TV. None of the ads actually tell us anything about the candidate. The are all attack ads and rebuttal attack ads on the candidate's opponant. Everything is half-truths and statements taken out of context and/or twisted in so many ways. We aren't learning a thing about the candidate. It's no wonder so few people vote anymore. We're too confused about who stands for what.

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I want to see the movie "Man of the Year", starring Robin Williams. The idea of a comedien becoming the next President is highly amusing to me.

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Quote of the day:
You don't have good grammar when you type with your fists.
--C.F. Payne, as quoted in the October 2006 Reader's Digest