All week it has been mid 70s with blue skies and a perfect blend of heat and offshore breeze. This is Southern California and, as I say every year around this time, this is why I work so hard to live here. You just can't beat the weather!

Yesterday on a conference call with the office the team announced that it was snowing in Seattle. *sigh* Snowing. My mindset has already changed from winter weather to shorts and flip flops. This next trip is gonna be a tough one. The kids, however, are coming with me on this next trip for spring break. We have plans for the aquarium and the space needle. I haven't explored Seattle for kids so it will be interesting to see what I can come up with.

We've lived in this house for 11 or 12 years now. The kids have never lived anywhere else, they know this neighborhood and the people in it inside and out. The Daughter was born in the family room of this home. I've noticed, over the course of 12 years, how the neighborhood has gone through a series of changes and "fads" -- for a few years, early on, it was having babies. One baby after another. The Welcome Home BabyX sign the neighborhood painted and put on the garage door of whichever home had the latest arrival was a common sign. Those wood stork signs on the lawn. After the tidal wave of babies, the fad was to be outside every afternoon with the various clan of age appropriate children running and playing. As the older clans of children grew up and out of the need for constant parental supervision, the number of parents outside every afternoon dwindled. The number of block parties and group activites went by the wayside. The next fad was the dogs. First one family, then another, then another, then another... until everyone on the street has the defacto 2.5 children and a family dog. The newest fad seems to be the family pool. The wave has been riding down the street, first one side and then the other. The Kids are now bugging TWBD and myself to build a pool. Yesterday when I was talking about how we'd all have to sacrifice and save to do this, how it would likely cost at least 30,000 dollars, The Daughter said "Yea Brother, we could just put it on our credit cards." (You see The Spring Fairies left both children a $25 Visa gift card) When I responded that it probably wouldn't be enough, The Daughter said "Its just a card, you put it in the machine and you get whatever you want."

Ah, the lesson of money, one I need to work on.

I'm sad to miss the kiran and ayruvedic dinner tonight. :(