AUG. 29 UPDATE: Plague report

Back again!

I've been away from the computer for a few days for a silly reason (in addition to the usual lack-of-sleep, mother-of-a-newborn thing): I briefly lost the ability to take photos because the battery charger for the camera was missing. I distinctly remembered having it in my hand a few days ago -- and thereafter I drew a blank. Well, I finally found it, under the bed, along with a foam block and an ABC book. Now, I'm not accusing anyone here, but the evidence does point to a certain young Losure ...

Well, anyway. No pictures yet, as the batteries are still charging. But I thought I'd give you an update.

... No siding was put on this week; the crew was a week behind. I guess they'll start sometime next week.

... Dave has been working on finishing the flooring in the kitchen, now that the wall on the east side is reasonably weather tight.

... We've got a tentative plan for the wiring in the house, thanks to Don's work on the computer this week. I've been studying up on the kinds of lighting I want, and hopefully Dave and Don can get a good start on the wiring this weekend.

... We made a nice Norman Rockwell-esque picture last night: The whole family (my dad in his usual chair, Mom cutting rags for her next rug, Sofia in her pajamas, Erik nursing himself to sleep, me alternately nursing and folding laundry, and even Dave in his sawdust-covered overalls) was gathered around the television watching Barack Obama give his speech accepting the Democrats' nomination for president. I thought it was a very good speech -- we'll see if they pre-empted enough McCain arguments for it to be truly successful. In any case, it is absolutely amazing to see 80,000 people get so excited about something so hopeful and optimistic. I loved what he had to say about the hot-button issues of abortion, gun rights, and same-sex marriage. If only more people had his focus on finding common ground and practical solutions!

Anyway, I digress. We were all gathered around the TV when we were joined by one more -- a mouse scurried across the doorway right next to the television. I'm not one to get too upset when a mouse runs by, but I don't really care to have a mouse run at me, and that little guy seemed to be trying to figure out how he could make his break across the living room. I tried to startle him into going the other direction. Dave said not to be too hard on the mouse for wanting to get in the living room -- he's probably an Obama backer too, and was trying to figure out how to sign up to vote!

Well, even if that were true, it wouldn't alter that mouse's fate -- we've set up several traps in the house now. A mouse is just a mouse, until you start thinking too hard about Hanta virus, which is found in mouse droppings. And Dave found out not long ago that the guy who has the same job as Dave's boss in another North Dakota county died of Hanta virus -- a fairly young, healthy guy who left a wife and three children behind. So sorry, mouse, no mercy.

... We've got another plague to worry about: The mosquitoes are absolutely horrible here now. The air positively whines with their noise in the evenings, and the lovely weather we've been having is ruined by frequent fevered slapping and, worse, thoughts of West Nile virus. South Dakota is one of the worst states in the nation for West Nile, and Brown County has the highest rate of infection in the state.

I wish there was something we could do about it. At least it does give us one reason to be thankful once the frost hits!

... I'm not going to post pictures of Erik for a bit, so he doesn't get angry with me later in life for doing so. The poor kid has a case of baby acne, and in addition to that, the hair he was born with is falling out in a male-pattern baldness way. Both of these are common for little ones -- but they don't need to be recorded for posterity, I say. Both problems should clear up in a few weeks.