Even though I thought I did a decent job of not totally slacking off during the three-day weekend, the fact that this will be a four-day work week hit home today. I checked my to-do list at the end of Tuesday and I was only halfway through Monday. How does that happen? It’s not lack of effort, so it must be lack of execution. I’m working quite a bit slower than I did a few years ago.

With election day one week away, I put my ballot in the mail today. I have no choice but to vote by mail, since there’s no polling place assigned to my precinct. Not that it would matter. I’d vote a week early by mail anyway. Maybe that’s where my weekend went, getting the information on the candidates and measures on the bloated primary ballot. I wish I’d made a copy before I mailed it, though, because I’m sure by next Tuesday I won’t remember how I voted on at least half the races. How will I know whether to cheer or jeer?

The good weather we’re having now, combined with the late rain we had a week ago, has given a new breath of life to the grasses that grow in my yard. It hasn’t been long since it was all cut down to the ground, but already there are areas that could stand to be mowed again. The good news is that it isn’t so thick that I couldn’t push the mower through it myself, rather than hiring it done. The bad news is that I probably won’t get around to it for several days. By then who knows how thick it will grow?

As you know, our Aiden turned six today. This is only the start of his birthday month, of course. His official party is Saturday, although most every day is like a party when he’s around. I don’t see him often, but he’s kept awfully busy finishing kindergarten and entertaining and befuddling parts of at least three families. He’s a lucky boy to have so many people who love him and want to hang with him.