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I was lucky enough to spend my earliest years just steps from the shore of a beautiful lake. I spent my summers mostly in the water, and still love paddling around in a lake more than anything.

Because I spent so much time around water as a young kid, I was comfortable in the water from an early age. Which meant I missed out on one particular childhood experience that I desperately wanted to be part of: water wings. I remember other kids with their plastic puffy armbands lolling around in the water, and I always envied them. Water wings looked like the ultimate in warm-weather good times. Of course the cheapo 70’s versions probably sliced your armpits to shreds, but still. Water wings. Awesome.

Do they make adult-sized ones? This is something I’ll definitely have to look into.

My buddy John is going through a bit of a wildman phase. But it’s okay, I think he looks a little like Sweetums. Besides, I’m sure his kitten enjoys curling up in all that hair, and hey—I’m all for catering to the whims of a kitten.

The Illustration Friday word for this week is “foggy”.

I know, I know.

Forry.

The rental shops along the Santa Monica boardwalk, in addition to their stacks of boogie boards and bicycles, also offer segways. This strikes me as hilarious. Imagine the opening sequence of Three’s Company if it was filmed today…

Millicent is my cat, and her ratting skills are second to none. Summer has brought with it a new batch of wee roof rats, and she has been bringing them in at a steady pace—SIX last week, to be exact. Luckily the chipmunk trap I bought works like a charm, it has become part of the herding process. Four were rounded up into the cage and let loose in the same spot in the nearby ravine, to facilitate finding each other again. And, it’s lucky that I am writing this before I turn in tonight, as it is garbage day tomorrow, and I have just been reminded that I have the two unlucky ones in the freezer. Have to nip out to the curb before bed, methinks…