BBQs, Bugs, and Things that go Bump

We had Paul's parents over for dinner on Saturday to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday which was Friday and Father's Day. It was a lovely evening--perfect temperature with just a light breeze--so we ate on the back patio. The neighborhood association hosted a community picnic in the park on Saturday and we were able to enjoy the sounds of the jazz quartet playing at the picnic.

I tried a new recipe Saturday--it's not really much of a recipe so much as a cooking technique. I took a dozen baby red potatoes, sliced not all the way through them, and brushed with lemon juice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Put three potatoes in a foil packet (four potato packets total). Put on the grill and cook for about 20 minutes or so. I just dumped all the potatoes into a bowl to serve rather than the fancy-schmancy suggestion of serving each person individual packets of potatoes. The next time, I'll probably put all the potatoes in one foil packet. Paul mentioned several times during dinner and after that he really like those potatoes, that we should have those potatoes again, that we'll have to remember those potatoes. It's not really anything different from the roasted potatoes I make from time to time except I added lemon juice. Maybe that was the secret. . .

Afterwards, Paul and his dad played with the Wii while his mom and I wandered down to the park to enjoy the jazz quartet in person. We also visited with various neighbors who were also at the park. It was just a lovely way to spend an early summer evening.

I don't know if it's because of all the rain last year or because of the rain this spring but we've been positively overrun with crickets. The cat is loving it because his only hunting skills involve catching the crickets that we point out to him (he'd make a really, really, really poor mouser). But the rest of us aren't quite as thrilled. I'm even less thrilled when Paul "forgets" to pick up the dead crickets left behind by the cat. After 7 1/2 years of marriage, I've about figured out that he doesn't do this kind of stuff on purpose--he's just the Absent-Minded Husband and it really doesn't enter his mind to do it. Or he thinks to do it and then forgets between his initial thought and his second thought. I dunno--I guess I should just add "disposer of dead bugs" to my resume and be thankful that said bugs aren't still alive.

I also saw June bugs when I was outside last night. In nine years of living here, I've never seen them here before. Maybe they weren't true June bugs but rather pseudo-June bugs. They were definitely June bug-esque and, because June bugs are on my short list of Insects That Freak Me Out, I nearly hurt myself trying to get away from one that started bumbling its way toward the porch light. The other two I saw were apparently getting their June bug groove on so I just tried to give them a little privacy.

Last night, the kitty and I enjoyed a pleasant summer evening together and as we were getting ready to settle in for the night, something went bump. Actually, it went bump crash. A few nights ago, we had a similar sound and eventually discovered that the mirror on the back of my closet door had fallen. Paul and I discovered that after creeping up the stairs, he with pepper spray, me wielding a meat tenderizer, and looking in each door upstairs. Paul left for two days in Berkeley yesterday afternoon. Since Jub isn't very brave, I had to investigate this Bump in the Night by myself. (He did come up to offer moral support from under the chair in our bedroom.) I couldn't find the source of the sound but I also couldn't go to sleep for several hours after that. It's fortunate I'm really enjoying my current book and that it's summer break so I can sleep in. I took advantage of both.