I need a lesson on salsa making. I made some yesterday, and it was okay. It wasn't like the best salsa in the world, and of course whenever that happens I get a little disappointed. It was kind of hot, so I ended up toasting some bread in the oven and then putting that on top to eat -- kind of like bruchetta. I made some cucumber salad with sour cream and dill to cool it down. Since I don't have gloves, I don't wear any when I cut the jalapenos. That said, my fingernails burned all night, and anything I touched with my fingers and tasted was hot. Word to the wise, yo.

The weekend was good. During the day we did a little shopping to get a bike light for Tim's bike and blinker for the back of mine. Tim also got some biker gloves because they were on sale. Seriously, gloves are great. They take a little getting used too, but once you do you wonder how you ever lived without them. I also started to wonder what else I could wear gloves for on a daily basis. Then we rode bike to Taste of Madison where we were underwhelmed by the food options. On Saturday night we were invited over to Phil and Kandance's new place for a campfire. We brought Pluto and he was quite unhappy most of the time. Figures. Their new place is an old farm that is going to be tore down in 2 years for development/roads, etc. It's quite near where Hilary's new place is going to be, and since the bridge is out over Cottage Grove Road, it's pratically impossible to get to on a bike without risking life or limb. While there IS a bike lane most of the way on Milwaukee St, it ceases to exist on the bridge passing over the interstate/beltline. And you know motorists have that double standard where bikes should follow the rules of the road -- except when the motorists are on the road and don't want to give a bicyclist the full lane we are entitled too. It's maybe would be okay if the bridge was short of if there was a sidewalk -- but neither is true.

Oh well, at least Cottage Grove (with it's sidewalk) won't be out forever.

Sunday we drove to Neillsville to visit my Dad. One of Barb's kids were there with the whole family so we had company. I got to ATV!!! Yeah, I did a classic Black River Falls activity....I even drove Tim around on my Dad's new ATV. It was actually pretty cool, although I made sure not to drive faster than 20 since I didn't have a helmet or anything (and I didn't want to wreck my Dad's new vehicle). My unsavory brother was there and in top form. He called (even though he was only 30 yards away) for a ride to Hatfield. I told him I could give him a ride when we left but we had just gotten there. He wouldn't take it, and said "What about over the bridge?" I said not now, maybe later. He just wouldn't accept that answer. It had to be right then, and there. This after not speaking to me for over two years, and always badmouthing me and my husband to anyone who will listen. Well, the sitatuion was awkward and he wasn't getting the hint so I said I would call back later and hung up. I didn't call back later, but then he didn't either. OR he could have walked his ass over and asked in person, politely. Plus, I wouldn't have been doing the driving -- Tim would have. Do I even need to mention he owes me $200?

Anway, we had a good talk with Dad after Barb's kids and grandkids left. I told him that he could find a hochunk speaker in the Madison area, then I would be willing to meet with this person to learn basic/small talk hochunk. You know? Make a solid effort to learn. Of course right after I said that...okay the next day, I regretted it. But I shouldn't. Sure it's scary, but it's better to make an attempt then to not make one at all (just because it's not that convienent or because I am afraid of something new). We'll see, I said I would call him up later this week to follow up.

Monday slept in some more, I read a book: Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. It was a nice light read - perfect for the weekend. Then we headed over to Steve's for a BBQ and had something to eat. Tim's allergies were pretty bad, so we didn't stay long. When we came back we saw that the cardinal family living in the tree outside our bedroom window had lost their birdletts. The nest has gotten askew and two little birdies were on the ground crying. We managed to get them back into the nest without touching them, and after about 15 min the parents were back to feeding them. Poor birds. Although they are obnoxious. I can't have my window open because when a cat (migo) sits in the windowsill, the birds start hollering at her to get out and back away. It's awful when you are trying to sleep in.

OH! And I forgot the most exciting news of all -- Pluto caught his first rabbit on Saturday night. I heard a death screech of a rabbit that ended up killing itself on the fence (after Pluto bit it's tail off). Poor bunny.