DadTalk

At Least Weeds Won’t Grow in Drinking Water

I don’t get it. Why do Americans believe a weed-free lawn is more important than safe drinking water?

I ask that question after reading The New York Times story about weed-killer atrazine contaminating America’s waters. While the “news” is that atrazine may be more dangerous at low levels than previously thought, the European Union had the sense to ban the chemical in 2004, according to Wikipedia.

Atrazine levels also tend to spike during certain parts of the year in some towns, reveals the Times. Even though required by law, town residents are not always warned when this happens. In some towns, the water testing is done by atrazine’s manufacturer.

How can Americans tolerate even the smallest amount of this toxin in our water when experts have long been aware that atrazine causes endocrine problems, may be a carcinogen and has reportedly resulted in lower sperm counts in humans, according to Wikipedia?

What is America’s obsession with a weed-free world anyway? I mean, nature is nature. Things grow where water falls. Why do lawns need to look like a flawless area rug anyway?

CYBILS Judges Needed for Book Awards

Yes, it’s time once again for Cybils. What the heck is that you ask? Why, that’s when my wife becomes obsessed over children’s books for six months.

Oh wait, I mean that’s when my wife begins work on the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards. While the book awards have been Anne’s and a friend’s baby since its inception in 2006, my wife will share a larger burden this year.

To start things off, Cybils needs judges. If you blog about children’s books and are interested, you should at least take a look. Read this and then this.

If you have a favorite children’s book from this year, you might want to drop by between Oct. 1-15 to nominate a book. Don’t worry, I’ll post again when that time comes.

Thrill Seeker

Lael takes a ride before falling into foam blocks at a gymnastics facility near our house. Lael had almost two hours to explore trampolines, tire swings and other fun equipment at a friend’s birthday in July.

A Small, Cool Birthday

I can’t believe a month has passed since Lael’s birthday. Time goes by so quickly.

Like Seth’s party, we had a small affair at the park near our house. Lots of tree cover kept the parents cool while the water fountains let the kids have a blast despite temperatures exceeding 110 degrees.

The kids also went wild over the stomp rockets.

Giveaway 5 Can Win First Three Potter Books

While my kids are still too young (emotionally) for Harry Potter, perhaps your kids are ready. If so, I have a deal for you – in the comments section, tell me why your kids should get the first three books.

My two kids will then draw your name from a hat. Five families will win the first three books courtesy of one of those friendly publicists that contact me from time to time. Contest will close August 28th.

Below is Scholastic’s required plug and website:

Share the Magic of Reading with Harry Potter! It’s been 10 years since Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone was first published and a whole new generation of children await the magic of Hogwarts, and Quidditch, of Sorting Hats and Spells. Introduce your “back-to-schooler” to the first three books in this remarkable series and get them started on the reading adventure of a lifetime just in time for school!

Outing Gets Off to a Rocky Start

My mom is big into rocks. My wife is big into making jewelry. In other words, these two women have a common interest: rocks and minerals.

To me, rocks are okay, but I prefer the type you can hike up and over. So when Anne and my mom mentioned a gem show in Prescott, I said sure – I’ll take the kids to nearby Willow Lake.

When we arrived, it was so hot, I worried that I made a mistake taking the kids to this lake. We compounded the problem by hiking toward the rocky side of the lake, which while gorgeous, was warmer and far too rough for my daughter’s disintegrating flip flops. (I thought she had sandals on.)

But after a short walk in the other direction, we found a small grove at the water’s edge that made the heat tolerable.

As the kids played in the murky water, dark clouds gathered over the lake in a matter of minutes. Sudden rain cooled everything off by 10-15 degrees. What luck!

A Night at the Town Lake

A few weeks ago my family went to Tempe to meet a friend I had not seen in several years. It’s also the first time I have been to that city since Tempe Town Lake opened.

Back when I first lived in Arizona, the Rio Salado was nothing but a dry river bed, wet only after the winter rains. Now, it’s not just a lake, but a place to go boating, fishing, biking, golfing and walking.

While it’s nothing like a California beach or the Lake Michigan shoreline, it certainly adds a fun dimension to this overly dry state.

In the top picture, the Valley Metro Light Rail Bridge is colorfully lit up. The light patterns change every few moments. Below, Lael stands on a wall overlooking the lake.

Homework for Dad or … a Weekend With Forms

School starts early in Arizona. My kids missed the first day last week because we were flying back from a wedding in Connecticut. (More on that in a future post.)

Early Tuesday morning, I dropped the kids off at school, then headed to the garden followed by the grocery store. After school, I picked up the kids and we drove to the airport; mommy had to come home on a later flight to attend a funeral. (The bride’s grandma died just days before the wedding.)

While waiting in the cell phone lot – that’s where you can park without paying a parking garage fee until the plane lands – I took a look inside the kids’ backpacks. Sure enough, there were all kinds of forms to fill out:

• Health records (New ones must be filled out each year.)
• PTO offers
• Directory form
• Language survey
• Code of conduct
• Major emergency release form
• Emergency phone tree

Fortunately, my daughter had fewer forms because she was pre-enrolled at a preschool, but still there were plenty.

While the paper work didn’t take long to complete, reading the associated material sure did. It felt like I had to dedicate the entire weekend to just the forms. Oh, and laundry. Lots of laundry from our trip.

Tightwads Shouldn’t Marry Spendthrifts, Study Finds

When it comes to money, opposites should not attract, reports The New York Times. But research shows that spendthrifts and tightwads often wind up together, which can lead to unhappy marriages.

Explains the Times:

It appears that people are aware of this potential for conflict. In another set of surveys, the authors asked unmarried people about their ideal mates. The answers generally described a spouse who would be identical to them on consumption concerns: the more these unmarried survey respondents said they disliked spending money, the more they thought their soul mates should also dislike spending money, and vice versa.

“It turns out they’re right: They would be happiest with themselves,” says (Scott I. Rick, a University of Michigan marketing professor who is a co-author of the study). “But for whatever reason, they are not able to or motivated to act on it when they get into the field, so to speak.”

What I wonder about: does a recession bring spendthrifts more in line with their tightwad partners, or does the rift actually to worsen?

Overheard

“OK, mommy and daddy kiss on the lips because we’re married. If you’re not married....”

 Dad talking to his preschooler on way to class.