The Best Wasabi?

I love Wasabi. Every now-and-then, when I am feeling generous, we splurge and get sushi in the form of California rolls. It is not a cheap family dinner, but worth the experience. Why is sushi so expensive? Something so good should be available at anytime, at a discount price, am I right? Anyway, so when I eat sushi (only in the form of California rolls, other fish kind of makes me yack, not sure why?) the most important element is the wasabi, and how flaming hot it is. You see, I think wasabi should be an experience; the kind where you end up crying because it stings your brain and leaves your eyes watering from the, "it-hurts-so-good" feeling. I have not had this experience lately, however. It seems that either my tastebuds have changed, or the wasabi has gone wimpy? I am curious... where is the place to go for flaming-hot Wasabi? The Costco bulk sushi used to come with some pretty dang hot wasabi. Fred Meyers and Albertsons have been a little too tame for my taste. Do you have any tear-inducing wasabi recommendations? 

Ok... moving on... from that... and onto... 

Goat-heads?

Just look at these nasty things! They are growing like crazy along sidewalks and trails. It is so hard to keep the stroller wheels safe from their violent sting! Yuck! 

 OK... so continuing on with another flaming hot topic... blisters! Eek!

This is Sammi's poor foot. Her feet have been ripped to shreds from running around barefoot outside in the heat. I am sure it seemed like a good idea at the time, but she ended up with some real nastiness on her feet!

 Icing her poor feet.

 Sorry... perhaps I should put a warning with this picture! So nasty! Her heals have blisters as well, from running with not-so-good-socks with her running shoes.

We bandaged her up, a little over-the-top, but it made her feel better. She needed extra padding to be able to walk... and she used a tree-branch cane too, for added beauty and grace as she moves about. Even with all the pain and blister-covered feet, she really has not complained. She acknowledges it hurts, but she is not, and never has been, a whiner. After bandaging her feet up, she still wanted to go for a walk as a family. She is a tough-cookie. I keep telling her I want her on my handcart team.

 I found this note of Sammi's. She is always scribbling thoughts on paper.

This is kind of how it goes when these two are together inside. If they are in the same room, Henry has to be up and out of the way. Zoie is learning a lot, but her puppy-energy is increased by the mere presence of Henry. She could walk around slowly all day, with just the more mature people in the house... but Henry makes that impossible. I am not sure how this will change, but I hope it will. She is both an indoor/outdoor dog, but she has had to be in more with the heat, and not able to run around as freely as she needs to. If we need total peace without supervision, she goes in her kennel. I really do think the dynamic will improve with time, as they both continue to grow. Henry is very tolerant, and Zoie is, too. And yep, my kids sit on the kitchen table sometimes. Keeping Zoie down is another matter entirely. This is all for a greater future good... I think.

 Someone was having fun with making piles of things...

 We love to sing around here. The kids are always singing, but I like to pause for moments and join the fun. This is a beautiful song from the new Beauty and the Beast movie.

 Just a find down by the river... speaking of Sushi.

It has been so hot! We have been going out for walks, but not running. It is too hot to run! Even in the morning it is uncomfortable. We might burst forth with some jogging, but we all decided walking is the best plan for now.

The river trails are open, and so it is a bit cooler down by the water. We have enjoyed going into nature.

 There is so much cottonwood everywhere though... it is kind of gross.

 The trails are just lined with it like snow.

 I love my family.

 If you have allergies, the trails might not be not the best place to be.

 There are some weird new growths out there on the trail. It just all seems more rugged and unkempt.

 I think you could make a shirt out of this. Daniel said there is more cottonwood, because there was the flooding... I sure do not remember it being like this in past years, so maybe he is right.

Forgive the blurriness of the photo. I was going down to take a picture of the swans, when one of them decided I was too close for comfort (I was very far away), it started coming for me, so off I ran. Notice the other swan, and the nest with babies. One time we were walking along on the trail and one of these swans came out of the bushes and went after my dad.

 The trail is still pretty mangled from the flooding.

 There are just holes everywhere.

 Zoie enjoyed getting in the river to cool off. Her breed is supposed to like water.

 The kids were happy to be by the water too.

 It is funny how skinny Zoie is under all her fur.

 William wanted to show me his cool rocks.

 Hooray for the river!

 Wet dog.

 She dried off by the time we walked home. This picture makes me think of the dog Sandy from Annie the musical. (The original one.)

 There is nothing better than throwing rocks in the river.

 We noticed some fall colors... already?

When we got home from our hot river walk, Henry ran to the freezer. I asked him what he was doing. He said he was "protecting the popsicles." There were only a few left, so he had to make sure they were safe.