So I didn’t see it this past weekend, but I recommmend seeing The Brats of Clarence. This is the most I’ve enjoyed a show in a long time. The Chronicle sums it up best – “most of all, it’s fun”. That’s it. Fun. Go see it. What you have too much fun in your life? Didn’t think so. Go see it.

Sunday, I spent five hours fixing leaky faucets. We have two leaky faucets. But it took me five hours and three trips to Home Depot to fix them. First trip was to buy replacement washers for the sink that leaked, and a handle puller. Since the shower handle had been turned so hard to try to get it to shut off that the plastic and metal have melded a bit. So store in your brain that I have a handle puller. And call me when you need it. I’d like for more than 1 handle to be pulled of with my $9 investment.

Once I got the handle off, I realize I needed sockets I didn’t have. Well, actually I don’t really have any sockets. I have a few random small socket sets around the house, but nothing truly useful. So I got to spend a lot of money on a socket set. That was trip number two. After spending about an hour trying to get one, very, very tight nut off, I was finally able to pull out the handle. And the washer was, of course, different from the two washer types I had previously bought. Back to home depot for trip number 3. After a bit more work to get the handles to be in a straight line, when in the off position, I got everything back together.

I had neglected to fix the cold water on the shower, though because the screw was stripped that held the handle on. Of course, it appears the cold water, does indeed leak also. So I get to tackle that next weekend.

We have a lot of home improvement in this house. Yesterday, they came back to put on our solar screens that we’re getting as part of our HVAC complete upgrade. The City of Austin structures their rebates in such a way that you get a bonus if you do all of the work required at once. One of the things you have to do is get solar screens. And solar screens just happen to be a little bit less than the bonus. So you essentially get them for free (do you get the feeling that a lot of people weren’t getting the solar screens?). Who can turn down free? They make the front of the house look really sharp, but they definitely make the back darker. So I don’t know how long they’re destined for the back of the house. We like energy savings, but we partially bought the house, because it feels like there’s nothing separating you from the back yard. Now it feels like there’s window tint separating you.

Finally, Stella is making jokes. Which I think might be reason enough to have a child. Once you get to encounter a two year olds humor it makes their temper tantrums seem worth it. On Saturday night we took Stella out to dinner to celebrate her Granddaddy’s birthday. We actually went out with the entire family, including Granddaddy. We don’t generally go out to celebrate people’s birthdays without the birthday boy and/or girl.

We had some sloooow service at Johnny Carino’s, and so we didn’t start driving Stella home until almost 10pm. Her normal bed time is 8pm. So we’re driving home, and she says “poopy shoes”. And starts laughing. Julie and I question her, “Are your shoes poopy? Does Stella have poopy shoes?” She giggles and says, “Stella poopy shoes”. Then she giggles and says “Daddy poopyshoes”. Julie and I start cracking up.

-“Daddy has poopy shoes?”

-“Mama poopy shoes”

-“Mama has poopy shoes, now too?”

(Stella is practically hyperventilating with laughter)

-“Baba poopy shoes”

(Julie and I are snorting loudly)

-“Baba has poopy shoes?”

-“Baby poopy shoes”

And so it goes. Since then she has made several jokes about poop. She’s quite the comedian.