My office is being renovated so the channel can move in, and today we lost our phone and internet at 1 when they started moving the IT room. So our holiday half-day was completely mandatory. Yay!

clothing update - 3 things deemed too small. I thought about being sad, but honestly 2 of them were always too small and the third is something I got 7 years ago at Target. I think 7 years was more wear than I probably deserved out of it.

We're getting our first real thunderstorm of the year.

no rain here. If it starts, it better end tonight. rain tomorrow will make me crankypants.

I want a thunderstorm.

I need to imitate msbelle. On both the clothes closet and the linen one. Sometime this weekend. At least the linen.

I want rellenos.

Two words: YAY PUDDING.

I think it might be time to switch to my summer no-chewing menu. If the weather would just warm up for real, I would start eating mostly yogurt and fruit and gazpacho and pudding. Yummers.

But meat, Jesse, meat.

Brows done, jacuzzi lounged in. Now some lying down/tidying until time to leave for dinner.

And maybe a cookie.

No, definitely a cookie.

It gets too hot for meat, sometimes.

Devilled eggs! OMG, I'm going to make some tomorrow.

Forgive me. This is a long quoted post. It's really, really important to me.

Kraft Foods ROCKS.

From: Marc Firestone, Executive Vice President, Corporate Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Kraft Foods Inc.
Subject: Kraft's Contribution to 2006 Gay Games

The true test of any commitment is how you respond when challenged. Kraft is experiencing this to a degree right now, as a result of our decision to be one of several contributors to the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. The games will bring together thousands of athletes in a competition that will take place in our corporate hometown.

In recent days, the company has received many e-mails, the majority of them generated through the America Family Association, which objects to our sponsorship. We also have received calls and e-mails - - not as many, but equally passionate - - thanking us for supporting this event. A member of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's team said, "We applaud the businesses that are sponsors of the Gay Games, including Kraft Foods."

You may have questions or might have had questions from friends and family about our contribution to this event. While Kraft certainly doesn't go looking for controversy, we have long been dedicated to support the concept and the reality of diversity. It's the right thing to do and it's good for our business and our work environment.

Diversity makes us a stronger company and connects us with the diversity that exists among the consumers who buy our products.

Diversity is more than a word many people like to say. At Kraft we truly respect all kinds of differences. And diversity is not a selective concept. By definition, it's nothing if not inclusive. We respect diversity of ethnicity, gender, experience, background, personal style and yes, sexual orientation and gender identity. Recognizing, respecting and valuing these differences helps us be a more successful business and a workplace where all employees can realize their full potential.

For more than a decade, we have had employee councils that promote our awareness of diversity. The newest of our nine diversity councils is the Rainbow Council, which strives to provide a forum for support and networking among gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender employees; raise awareness within Kraft and promote involvement in the community. Each council has an executive sponsor and I have been the Rainbow Council's sponsor since last year.

Through all of our councils, we support various initiatives that demonstrate how strongly we believe in diversity, through involvement in the community. Our sponsorship of the 2006 Gay Games is one of almost 1,700 cash and in-kind grants we make annually.

It can be difficult when we are criticized. It's easy to say you support a concept or a principle when nobody objects. The real test of commitment is how one reacts when there are those who disagree. I hope you share my view that our company has taken the right stand on diversity, including its contribution to the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago.

That's cool. Also, it'll be hard to convince people to give up their Kraft boxed mac&cheese. Hah. This is me being petty.

It gets too hot for meat, sometimes.

Cool summer salad: mix canned tuna with shredded cabbage and douse in Girard's Oriental chicken salad dressing. Yes, it requires chewing but is a lovely summer salad.