Yeah. We had seasonal fresh tomatoes and corn in late summer, but all our meals that involved any sort of tradition ran from Thanksgiving through Easter. Even Fourth of July just had random picnic food rather than anything set.

Ah, age-inappropriate crushes. Is there anything better?

Wow, in stark contrast to the Contra Costa Sherrif's deputies, this was extremely astute and aware. Riveting.

**********

ANTIOCH, Calif. — Phillip Garrido's unspeakable private life began unraveling in a very public place: a college campus.

He arrived at the police office at the University of California, Berkeley, with two girls, ages 11 and 15. Two very alert women — one the manager of special events, the other an officer — immediately sensed something was wrong.

Garrido announced he wanted to hold a religious event on campus related to a group called God's Desire. He seemed weird and unstable. But it was the pale, blonde, blue-eyed girls who really set off alarm bells.

They wore drab, monotone clothes and seemed programmed — "almost like `Little House on the Prairie' meets robots," says Ally Jacobs, a campus police officer.

The younger girl "was staring directly at me," says Jacobs, the mother of two small boys. "It was almost like she was looking into my soul. ... Her eyes were so penetrating."

When Jacobs asked her about a bump near her eye, "she immediately replied with this very rehearsed response: `It's a birth defect ... I'll have it for the rest of my life.'

"I was a little taken aback. ... She just wouldn't stop smiling."

The older daughter, meanwhile, stared at the ceiling and looked at her father "in awe, as if she were in worship of him. I kind of got the feeling that these kids were like robots."

Garrido gave them copies of his book he had written called "Origin of Schizophrenia Revealed." They had a hard time following his conversation.

But he revealed the girls were home-schooled by his wife, with an assist from him. The girls said they had an older sister at home, 28 or 29, and that seemed strange, too, that she was even mentioned.

Finally, Jacobs says, Garrido grabbed his oldest daughter and said: "'I'm so proud of my girls. They don't know any curse words. We raised them right. They don't know anything bad about the world.'"

By then, she says, "my police mode turned into my mother mode" and her suspicions were more than confirmed when a records check found that Garrido was a registered sex offender who had been convicted of rape and kidnapping more than 30 years ago.

A call was made to Garrido's parole officer. A terrible secret was about to be revealed.

Moises Kaufman is directing Into The Woods. [link] I wish I had time to go see this.

So, do not go to Target on what is apparently orientation weekend for the colleges in the area. OHMYGOD. Insane.

Swimsuit was a achieved, along with goggles & shit. Trying on swimsuits when you don't know your size is entirely too athletic. Guess I better wander over to the Y tomorrow and sign up. Today, I'm doing the lake shortly.

And I bought a door. Ok, just paid for them to come out and measure, since though I think it is a standard size, not sure whether the frame is quite right standard.

I'm not sure I need a theremin built into a CD case - but that's mighty ingenious! Or is that just annoying?

I'm not sure I need a theremin built into a CD case - but that's mighty ingenious! Or is that just annoying?

I think you need one. As a matter of fact, I KNOW you need one.

I am suspicious of this. I suspect that if I acquiesce to this, you will then claim that you must be allowed to own an arc welder.

Mr. Reason, help me here!

Ahahaha! Mr. Reason is slaving away at an art deadline, and will not be around to back up your silly fiction that I should not have an arc welder! So there!

Well then.

I may have to pay $50 for a Theremin-CD!

Excellent Grace news!

Is flea around? How is Casper feeling? Was she able to enjoy her birthday at all, or has full-on celebration been postponed until she's over her ick?

I have to question the arc welder, but I really wonder if there's anyone on earth who DOESN'T need a tiny theremin. I know I certainly do.

Matilda is drowsing in the bedroom now after an outing to feed the ducks in Golden Gate Park; we had trouble finding any ducks but did come across a jazz quartet playing Manha de Carnaval, and a ton of gorgeous flowers in crazy bloom. Highlights:

Sunscreened up and ready to go, en route, gleeful, awestruck, and pensive.

Followed shortly thereafter by grumpy, melting down, and collapsed in utter dead-weight unconsciousness.

eta: There's also an excellent video of her dancing to the jazz quartet, but I need to track down the application to rotate it 'cause it's all sideways.