This weekend I’ll be in Louisiana at what will likely be our family’s last family reunion. We’ve had maybe 4 in my lifetime, and now it’s amazing to see the cousins I played with with their own children.

And my grandma is 90. Enough reason to celebrate.

We’re Cajun, so what that means is a lot of liquor and spicy foods, as well as music and dancing. I cannot wait.

What are you doing for Labor Day?

PS Max starts school the day after we come back. This year ’round school takes some getting used to!

One of the things I love about our garden is all the hummingbirds it attracts. We’ve got at least 4 that zip through the garden, chattering and humming away.

The other day, two were in our house! I think they chased one another in and then didn’t know how to get out. I felt so bad–you could see them panicking as they tried to poke the ceiling with their beaks. One was so exhausted, he clawed a resting place on the wall about 8 feet up.

Finally, one found the feeder we placed in the door. The other I helped out on the end of a broom. They’re happy outside once again.

They’re just fascinating birds to me. So delicate and graceful. Here are some interesting facts I found:

• Hummingbirds’ wings beat 60-80 times a second!
• A hummingbird can’t smell
• A hummingbird’s heart rate can be up to 1,260 beats per minute

Here’s a cool video slowed down to show the hummingbird drinking. It’s long and slow. You can fast forward. I did. Still, it’s neat!

I feel like this is a lame post. Is it a lame post?

Here’s another post from our Mexico trip.

What is it about the beach? I turn into a child, running away from waves with my son, collecting shells with no idea what I’ll do with them.

We’re on a week’s vacation in Rosarito, Mexico, a sleepy, dirty little border town just 30 minutes from our home in San Diego. We found an amazing deal on a 2 bedroom condo ($350 for a week; if you’re interested I’m happy to give you the owner’s contact info). The condo is wonderful; the neighborhood, well, it’s authentic.

Dirt, bumpy roads, stray dogs who watch your approach from the top of abandoned buildings.  People washing their Sunday laundry in a bucket.  Trash.

Despite my initial surprise at the neighborhood (4 stars it ain’t), I love it. Every day we walk to the beach, where we build sandcastles, fly our kite, and stretch out under the Mexican sun. The beach is virtually empty, the weather being a bit cool for the average beach bum (about 70 degrees this week). I don’t miss the crowds.

Although I’ve promised myself I will learn to surf now that I’m in San Diego, I am constantly surprised how freaking cold the water is in the Pacific. Having lived in Florida for years (and never swimming in the water), it is beyond me how anyone would get in this frigid water to surf or swim.

Here, in Mexico, I dip my toes in the ocean, willing myself to brave the waters. Yesterday I did hop on the boogie board and rode a wave in. Exhilarating, but cold. Very cold.

And Max? He’s thriving in his new role as beach bum. Where he used to be timid with the ocean, he now runs up to the waves and splashes like any other kid. He loves making sand castles (what kid doesn’t?). Papa has been helping him, lending his engineering skills and experience growing up as a kid near the beaches of Gulfport. It’s a family affair.

How will we go back to dry land after this?