So here's the little Hooverville I've been lounging in for the past few days. It's comfy. Last night I finished off the Smoking Loon as the sun went down; got back out there a little after Alane left at 5:30 this morning -- when it was still too dark to read the WSJ, even with both citronella candles blazing. It's quiet around here in the morning, just birds and insects.

Off to the side you can see a corner of the Chimp Tower. It still needs work. Cookie and Mojo were telling this morning of their plans to conduct a waterballoon fight from its upper deck. I wasn't sure if that meant they would both be on the platform heaving waterballoons at point-blank range, but I simply nodded... knowing they're more likely to have a snowball fight by the time I'm done putting the finishing touches on that monstrosity.

I even spent some time in my penthouse health spa this morning -- putting on the boxing gloves and smacking around the double-end-bag (which smacked me back a few times). It's a Spartan accommodation up there, but good enough for a morning workout -- and I do mean morning: try going up there when the sun is in the sky and you risk immediate heat-stroke. Even my work area at the bottom of the attic stairs, the room I've made into my office, doesn't seem to want to dip below 85 degrees in the daytime, even with the A/C on. That's a bit blowjhinsky if you ask me.

Well, almost time to wrap up my computer activities for the day -- return some phone calls, answer some message, arrange my papers... and retire to my tent for the evening.