Blogher sent me to the RNC to shoot video. I’m having a great time, minus the blisters. I’ve never been to a political convention before and it would be fun to go to the Democratic one sometime and actually get to scream my agreement some of the time.

It was fun to see George the father and his wife.

She’d been in Hawaii only two days and already she had burn marks along her shoulders where her swimsuit had rubbed off the sunblock, or ‘Sauce’, as her husband called it. People Sauce.

The weather was perfect. The ocean water was warm and relatively calm. The fish were plentiful, even if not so exotic.

She’d just lathered up with Sauce a few minutes ago, right before she got back in the water with her mask and snorkel in tow. Starting near the shore, she kicked off and worked her way in slow, small rows towards the reef. She took her head out of the water and looked for her husband or the rest of the family but didn’t find any near by.

Dipping her face back down, she noticed a school of Bluelined Butterfly fish and paused long enough to watch their passing.

She was listening to the sound of the water hitting inside her ears, the calm and fullness of the ocean, when she thought she heard someone say turtle. ‘Turtle! Here’s a turtle!’

She whipped her head up to find the direction of the yelling, hoping to get there in time to see the turtle, when at that same moment, her wedding band slipped off her finger. Quickly, she put her face back down and frantically searched the water. She spotted the ring, sinking, sparkling, about 4 feet away. She took a deep breath and prepared to dive.

Just then a large Rudderfish swam from stage left and YOINK ate her ring and continued swimming on. She followed him for a bit, frantic and in shock, but then he joined two others and they swam around and underneath one another until she didn’t know which one was which and which one contained in its belly her precious silver band.

She stopped swimming and wondered what she should, could do. And then it hit her. Nothing. She could do nothing and the fish was gone anyway.

Sadly, she made her way to the shore, mask lifted and arranged on her forehead, tears dripping down her face. No one was the wiser since the tears blended in so well with the drops of sea water coming down from her wet, haphazard hair.

When she got to the shore, she located her husband and made her way in the water to tell him the sad news. When she finished with her tale, he burst out laughing.

‘It’s not funny!’ she said. ‘Actually, it is quite.’ he replied, but tried to tone down his laughter in the face of her tears.

And now that it’s been a few weeks, she finally agrees.

Since you’re seen me last I’ve been a blurry smear of action. I went on some travels and am about to go on some more. I’ve had the kids more because it’s summer and pretty much every day has been packed with things like lunches and coffees and pedicures and laughing and reading books together. We’ve made it through the Twilight series and the Uglies series so far. But the last book in the Twilight series comes out in August and we’re all waiting with baited breath. It’s been really fun to talk about the books together. With the exception of 1984. It wasn’t required 8th grade reading in Utah and I can’t say I’m sorry about that. I realize there are important themes in it and it’s done some good warning people of what-might-have-been, but man, it’s a bummer book.

It’s been really fun having my brother and his wife and son living with us. I really dig Gideon. He can be a fun guy to hang out and play Uno with. And it’s always nice to get to know your siblings better. Good times all around.

I know many of you have wondered if I’d dropped off the face of the earth or was experiencing a particularly bad down swing. Sorry for the worry. I’m doing great. Thanks for your emails. Posting will most likely be light throughout the summer. We have quite a few trips and activities planned.

xo