I have been so busy (and honestly, using Facebook), that I have not been here even to read other people's posts. No good excuse, but I would like to catch up! So, stop by and say "Hi" if you still want to be friends!

Wow! Time flies when you're busy! We've had a bit of a busy life around here, and while I have visited a couple people on xanga, I just haven't taken the time to sit down here and type!

Our Dutch daughter was here for her internship in LA. It was so nice having her so close (only about 2 hours drive), but the time just flew by and she's already back in Holland finishing her college education. She said she'll be back this summer and we'll take a trip to Las Vegas (last time we took her there she was not yet 21).

Andrew is doing great. Enjoying 8th grade and band and his friends. He's taller than both Wayne and I now...where he gets it I don't know! He's already almost 5 feet 9 inches!

I'm doing good too. Working full time at the junior high, teaching reading and loving the work, but not the lack of a regualr contract with the district. Wayne and I are making some major decisions about what I'll be doing work wise next school year.

Well, it's getting past my bedtime and on Friday nights I'm wiped out after a Friday with 12-14 year olds!

Goodnight!

I have been horrible about getting here lately and posting or reading entries. No good excuses, just life!

So, here's what's new. We will start school and work on Thursday, so we are madly getting ready. Today will be a visit to my classroom for some dusting and organizing followed by a trip to Kohl's for some school clothes shopping for Andrew and me.

We are almost done with the house, again. The latest project was a balcony across the back of the house, cement work in the back yard, including a BBQ and fire pit, and replacing a door with french doors and a window turned into a door. Of course that has meant painting inside and, when it's ready, the outside of the house. I mention the painting because that has somehow become my expertise...

Some other things in life...

Last I heard the Zaca fire is approaching 200,000 acres burned, less than 75% contained, and expected to burn for another month. These are pictures I took on my way home the other day. The last couple days the smoke has not been such a plume, but hanging in the air and leaving ashes everywhere.

Squirt is so much fun! She's 4 weeks old and is walking and playing and sleeping and, as is evident, EATING! Her sister, however, did not fair as well and past away Friday. I had surrendered the puppy, later called Sable, to be put to sleep when she was three days old, because she was not thriving at all and we did not want her to suffer. One of the vet techs asked if she could try to save the puppy and I, of course, was happy to let her. It had appeared that she was going to be successful, but Sable took a turn for the worse on Wednesday and died in her sleep Friday. After her death, the vet found her liver was unbalanced in size and she had an extrememly thin section in her stomach (probably the cause of her eating problems). So sad, she was a cute puppy (even though we'd dubbed her Bat Baby).

And, finally, a little video, or two....