Brief Update

I have lots more pictures on both galleries. Haven't had time to edit so some are very silly (especially when Rochelle was taking pictures of herself) but you can get an idea.

The girls have spent much more time in town lately and I've seen a lot of them; especially on the weekends.

Joy!!

On the other hand, if nothing changes, Jim is still Iraq bound as of tomorrow.

Tim is just finishing up two summer classes at the Junior College and will take more in the fall. Once he decides what he wants to pursue, those credits will transfer and he can probably do part time at University of California, Merced. He's still talking about nursing eventually.

I'm sorry about not writing more. It's been hot and miserable and I don't spend a lot of time in this tiny room. Our cooler doesn't stretch this far and, even with a fan, I don't hang out long. I've been reading all your emails, answered some, but then I leave for a cooler part of our little house.

Birds love tomatoes. We can't seem to stay ahead of them. Any ideas other than building a greenhouse? I may start picking them green and letting them ripen indoors (or make fried green tomatoes out of them).

Some of the many flower seeds we planted in early spring are blooming but it's been a very dry season as you may have noted from the news and water is somewhat rationed. We water 3 days a week and try to not use too much.

The California fires haven't reached us and probably won't; however, Ray and I have friends in Paradise, CA which has been all over the news lately with the forest fires. So far as I know, it's been largely property damage but the town was evacuated. We can't exactly smell smoke from the closer fires but the air quality has been awful. We stay indoors as much as possible.

Other than that, all is okay around here.

As for the private blog, what I may do instead is write an email and try to cover everyone who reads this. If I do that once in a while, I can keep you up do date without worrying who might be reading. Now all I have to do it get it written.

The girls are so tall. Even tiny Rebecca looks down on me.

Tim came over for lunch today and stayed through dinner. Elcie was here and we all watched Prince of Egypt and part of my Celtic Woman dvd together. It was fun.

I apologize again for not keeping up with all of you. Maybe I'll do better in cooler weather. Thanks to all for the emails and comments, take care, and have a good weekend.

P. S. I just took a look at my guestbook and noticed Rochelle signed it - probably from this computer last time she was here. Smart kid finding the blog (although I have an icon on my desktop and it's never been a secret).