Some Pictures

A Day at the Homestead

Well, it was snowing when we got up this morning; not much though. The day actually warmed up today.

The kids have been playing with their new toy; PS3. We've been watching old movies again too, in a much better quality of course. No I can't tell the difference but the games available for the PS3 are pretty intense. I got a Magic Bullet Blender, yes from the infomercials, and the kids have been having a great time finding more and more things to make with it.

Tim is going to be in Susanville again this week, until Thursday night. He gets Friday off for New Years. I am inviting all the family over for dinner on the first, including the in-laws side of the family. I could be quite a party. There are a lot of people on Carina's side of the family. Sharrill and her clan will be coming over also. The house is big enough and I think I will have everyone bring a salad and I will make a turkey and/or ham depending on how many are coming out.

We have quite a bit of ice all over the outside. It hasn't gotten warm enough for it to melt but just enough to melt it into slight puddles that freeze over night. It is still very pretty out here though. There is no snow left in Quincy so it looks nothing like winter.

I got the pleasure of helping Chris feed a whole gaggle of animals this week. If the world were a perfect one, this is what I would love to do. There's something quite satisfying about seeing horses being very grateful to the person bringing their food. The three colts were quite cute too. We also fed chickens, goats, ducks, geese, dogs, mules, and cats. The first day we went out it was pouring rain, not so fun and really cold. Thankfully it was the only rainy day.

A Wet Wet Day

Boy the rain is coming down, the temperature has dropped and I'm watching the Top Gear crew race across the North Pole. Obviously, they make it, but how idiotic is this.

It has been dumping rain all day. Chris and I went out to feed horses and such for a family they are gone for a week. It was great fun, believe it or not, but the rain was coming down in buckets, and the animals were pretty spread out. We then went into town to get the mail and a bite to eat.
Even got to see Mikey in the process.

I will be spending tomorrow and Wednesday baking banana bread, blueberry bread, and sweet corn cake for Christmas gifts. That's what happens when people can't make up their mind about what they want the most. We are having family out to our house for Christmas dinner. This year we will be having turkey and Filet Mignon, special request from Nathan. I will also be making mashed yams, a bit healthier then potatoes.

Except for finishing up some reports for work, I really don't have many plans for vacation. Chris will be feeding all week but Holly should be helping him. Since it's raining I guess not having plans is okay.

Tim is in Susanville this week. He should be back Wednesday night. He is on his own this week as the other two ended up in the hospital; for different reasons. He has to be the boss. Not his favorite thing to do but he'll so fine as he works well under pressure.

Winter Has Hit

Well, we were hit with quite the temperature change around here. At our house it was -15 and in Sierra Valley it was -26; not exactly warm. Our front door was actually frozen shut. The 26 degrees it is now seems quite warm.

Everyone is busy but fine. I just finished my last final and will be taking three classes next semester. I will then graduate in May. I will be taking a math class and two science classes. I'm really glad I don't have any homework to do over vacation. I do have work I brought home but it should only take part of a day to finish.

Tim will be in Susanville again this coming week. This will be his third week up there working on the generator. He will get Thursday and Friday off. Don't know if he'll be going up next week, it seems to be a last minute decision every time (wait and see).

Chris is enrolling at FRC for the Spring semester so he'll be busy. He is still playing with his string group and some other groups here and there. He is also doing odd ranch/horse jobs here and there. He spends most of his time with Holly of course. She is finished with her first session at UCDavis and is up for a month or so.

Nathan is busy with school. He is now playing guitar in the school jazz band. He and the band played in the school's talent show last week and did a great job. They did the Need More Cow Bell skit from Saturday Night Live. Pretty funny. He is also busy with his school work. He is enjoying his chemistry class but not the rest' if course. He doesn't see the need to do anything but math and science.

Mike and Carina are busy working and hanging out with their friends. Mike is almost finished with his probationary period at Safeway. He will then get paid vacations and insurance so that will be great for them. Carina is still working on her vet tech degree. I believe she is almost finsihed. They both still want to move somewhere where it doesn't get so cold and snow.

Raynelle' is finished with her classes this semester and will be going for one more. She may graduate in May if they let her walk 5 units short (she would finish the five units over the summer) Most colleges let you walk but won't send you the diploma until you finish. She is also working at the school. She has decided to apply for the Masters program at UNReno, which is great because we will be able to see her more.

Not much else going on in these parts. It's starting to rain and the ice is melting. The dogs are cozy inside and hate going outside. The cats have joined in with the dogs protest of not going outside. We are down to one guiene pig, the lizard now lives in the living room and the fish have taken over the tank(I think they need a new tank for Christmas) We haven't gotten any new animals, although Chris is lobbying for a miniture donkey to pull the sled and carry the backpacking stuff.

Well, once again, there's not much happening around here, but it is what it is.

It's Sure Getting Cold Out There

Yes, the weather has changed to the colder side of the season. We had rain on Friday, which prevented the pep band from playing at the last home football game; Nathan was bummed. I don't think we would have been able to sit in the cold for very long.

Not much has been going on except work and finishing mid-terms. I have been so crazy busy that I actually don't remember taking the mid-term for my Humanities class. I went on this week end to take it and tah-dah I was finished. My science class on the other hand is not so forgettable, unfortunately. All is well though, if I pass I'm happy.

I am busy with chairing some committees and projects as well as work. I am the new Student Student Team (SST)coordinator, which I get paid for. I have to run the meetings as well as telling the teachers how they are to improve or help a student's performance in the classroom. I'm also a mentor for students who are referred to SST. I sit on the facilities/grounds committee for SIP, administer the Imentor program, and I'm the go to person for teachers when they can't get their attendance program to work. The plus side is that when I have to use my prep period to do any of these, I get paid extra duty.

The kids are doing great. Chris is playing at a fund raiser for a local hospice tonight. He is playing in a couple different groups. He is also busy with other paid events. He is working for Holly's grandparents, doing some odd jobs as well as tech jobs.

Nathan is changing his schedule around so he can be in the jazz band. He will have to drop his math class but at this point it's probably for the best. He is also considering trying out for the tennis team, something I wouldn't have ever guessed he'd do.

Raynelle' is very busy with school. She is taking lots of lab classes and is at the end of her semester so she's doing a lot of work. Next semester she will take 13 units and then have to take 5 more during the summer. She is petitioning for graduation in January.

Mike and Carina are doing great. Mike spent most of the day with us and Carina stayed home to paint their entertainment center. Their cat decided to take a trip across the wet paint. I do believe the cat is still living but I'm sure it paid a harsh price for its trip.

Tim has been going to Susanville all week so he's pretty tired of driving. He has the network up and running. He won't have to go back to Susanville for awhile. He has also put in a lot of over time which will come in handy.

Tim and Nathan are going to a BB King concert next week end, if I van get tickets. Nathan really likes him and the tickets are so expensive that I figured it would be a great time for father/son fun. Mike will be going if he has the day off.

Well, nothing much else from these parts. I do have a new taste meal though.

Low Carb turkey wrap:

One low carb tortilla
smoked turkey
pepperoni
cheese

melt the above in microwave then top with avocado, sour cream, and some vinaigrette salad dressing. Roll into a wrap.

Just a Great Day

Today was perfect weather around here. It never got too hot and we were able to do some work in the back. Today we pulled up the fencing enclosing the back of the house. (the dog kennel is still there) Now the back yard feels more open to the rest of the property. I don't know what we are doing with the extra wire, I hate to just throw it away. Tim did some more raking, but I do think he has finally given up until next year. The dear have come through and eaten all of my plants. It's kind of funny how every thing now looks locus has been through.

The last week has been a bit hectic for me. I am very glad it is over with. Took two mid terms this week.; didn't do to well on the science test but hopfully I do well on the next 4 so I can get my grade up. the Humanities wasn't too hard, just very long. I will be taking the math mid term this coming week. It shouldn't be too hard since we can have two pages of notes. The younger kids at school are still having a hard time behaving. I think we could all use a long vacation from them.

Tim is now spending a lot of time in Susanville gettin the generator up and running, the security part. This is what got him out of Grand Jury duty.

Nathan is moving right along in school. He is the top student in his chemistry class. He is thinking about joining the tennis team, I don't think they start up until after winter. (I know, totally out of the norm for him) He is playing in the pep band and we are working on figuring out how to let him play with the band on a regualr basis, he can't move any classes around because they are only offered once.

Mike and Carina are heading to Reno today to see a concert and hang with some friends over night. They will be picking up Raynelle' and bringing he here on their way back. Raynelle' will only be here for a couple days but it's better then nothing.

Chris is still looking for a job and teaching music. He spend a lot of time helping Holly with homework over the phone and the internet.

Well, I have a child patiently waiting for me to get finished with the computer.

Quick Update

Just realized I have deglected my updates of this site.

I have been busy trying to stay up with school work so I don't have to work on the week ends. this week end was a bit different because I have mid-terms. I have taken one and have two more to go. The science one will be a challenge because it is eight chapters and no notes. the math one will be okay, we don't get graded on the right answer but rather how we solvedit. We can have somen notes so don't have to cram my brain full of stuff.

This last week was Homecoming at the high school so it was a hectic week. Nathan is playing in the pep band so he was busy too. He is enjoying playing but the games are pretty cold.

It is suppose to rain the first part of the week and things are starting to freeze over night so I guess we are well into our fall season. Tim is working hard to stay ahead of the pine needles fall on the ground. He hopes to have more ground cleaned then the end of last year.

Tomorrow is a day off for the kids but I still have to go to work. We are doing training for something, no sure what. We do get a catered lunch but the last time I had food from them it wasn't too good.

Work is going well for Tim. He will be busy with the security for the generator. He wil be working on it for a couple weeks so he'll be going to Susanville quite a bit. Chris and Nathan are doing fine. Nathan is finding school boring. There are so few classes available that it is hard to get any kind of variation in the day.

Well, time to get ready for tomorrow. Going in at 7:00 am but don't have to start training until 8:30. Oh well, there is always something to do to get ready for teaching one or more of my classes

Taking a Break

Well, I think it's time to take a break from studying. I have three classes this semester and at two different colleges. This is going to be one interesting stint until December. My math class is easy since I have already had to learn how to teach math to students who don't speak English. The Humanities class seems easy as it is self paced for the most part; I haven't received my book yet. The science class is going to be the challenge as I haven't gotten the book yet and the teacher jumped right into homework and tests. Thanks goodness I have Nathan to help me through some of the concepts; he's taking chemistry and that's what I have had to jump right into without direction.

The last couple weeks have been hectic with work and getting everything else organized. I will be very glad when I finally start getting paid again. I have been subbing during my prep periods a lot and I get paid for those days since I don't get to work on my next day classes. I also get paid for extra training I have had to attend after school.

Tim is back and forth from Susanville. The project is moving right along. He is working on some laser networking thingy right now. There are pictures posted on www.psln.com if anyone is interested.

The kids are doing great. Holly leaves this week to Davis so I'm sure we will once again get to see Chris again. He is looking for work and giving music lessons. Nathan is finally getting settled in school. He dropped the college class as it was too slow and settled for being in the Algebra 2 class at the high school. Mike and Carina are doing great. Raynelle' is still plugging along in school and working. she's getting close to finishing. If all goes as planned I should be done in May; just have to find a biology class I can take.

Well, I guess I should be heading back to the reading and studying.

A Long Hot Week So Far

It has been pretty hot the last week or so. Nights are nice and cool. We haven't had rain in awhile but might get some tomorrow. Hopefully there won't be any lightening fires.

School is going pretty good. The heat in my room my the end of the day is pretty tiring though. I am ready for a nap by the end of the day. The students are behaving so much better this year. My classes have changed a bit though. I am now teaching a computer repair class and a desktop publishing class. the repair class wants to build a computer from scratch and then raffle it off to raise money for a local charity. The hitch will be if the district will pay for the parts????? My college class is well on its way. There is some paper work that is getting taken care of and they want me to teach two classes next semester. It would be nice to teach online because once the class is set up the only thing you have to do is change the dates each semester.

I started two of my college courses at Coastline College in Fountain Valley this week. I start the third class at Mira Coasta next week. Right now the classes don't look too difficult. I'm taking a math class, science class, and humanities class. Next semester will be another math class, another science, and a biology class. Then it's graduation time; finally.

I am also the 7th grade class advisor this year. Not something I am really looking forward to considering all the other things I am doing right now but how many things could these guys want to do this year???

I think I will put myself into bed now. We had back to school night on Monday and Tim had poker last night so I have getting to bed later then I want to. No, Tim didn't win the big bucks, but he did have fun with the guys.

Made It Through the Week

Well, the first week of school went pretty well. I really like the new principal; she is energetic, strict, and has high expectations of everyone, including the teachers. The students are still trying to get under her skin, but I don't think it will work. Yesterday the entire student body got to leave class and watch the soccer team play in the tournament. No one got hurt and no one, as far as we could tell, disappeared. By the way, our team won, by the skin of their teeth. It was hot though.

Nathan is taking a college math class instead of taking math at the high school. It is pretty easy for him. He's been going for two weeks so he only has 14 more weeks and then he will take the next math class at the college; which will mean he will be finished with his required math to graduate. He will then be able to spend the rest his time at high school taking the higher math classes. He also got into chemistry this year. He's not real thrilled with the rest of his classes but you can't have everything. He is pretty popular among the seniors because he is in their classes. He motivates them to try harder.

Tim is busy with networking the new generator system at the prison. He is also developing some sort of software that will track something for the auditors. Once he gets it finished, it will be offered to other co-ops, that is of course, if it works.

Hopefully Raynelle' will be flying in this Friday; if Tim's payday lands on the right day. She is coming up by herself for a wedding on Saturday. She will have to fly out Sunday night or Monday morning but something is better then nothing.

Chris doing fine and spending as much time as possible with Holly since she is leaving for Davis in the next two weeks. Right now he is baking numerous amounts of cakes and muffins. He is putting chocolate chip cookies in the middle of one of the layered cakes. He and Nathan actually bake quite a bit. Unfortunate, it also means there will be lots of food around that I can't eat.

Back To Work

Time to hit the books. I have been back to work the last two days, the hottest ever!!! Just sitting in my chair typing made me sweat. We spent yesterday at meetings all day. The new principal is great so far. Very high energy and high expectations of the students as well as the teachers. She is also pretty strict; no hats in the rooms, strict dress code, no public displace of affection, no cussing..... such a big change from last year. Not that the rules weren't there last year, but never enforced. Today was mostly working in the classrooms, getting everything organized and cleaned. I'm not much for putting tons of stuff on the walls so it wasn't that bad.

Tonight was a happy hour party at the new principals house, so we can spend some time getting to know each other out of the school setting. The new principal is really in to team work and full participation. Another nice change.

Tonight I made a basic quick meal: sausage left in big pieces, scrambled in a few eggs, topped with cheese and mango salsa. We also had stuff at the party. I finished the night off with fruit and almonds.

I'm glad tomorrow is the week end. I haven't kept up with watering and my plants are looking a bit thirsty. I did get the grass watered tonight, before we left. But running around outside when it's dark is intimidating. A couple nights ago we woke up to Nathan tapping on our bedroom door. He had tried to pick up what he thought was a doggie surprise. It jumped up and started flying around; a bat. It took about an hour to get it to fly out the front door. We had to tire it out so it wouldn't fly so high; we have vaulted ceiling. Tim was quite a sight, with a net taped to the end of a mop, swinging it around and ducking at the same time. Visions of that John Candy movie about a summer vacation.

Tomorrow promises to be adventurous. I need to finish getting books out and chairs put out in my classroom. I am a class advisor, 7th grade, this year so that will be more work on my list of things to do.....don't know if I'm going to like that.

Yummy ......

Well, breakfast was some more of the same. We don't vary this meal too much because of time restrictions. Always some fruit, meat, and eggs.

Lunch was fresh spinach, spicy tuna, homemade marinaded onions, cheese, and a small amount of dressing. (Tim's lunch)

Nathan and I walked from the college to down town because we had a lot of time to spare after he took the placement test for his math class. It was a pleasant walk but the sun did get a bit hot towards the end of the walk. We ended up at Courthouse Cafe with iced tea and a small bit to eat. Nathan's new favorite food is a Club sandwich. I had the Kim R scramble, spinach, sausage, mushrooms, and mixed cheese.

Dinner was a bit experimental. I made the rest of the bison meat into a hamburger (for Tim). I topped it with a mango salsa. (A fresh large mango, red onions, cilantro, a bit of lime juice, and chili pepper; this time I used Ancho Pepper) I also made a foe pumpkin pie tid-bit. I mixed canned pumpkin, about 1/2 cup (not the pre mixed/seasoned kind), cinnamon, and about 1/2 cup whipped cream together. I layered almond butter enough to cover the bottom, then pumpkin, then whipped cream in a small bowl; single serving type. I'm not much of a pumpkin eater but it is really high in fiber and vitamins. Tim said it tasted great so I guess I'll try it again.
I ate only the mango salsa and some fruit. Now I am munching on blue berries.

Nathan went to his first class at the college. He was a bit nervous but has now realized it will be a piece of cake. He's figuring out now that he can take classical guitar lessons on one of the days he has class. He will have an entire years credit for high school Alg. I by taking this 16 week class. Next semester he will take the next math class for Alg. II By doing these classes he will be able to move on to the tougher more interesting classes throughout high school.

Todays Meals of Choice

Well, I thought I'd share some meal ideas. Given our diet of choice, they aren't very interesting, but they do fill you up and we like them.

Breakfast- protein shake: 1 cup water or juice, 1 cup blueberries, 2 tablespoons whey protein, 1 tablespoon Psylium husk powder (fiber), 1 tablespoon flax seed oil. A squeeze of lemon. I like it cold so if I use fresh berries I add ice. Mix everything in a blender until it's smooth. You can add other fruit, especially a banana. I just don't like to make it too fancy.
Tim tries his best to drink it but ended up with two eggs, sausage, and a bowl of fruit.

Lunch- Taco Salad: white chicken seasoned with a chili powder, Romain lettuce, tomatoes, olives, onions, salsa, cheese, and sour cream. I also add no more then 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing and some more hot sauce.

Dinner- Bison burgers covered with pepper jack cheese, sauteed mushrooms, garlic and onions (no bun). Sugar free jello (I don't eat this because it gives me stomach cramps caused by the Splenda). Bowl of fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, raw almonds, and some whipped cream.

Desert- the berries were desert for me but Tim will have a couple tablespoons of almond butter (freshly ground at the co-op) covered with some whipped cream. It tastes a bit like pumpkin pie.

The Fair Is Over

Today was the last day of the fair. We went Friday and Saturday and it was unfun both nights. Tim's friend from high school wanted to meet us there at 5:00 and he didn't arrive until 9:00 so we spent four hours wandering around a place that took five minutes to walk around. We did watch dogs jumping into a pool to see how far each could jump. That was interesting for awhile. Really wish we could have brought Tipper and Molly down to see how they would do. I'm not sure how they would react to a crowd of people yelling though. The farthest a dog jumped was 21 feet. I'd bet our two could come close. The fair was small and expensive. Nathan went with a friend on Thursday because it was a day you could ride the rides all day on $15.00. He ended up getting sick tow hours into the afternoon and going to Mike's house. Mike did take him back that night though. He did get suckered in to playing some of the games. He felt sorry for the guys working so hard to get people to play. He didn't win anything.

All of the AT&T phone systems are out today. 'Facility malfunction' was the explanation I got. As of right now we can receive calls but not call out. 911 and the sheriff are out too. If people have AT&A cells they don't work either, as well as Internet. Bummer all around when you're trying to get ahold of people in town before you leave the house.

We finally got rid of our extra wood. No, the neighbors didn't end up with it; although, I am surprised they didn't come down and ask for it. Holly's grandparents took it. It was a full pickup truck full. There was five of use loading the truck so it went pretty quickly.

Chris is spending the week house sitting for Holly's parents. They went to Oregon. He is in charge of feeding the horses, dog, cats, and watering the garden. They do pay him and he has to live without TV for a week so it's a win win situation.

Tim has tomorrow off so we will be going into town to get Nathan taken care of at the college. He will have to take the math placement test and we have to get lots of signature of approval so he can attend. He got his state testing back today and did really well, especially in science. He scored 100% in almost everything. He scored high in geometry which was what every one was worried about.

I will be going back to work on Thursday. We will be doing training and attending meetings all day. Then I will have to go to a 7th grade orientation at 7:00. Friday we will be working on getting our rooms organized for the start of school on Monday. I guess it's time to start going to bed early and waking up with the sun.

Pictures From Ireland (1)

Boy Am I Tired

Lordy be....spent 2 hours at the eye doctors waiting for Tim's grandma to be done with her surgery. I guess the doctor is an on call one and he had to take care of two issues at the same time. I wouldn't have been so bad except that I hadn't eaten since 6:00 in the morning. And believe it or not, there were not 'get something really quick' places around. The office was in one of those professional centers out in the middle of no where. (in Reno) Tim's grandma was so full of advice about just about everything that I was on over load. We did finally eat at Peppermill's buffet. Of course I ate way too much, so now I feel terrible.

Now I am trying to find the energy to keep working on my class so I'll be ready to go when the college gets their act together. I am working on getting the course software to talk to my existing exam software so I don't have to reinvent the wheel. Well, off I go.

Pictures of Raynelle' at School Project

Raynelle' doing stream research in Oregon

Hanging out in the water all day seems like a great idea!!!!

Yes, it has cooled off

I have actually had to close the windows at night and put on a sweat shirt in the morning. I'm sure it won't last long but I do appreciate the break from the heat.

I have spent my week trying to get some paper work organized for my new job at the college. I will be spending my week end getting the class put together. Once I do this it will be a piece of cake. Today I went in to print some stuff and copy certificates and of course forgot everything at home. At least I got the books I rented sent back. I also got my transcripts printed, so I guess it wasn't all bad. I will go in tomorrow and print every thing else.

The rain was great. I haven't watered in two days and the flowers are once again blooming.

Nathan is getting himself on a school schedule again. He will be taking a college class at night, math, that starts the 17th. I don't think he'll have any trouble and Mike may take it with him. He will take the second math class next semester and then will have his high school requiements out of the way and can take some higher level math and science classes. He will also be taking chemistry this year.

Here is a picture of Raynelle' doing some field work for her class. It sure looks like great weather.

Next week end is the family picnic just before the fair. I would like to have it at our house, that way we don't have to pack anything up, but I doubt that will be agreeable with anyone else. I now have seating for 20 people so that wouldn't be a problem.

The Trees Are Finally Down

Well, the dead trees around our house are finally down. We hired someone from Tim's work to come out and cut them down. He downed a total of six, three of which were in danger of hitting the house. One of them was rotten at the base so it was a good thing we got it down. The other two were very tall and could have hit the house even though they were pretty far away. It was something watching him cut them down. For some of them he had to climb them and top them a piece at a time; he wanted to be careful not to kill my lavender and not to damage the fencing. It took him two hours and I felt kind of bad because it was so hot out. He also cut them into rounds and limbed them. We told him not to but he didn't want Tim to have to since all he has is an electric chain saw; apparently not a good investment. I think we will hire the same guy again to limb the trees that have dead limbs at the bottom. Tim wants to try and limb them himself so we'll see.

The rest of the day was pretty boring. I gave all four dogs a bath which I am considering my exercise for the day. I was sweating like crazy. None of the dogs really like getting baths but I know they felt better being wet for awhile. Tipper was much bigger then I remember her being in the tub (we usually give he a bath outside with the hose) Between her and Harry my bath tub is now covered with dog hair. Molly and Waffles don't shed. I them brushed them all, no Harry does not like any of this. Next I will clip their nails and they will be good to go for awhile.

Chris is teaching a lesson tomorrow so I will be going into town for something to do. We will also see Mike for awhile. Nathan will want to go but doesn't usually like to get up in the morning.

Well, it's off to getting the laundry rotated and the kitchen cleaned.

Yes, the Heat Has Let Up

Finally, it has rained and left some very welcomed cool air, and I didn't have to water today. Generally, I do like to spend time outside doing the yard work, but the hot air has made it impossible. Even the plants were protesting.

I went to one of my first school meeting today and it was so hot in the room I thought I was in an oven. People think it is great to have a lab, but, hello, turn on twenty computers and you suffer.

Tim worked again in Susanville. This time it wasn't so hot and the rain didn't come until he was done with his work. He won't be going back for a month or so. (he's working on the new generator going in at the prison in Susanville)

I am in the process of signing up for my three classes this semester. I will be taking an elementary school math class, a physical science class, and a humanities class; all at two different colleges. It will be grueling but I just want to get done. Next semester will be earth science, biology, and another math class. I got A's in both my summer classes so that will help get my GPA up. I now have to go through the process of getting my Shasta transcripts sent to Chico, not as easy as it sounds. I will be teaching 5 sections at the high school and possibly one section at the junior college. The college is still discussing contracts and such.

The kids are doing great. Mike had to deal with a freon leak at work but got through it. je got to work right after it happened and they had to evacuate the store and send some of the workers to the emergency room as a precaution. He did have to work an extra two hours to make up for the late start. Carina is doing great and still plugging along at the vets.

Nathan is wanting school to start but is doing fine. He bought some new guitar stuff so he's happy about that.

Raynelle' is still moving along with school and now has a job. Not sure what the exact title is but she does seem to have to do some dishes.

Well, we will pray for continued cool weather and some more rain.

What A Long Week End

Tim has reached the end of his vacation. We got a call from his dad earlier this week telling us that he would be in the area on Friday. Tim picked him up at the Reno airport, the plane was 2 and a half hours late so they got here after two in the morning; Saturday. Tom spent all day Saturday with us and we took him to Likly CA (by Alturus) today. It was a fun week end but you all know how much I love being in the car. I did get some pretty cool pictures of the thunderheads that form over that area.

On the way back Tim and I stopped at Wal-Mart and I found lots of lavendar and some yellow flowers. (much cheaper and bigger then what I can get in Quincy) Tim and planted them before the sun went down. He is getting really good at digging deep holes. We are still finding plastic that was put down under the bark. Most of it has been pulled up but it seems like it shows up right where I want to plant something.

Next week is my last week of school. I have two papers to write though so I'm not thrilled. I am getting high A's in both classes so I do have some flexability in how much work I put in on the papers this week. I am coming down with a cold so energy is something I don't have.

That's it for now. Got to start thinking about my schedule next week.

And We're Back

Well, we made it back from camping. Bryan and Randy did quite a bit of kayaking and seemed to enjoy themselves. They covered a good part of the lake; at least the side we were on. After dark we watched for satellites, which were abundant. The moon was full and we watched it come up through the trees and shine on the lake, all night....through our car window......which meant it was right in my eyes.

Waking up the next morning was interesting. Two bears had made our breakfast their midnight snack. It was a mom and her cub. They wouldn't hurt anyone and only ate the junk food. Left us slobbered on fruit and meat. We came down the hill early and ate at Courthouse Cafe'.

Randy and Bryan left pretty early so we sat outside with the dogs on the runner. They felt they were loose. Of course, when they saw the squirrels running up and down the trees it got a bit verbal. They just were not very happy about those little gray varmints invading their yard.

We are going to try going miniature golfing tomorrow after Mikey gets off work. We'll have to see how much energy everyone has. The weather is suppose to turn kind of cool.

Grandpa Tom will be flying in this week end so that will be great. It's been awhile since we've seen anyone from that side of the family. Tim will be picking him up Friday night and then taking him to his trail ride Sunday morning.

Well, that's the week in review, for now.

Just Some Pics

I am doing some reading but wanted to post these pictures while I had the computer on.
We went kayaking on Saturday. Today Tim, Mikey, Brian, and Randy are gold panning, thus my quiet time to read my material before the camping trip tomorrow.

Didn't even get sunburned

What a perfect weather day. We went kayaking at Lower Bucks today. We usually don't go to the lake on the 4th because of the crowds, and boy was there crowds, but we had Dannylle today so we took her. (so many people from Nevada) The temperature we nice. Molly got to go too. She loves going out on the water. We call her captain Molly. She captained the ship for 2.5 hours today. Tim took poictures with the cell phone so it will take awhile to get them posted.Harry hates the water. He actually jumped off once, while we were in the middle of the lake, so he could swim back to shore. Tipper will get to go this coming week, but I'm sure it will be a challenge to get her to be calm enough for the kayak. Waffles will go too. Don't know how she'll do? (right now Molly is sacked out in her crate)

Last night we went to the fireworks. They were much shorter this year but there were lots of people there. It took us about 45 minutes to get out of the area. There was also a civil war re-enactment. The kids went and Tim and I just listened. It was very loud; cannons and guns.

Tomorrow we plan on going kayaking again, just don't know where yet. When we go camping with Randy and Brian we will probably go to Bucks Lake; hoping everyone will leave by then. We will need to take all the dogs so I want to go somewhere out of the way. (Chris will be in Ireland and I don't think I want to leave Nathan home alone for three days) this could be the ultimate challenge so far. We do have crates for all of them and we plan on putting them on runners. Tipper will probably the hardest one. At least being in the great outdoors gets the dogs worn out.

Tonight will be an early night. the sun wore me out. (just like Molly) I think I will crawl into my crate early.

Takin' a Break

Just sitting here eating a bowl of fruit and taking a break from writing about the women in World War I. At least I find this topic a bit more interesting. Tim has Friday off so I am trying to get all my homework finished before the week end, just two papers, five postings, and two tests to go. I have to do postings on different days, so the teacher knows you've showed up to class on different days, so I will have to work part of the week end.

The High Sierra Festival started today, commonly known as the hippie festival in these parts. (no not all participants are hippies but close enough) The town is full of rude people who feel like everyone is here to serve them. Going out to eat is a nightmare. Now is a time I'm glad I live out here.

Fireworks are Friday night at Graeagle. I don't know if we are going, probably will. Randy and Brian will be here Sunday, with the table. (I know that doesn't sound like that big of a deal but those of you who know what our other table was would know why it is) I have already put our old table outside and waterproofed everything. It looks like brand new furniture now. We even have an umbrella for it. The guys are going to go gold panning and back packing. We are also going to figure out a day to go kayaking, maybe this Saturday. the water is still cold but we have wet suits. The dogs may have to stay home this time though.

Well, that's it for the break, gotta get back to the paper work, haven't even taken a shower yet :)

Is it hot or what?

Yes, even up in these parts it is kind of hot. Where we live is actually 1000 feet higher then Quincy and we don't have all the concrete so it is a nicer heat. The shade is pleasant and there's always a breeze.

I just finished my school work for the week and my brain is on history overload. Though, I am getting to the parts of history I am familiar with, yeah.

Yesterday I water proofed the chairs to our patio set. It wasn't too bad, but I did break a sweat in the shade. I finished the 4 chairs and bench. Today we set up the table. We even have an umbrella for it, a little covered with cat hair since he was sleeping on it in the garage.

The birds that are nesting on our porch finally flew off. Unfortunately, one got injured by???? We were going to leave it to its fate but finally put it in a box. the mom and dad were quite attentive. They would distract the cat every time it came near. I kept giving it water and the mother or ??? actually got in the box with it. At one point there were over six birds causing a commotion around it. Let me tell you, all those scrub jays screaming was intimidating. By the end of the day the baby and all the others fly off somewhere.

Nathan has been going Sky Lodge to work. He will be finished tomorrow. He has been covering for his cousins who usually work there. He doesn't want to get up in the morning. He got his report card. He got straight A's. He's hoping for money since he's saving for another guitar. Something about having one with scallops.

Update on the yard (if you're getting tired of this conversation I would skip to the end) the grass is filling in and looks pretty nice. The clover is also starting to fill in but I think it will take a bit longer for it to look the way I want it to. All of the flowers are starting to bloom. I could smell the lavender today while I was working outside.

We have the High Sierra Festival starting this week. Quincy is already packed with people. The trip to town today was crowded. We did mow dad's lawn today, right before the heat got unbearable. I also grabbed some more ground cover plants. I can't remember what they are called but they grow like crazy and they remind me of a succulent cactus. We do have a rouge pantsy that is blooming all the time. I don't know why it decided to grow in the drive way, but it has become a member of the family, kind of like those birds. I will try to transplant it somewhere better soon. Tim has been working hard on the raking. We have quite a big lot and it hasn't been raked for years. We have to have a fire zone around the house and it gives Tim a great source of exercise. He gets about three pick up loads a day on the week end, and 1 during the week.

Well, I'm sure that's all been quite entertaining and I now need to sit and think about nothing.

New Web Photo Site

Yes, you can now find pictures at the following site
http://www.seehere.com/kretallack/photos The password is retallacks

I will be putting pictures on here as I get them. You can order prints of any of the pictures if you'd like but I am putting them here for your enjoyment.

Today was spent trying to get Molly off a mouse. She does a better job then the cats do. It was hiding in the kitchen and Molly was very, very, very intent on getting it. Nathan and I finally put the dogs out and cornered the mouse. We didn't have the heart to kill it so Nathan took well into the woods and let it go. In reality, it has probably been eaten by something by now. It was cute, but let's face it, it had buggy eyes, jumpy legs, and a killer attitude!

We ended up in town tonight to get the important stuff (TP). We went to dinner and then to Mikey's house. After a musical run down of the 70's and 80's, we snagged a couple movies and headed home. Besides watering this afternoon, this was the extent of our excitement today, which is great to me.

Well, I took an allergy pill and need to hit the hay. Hope you enjoy the pictures now and later.

Happy Father's Day

Yes, another dinner at the Retallack's house. This time I made lasagna. I made three different types; vegetarian, regular, and low carb. It was a great experiment and the next low carb will have to be done a little differently. Everyone also brought different salads. It was a great gathering and the weather was perfect for outside dining. My next project is to get Randy and Tim to build a rock BBQ, I actually found a plan for one. It is made primarily out of cinder blocks, which we already have a lot of, so I don't think it will be too expensive, although, it may need to wait until I go back to work in September.

Randy brought up part of the table set; two chairs. Once it is all here it will look great and I will be able to seat all the adults without bringing out the metal chairs, Yeah..... Randy was very generous to bring up the table and chairs since it is a 400 lb endeavor!!!

Any who, I have two tests to take and a paper to write so I'd better get at it. I also hear that mom and Lynn have two super cute new dachshunds and I need to call to get a picture.

Just Sittin' Around

Yes, that's what I'm doing right about now. Chris is giving a music lesson in the house so I'm sitting on the swing enjoying the fresh air (well sort of since I put compost down last night)

Last night Tim and I patched the areas of the grass that did grow in thick. All in all, the areas we have planted look much better then before. The clover is starting to fill in and looks great. Next year will be even better. I chose not to plant flowers that I will just have to replant next year so at this point we have a lot of green and not much color yet. Our house is at a higher elevation then the house at the bottom of the ranch so we have a late bloom time. I also planted from seed so that takes time too. The adopted Scrub Jays have three little ones, at least that's what I can see. They seem to take no notice of us. we can get in and out of the front door without getting attacked. Last year we spent a lot of time taking pictures of them when we had them in the tree next to the deck. (I was told the birds come back to the same nesting area every year so I'm assuming these are the same birds)

I havefound the exact table I want and of course we are goinf into summer and buying something right now is taking a lot of thought. I seats eight people which is one iof the most important things I wanted. It is a made of Rubberwood, a by product of latex tree. (once the tree quites producing latex they now make furniture out of it instead of burning them) It's a good color for the rest of the house, counter high (pub style), with a butterfly leaf. One if the best things is that it is solid hardwood so it should last awhile. Randy actually found the table for me and will be picking it up in Roseville for us if I decide to get it. Decissions, decissions, decissions......

We will be having the crowd over this week end for Father's Day. I don't know what I plan on making. Tacos went well last time. tim and the boys had an offer to take a senic flight for about an hour on Sunday. They aren't so sure they want to go at this point, but I'm sure they would enjoy it if they do go.

Well, once again, not much else going on in these parts. I will be taking two tests, doing three discussion posts, and writting one research paper by Sunday night. I still don't have my books for the hist-2 class so I plan getting everything finished for the hist-3 class so I can spend the week end focused on the hist-2r class when the books get here. Of coourse, this is the class that has the paper due and I have to use the class book as one of the resources.

Catch ya' later ;)

And We're Off

Wow, I just checked my grades for my first tests and amazingly, I got a 100% on the test that I had to take cold; go figure. So i guess it should a piece of cake from here. I still don't have the book but I have until the end of the week for the next test and my papers aren't due until then either.

Onward, we did quite a bit of yard work this week end. We took some loads of yard trash up the hill for the community burn. While there I found Iris bulbs that someone had dumped, score. I brought them home and gave them a new home. I actually had to water for the first time in over a week. I also took my house plants for an outing. They got a bath and some fresh air. Unfortunately, the bees were quite excited about having new plants to buzz around. I had to 'convince them' that wanted to stay outside.

I did hear from Raynelle' this week end. She is taking lots of classes and considering work in New Zealand. She wants to do her graduate work at Humboldt State.

Well, gotta get to the books and shampooing the carpet.

What's Up

Well, things are still the same in these parts. Friday was the last day of school so I will have until August 24th off from work. (not that great since I don't get a paycheck either) I am however, taking two summer courses; Western Civ before and after 1500. Each class is a 6.5 hour a day so I will be reading more then I'd like to and writing papers every waking hour. (the classes are 18 weeks of material crammed into 6 weeks) I started this last week so I have 5 weeks left.

We finally broke down and bought some gravel (river rocks) for the kenneled area. It has made a big difference in how much dirt comes in the house. We did finally get the kennel situated so Tipper can't get out, but.......twice now we have come home with the three little one roaming the streets, granted, they did stay together and were very happy to see us. Not a guilty bone in their body. I think we now have them locked in. We lined the outside of the kennel with large rocks. Also, we actually ended up with enough left over rock to re-gravel the driveway, at least most of it. Of course, none of this makes any difference to anyone since you didn't know what it looked like before. I should have taken before and after pictures. Oh well, I guess imagination is something we all could use more of.

Holly graduated last night. She and Chris played a fiddle/guitar piece and Chris played with his jazz trio. Both groups were good. The fiddle tune was one I hadn't heard before and it was amazingly difficult but they made it sound easy. Afterwards they attended the SoberGrad party at the school. they couldn't leave until after 3:00 am so we haven't seen him since Friday night. Chris had spent today at Holly's house.

Nathan is getting really good on the guitar. He has taken up classical guitar also. He is working on writing his own songs and coming up with variations on others. He is the same age Chris was when he started playing guitar.

Mike and Carina are doing well. They are both working hard. Mike has taken up skateboarding again and had realized that he let himself get out of shape. He takes his dog, Oliver, with him so he can pull him on his board. They ended up buying a silver Thunderbird. Mike is thrilled and has driven it out to our place already. The people selling the BMW never followed through with the information and they were able to get the Thunderbird for $600.00. The car ended up being the same car Holly's family used to own three years ago, go figure.

We haven't heard from Raynelle' lately, but I do know she is busy with summer classes and working.

Quincy its self hasn't had anything much going on. The music festival is happening soon so we do have some interesting people already coming into town. There is definatly an increase in the amount of people coming through town. We actually had to wait for a table at breakfast today! which is a good thing for the local business but not for someone who is hungry. After breakfast we ended up going to dad's house to mow and weed. The weather was nice and cool so it wasn't too bad.

Last but not least, the thunder was amazing. It rolled through the valley with incredible force and lasted for minutes. The horses behind the house weren't very happy either.

On Looking Up By Chance At The Constellations

You'll wait a long, long time for anything much
To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud
And the Northern Lights that run like tingling nerves.
The sun and moon get crossed, but they never touch,
Nor strike out fire from each other nor crash out loud.
The planets seem to interfere in their curves
But nothing ever happens, no harm is done.
We may as well go patiently on with our life,
And look elsewhere than to stars and moon and sun
For the shocks and changes we need to keep us sane.
It is true the longest drouth will end in rain,
The longest peace in China will end in strife.
Still it wouldn't reward the watcher to stay awake
In hopes of seeing the calm of heaven break
On his particular time and personal sight.
That calm seems certainly safe to last to-night. -On Looking Up By Chance At The Constellations by Robert Frost


Boy, if it rains anymore we will have to move to higher ground. Actually, we live up from the river, but still, it's pretty wet around here. We won't be doing much outside so far this week end. The grass we planted last week end hasn't had any sun to help it along. With all this it should really star t growing when the sun does appear.We actually should build a fire today but, finding pellets around these parts is impossible this time of year.

We finally broke down and bought crates for the dogs. (and beds) We are trying to convince them that their beds are way more comfortable then the couch. They will also be crated at night because they are always running outside to bark at something, which is not pleasant when you are sound asleep. So far Harry thinks Tipper's is great and doesn't want anything to do with his (he will be sharing with Molly since they used to before we got the other two) Waffles has been crated since we got her so she doesn't walk around and make nasty messes. She is actually getting the idea that if she doesn't go potty outside first thing in the morning, she might miss out on the Pork Rind treats Tim hands out while he makes his lunch.

I will be starting my summer classes on Monday, History which isn't my favorite subject. Right now I am signed up for one class and on the waiting list for the other one. Hopefully I will get in the second one if enough people drop. It sure would make my schedule much easier next semester.

Week End Productivity

Well, we finally got our back yard grass planted. Tim did all the tilling and the boys and I spread the compost and seeds. Of course, it is now cloudy. For the dogs area we are planning on purchasing some turf from the High Sierra Music Festival when it is over. It can't smell any worse then the dogs do now.

They sell it cheap and we won't have to figure out how to get seeds to grow while the dogs stay in the kennel. Some of the area will still be rocks though.

Nathan and I did a bit of weeding also. The Miners Lettuce (Indians Lettuce) has taken over the grounds. It's pretty cool but gets bigger and bigger until everything looks weedy. Apparently, you can eat the stuff and Chris has, but I don't really want to eat that much lettuce.

Chris took grandpa and me out to lunch today. We went to the usual place and had the usual quick lunch so I could get back to work. The afternoons are hot and humid. My classroom doesn't have much circulation, which is not so good. It will be nice to be out of school. I can't imagine being in my room during the summer.

Rain, Rain, Rain and Rain Again

A short but sweet posting. This week has been full of thunder, lightening, and rain. If it rained in town it didn't rain out here and if it rained out here, it stayed dry in town. On Wednesday it rained so hard at our house that the satellite went out. I didn't have to water though so that was good. Yesterday the rain in town was somewhat of a flash flood. Nathan and I walked through the shopping malls parking lots with water running over our feet. It was running so fast that I got vertigo when I looked down. The coming week is promised to be more of the same.

We started today out by going into town early. We did the shopping for our birthday dinner tonight. We then picked up worms for Carl, with funny looks and all. An elderly man kept insisting that we just wait until night time to get our worms.

We then went out to the nursery to pick up some composting and grass seeds. We plan on tilling the backyard tomorrow since the rain has loosened the dirt. Driving home with the compost was quite an experience. It is probably the foulest smelling stuff ever. The nursery lets their sprinklers wash over their bags of compost and such and getting them wet not such a good idea.

We had about twenty people out for Nathan's and my birthday. I made tacos. Tim bought me a house plant and did the house work. I also got some bowls, glasses, and dishes.I also received a necklace and earrings from Holly and her parents that are made from glass that came off of the space shuttle. The maker works for NASA. Nathan got $ and shirts.

Well, that's about it for now. There's only 10 days left in school, three of which are minimum days, and then I will be starting my summer school classes June 15th. I'm only got into one class but on the waiting list for the other so hopefully I get in.

Tootles to all.

Update

Well, here's the update on the dogs getting more room to roam. Tim and I spent hours Monday getting a total of 800 square feet fenced in for the dogs. We used or existing kennel panels, outside house walls, plus fifty feet of some four foot fencing from Dad. Well, it turned out great and Tim and I stood back and admired the heck out of it. "If Tipper can get out of that, then she deserves to be out!"
Well, guess what, she climbed right over it!!!!! Tim's comment after watching her climb the fence was, "she was so graceful and did it with no effort." Go figure.
I just spent the last hour (Tim is teaching tonight)adding another three feet to the top of the existing 50 feet; for a total of an eight foot high fence. If she can climb it now, she will soon be greeted with the wrath of electricity. (only a 9 volt shock) Now I have to go fix my tattered nails.

Well, the rest of the day was good. My classroom got pretty hot and I'm glad the year is almost over. Tim had the day off because of his flex days. He did lots of housework and of course chased the dog through the woods; twice.

Memorial Week End

We got a long week end because of an unused snow day so it has been a nice break. Tim even gets Tuesday off. We only have 14 days of school left and then I will be taking some summer courses, if they don't fill up before I get admitted.

Raynelle' was up for a couple days so that was nice. It was a short visit though. We had dinner with everyone, Sharrill and family, Randy, and Dad.

Other then that we haven't been up to much. I do still want to plant the Marigolds but haven't been able to find enough for the area I want to fill. I figure it will require about 100 plants.

We have a fire pit in the back so we've been making smore's and last night we all sat around the fire playing different instruments and having a great time. It does still get too cold at night, even with the fire.

Week End Fun

Well, the week end started out with Tim doing a bike ride. He road almost 10 miles, 4.5 of which were uphill. He did the ride without having to stop and walk. He wanted me to do it also, but I knew there would have to be a hill in there somewhere and that was not how I wanted to start my day.

After the ride we went into town to attend the the hospital sponsored Health Fair. A friend of ours and Chris were playing. I got pretty hot and of course I got burned a bit. When we got home we worked in the yard. Nathan found an unusual lizard which Mike couldn't identify and we couldn't find on the internet.

I took my last final for the semester. When I was getting organized for the test I realized that I had left my book at work so I hope I did okay. I wasn't that hard but I would have felt better if I could have studied some.

Today, Sunday, was Chris' recital. He and Holly played some duets and the Stringbeings played. Everyone did a great job and Johny, his music teacher, did a great job. When we came home we worked on the backyard somemore. (the sun had gone down so it wasn't so hot) We are working on getting the back cleaned and reorganized. We are going to plant grass from seed but the ground needs to be loosened and we need to configure the dog pen situation so they have more room. We will be putting in gravel for the dogs area.

Well, we have a four day week and Raynelle' will be up on Thursday AM. Hopfully the week will go by fast and the vacation will be slow. I think we will be doing a BBQ this week end. If we do I plan on making a low carb meal and then letting everyone bring their own alternate meal if they want something different. This will be the first time I haven't made something for everyone so we'll see how it goes.

Some more videos:

Music Videos

Here are some videos of Chris and Holly. Putting these on through a satellite connection is not very enjoyable! Visual quality might be a bit iffy but compression tends to do that. Enjoy.

Nothing New, Just More of the Same

Well, I'm at the end of my semester at Chico. Two more tests and one paper and I can take a break until the summer sessions start. I will be taking some history classes, no not my favorite. I also need to start studying of the CSET tests. Because I am getting a multiple-subjects credential I have to take all four tests. I will work on taking two a semester.

The weather is getting warmer, the grass is getting taller, and the flowers are starting to bloom. The trees around the house, apple, crab apple, plum, and lilac, are blooming; even more then last year. This, of course, is bringing in the bees. It's fascinating to sit under the trees and listen to the activity. We have also put our the bird feeders. There's lots of different birds eating their daily meals in our yard. It drives the cats crazy. We actually have a family of Stellar Jays living, for the time-being, in our porch light. The light is a lot like a closer chandelier so they had plenty of room to make a nest. We didn't have the heart to kick them out. It's been amazing watching them build and keep trying until they got just the right kind of twigs. I will post pictures as soon as I find my charger.

We did go see the new Star Trek movie, how could we not. It was a two hour movie but enjoyable. Even if you are not a fan, you will like the movie.

Chris and Holly went to the prom this week end. Yes, Holly is that gorgeous and yes Chris is that humorous. He didn't get home until 4:00am. They went to two after parties, which surprised me since Chris is not the socializing type.

Raynelle and Paul will be coming down next week. It will be great because I have that Friday off and Tim will be taking that Friday off. I am sure I will be making a big dinner for everyone. Our house has become the meeting place.

Mike and Carina are buying a second car. One of Mike's dream cars. It's a 1975 BMW in good condition so far. He hasn't been able to drive it yet, not til tomorrow but they have both fell in love with it. The car is an automatic so they both will be comfortable driving it.

Tim had Monday off so he did some yard work. While he was taking the raked up material to the community burn pile, he met a fellow Greenhorn resident. He turned out to be the father-in-law to a friend of ours from school. He is 90 years old and still quite active. Tim ended up going to his home and looking through family photos and taking a tour of the ridge area above our house. Needless to say, he didn't get every thing hauled away.

Well, that's that, not much else going on.

Wow, What A Week

Well, this has been one hectic week. The Community Orchestra had their annual concert on Sunday; which Chris and I played in. Then I came home and spent hours writing my paper, which gave me four hours of sleep.

Monday wasn't too bad except that we had rehearsal that night. Tuesday Chris played at a presentation for a friend so we went to listen. Wednesday was another rehearsal night for me. Tonight, Thursday, Chris and his trio were headliners at the weekly Words and Music event. I videoed some of the songs for posting sometime in the near future.

The weather has finally warmed up. I actually had to turn on the fan in my classroom. This week is state testing so the students are a bit our of sorts. Thankfully the week went by quickly.

Long Day in Reno

Well, I started out my day with a class early this morning so we could get some breakfast before going to Reno. Mike and Carina decided to join us so we all started out little adventure a little late which was fine because it's always fun when we all go. Chris had to work so he stayed home.

Our first stop was at Bizarre Guitars. ( a huge store with wall to wall and floor to ceiling guitars) Mike and Nathan wanted to look around. Well, as it turns out, they were having a huge sale so Nathan got an early birthday present. Mike almost bought a guitar but settled for a replacement saddle for his current guitar.

We then went to Target where I discovered that I have dropped 6 pant sizes. The boys were quite patient while I had to exchange clothes I was trying on.

From there we went to the game store which was a test of patience on my part. Nathan had a gift card and couldn't decide what to spend it on.

We had lunch at Claim Jumpers. It is always good but, seemed to take such a long time.

Best Buy and PetCo were our two last stops. Went home with some CD's and collars for the dogs. (don't know what happened to their old ones but they are gone)

Now that we are home, I'm relaxing and putting off the paper I have to write. As always, it is written in my head so I just need to take the time to put it on paper. I applied for graduation on Friday so I am going to be cramming the last handful of classes in to the next year by taking some summer classes.

The Pitter-Patter of Rain Drops on My Head

Well, the rain has arrived and will be with us the rest of the week end. It will really help the grass get started, especially if it warms up.

Our Lab finally figured out how to get over the six foot fencing so she had a great time taunting us while we tried convincing her it was time to come home. When it rains; which it has been doing all day, the creek behind the house starts to run and Tipper loves to play in it. She came home drenched each time but kept going back for more. I don't know where she finds the energy to run that hard for so long. The other dogs would prefer to stay in a dry house.

Tim's jury duty turned out to be for the Grand Jury. He agreed to serve but they said he would probably be a alternate. He would have to go to Sacramento for training over a week end and then do duty two days out of every month for a year.

This week end is the big orchestra concert. I love playing but don't really like the fact that we do it on a Sunday. On Thursday the string trio will be playing at Words and Music. They will be the featured artists. Chris is going to play his banjo as well as accompanying some other artists.

Raynelle' and Paul will be coming down for Memorial week end. It will be the first time they have been to the new house. I am hoping the vegetation around the house greens up by then. It will be a short visit and they will have to go home the same day as Chris' recital. There are only two flights out on that day and both are early.

The ranch that Chris works for is getting rid of some baby chickens, I guess they have enough, so I am contemplating getting a couple. Tim would like the eggs and as long as they are not roosters it would be okay. We could also feed them our composting (veges and such). We have plenty of room on the back of the property. Our neighbors have chickens and we very rarely hear them.