FALL...yes, they are falling...the leaves this year are spectacular!The colors are so amazing! I thought I had enough pictures from last year, so I really didn't plan on taking many fall shots this year. But I could not resist. Somebody told me they are prettier this year because we had such a dry summer...I have no idea, but they are excellent. I think I said that last year too!
This is a pond closeby, I just like how the picture turned out, kinda fall, but a really nice reflection of the colors.

So today is Halloween. Last week, I stopped off at a local pumpkin patch to take a few pumpkin pictures. I know that all these pumpkins were not chosen in time to go home with some little kids to be carved out and lighted up...isn't it sad that they will not have a home?

I guess there is hope that somebody will still take one home and make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving...

HAPPY FALLTIME!!!

Yesterday Emily and Joshua were in a cross country meet. They run a 1.8 mile course. They are both in different divisions, separated by age and sex, but they ran their race at the same time. Emily was ahead of Joshua while they were in our sight, then they headed into the woods, when they came out, Joshua was right behind her. He kept getting closer and closer to her and as they rounded the field for the final stretch, he kicked in and passed her. It looked like she was just going to let him beat her until they hit the track. Then she kicked it in and it was if they were the only two racing...they were in a sprint for the finish. It ended up he beat her by 1/10th of a second. To anybody else watching it must have seemed no big deal, but for us who were family watching it was pretty hilarious. We didn't know who to hope would win. They both had their best times ever.

When I was in the third grade, my family moved from Portland out to the Sandy area. We went from being city girls to farm girls. We had acres of property to play on, with forts and horses and a raspberry field. We moved in the fall. One of my first memories of our new place was all of the caterpillars crawling around. I don’t remember if it was the first time I had seen one or not, but I remember suddenly we had all these orange and black fuzzy critters crawling everywhere. We used to put them in jars along with leaves and grass and wait and wait to see them become a butterfly. All they became was dead. A couple of weeks ago, Emily and Joshua were here and sure enough, they found the caterpillars and the first thing they wanted to do is put them in a container and add some leaves and grass. Some things never change.

3 years ago, for my 50th birthday, John sent me to Antigua, Guatemala to work on my Spanish. I stayed with the same host family and attended the same school that Jessi had when she studied there a few years earlier. I was gone for 6 weeks. It was an amazing trip. My host mother is the same age as me and we got along so perfect and have so much in common. She would sit with me for hours talking in Spanish. I went to class in the morning and then spent my afternoons volunteering at a hospital for children with severe disabilities. I got way more out of my time spent at that hospital that I gave. While at the school, I met a woman from Sweden. Her name is Kajsa (pronounced k eye sa). We traveled around together when we had some free time and spent a long weekend at Lake Atitlan. We decided it would be perfect to meet up on the east coast sometime, so that neither of us travels so far. That is what happened last week. We met up and spent a great time together, eating in fancy restaurants, visiting art museums, going for walks, laughing and talking and talking. It was a great get away and time for relaxing. We can't wait for the next time!

Last week, Bonnie and I went out to the Swan Island Dahlia fields. I was afraid that it might be too late in the season to get good pictures, but it was still really pretty. As far as your eye could see there was color, so much color that you could not take it all in. My eyes were on color overload.











I didn't realize how attracted to dahlias the bees are, until I was out there. Maybe because the flower season is almost over and there are not many choices for the bees to choose from. Anyway, it seems I took more bee photos than just flower photos.














I also was pretty proud to get the ladybug on the purple salvia.

I have a confession to make. A few months ago, I moved my herb pot on the back deck and in the process, I saw a tiny little frog hopping away. Well, that is not so bad, what was bad was that he had one of his back legs dangling. I had crushed it when I moved the pot. I didn't know what to do. I felt so bad for maiming him. I thought maybe I should catch him and end his suffering, but didn't really think I could do that (catch him OR finish him off), but before I could really figure out a plan, he had hopped right off my upper deck and was gone. It has bothered me ever since, whenever I water the plants out there, I think of him. Well, the good news is...HE IS ALIVE! Last week, I was just below the deck caning out my berries and saw something hopping around. It was my maimed little frog! I watched him for a while and then ran in to get my camera. He actually seems to be just fine in spite of missing a back leg. He hopped right over to safety from me and hid in the blueberry bush next to where I was working. He hops so fast that it was really hard to get a picture. This is the best one I got. I don't blame him at all, after our last encounter, he probably thought he was a goner for sure.

Catching up on Summer before it is gone

Before the summer is over, I need to go back and catch up on what else happened. First off, the 35th class reunion that I was working on. It was so much fun! I really didn't want to work on it, let alone go and it ended up being a really good time. That is how I felt five years ago, when we had our 30th. I had heard rumors there would be one. I got an email from a few classmates about going, I said I was not sure and then one thing led to another and I had the checkbook with my name on it, and "since my sister owns a print shop" (do you think that is why they got me involved?), I did the invitations, reminders, name tags and update book. We ended up with an amazing turnout...which did not happen this time around. I guess the curiosity factor was gone from 5 years ago and it was just too soon for everyone to go through it again already. But it was a good time to chat and catch up for those who did go. It was so sad to know of a few classmates who died...two of them within the month before the reunion. I know that there are going to be more who can't make it to the future reunions, so actually, even though I was reluctant to be working on it, I came away glad that I did. I was afraid that those who made it would be disappointed that there were not more there and leave as soon as we ate, but everyone stayed and stayed. Everyone left saying they for sure want to have a 40th and promised to help get the word out and round up the missing ones. I sure hope they do!
Here is the group shot of the classmates who showed up. The top is the classmates from Sandy High school. The bottom one is the 5 who made it from grade school. We only had 20 in our 8th grade class. 14 boys and 6 girls. Last time around we had a Cottrell reunion the night before, all but two girls and 6 boys showed up. We will make sure they ALL make it for the 40th.

A few years ago, my sisters and I decided that it would be fun, instead of shopping around for a gift for each other, that we would pick a restaurant that we would like to go to with each other and then get a $25 gift card for each other to that restaurant. We each pick a restaurant and buy 4 cards, one for each sister and of course we include one for Mom and Dad and ourselves. But the rule is we keep the name of the restaurant a secret until we all open the card, and we go together to use it and the person who bought the card picks the night we go and makes the reservations. When the bill comes, we all toss in our gift cards and then split the remainder of the bill between us. It does not have to be an expensive place, just one we think would be fun for us all to go to. It has turned out to be a fun gift that we enjoy all year long and it gives us a chance to try places we might not have gone to before. My parents take part also, but they kick it up a notch. Last year it was a trip to Seattle for dinner (including train fare and hotel), this year we had a dinner cruise up the Columbia on the Sternwheeler. It was really nice. A perfect day for it, sunny and warm and we could not even feel a breeze while we were out on the deck. The food was fantastic too! The summer always ends with Emily and Joshua getting to spend a few days here at my place because John has to go back to teacher's inservice days at school. This year was no different. We made churros, hunted caterpillars, bought school clothes, went ice skating and had one last time in the pool. And I do mean the LAST...Great Grandma and Grandpa have decided that they have to remove the pool. It is due for too many repairs and with the few weeks of use it gets, it is just not worth the work to get it all up to par again. We have had so many good times there and made a lot of memories, but it is time to move on. Mom reminded me that it was my kids who were the first to get to swim in it 20 years ago and thought it coincidental that it would my grandkids who were the last. They will begin tearing it out this week and will do some sort of landscaping in its place. Maybe leaving it sunken in places with a fountain. Joshua suggested maybe a huge bridge over the hole. They will have to get back to him on that.

She left!

I know the whole purpose of her being here was to get well so she could go back home, but maybe somehow I was hoping that she would just stay and stay. It was so good to have her here...well, once she got mostly well, which she still in not 100%, but well enough that she had to get back to her life in the Dominican Republic. OK, OK, I will stop my whining...I REALLY am glad she is better and back to her life...we took her out to dinner on our way to the airport on Friday night. She is now safely back with Ariel, who waited for her about as patiently as I do.

SOMETHING HAD TO GO!

I can't believe that so much time has gone by without being able to post anything here. But my usual schedule...which most people who know me, know is packed as full as you can get it, has been topped off to overflowing. Having Jessi home to mend has been such a blessing to me. Except for the hours I am at work, I don't think we have been apart at all. I don't want to waste a minute of her being here. When she was feeling so sick, I was close to see what I could do, now FINALLY she is feeling better and we have so much we want to do before she goes back to Ariel. On top of the usual summer things that keep me busy, I have been busy with my 35th class reunion. Now don't ask me HOW that happened. I didn't even want to go! And now here I am as deep as you can get trying to put it on. It is today, so that will be one less thing in the pile of have to do things. But the biggest thing that has kept me away from here is that a couple of weeks ago, our house was broken into. A lot of the homes in this area have been. Jessi and I were at my parent's pool and came home to a broken back door window. They were not here long I don't think because they didn't take too much, John's rifles from his grandfather, they picked through my jewelry and only took the good stuff, Jessi's laptop, a wallet she uses for travel with some cash and her emergency credit card. They even had the nerve to use one of my suitcases to haul it out of here! Anyway, the good news is that it looks like they know who did it and are about to make an arrest! They used her credit cards and have them on video. But in the meantime, I have been swamped working on insurance forms and out trying to get estimates and re-buy everything. I hope to be back on track soon. The reunion is today and the insurance is coming together...so life will regain it's normalcy soon. I was driving the other day and came upon this sunflower patch and just had to stop to take pictures. (see, I DO take time to smell the flowers!)...it was so beautiful...all those bees out there buzzing around just made me think of me...so many flowers...so little time...bzzzzz

To most people, she looks just fine...when they see her, she up and walking around, eating, drinking and talking and laughing, but they don't see what a Mom sees. They don't notice that she is lacking her normal energy, that her smile is weaker, her laugh is less often and that her eyes are not twinkling, they aren't there when the pain hits and she can't do anything but wait it out. She even talks quieter and has me asking "What?" most of the time. When people see her who know her, but don't know that she has been sick, they look at her and say, "Wow, you lost some weight, good job! What is your secret?" To most people losing weight is a good thing, but when you lose weight because you could not even hold down water for weeks and weeks and now you are eating and eating and still not gaining, that is NOT good. The last time she was home for a long visit, she was in training for a triathlon...this time, it is a feat to slowly walk to the 1/2 mile to the corner and back, which she has only managed once. It is scary to see your kid in this condition. I think we have run the course with the gastroenterologists. They have tested her for all they can think of and most of the tests have come back negative. They have sent the last biopsy results in for a third opinion. Their final suggestion was another round of penicillin or steroids. We said no way to the steroids. They keep telling her they have never seen anything like it and don't really know why she is still in so much pain. Her stomach is a mess, the worst case of gastritis they have seen and they don't know why it won't clear up. They asked if they could take her case before the board of doctors at Providence Hospital and do a case study on her. She said yes, but now, in the meantime, she decided to try a naturopathic doctor. We made our first trip in to see him on Monday and from what I saw in the first visit, I feel like he is on the right track. He really seemed to understand the symptoms and has a course of action in mind. He talked to her, had her fill out some forms and requested all of her files from the other doctors, both in the Dominican Republic and here and will meet with her again today to begin treatment. She was supposed to fly back to Ariel next week, but the new doctor said that she should NOT return until she is well and he feels like he will need a few weeks to get her that way. That was pretty rough for her to agree to another month away from him, but she knows that she has to do it or she is just not going to get well, maybe even get worse. She knows that she came here to get well and getting part way well is not enough. She knows she can not go on with middle of the night wake up calls of pain in her stomach. Pain that keeps her awake for hours until the vicodin kicks in. So final decision, made mostly by Ariel, is to stay here, keep working at getting well and go back to the Dominican Republic at the end of August. I will send her back to Ariel when she is my normal Jessi once again.

We spent the day of the 4th at Mom and Dad's pool. Emily and Joshua are such good swimmers now. It is nice to not have to keep your eyes on them every minute and they don't even need the life vests on. Jessi is feeling a bit better, she still has rough times, but more good times than bad. She will be going in for another test this Friday because the doctor feels she is not getting well as soon as expected.I took the kids to get some fireworks and everyone came back here for dinner. I made my BBQ ribs, sausage dogs, salads, corn on the cob, and a recipe I used to make called Hobo Potatoes, only now I use sweet potatoes instead of white ones. Of course we had Smores for dessert. We had a fire in the fire pit and sat around and waited for dark to light the fireworks. For cheapie little fireworks, we had some pretty good ones. My favorite are always the sparklers.

Happy 4th of July!

So on the drive home from Seattle, we stopped into the Portland airport and picked up Jessi! I'll try to make a long story short...Friday night, she called us after our dinner with Dennis and said that she had reached her limit there and felt like it was time to come here and try to get well. After a few phone calls back and forth, she insisted that we continue with our plans, she would have a couple days to get packed up and say goodbye to Ariel for a while and then on Monday, she would fly in. John and Rachel and the kids were to pick her up that night and then take her to the doctor on Tue morning. We were due back in on Tue night. All was figured out. But when her plane was about to land in Atlanta, it circled for 1 1/2 hours and she missed her connecting flight! She had to get a hotel for the night and the soonest flight they could get her on the next day was at 5 pm!!! Poor girl was so sick. Throwing up and so weak she could not walk. She even had to have a wheelchair escort her around through customs! It was a pretty rough night for her, but she made it through and we picked her up from the airport on our way home from Seattle on Tuesday. John had rescheduled her doctor visit from Tue to Wed morn. We had her in there by 7 am. The doctor listened to her heart, asked about her symptoms and said the only place she belonged was in a hospital. By 8 am we had her admitted. She spent 3 days there and is finally back here at home with me. She has an inflamed stomach caused by the H.pylori bacteria. The specialist she has said it is the worst case he has ever seen. She has lost 13 pounds from not being able to eat or keep anything down. The medicine she needs has to be directly in the stomach to work, so they had to make up a special concoction that made her throat and stomach numb in order to keep her from throwing it back up. She had a pretty rough time getting it down. She is now able to eat bird sized meals and is not throwing up. The pain is subsiding, but she still has some pretty rough times. Hopefully, it will all be over and she will be back to normal soon. I've got pretty mixed feelings about her coming back...of course I wanted her here, but sure wish it was under better circumstances to have her here.

It has been a busy week here. It all started out with a drive to Seattle to meet up with Dennis and Abby. They flew up from LA to go on an Alaskan cruise for their anniversary. We met them at the airport and went to the Palisades Restaurant for an awesome dinner. The next morning we drove them to the ship dock and said goodbye, then we headed to the ferry and took our car over to Victoria to celebrate our 35th anniversary. We stayed at the famous Empress Hotel. If you ever get the chance I suggest you stay there. It was a beautiful place. When I reserved the room, they said that we would get a street view room, but were so surprised to have a harbor view...check out the pictures of the view. It has a gorgeous pool and fantastic restaurants. We went to Butchart Gardens and walked around the city. We had three days there and took the ferry back.

Jessi and her FIVE ulcers made it home from the hospital yesterday. Thanks for your prayers and concern this past week. Now let's get her well!

There is a Calla Lily in the front yard. The other day as I was passing by it, I heard a buzzing noise. I stopped to investigate and there inside one of them was a battle going on between a bee and a spider. Of course I made a run back into the house for the camera! I took a couple of pictures and later on came back to see what was going on...by that time the bee was dead and being pushed out of the flower to wherever the spider stores his food. Since then, I have kept a watch and that spider stays in that same flower. When I go out there, he is waiting in the bottom and if I put my finger near the flower, he rushes up to see what is coming. His white color is the perfect camouflage for unsuspecting insects that dare to stop in. (don't forget you can double click on the picture to get a closer look)

I can't believe it! My sister-in-law, Mary was here with her daughter Jennifer and Jennifer's husband Josh and the grandkids, Hailee and Conner. Well, that is not what I can't believe, what is so unbelievable is that I didn't get one shot of them! We had our cameras out and took tons of pictures...of flowers and water drops and 'stuff', but I didn't get one with any of us in it. Here is the closest I got to a picture of anybody...a baby grasshopper that landed on Josh. We had a really nice visit. They stopped in on their way to the beach, stayed the night and then Mary and Hailee came back and stayed a couple more nights on their way back to Idaho. It is always so good to catch up. It is amazing how we can go so long without talking, but just pick up where we left off on the last visit, as if time didn't even pass by.

They are ready! Finally, the strawberries are ready to eat! This is the best they have been since I planted them. Last summer, I was thinking that I would pull them all and replant, but they are beautiful this year. I'm glad I waited. So guess what I am having for breakfast? Yep...strawberry shortcake!

This is such an amazing discovery to me! I went to a baby shower on Sunday night. They served cupcakes, tons of colors and flavors. I love cake and it was so hard to decide which to try. But here is what is so amazing. They were made without eggs or oil. All she does is take any flavor cake mix and add a can of diet soda. You can make all kinds of flavors...chocolate and cherry coke...white with orange soda...or lemon...you name it. She got pretty creative with them. Then she put on nonfat whip and a fruit or just a simple glaze or powdered sugar. They are so good, you can not tell the difference. Of course, I had to try quite a few of the flavors. They were all so good!

Her recipe is a Weight Watcher recipe and each cupcake was only 3 points. Great if you are into Weight Watchers. And for those on a low cholesterol type diet, awesome too, no eggs or oil. Not so good for a diabetic, since it still has the sugar. I'm not any of these, but I made some yesterday.

Anyway, just thought I would pass it on.

I am not sure why I have not mentioned it here, but last October, after returning from the Dominican Republic knowing that we would be headed back a few months later for a wedding, I decided that I would get a part time job to earn a little extra spending money. The first and only place I applied was Ann Taylor Loft. I was in the ‘still thinking about it’ stage of getting a job, when I found myself in Ann Taylor just wandering around killing time before I met up with my family for lunch next door at Red Robin. I thought, 'I think this might be a good place to work.' So I asked for an application and went home and filled it out and brought it right back. I was given a place online to go and fill out a questionnaire. John says WINCO has one too, they call it the HONESTY TEST. I waited a week and no answer. I figured I must have flunked the honesty test. Another week later I got a call to come in THAT DAY for an interview and was hired. My plan was to work a few months, earn some extra money and then once we got back I would quit. Maybe that is why I never mentioned it here, since I just planned on quitting soon. Well, my ‘few months’ are over and I’m still working. I really enjoy it there! It is only part time. At first, it was only about 8-12 hours a week…really not much in the way of spending money really…especially given the fact that they give an unbelievable employee discount…so you can just make a guess at where my ‘spending money’ went…yep, right back into their pockets. But I liked it, they are excellent at giving you any time off you request, so it has not cramped my style at all, I am still able to do Red Cross, see my grandkids, meet up with friends and family for lunches, you name it. I even took those days off and went to see Dennis and Abby a couple of weeks ago. Well, now to top it off…just before I left for D&A’s place, I was asked if I wanted to move up to be a shift manager. My first reaction was “No way!” But they kept working at me. I know there were others there working who were way more trained for it than me, but they were not available to take it on. So after a while of thinking it over, I went ahead and said yes, I would give it a try. I’ve made it through the training and am now officially a shift manager now. We get 20 hours a week. I know it is still new, but I come home every day thinking how glad I am that I decided to do it.
I would never have thought that a salesclerk job would have so many awesome moments. But almost every day something happens there that just makes me so happy that I was given the opportunity to work there. It is not like we just put stuff on the racks and the ring it up for them. Over half of the time, when I ask a client if they are looking for something, instead of the expected “no, just browsing”, I get a real request from them. I can’t tell you how many funerals I have helped dress women for and so many other things, weddings, job interviews, graduations, parties, vacations. I get to console them when they are feeling fat and the clothes don't fit and also cheer them on when they are so happy with a weight loss. I get to translate to Spanish speaking clients . I've helped women with tubes find clothes to disguise the tubes and shirts to not show that they have had a masectomy. I have had to help drunk women in and out of clothes and keep a watch on certain suspected shop lifters when they walk in. And then there all the men who want help finding something for their women. It is so fun! Actually really rewarding. It is pretty cool to have a woman come up to you on her way out the door and tell you thanks for all the help. I had one woman come in and give me a hug the day after I had helped her with an outfit. She said she has never had so many compliments on anything she has worn before. It is so funny to me to think that now people think because I work there, I am an expert on dressing them. I am asked how colors look, how it fits, will it shrink much, what jewelry would work with it.
But, my favorite experience so far was the time two blind girls with seeing eye dogs came in. (They were in their late 20’s, not really girls I guess) I was sure that they were in the wrong store. They just were standing there at the door with their thick parkas and hoods on. They just did not seem to be in the right place. I asked them if I could help them and immediately one of them said she was looking for a dress to wear to a concert. I thought "OK…now what do I do?"…well, I just started in…”OK, do you want a formal one or casual,” “what color” (oh man! do you ask a blind girl what color??!!!)…”well follow me.” Those dogs just lead them in. I took them all over the store and held up each dress and described it from top to bottom as they felt each part I was describing. One dress I was describing as, teal and black and white print. “Her friend said “I remember what teal looks like!” I had an off white one and the girl said “I’ve been told I don’t look good in white” I held it up to her and said I didn’t think white was very good on her either. She was so happy and thanked me for confirming that for her. (my word is official, right?) So we narrowed it down to about 10 dresses and headed to the wardrobe for them to try on. One was trying on, the other was there for moral support and zipping. I stood outside while she was dressing and then she would come out and ask me what it looked like on her. I asked her just how much vision she had and she said zero. The other girl could see a tiny bit of light. I explained that we had some really well lit mirrors, and they just laughed saying that they would have to be on the sun to be able to see in a mirror. They were so easy to be around. They were so accepting of their blindness, as if they were talking about their hair color. I was with them for a couple of hours, they felt the jewelry I brought in for them to match up and wanted a sweater to go with the dress, ends up she bought two dresses, since she could not make up her mind and a sweater and the other girl found a sweater she wanted also. Then the dogs lead them out of the wardrobe, past the maze of mannequins to the checkout counter to pay, then on out the door to the concert. They said that they would be back soon! I sure hope so!

It is SO FUN! All those years of playing with my Barbies have paid off!!! (thanks Mom!)

I had a great time at Dennis and Abby's place!

I got there on Thursday afternoon and stayed until Sunday night. I have not been down since they bought their condo, so it was nice to finally get to see where they live now. Thursday we went out to dinner at an Italian place and then just hung out at their place and played with Midas and Dagny. Friday we went to C.A.R.D.(Center for Autism and Related Disorders), where he works and he showed me around and I met some of the people he works with. Then we went to Huntington Gardens. http://www.huntington.org/ Abby did a project there for her work and so she was able to get us free passes in!

I had a blast taking pictures! It is acres and acres of gardens, one garden is acres of just cactus. Every kind, I had no idea there were so many and tons of them were in bloom. There is a Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, English Rose Garden, Australian Garden, a Botanical Garden, Herb Garden, Jungle Garden, Lily Ponds and water falls, and a Conservatory. I took 447 pictures just at the gardens! Dennis and Abby were so patient with me...here are some shots of the gardens and then some of them waiting around for me to continue. Along with the gardens, there are museums and a library. They have an amazing collection of books and letters in there! One of them was the first book ever printed on a press, the Gutenberg Bible. They did a BBQ for dinner that night. Dennis made burgers and pomegranate margaritas and Abby made salsa...good stuff!! Then on Saturday, we drove to Oxnard and went out to lunch with Uncle Jimmy. It is always fun to spend time with him. Saturday night, Abby's Mom and Dad, (Lanie and Terry), came up and we had another BBQ with them, including churros for dessert. Sunday we went to their new church and then out to lunch and back to their place to hang out some more before I had to catch my plane. The last time I stayed with them, I experienced my first earthquake,right in the middle of the night we woke up to the whole place shaking. Quite a thing to wake up to, especially having never gone through one! Well, I almost made it out of town before another such experience. An hour or so after they dropped me off, the whole airport was shaking! I've read that it was between a 4.7 or 5.

It is just so amazing to see your kids as adults, to be in their home, see them cooking, cleaning and living life on their own. Like it is pretty weird to have HIM making ME breakfast and out there on the patio, is an arbor they built with grapes that they are growing. Take a look at the planter he built for his tomatoes...they grow upside down! That plant is full of green tomatoes already!

I know it's kinda weird, but I love to paint (I love to iron, too). There is just something I enjoy about seeing something go from messy to pristine, dirty to clean, wrinkled to pressed...you get the picture. Our front porch needed a new coat, so I painted it yesterday. It was so beautiful. I say WAS...I got it all done, stood back to admire my work, and noticed something dropping on my head...those awesome Oregon raindrops!!! Good thing I love painting...I can now redo the steps. So far that looks like they were the only part damaged from it. I swear, I checked the weather reports...no rain until LATE night...and I checked a couple of sources for more than one opinion. Oh well, I will do it next week. I'M OUT OF HERE!!! I head to Los Angeles to visit Dennis and Abby today! My first trip to see their new place. I'm really looking forward to it...I have not seen him in a year and a half. He had an airline ticket that was about to expire and no time to use it...and it could be used by anyone with Dixon for the last name...that qualified ME!!!!

p.s. after 3 weeks...my eye is pretty much back to normal. I can't believe how long it took the bruise to go away.

Spring petal forecast: After a beautiful flowering season, expect heavy accumulation of petals in any flowering area.

I am amazed at the amount of petals this year. Not sure if I even noticed it before.