PS to my last post- here is Violet as she is bravely using her new found "mountain goat"training skills to tackle Quarter Dome. Getting up was easy but getting down was a different "slide on the rear". Ouch! Yesterday, you saw my boots. Well here is the living proof that I was an Official Yosemite Hiker!

I had to stop. Somewhere along the line, I forgot I have a terrible fear of heights. I was doing fine until it all came back in a flash and I felt like I was falling into the raging Merced River. I tried a few tricks to try and continue so I could reach the top like everyone else. I made it a few more steps before I had to gingerly work my way back down .

Trying to look like I am in good condition and not out of breath.

A borrowed pair of trail conquering boots and.....

These boots did a lot of walking this last May. I would like to boast and say " they climbed treacherous mountain cliffs, braved slippery slopes, forded snow-melt swollen and icy torrents, stayed firmly on the trails inspite of sudden summer deluges and logged many miles".

Well, yes they did all that in a modified sort of way. The enclosed feet, not used to being restricted in such a way, responded with stinging red blisters. Ha! Such wonderful family, exciting scenery and bliss soothed it all away! Thank God for Mountain Boots!


Thank you Nadia and Justin for doing so much to make our Yosemite trip so fun- even down to the last detail.

I have so many pictures and don't know where to begin. The kids were all so photogentic but I wondered if I would be stealing Maya and Nadia's thunder if I posted all my grandkids pics. So, I will start with my own kid's pics. Yeah Teresa! I may hear about this tomorrow. She always feels I pick on her.

I will just post a few.

In all my "horse days" as a kid, I can't even remember seeing a live mule. They have always intrigued me as they are tooted as being so versitile. When I saw Teresa's potential mount on her trailride, I wondered if she would be disappointed. Madonna and Teresa got along famously. She was so good natured, firm footed and really knew the trails.

Madonna of Yosemite.

Next installment coming soon.

She is almost 16 and I have been promising driving lessons. My dad beat me to it. August 13th is the big day. Grandfathers are known for bravery.
My dad lost his license a while back as he failed the vision test. His eyes improved and he now has his license back. He passed! Teresa and Jude really enjoyed Grandpa's "wheels."
So, Teresa is learning from a pro. She missed all the ancient walnut trees, spared the bee hives (thankfully) and had a thrill. It's a beautiful little tractor and beats the Go cart she used to speed around in at Malibu Park.

Meltdown......Texas style.

The heat index here is going to be 108 for the 2nd straight day. We are not used to such heat even here in Houston! Can you believe a banana tree died today and about 100 of my other plants are wilting terribly. The only things that seem to be doing well are the cactus plants.

Tonight, I went outside to bring the poor pooches in and an owl swooped down and it looked as if he was wanting to join right in unnoticed. He definately was headed for the door. Tim is off in Seattle doing Army Reserve stuff for 2 weeks and says he is enjoying the weather. It looks like he will be moving to Oklahoma in the next few months if all goes as planned. Those breezy tornadoes will keep things cooled down. I am beginning to think I may hitch a ride to the Rainbow festival afterall as I hear it is in a VERY cool location. Wonderful mountains!

summer vacation

It seems like everyone is working on summer vacation and not writing much- especially me. After visiting Californina, Texas just swallowed me up and I haven't really come up for air. I finally just took a little "me" time yesterday and ended up working on getting a much needed pair of glasses. I met such nice people in the process and had a great day, only to return home to a very sick daughter. Rarely sick, she actually has a fever. She isn't too sick however to borrow my computer. Hmmmm.....back to summer school.
By the way- I do want to mention how happy I have been with Teaching Textbooks ($180.00). It was an expensive investment but well worth it. It is such an answer to Algebra headaches. Has anyone else tried it? Teresa is about 2/3 of the way through the course. It is such an improvement on my struggles through Algebra in high school. I would get lost and then felt like I was flattened by a steamroller. This way, the student can work on it at their own pace and until they really GET it. My 2 years in Algebra class (at YC High. otherwise known as the the "Home of the Honkers") were such a waste. UGH! I just wanted Teresa to have a good experience with Algebra.
How long ago was that? Those nightmarish Algebra days of mine were endured some 45 years ago. I had such stress with Algebra that I had to take JUDO classes to counter the effects. Now, it seems a bit crazy to start adding up the years like this. It begins to sound like ancient history. Boorish.