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.

nervousness.....

I am getting ready to fly to San Diego Monday the 25th of May and go to Yosemite for a actual vacation with 6 of my Grandkids and their moms and dad. Nadia and Justin arranged it all and my little venture into the world of Goldendoodles financed the trip. I am just in a daze as it is like a dream come true.
All my life I wanted to visit that park and I even grew up quite close by. I will be in awe of my surroundings and my grandkids and the wonderful people they are becoming. It is so much all wrapped up into one bundle. I will be gone 10 days. When I come back, I will have to learn how to post all my pictures into one album and put them on my BLOG.
Be prepared!
Hey, I even found out that I have a tent to stay in. Everything is falling into place at the last minute.
So....I am nervous!

Arwen at Easter

I just got these pictures today. She is a busy little girl. It looks like she is trying sign language.
Nadia and team helped me get off the first box of Arwen's school books for next year, I included a few extra books for fun. I still have 1 more box to send if anyone can help. It costs about $55 to send a flat rate box to Europe and it gets there in just under a week. The most important ones are in the mail- probably already there.
She's singing! She is such a brave girl.

Deren da Vinci

Titus and Mia sent this picture. Deren is quite the artist. I thought the likeness is amazing. I love kids drawings.

An Avian Disaster Barely Averted!

Minding his own business, as usual......... Crackers was pounced upon by a maurauding 4 legged beast attempting to access his food supply.

I had the bright idea to hang my cocatiel's cage on the patio. I screwed in a big orange hook and all seemed to be fine and dandy. Crackers loves singing along with all our backyard choir members an he always attracts quite a crowd of the winged sort. He's on the loud side. The first day he was out, we literally had "flying room" only. He's very popular.

What I did not anticipate was the ingenuity of our squirrel population. When Joe mentioned that I should move him to a more central place to aviod cats and squirrels, I thought I would do that but I didn't make it in time. I was thinking he was safe as how could a cat or squirrel climb so high and then open his cage?

Teresa took me to see Star Trek for Mother's Day. I was totally captivated by it . I have been a fan since the first show. I won't really mention how many years ago that was.

When we arrived back home, we heard there had been quite a commotion in our absence- that a squirrel had opened the door on Cracker's cage and was chasing Cracker's around inside his cage. Karen heard it all and arrived screaming at the furry intruder. I admire her courage as she reached in the cage and rescued Crackers, enduring a bite as Crackers was hanging on to her with his beak- clinging to her finger for dear life. Mark relocated the squirrel.

When I arrived home, poor Crackers was hiding in a closet. Having bird dogs on our property, I figured that if a problem came, it would be from a dog. But a squirrel? What next- a crawling rabid green tomato?

It was a pretty hard day for Calvin. He had to say all his goodbyes to Selena, Jewel, Allen and his mom and all the rest of us. His new family brought us a dozen roses to ease the pain....
Calvin, left, cried all night in his new home. His new owners said no one slept. He did get a clean bill of health at the Vets and a compliment that he was the cleanest and healthiest pup he has ever seen. Now, if he would just sleep!
He kept trying to get away from us all in hopes that he could hide out and reemerge after dark- safe and secure at home.
Fitness is a big deal around here. We run- from the oldest to the youngest. At least the people who participate in dog care that is.....me and and the kids!

And yet another attempt at escape foiled....

So long Calvin.....see you next week! We are boarding him for a few days so it's not all that bad- just a lot of fun moaning and groaning sometimes. Gotta get attention somehow!