Hi,

Yesterday Captain and I watered some. Vanessa and I went to the grocery store. After lunch, I attended a conference on diversity issues in end-of-life care, which was mostly for people who work in hospice care, about different cultures' ways of reacting to death. I did it because it was moderated by Frank Sesno, who graduated from Middlebury the same year I did, and was a friend of a friend, it was free, and I could get CEUS in case I ever want to be a licensed social worker again.

Then we went to Janna's for dinner (take out from Taste of India). Vanessa made a great salad, with lettuce and radishes from the garden. I went to choir practice, where we sang Deep Peace for a memorial service Sunday for Lisa Anderson's husband Gary and Bridge over Troubled Water for the Sunday service. I thoroughly enjoyed singing them.

I called Harriet, who was of course at Clarke Central getting ready for a show that opens Friday. She was telling some child where to find poster board and talking to me at the same time. I wanted to check about Marie's funeral, which is in Augusta today. She said they are going early, because Dave is a pallbearer. I also called Kelly and she is not going. Harriet says there is a memorial service here Sunday afternoon at First Methodist, so I will not drive to Augusta for this one.

There is a service for Ben at the chapel on campus tomorrow at 11--and a luncheon that Ray and I have been invited to. Ben's and Marie's obituaries were in yesterday's paper. Marie's says she "went to her rest..." Ben's says he was murdered. I can just see Marie kicking and screaming--I am not going to rest! My children need their mother! But she was very refined in some ways and I am sure her family is. I have been wanting to see Fran and look forward to tomorrow. Kelly said there is a private service tonight for Tom. I did not know him as well and would not expect to be invited. Apparently Stephanie (Kelly's granddaughter) babysits for Tom's daughter Camryn, and in fact was there Friday night. She is naturally quite upset. It is even harder when you are young--death is hard enough and this is a horrible one.

Hugs to you,

Hi,

Last night was my last "class" for Intro to IT. The presentations were supposed to be only 5 minutes, to fit everyone in. Class lasted 2 1/2 hours, sitting at the computer with the headphones on. It was certainly interesting to see the variety. many teachers, two librarians, some from industry, some not working in the field yet. Some were quite good and I learned some things. But many people do not know the basics of how to make a good power point. You don't cram as much as you can fit on each slide and then read it word for word. But I guess that is not what the class was teaching. Power point is like handwriting used to be. Mine was about training volunteers at the Fellowship. I don't think I can post it here.

I did some gardening. There is always more to do. I am avoiding reading the paper and trying not to become obsessed with the details about the killer on the loose.

Well, yesterday was okay. I redid the presentation for class I had worked on Sunday morning. Apparently Open Office did not actually save it. And, you probably have had this experience too, I was convinced that the first one was a lot better. Vanessa went to the dentist. I worked some outside, then made her a milkshake and dinner.

In the evening, I went to a meeting of Organizing for America, the outgrowth of the Obama campaign, sponsored by the Democratic National Committee. It was nice to see a lot of people, many of whom I knew. Well, it seemed like a lot of people (20?) to me, but the organizers called it "quaint." I had a lot of the same reactions I did during the campaign. They (we) pay these young men to travel around the country and try to stir people up...but they don't know anything about Georgia or Athens, so they ask us to do the same things over and over--what should the structure look like? What resources are available here?

This morning I submitted my presentation and went in early to play racquetball. Vanessa was feeling well enough to go to yoga, although she didn't sleep very well. We had some nice oatmeal and bananas.

I had thought I was recovering pretty well from the shootings, but near the end of our first game, I could see Ben and had to stop and cry some more for a while. It sneaks up on you. I came up with this idea, that we should find out if the information about gun owners could be publicized. It could become the "fashion" to not associate with them, not go to their houses, etc. This made me pretty happy, until I started thinking maybe criminals would want to know who didn't have guns so they could rob us. Also, the Captain looked into gun laws in Georgia. You don't need a permit or license or registration to have a gun, only if you are going to carry it out in public. I'm guessing not too many people apply for that. Sigh. Another option is to move somewhere they have stricter laws. As Captain points out, people who want to buy guns can go to another state to get them. In Virgina, for instance, he said, you can buy 10 guns, no questions asked, and, if you want, take them back to NY and sell them (maybe not legally). So, I guess it would have to be another country.

Hi,

Well, as happens with these things, it does get better with time. Now I am waiting to hear about all the funerals and memorial events. I am also waiting to hear that they have caught him, keeping my doors locked, which is ridiculous. If someone wanted to get me, they could. If they were not specifically looking for me, they would be unlikely to end up here.

Meanwhile, people are dying of the flu in Mexico and Queens, where my two daughters are. (or maybe the ones in NY aren't dying?)

Yesterday, I spent a few minutes weeding the asparagus, which needs loads more work. I have already weeded and mulched some of the onions and broccoli. But mostly yesterday I was at church. OK, the Fellowship. There was a lunch after the service (which was sparsely attended--maybe in part because of the shootings?) and a second service in the evening. Captain and Vanessa attended the evening service and we all went out to dinner afterwards. No way to make dinner when you have a 5:30 service.

Vanessa is having some dental work done at 8:30 this morning. The Captain will take her and bring her home. I don't know how much she will want to eat after that.

Killings at Town & Gown

I am devastated by events in Athens yesterday. Three talented people were shot and killed at the Town and Gown picnic, in the afternoon, in front of 20 or 30 witnesses. All three were people I had known and worked with and admired. Marie Bruce, a lawyer and mother of two, director and actress, elegant and smart, was shot by her husband. Ben Teague, a tireless worker at the theater, builder of sets extraordinaire and a gentle soul. And Tom Tanner, who had played Watson in the current production, which we saw last week. It is such a shock! The killer has not been found. He left their children at a neighbor's, saying there had been an emergency. I understand being upset, I know that people lose it. But without guns, no one would be dead now.

As far as my day yesterday, Ray left early for a field trip, driving 6 students to Providence Canyon (200 miles south?) and back by 9 pm. Captain and I had watered the garden some and worked outside a little, but it got quite hot even by 11 am. I had showered and dressed when Kelly called me. I had emailed her because she needed a car and I thought the Protege might work for her. She called to say she would love to come see it and would call when she was on her way later in the day. She called me back within minutes. Steven Carroll had just called to tell her the news. She told me Marie's husband had just shot and killed Marie and Ben Teague and Tom Tanner at the Town & Gown homecoming. I said, Kelly, no, that can't be...she was crying. I said let me know if there is any way I can help. Very soon my cell phone rang and it was the UGA alert system warning that a UGA professor was a suspected killer and describing him and asking to call 911 if you see him, but not make contact. And soon after that a few details began appearing on the Athens Banner-Herald web site.

Liz Conroy stopped by to see if I knew. She had been at a meeting downtown and had heard that Fran and Ben were killed trying to get the gun away from him. I told her I had heard differently. She talked about how she and Laura had worked with the Teagues on a Shakespeare show a few years ago. She was happy to have known them, but very upset. Skipper called me.

Mary Jean came to get one of our giant lemon balm plants and to visit. She is getting chickens next month and we went to visit Paul and Tanya's chickens. Miles and Paul gave her a tour of the coop and we got eggs from them too. It was great to see her. She had not know the people who died, although she had seen a lot of police cars and knew about the shooting and manhunt.

It was on TV and other newspapers' websites. I talked to Janna some. I couldn't eat most of my dinner. I didn't know what to do with myself. Amelia called--she had seen it on Facebook. I called Molli, who did not know anything about it yet. I called Ray about 7 when they had still not caught the killer to make sure all the kids knew what to be aware of. He had not heard the names.

I watched some TV and read some. I didn't sleep very well and don't feel very good. And they still have not caught him.

Yesterday, I drove Janna to Auburn, Alabama, about three hours each way. It was a beautiful day for it and of course we talked a lot. She was taking some student teachers to see a school there, which is all kindergarteners, about 30 classrooms of them! They are doing some really cool work there, letting the kids design their own learning. So, for instance, one class was working on China. They learned about panda bears. They voted whether they would fly or take a boat. They all had jobs (pilot, ticket taker...). They wrote about it (using invented spelling). And they use technology, too (smart boards). I loved it.

I got back just in time for Games Night at UUFA. I won the Scrabble game and did pretty well in Boggle too. (Ray made supper). It was 90 degrees!

Strawberries!

Yesterday morning, Vanessa and I drove out to Waashington Farms to pick strawberries. She had mentioned this a few weeks ago and when I researched it, I was surprised to find they were already picking. Always happy to add to our sources for local food, I followed up. Thursday is the best day for her, since she doesn't have any exercise classes. We each took one of the gallon buckets and headed down the row. The berries were big and beautiful. They told us only take those that are completlely ripe. It only took us about 15 minutes to fill our buckets, but it was kind of hard on our backs. The only way is by stooping, picking one or two, standing up and moving down the row.

When we got home, Vanessa said she would freeze some right away. I said she should rest first, but she didn't want to. I showered and headed off to have lunch with Janna. When I got home, they were finishing their lunch and then they had to head to the eye doctor. I applied for some jobs at the university on line and started supper. I had to leave before they had come home, so I left a note to pick some thyme and that I would call. The Captain likes us to use fresh herbs and vegetables and has said he will get anything we want when we want it, rather than pick it ahead of time.

I went to the university to attend a studio showcase, an open house looking at IT projects that students had completed: an online CPR class that a Korean friend had done for the Korean Air Force (in Korean and English, with mistakes in the English), a project training volunteer counselors for a diabetes summer camp, study skills for middle schoolers, wine testing for neophytes and several more. I had a chance to meet with my advisor about registration for the summer. Then I drove to where I was meeting Ray after his Democratic Committee meeting. I had to wait about half an hour. We called home to say we were coming and ask Mommy to heat the water for the noodles.

When I got there, Captain wanted to talk to me. He said Vanessa had had a problem and I needed to make sure not to ask her to do anything, that she did better in the morning than at night. I said I had made supper ahead so she wouldn't have to do anything. He said she hadn't had a rest today and I assured him I had told her to. I don't know what happened. I think she had wanted to make the strawberry pie (which was delicious) and couldn't find the pan she needed--she thought it was here somewhere but couldn't find it, but it didn't really make the move. She seemed fine to me. The eye doctor visits had gone fine and they loved the eye doctor.

Well, I was pretty depressed yesterday morning, even while playing racquetball (with tears obscuring my vision, I didn't play my best games!) However, it was better later in the day. My Mom and I went to Kroger and bought a week's worth of groceries. It was kind of fun. Of course, we don't have to buy meat or much in the way of veggies, so I am not sure how we spent $130! We waited until Wednesday, because it is Senior Citizen day and we get a 5% discount. Except, I paid this time and they didn't give us the discount! We didn't notice until we were in the car and then it didn't seem worth going back. I suppose technically I am not entitled, but if Mom had paid, we would have gotten it, I'm sure. It's mostly funny, because we made such a point of only going on Wednesday.

After lunch, Captain and I worked on adding a third bin to the compost pile, which involved unloading concrete blocks from the truck. They are heavy! I would have left it for Ray, but couldn't let my Dad do it by himself. Then I continued with weeding, he started watering and Vanessa came out to clip the grass around the outside of the garden fence. Watering involves getting out the tractor (her name is Matilda) and trailer, putting an empty barrel in the trailer, running an extension cord from the garage for the pump, and pumping water from the full rain barrels into the empty one, then from the now-full one to the garden via a hose.

About three o'clock, they stopped work and went to an open house they had been invited to. Ray took the bus and met them there so they could bring him home. Potluck was good and choir practice was entertaining. We are trying something new at the Fellowship. This Sunday night, there will be an additional, "contemporary" service. We rehearsed this upbeat sort of light rock music with 3 horns, 3 guitarists, drums and lots of soloists. The words are kind of amusing--we are a river that flows to the sea...you'll just have to listen for yourself!

Earth Day, 2009

Well, I guess everybody knows the opposite of stress is depression. I can feel it coming and I can't do anything about it. Rushing around trying to pretend I have something to do, but I really don't.

Yesterday we took Vanessa to yoga, so played rball early in the day. Then I came home, worked on my final paper for class, made cookies, worked outside, made the quiche for supper, picked up Ray, watched some unsatisfying TV, and about 9 came upstairs and applied for some jobs at UGA.

baking for UUFA

Yesterday I ran the vacuum cleaner while Captain and Vanessa were out and made some banana muffins and mocha cupcakes, meant to be for the UUFA choir bake sale Sunday. The cupcakes did not turn out very pretty, so we will have to eat most of them ourselves. Warm with vanilla ice cream, they were so good last night I had a second (small) one. I made 24 and I put 8 of the prettiest aside to freeze for Sunday, as well as most of the banana muffins. When looking for things to make for a bake sale, I take into account what ingredients I have on hand. Then I try to compare the amount of butter in the recipes, thinking about how expensive the items I am donating are. At the moment, we have lots of eggs. We got 2 dozen from our meat CSA and one dozen from our neighbor, in addition to what we already had bought, so that is not a limiting factor. Tomorrow is grocery shopping day and I will replenish the flour and other supplies, but don't want to make a special trip before then.

I did a little work in the garden, but was cautious about straining my back. I finally decided I should give the racquetball a try and it went pretty well. My back is sore this morning, but i have the impression that sitting at the computer is probably worse for it than cooking, gardening, or racquetball.

back pain

I have had, over the years, several episodes of back pain, as in muscle spasms. I have been to the emergency room a couple times, where they give me powerful drugs and it gets better. On one occasion, the drugs made me throw up. Anyway, now I have a supply of the three drugs that I need to take: muscle relaxant, anti-inflammation drug, and pain reliever. I have also tried massage, yoga and chiropractic in the past, but I can't afford any of that these days. There's a psychological component, because I become almost paralyzed with fear, knowing that my back is spasming and I have to relax...

Yesterday morning I woke up with back pain, which eventually led to spasms. I took my drugs and went to the service, but I was dozing through much of it. The congregation did elect a new slate of officers, so I am past president, effective May 1. (yay)

The pain did pretty much subside, but the meds. left me out of it, sleeping off and on all day. I also used a heating pad.

This morning it is a lot better, but sore. And I am very nervous--should I play racquetball? Should I work in the garden? Should I sit at my computer? And what should I do, if not any of those things? I really thought I was past it, now that I am getting regular exercise, but apparently not. Maybe sitting at the funeral and the play on Saturday, combined with weeding, brought it on?

Ray planted the three hydrangeas for me and then it rained last night, so that was good. It didn't rain enough to keep Captain from having to water the garden, probably tomorrow. Vanessa made supper.

Peach-shaped pancake

Vanessa, Ray and I went to the theater last night. We saw Sherlock Holmes: the Last Adventure (or something like that). The story was fun, but Rick Bedell played Sherlock Holmes and I didn't think he was very good. He didn't know his lines and mumbled to try to stall. Tom Tanner played Watson and he was much better. Anyway, it was fun.

I spent a lot of time working outside, although I can't really tell you what I got done. More weeding, mostly, which is a good excuse for sitting in the sun. Captain set out the peppers and eggplants under a cover of remay. I also made some bread and went to Jonny Howell's funeral. She was Bertha's close friend, who died suddenly Easter morning. They broke into her house when she didn't show up for church. I had no idea she was 86 years old! I had been planning to shower, but somehow it sneaked up on me, so I threw on some clothes and rushed off. I got there with 10 minutes to spare and got the last parking spot, so I'm glad I didn't take the time to shower. I would have been all flustered.

Racquetball, volunteer bookkeeping, lunch with Becky and little browsing at Coldwater Creek (I didn't buy anything, so am still cool with my no-consuming pledge; can I buy plants?). Then home for some outdoor time, before making supper and picking up Ray. I am weeding the beautiful white iris. I think Myrna gave them to me, but I'm not sure who. There is not a lot of dirt there, mostly grass roots. I have worked on it for days, and have about 1/10 of it done! But a great excuse for being in the sun. Unfortunately, I haven't found a way to do it that doesn't hurt my back. By the way, I have lost a few pounds by playing a lot of racquetball and not eating much in the way of chips and crackers and cheese. No fast food, of course, in fact, not much eating out. If I eat my own cooking, and try to be moderate with what I prepare, then I can do it. It's nice not to have my clothes too tight!

protecting the fruit trees (Ray's hand)

After racquetball, I called Shaye and went over my changes to the annual report. We were on the phone an hour and 20 minutes! Then I went to ALPS to do some bookkeeping, but I didn't get it done, because i had to meet Wilma for lunch at 12:30. We spent almost 2 hours talking about UUFA stuff. She is now officiallly up to date...and I still have a long "to-do" list.

Then I spent a couple hours outside. The Captain and Vanessa had defrosted the big freezer. I did some weeding. At 4:30 I headed to pick up the meat. We got one big heritage turkey, pork chops, ribs (Ray is happy), a pork roast, a cube steak, 3 1-lb packs of ground beef, one of sausage, and 2 dozen eggs from a local meat CSA we joined. We paid a few months ago for six months of locally-grown meat from Nature's Harmony (see blogs I follow). Then I picked Ray up from the bus and came home.

I just had a short time to make sandwiches and grab some food before heading to Watkinsville to listen to Heidi Hensley and some other women play. My friend Andy invited me and I was thrilled to join her, just us girls, for an AIDS Athens fund-raiser. It was a little cool when it got dark, but Andy had brought a blanket and we enjoyed it.

A good day for gardening

Vegetable Garden April 2009

I started yesterday by reading over the UUFA Annual Report and it's pretty good. Now I just have to get together with Shaye and go over my corrections, mostly minor. I have a few other Fellowship-related chores, calling people to ask them to serve on task forces, etc.

The three of us went shopping at Kroger, kind of fun, and then I spent some time working outside. The hardest part was trying to weed around the irises, which have been beautiful this spring (white). The "dirt" around them seems to be a mass of grass roots, with very little actual dirt. I plan to clear that all out and cover with wood chips. Imagine how beautiful they will be next year!

Then I met Ray at Ramsey for racquetball--not my best effort, but still good exercise. We drove to the Fellowship after that for potluck and choir rehearsal. A good day!

Tax Day!

Well, I did it! I'm not too proud of the quality, but I did two assignments in about four hours yesterday and submitted them. It was a very stressful day. It rained hard in the morning. Ray and I played racquetball. He managed to have me win the second game, 16-14. Then I worked on the power point and the essay about the future of IT. Vanessa made dinner, I picked up noodlles, bananas and Activia at Kroger and Ray, ate my dinner and rushed off to a 3-hour meeting, my last as president of the Board at UUFA. Thank goodness! I still have lots of leftover UUFA stuff to do, but someone else is in charge, as of May 1!

We played 2 games of racquetball yesterday, and I had no errands to do so came home after that. It was too rainy to work in the garden. I did make some cookies and some pea soup to freeze. Made a couple phone calls and sent out the agenda for tonight's meeting.

Quiches I made for Easter: spinach, asparagus, zucchini, broccoli-leek

I woke up about 5 when the rain started and it is still raining steadily. I set out a few cucumbers and shallots yesterday, and they will do well with it. There is a peach tree we set out on Saturday and all the squashes I transplanted Friday.

We went to the Fellowship early yesterday for the forum, and came home before the service. The forum was by Dale Goodhue and about a subject dear to Ray's heart: atheism. Dale described the author Dawkins as a fanatic and I think the description fits Ray as well. Like any fundamentalist, he believes that anyone who does not agree with him 100% is wrong, and needs to convert.

We spent some time outdoors, weeding, mulching, staking and fencing the pecan trees (we did the fruit trees on Saturday). It was a beautiful sunny, warm day, but not too hot.

Then we headed to Janna's with the four quiches. We were not the first to arrive this year for once, although not nearly the last. There was much good food and lots of people, mostly her family: mother, sister, two brothers, one sister-in-law, two nephews, one with wife and daughter, one with girlfriend, Mark and his girlfriend. Also Michael and Alice, Becky and Kent, John and Debbie. Twenty-two altogether. We had fun talking with various ones and eating the delicious food: ham, turkey, meat pie, wheat pie, congealed fruit salad, green salad, quiche, bread, sweet potato-leek tart, carrot cake, pineapple upside-down cake. Ray and I were the first to go; I wanted to get in some more outdoor time while the weathere was so good, so we left about 4:30, when some of the group members were about to go for a walk.

We were working in the yard for about 15 minutes, when a little red car came down the drive. It was the Captain and Vanessa, not expected back until today! They left Venice early, about 7;15 am (on Easter) and got to Valdosta, where they had a motel reservation, by 12:15, but it was really too early to stop, so they came all the way. The Captain said Vanessa drove some of the way, and they went 75 most of the time, which is the speed limit. They enjoyed their visit with Aunt Norma, but Vanessa had the twin bed and the Captain had the mattress on the floor, not ideal. Norma gets around with a walker mostly, but takes a wheelchair when she goes out. She is 91.

Happy Easter!

It was a beautiful day yesterday, sunny and not too warm. First I made quiche crusts. We went to Kroger and got half and hafl and sour cream (for the quiches). Then we took a dead peach tree back to Cofer, where they have a guarantee and replaced it for free. We also bought some netting to keep deer from eating it. We planted the peach and surrounded it and the two apple trees with netting, attached to bamboo stakes with twist-ties. Also mulched them with manure and wood chips. I started working on a strawberry bed. I only have 2 plants right now, but will make the space for 20 or 30. I did a little weeding in the vegetable garden, watered the baby plants in pots, and thought about where to plant them.

Ray gave tractor rides on Matilda to a lot of small children. It was our neighbor, Miles's, fifth birthday.


We were outside most of the day and I was enjoying it. About 5 we went in to get cleaned up and think about supper--and make the four quiches for Janna's Easter party today. Ray made us supper while I did most of the quiches, alhough he did cut up zucchini, asparagus, leeks and broccoli for me.

There was a wild thunderstorm last night, even a tornado warning that sent me to the basement for a half-hour or so. I got Zoe to come with me, but not Ray. I didn't watch too much of My Cousin Vinny (I've seen it a lot and love it), because I was watching the lightning and listening to the rain and thunder from my bed with all the lights out. It was awesome! I hope it was not harmful to the vegetable garden. I set out some squash plants that would love the rain, as long as it didn't flatten them or wash away the soil around their roots.

Yesterday morning we played racquetball, although I was not at all into it. I went by ALT and talked politics with Cathi, spent some time at ALPS doing the books, and attended a presentation at the university about Second Life, a vitual world with some possible education applications. There was an old woman there, Laura, who is trying to get someone to put her research on children and art on line. She says she can't die until she knows someone is going to take responsiblity for it. The moderator of the panel was David Noah, Luke's dad from Montessori. It was very interesting, but I was torn between wanting to dive in and figure out something cool to do with the technology and thinking, "man, this is another trap to use up people's time and not really gain anything!" They have a simulation of the Sistine Chapel and you (your avatar, which you can make look any way you want) can fly up to it. Supposedly there is a simulation that allows you to experience what it is like to be schizophrenic, which is helpful for people working with those who have the disease.

Then to the grocery store, gathering ingredients for quiche day. I need to make 3 or 4 quiches, to serve 22 for Easter at Janna's tomorrow.

Amelia's homemade pasta

Yay! I corrected my last essay about 3;15 yesterday and am done scoring for now. The next project is not until October. I am, of course, now unemployed again, so should not be so happy about it. I am proud that I worked so hard and grateful for the money I earned. But there is a great joy in being released to do the many other things I want and need to do. That includes preparation for the UUFA Board meeting Tuesday night, my last as president. There are many things I will still want to do as past president, but much less of a burden. I have two assignments due this week for class, plus a big final project in a few weeks that it will be good to start on. I need to figure out if I will sign up for any more courses and which ones and do that. There may be a couple jobs I can apply for.

Yesterday when I got home, I hung out some laundry and watered the garden some (not as much as the Captain would have liked, I'm sure!). It was sunny and warm, in the 70s, and windy. I put in another load. This morning my shoulders are sore, I guess from carrying plants and water. Today, we can go whenever Ray wants, play racquetball, and I will run some errands, and still be home by lunch!

Here we are, on the beach at Tybee. It already seems so long ago!

I dreamed I was in France. I think Amelia was with me, but not any one else I knew. Gerald called; he was going to meet us for dinner, but I couldn't tell him the name of the place we were staying or even the town. There was a swimming pool at the hotel, but it cost 16,7 to swim, so we weren't going in. It was small and full of noisy splashiing people. There were very steep stnowy mountains on the way there. Early in the night, I woke up because I dreamed people were coming to break in our house; we were watching out the window. My mother shot at them, then she fell down and I couldn't get her up... Maybe eating bratwurst and watching a movie featuring robbing is not a good combo for me?

Good service yesterday, followed by finance committee meeting (my last?) and some time at ALPS doing volunteer bookkeeping. Then Ray and I spent a couple hours scrounging wood to burn; the weather is supposed to turn cold. We covered the tomatoes and beans, but there is a wind advisory, the covers may blow off. Brought in all the plants in pots, including the ones we bought yesterday morning. We hope to plant hydrangea and columbine in the back yard, but it is threatened to freeze tonight.

Captain and Vanessa called from Lake City. They are on their way to a week in Florida with her two older sisters, Eleanor and Norma. They drove through pouring rain between Macon and Valdosta, but arrived fine about 4:15.

One more week of scoring for this project, then back to unemployment until fall...unless I find a real job!

playing Tortoise and Hare with Nate

playing bocce on the beach with Nate, Nick and Bonney

As is not surprising, when something interesting is happening, I don't seem to be keeping up with my blog! A week ago, on Friday, Ray and i drove to Tybee Island right after he got done with class (I only scored 5 packets, left at 2). Captain and Vanessa had already driven down, been grocery shopping and made us dinner. The house was very nice, except that the master suite was upstairs, so they had to go up one flight of stairs to get to the main floor and another to get to their room. Not quite close enough to the beach to see it, but a short walk. It was kind of crowded by other similar large new beach houses, but worked well for us, with a large modern kitchen and lots of giant TV's, not that I watched any TV while I was there!

Next morning was nice enough to walk on the beach some, after putting away everything. Ray and I drove to Savannah to pick up Amelia at 4:15. Thunderstorms were predicted and we were worried about everyone flying in. Her flight was fine, but it started raining soon after that. We spent a couple hours in Savannah, going to a few stores in the pouring rain, complete with thunder and lightning...and tornado sirens! We kept track of Polly's flight, which had a slight delay. We decided to go meet her, even though Captain and Vanessa were planning to be there. when i called them, they had not left yet to get her, because the tornado sirens had sent them to the basement of the house! We met Polly and Nate (the Savannah airport is a pleasant small one) and drove through the pouring rain to the restaurant, where Captain and Vanessa had been enjoying a cocktail. It was very good, in a Southern fried seafood sort of way, not offering much for Amelia, the vegetarian. Ray even ordered the fried dill pickles. i have to admit they were sort of good. But the desserts were incredibly good! Key lime pie, strawberry shortcake, chocolate something. We got back and got settled, but waited up for Bonney & Hank to arrive. Their flight was a little delayed, then they had to rent a car and drive in the dark and pouring rain and find the house. Ray was on the phone with them for the last several minutes, giving directions.

A great time was had by all, including much game-playing. The weather cleared enough to go to the beach two more days before Ray & I left to come home Monday night. Then it was back to scoring essays for the rest of this week. I came home early on Wednesday when Amelia, Captain, and Venessa arrived home. And last night we had a lovely dinner party that Amelia did most of the cooking for!