Shoot, Steal and Rebound

Everyday at 3:45, Nelson rings my doorbell for some Hooked on Phonics drills. (How many ten year olds, voluntarily give up their play time to learn how to read in a new language?) No one makes him come. He just has an innate desire to achieve. After 45 minutes of word drills, we go out to the gym for another kind of drill. I figure any ten year old needs a basketball vocabulary just as much as the "I can chat, I can chop" stuff. So far we have practiced shots, steals, passes, dribbling and rebounds. He literally giggles when we play "steal the ball" from each other. We usually end up with a game of HORSE. He is actually a pretty darn good shot. We then go inside and write and then read a story about our games. Who knows? You could be looking at the first NBA player from Birundi. Fun times!

A dog's window on the world

Pretty cute story. Patches is an Australian Shepherd who lives next door to Emily's parents. They have a long-time relationship with Patches. Every day, when they returned home, they slipped a dog biscuit treat through the picket fence to Patches. In return, Patches offered them adoring friendship as only a dog can do and even barked once in awhile to warn them of possible intruders in the neighborhood. Boy, did they have the best of both worlds. Man's best friend for the small price of a bag of dog biscuits. (And no doggie doo doo clean-up duty.) Problem: the fence blew down and the neighbors put up a new one...except this one wasn't picket. Emily's parents missed Patches so much, they convinced the neighbors to build a window in the fence, so the doggie friendhip could continue. Now Chance is the one reaching through the fence with a dog biscuit.

"Kakee"

Just returned home from a Houston flyby to visit Chance, Dirk and Emily. New words are rolling off Chance's tongue everyday and this weekend it was Kakee. (All the grandkids call me Grandma Kathy and this is Chance's version.) It is so so fun when a little, almost two-year old decides that you are important in his life and gives you hugs and calls you "Kakee".

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

If you know me, you know I love to dress up. Halloween is such a fun holiday. There is little stress involved (as opposed to Thanksgiving and Christmas.) The traditions are not as steep; it doesn't have to be perfection. It also works that we have a pretty well-stocked costume closet. We just save stuff. Cheerleading outfits from Oly High, Football jersey, graduation gowns--just stuff. Sometimes we even buy something that we might need someday for Halloween. That's how I got the ruby slippers. I've owned them for a dozen years but never worn them. And years ago I bought a blue checked jumper from Talbot's but always felt like the farmer's daughter when I wore it, so it ended up in the costume closet. But this year, those items emerged from the closet and I became Dorothy. The trick or treaters love it when adults dress up. I could hear them through the front door..."Oh look, she's Dorothy." One asked me, "Where's Toto?" And of course, he was right there in his basket.
I'm not the only one in the family that loves Halloween. Believe it or not, Nacho Libre is a big favorite with Whit and Ty. And Hugh always finds a way to scare the bajeezus out of the neighborhood kids. Of course, Dorothy did need a wizard to get back to Kansas.

Scare Crow Festival

Salt Lake City has the annual Christmas tree festival, Portland has the Rose Festival, even Nebraska is likely to have a Corn Festival, but Mahone, Nova Scotia celebrates Scare Crows. Check out the photos we took last week while cruising New England and Canada. Watch for Alice in Wonderland and note the scare crows representing the presidential candidates.





The last photo shows a picturesque little town chosen as a UNESCO site. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This town, Lunenberg, also in Nova Scotia, is the best surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement in North America.

Ta da da da da da Drum Roll Please

Jeneseri for President! (Of the Olympus Junior High Eighth Grade) I am proud to announce the inauguration of the new president of the 8th grade. Something tells me, Jeneseri has figured out how to get along in his new country. He decided to sign up for the election, found a friend to help him with posters, (whose father happens to own an Alphagraphics) and went out there and won the election. McCain and Obama -- eat your hearts out.
And, while he was in the mood for signing up for stuff, he decided to try out for the track team. Turns out, he is a pretty good runner. Yesterday at the track meet, he took 11th overall in the district cross country event. Congratulations Jeneseri.

Married to a Workaholic? There are some benefits...

I did a Phoenix flyby this week. Arrived Wednesday, home Saturday. Had lots of fun with the grandkids -- tennis, biking and of course the pancake breakfast. (Danny calls me the pancake grandma.) Also, helped Kate pick out a stroller for Jr. Winsor. And what did Hugh do while I was gone? Well aside from the usual pastime of stamping out pain and suffering at the hospital, he mowed, edged and trimmed the yard, cleaned the garage, delivered Stuff to the DI, bought groceries at Costco AND defrosted and cleaned the freezer AND organized the food storage room. Whew! I bet it wears you all out just thinking about being married to this man. All I can say is, I am darn lucky!

Food Storage Room -- Spotless!!

Picture three inches of Frost on these shelves