Summer Reading

I love to read during the summer when I have a bit of time.

It beats watching the reruns on television.

Here are my summer picks:

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith, a oldie but great!

The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher - another old one! It is wonderful.

The Pioneer Woman Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - by Ree Drummond. Originally in excerpts on her Pioneer Woman blog.

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

And, the latest Janet Evanovich book is out on Tuesday. Tuesday!!!!!!!

Summer Grove

We are good.

I spent most of yesterday ironing.

I was a bit behind.

Today, we are going to clean up a bit.

Blonde thing is now in swim team, lessons and life guard discovery.

Miss B is still taking the math class,

which she does not hate.

My friend Amy and the Little Blonde Girl have a room at the Pointe for a week.

Amy is taking a residency class for her doctoral program.

She first told them she didn't need the room as she lives down the street.

Then, she realized it was included in the fee for the class at a huge discounted rate of $55 per night.

She put me up to calling as they told her that block of rooms was full.

She claims she is meek that way. . . . . .

I called and was transferred several times.

I finally ended up with the person in charge of that block and got her the room.

I also said, "we will happily accept any free upgrade."

She got a suite!!!

And, that my friends is how it is done. . . . . . .

I think we are spending the night there on Thursday,
I am not sure.

White Mountains

As many of you know, when we go camping, we go to the Mountain Mountains in eastern Arizona. We camp around Greer, Big Lake and sometimes Mexican Hay, all of which is now the site of the Arizona's worst forest fire, the Wallow fire.

It makes me sad to think about all of this beautiful country destroyed.

Our friends have a cabin that is already been burnt to the ground.

Every summer camping memory is from this beautiful region. We didn't go over Memorial Day because the girls didn't want to go. I think we may have to skip camping for a few years until they want to go again. But now, I think they wished they had gone.

We are Still Standing

Hope is still with us.
That issue is going okay.
The kitty has gained weight and looks really good.

Blonde Girl is still in Basketball Camp and Miss Brunette is taking a math class.
I have three days left of summer school.
Love Man is doing well.
The dogs are fine.
The fish are great.
The snail is still moving around.

TTYL

Mr. Pepper's Hollyhocks

These are from the box of seeds of my mother's neighbor, Mr. Peppers. He gave them to us years ago. We have grown some in the past without much success. For some reason, we have only produced white flowers. Next year, we are going to plant more. He used to have some that were a really pretty mauve and dark garnet.

I wish I had some of those. You never know, were have the Hy-Vee brand velveeta box full of seeds.

Raising Hope

Hope is still with us. She is doing well. The girls love her. The dogs are adjusting.

Hope

We are still trying to find a home for Hope. The girls love her and spend most of their time in
Miss B's room tending to her. The dogs have been okay around her, but she is so tiny.
She is doing really well. She has improved so much since we found her.