instead of doing my banking

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

I just read in Elder Larson's letter about the kids having to go to
school half day on Memorial Day in Louisiana. hmmm I wonder if it has
anything to do with Memorial Day originally being to honor the Civil
War veterans as I imagine that most of the country meant the boys in
blue?

We really enjoyed the Mt Vernon Memorial Day service as usual. This
year ended with a skydiver coming down towing a large American flag.
Quite a sight! I wondered how they were going to deal with the flag
touching the ground thing. He landed behind a big wall of whatever
you call a wall of graves, but we could see a crew of people running
to get under the flag as it came down.

We didn't see the whales. As soon as I decided that we would try to
go see them, they turned their noses downriver and started swimming.
When we went to the beach, they were actually near Benecia and lots of
people did go to see them, but I thought that there would be little
chance of spotting them in the more open water. I don't think they
have gone out the Golden Gate yet, but they are looking healthier and
going in the right direction. Happy day!

Our trip to Rodeo Beach was not all I hoped for. Joseph got a bit car
sick on the ride in and never quite got over it before the cold got to
him. Andrew and Ben had some fun climbing on rocks. Then Andrew dug
a nice hole. I had thought I would do a little hiking, but felt too
lazy after all and wanted to stick near Joseph who didn't look like he
was up for a hike. I just sat on a blanket and tried to read a novel
while Anna repeated tangled her line on us. Instead of going out the
curving road up and down hill, we went out through the little tunnel
and through Sausalito. Maybe a little slower, but pretty and no
nauseating curves. Next time, I need to remember to go in that way.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

No one has seen the whales since Tuesday night. We hope that means
that they have gone out to sea.

Life is just crazy busy. This will sound like complaining, and it
sort of is, but still life is good, because despite the lack of time
and energy, there is peace, ease of atmosphere, and happiness.

At work, I am usually putting in an extra 45 minutes a day to earn my
days off to go to Acadia's baptism. I also frequently work through
morning and afternoon breaks, although I sometimes take part of them
with my lunch. (Then, again, once in awhile I short cut lunch, but
not often.) My boss would have fits if she realized. It is the law
that we get breaks and lunch. Sean (my workstation-mate) is doing the
same thing. (how many others? I know several always take their
breaks, but...) We just cannot break the flow and walk away from some
of these tasks. And some of them HAVE to get out on time every day.
I am still not quite keeping up. And it will probably only get worse
with "year end" - oh the dread words. Mostly what year end affects
for me is more office revolving fund checks (ORFs) to process
reimbursing employees for travel claims mostly. Rangers and other
park officers seem to need to do a lot of travel (within the state,
mostly for training, either giving or getting). Often they save up
their small claims. They turn them in in October-November, hoping for
a Christmas bonus (but sometimes we get so many we cannot process them
all before Christmas - or so I understand - I came in Dec 18) and they
turn a lot in in June because of fiscal year deadlines. Most of my
utility bills should be steady. I just have less time for them
because of all the ORFs. Also, year end reports will be hogging the
computer, making it harder for us to print our regular reports.

I push at work to get the job done, but when I leave the building, I
leave all that until the next day. No worries. Plenty of personal
business to keep me occupied.

At home, we are either rushing off to a meeting or I have dinner to
fix, and before I know it the evening and my strength are gone.

Last night, all three guys were scheduled to meet at the church to
render service helping empty out the Snelson's storage unit. I was
looking forward to an evening alone - dinner and catching up on some
computer chores. Well, Joseph had gone out with his bike, bike cart
and lawn mower to earn money mowing lawns. (He did get one for $18).
Got a flat on his bike and on his bike cart. Didn't get home in time
to go do the service. I drove Andrew and Benjamin to the church and
came back for Joseph. Almost to the church, we got a call from Andrew
telling us that the group had left for the storage unit. In West
Sacramento. I drove Joseph out there. Stopped at the grocery store
for milk on the way home. Made myself a nice dinner and was enjoying
it when the boys returned. The evening was up and no computer time.
or anything else.

Tonight I got on the computer to do some on-line bill paying and my
credit union's on-line banking is down. Is there a conspiracy
against me?

My current family bookkeeping is now with Google documents. I think
this will work. As long as I can snatch computer time once in a
while. The nice thing is it can be any secure internet computer. I
would not, for instance, do my on-line banking at a hot spot cafe even
if I did have a lap top (which I come dangerously close to coveting)

Actually, I am currently writing this on Google docs.

I am becoming SO computer dependent!

When I am working or riding RT or cooking dinner or driving, I often
think of many many things to blog or write to you about. Get keyboard
time and the brain goes blank.

Debi had a nice trip to Washington (state) last weekend and, here's a
surprise, totally fell for her puppy, Chloe. Resistance is not
futile, it is non-existent. She will get Chloe in July after she moves
into her house and Chloe is old enough to leave her parents and
siblings.

Andrew is going up to Girls Camp Friday with Bryce, a great guy from
Sutter Ward, and a cool Sutter YM leader. They will sleep over and
work on getting camp ready for the summer. They will work hard and,
no doubt, have a wonderful time.

Andrew may miss a Graduation Party that Alizet (I have no idea how to
spell her name), a Sutter Seminary student (she is a cute girl in
several ways), is throwing Saturday. Swimming and fun. I hope he gets
back in time for part of it. Ben might go to the party.

This will be fun because Saturday I have an appointment to go to the
temple for the 8:30 am session (I am considering this for a pre-fast
Sunday tradition) and I am watching grandkids from noon until after
bedtime. Hopefully, Ruth will let me use her car-seat car and/or
Joseph will watch kids while I taxi boys.

SOME TIME, I need to figure out what and get Andrew a birthday
present. We are FINALLY going to have his birthday dinner Sunday
after church and before Seminary Graduation. This will be his
birthday/graduation dinner, so I really should get him something.

The Publishers Clearinghouse Million Dollar Sweepstakes would be very
nice, but I would really like to win $1000 / (week)day for life.

Most of the Scouts are hurting for camp money which is already past
due, I think. We are planning a movie night - Free Movie,
refreshments for sale - June 15. I am in contact with Feature Films
for Families for permissions. Tom wants us to do "Windwalker." FFF
has to check with legal. "Buttercream Gang" and "Paper Brigade" are
ok to use. I want the boys to bake cookies to sell. They also want
to sell nachos and hotdogs.

A gal at work told me that her probation is over. We started the same
day. I emailed my supervisor - is it 1) she is a transfer and I am a
re-reinstatement so I have longer probation 2) my supervisor is just
too busy to take care of these things 3) she hasn't decided whether to
keep me yet? Turns out to be the other gal was started earlier and
then was on vacation (which I guess she could work because she was
already a state worker) and also my boss has been crazy busy. I
should have had 2 probation reports already. My probation is up June
17. Boss is going to put in some overtime Saturday and hopes to do
mine and some others probation reports. She said I would pass.

Brief chat with some co-workers included the ever-fascinating fact
that I have 8 children. (People are stunned and amazed.) Carmen
asked, Are you Mormon? Yes, I am! The conversation didn't get far.
We have plenty of work to do! and the moment moved on. I also feel a
bit odd having that as the identifier as to many people that is a
negative. Chris has a friend or relative who is married to a woman
from "some strange religion" (not Catholic or Mormon, he thought) that
does not believe in contraception and has 14 children. He added "I
have three and that's plenty!" I said, "They are all blessings."
That is as close to a missionary moment as I have had lately. Gail
and I sometimes manage to mention how important faith in God is. We
sometimes run into each other on RT. She struggles mightily with her
only child, now a young adult who has been in trouble with the law and
drugs. She suspects mental illness, but it has so far not been
diagnosed. He has been in juvey and in jail She keeps hoping he will
hit bottom and change, but .... She always looks so sad and tired,
but she still has faith. I told her that God put great trust in her,
giving her a child that was such a challenge.

oops We are almost an hour late for family prayer, scriptures and
bed. Will we still do Reading Club after scripture? (Dances with
Wolves)

Describe me in one word

A co-worker emailed me a request to "Describe me in one word"

That's a bit brave. I chose "child-like" with a reminder that
child-like is not the same as childish (and without the comment, that
I think she sometimes is). She also got "friendly" - true. and from
a guy either sexy or sensual, I forget which. I wouldn't have said
so, necessarily, but I am not a guy. She pretended to be slightly
offended, but she was flattered, of course.

Got me to wondering. What would people say about me??? Would I get
different words from family, friends, work, and church? Probably
some.

What would I want people to say about me? and what am I going to do about it?

Walking on sunshine

Walking on sunshine (even though the sun has gone down). Leaping
fences. Grinning big enough to split his face in two. Andrew is a
happy lad.

We just got back a little bit ago from visiting with the District
Advancement Chair - again. A little bit more raking over the coals,
then at one point he actually said, "This is very good." ! ! ! I
nearly fainted with surprise. Finally, he officially accepted
Andrew's book!

Now we wait to be told when to show up for the Board of Review, which
fortunately does not have to occur before his birthday.

He still NEEDS letters from his Scoutmaster and teacher. Hopefully,
the Scoutmaster will write his tomorrow and the teacher (our
"Credentialed Teaching Supervisor" from our home schooling charter
school) will bring his when he comes for the year end visit this week.
(any other letters would be happily received!)

Unless one of those letters accuses him of beating up little kids and
robbing banks, soon he will be an Eagle Scout! He assures me that he
always wears a mask during the heists and that no one could have
recognized him.

Now we have time to eat dinner and bask in the relief and sense of
accomplishment. Grocery shopping will continue to wait until another
day. I am exhausted after all this stress, late nights, and emotional
wear and tear. Motherhood requires such sacrifice. But how nice it
is to sacrifice helping a boy get Eagle !

This morning while Andrew was working on some of his paperwork, Joseph
and I drove out to Rocklin. A coworker had a whole set of
Encyclopedia Britainica and lots of National Geographics for Books for
the Barrios. - Who knows how or when we will deliver them, but we
will! Also, it was garage sale day in their neighborhood. Several
sales on every block. All of Mary's proceeds are going to the
American Cancer Society. While we were there, a cancer survivor
introduced herself and Mary and her other workers all rejoiced with
her - like a little party. I had the feeling that kind of thing was
happening all day. You never know what you will find a a garage sale.
Joseph now has a bullet proof vest! He will feel slightly safer
biking and using public transit.

Tired, but happy and thankful!

I am proud of all my children and grateful for them!
Thankful for all the Scouters, my little car running all over town,
good roads, beautiful weather, pot roast.

Pushing the limits

It's been over a week since I posted. I am not sure that I really
should now as I am TIRED and a bit discouraged, yet not.

The biggest thing is the push for Andrew's Eagle. It would not be so
bad if the main character cared half as much as I do, but, shall we
say a lot of encouragement is needed. We now have 3 short days to
finish. It has been an exhausting few days of hope and despair.

Andrew's Eagle project went pretty well.

The first day of distributing flyers was a bit rocky. First, the
delay of doing a flag ceremony for the Virginia Tech tragedy. The
flag is still hanging limply on it's staff at half mast. Day and
night, Unlit. The Bishop who likes to instigate these flag
ceremonies apparently does not know that the flag should only be flown
at night if lit and I do not think ever plans or arranges bringing in
the flag. Not that a flag ceremony is at all a bad idea! After the
flag ceremony was "meal planning" for the weekend's overnighter and
yard sale. Using the term "planning" somewhat loosely. Eventually,
Andrew organized the troop into teams and assigned them distribution
areas. The younger Scouts were mildly unruly and inattentive, as
usual. One of the things the Eagle candidate can learn is to
appreciate what his leaders put up with. Ice cream sandwiches at the
end of the evening.

Since we didn't get all the territory covered, Andrew asked the Scouts
to come back the next evening. Typically and thankfully, it was our
core older Scouts who showed up. They got to right to work. They were
fun and high-spirited, but they did the job. Sweet and Salty bars.

The following week, the whole troop collected books and books and
books. As well as stuffed animals, games, and some toys and sports
stuff. It started out a bit slowly. As the boys walked past house
after house without any donations, (and it happened with each team, I
think), spirits sagged. But then, a donation! and another. There
were 4 or 5 teams of boys, each with a car (and adult driver - duh).
Every car came back LOADED. I couldn't see out any of my windows.
There was barely room for me.

Next day, Young Men's activity was sorting, counting and boxing. Over
500 National Geographic - especially requested ; ) . Another 500 or
so dictionaries, encyclopedias and other reference type books.
Hundreds of picture books, literature books, and books for older teens
and adults. Boxes and boxes and boxes!

Scoutmaster Pena drove Andrew and the donations to Books for the
Barrios in Concord - was that on Miriam's birthday? I think. I am
glad that he did. I would have loved to have done it or gone along,
but one can't have everything. More books are coming in. I may yet
get my chance.

Getting the project done opened the way for the real challenge of
getting an Eagle. PAPERWORK. The project write-up and Eagle
application. Rare is the boy who eagerly launches into all that.
Andrew has not been that rare boy. Gentle reminders fall unheeded.
Swift kicks work somewhat better, Sometimes repeated doses are
required.

Meeting with the curmudgeonly District Advancement Chair produce
progress thoroughly irrigated by tears. Mostly mine, but not only.
DAC is tough love.

Lost (or never received ) blue cards, sloppy record keeping by past
troop advancement chairs, missing documents. I took 4 hours dock time
from work to go to Council office with Andrew today to look for
documentation we neither had at home nor in the Scout closet. NOT
THERE. A lecture from the DAC on bad record keeping - never mind that
the gaps or poorly kept troop records are from when I was in a
completely different calling. I broke down crying in the council
office more than once, pulled it back together, hit another wall and
crumbled again. Not pretty.

The DAC, who was also at the office then, frustrated both of us as he
tried to tell me without saying it outright that if the Troop Chair
could update Andrew's records on-line and get them printed in the
Council office, it would be acceptable documentation. One reason it
took so long to penetrate my dense, discouraged brain (besides the
lack of sleep staying up half the night before helping Andrew with his
project book) was that also the night before while Andrew and I were
meeting with the DAC, I thought I had asked if that record would stand
and he said that we needed other documentation. At long last, I
updated his records using their computer. By the time I had that done
DAC had left.

He called me at home to make sure I understood, to let me know he
didn't want to hurt me, and to assure me that he didn't intend to let
a boy suffer because of adult mistakes.

There is still the matter of a merit badge for which we have the
advancement record , but not the blue card. He wanted us to track
down the merit badge counselor. We have not been able to identify him
for sure. We think it is one of our Bishop's Counselors, but he has
been incommunicado. I know that for my one shining Eagle (my good
friend who honored me as his mentor) we were able to dummy up blue
cards based on advancement reports. DAC is waiting until all other
avenues are closed before giving us the go ahead on that.

Andrew has 4 letters of recommendation in hand - 2 Bishop's counselors
(one who is also a brother-in-law), a sister and me. 3 letters are
required. We are hoping for more - especially the Scoutmaster who said
he MIGHT have time to write one Sunday and the Bishop.

It has become Saturday. I got the whole E minus whatever thing messed
up. Monday is the deadline. The end is near - however it comes out.
Andrew is struggling with application requirement #6 "Attach to this
application a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a
listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp,
community, or other organizations during which you demonstrated
leadership skills. Include honors and awards received during this
service". I dare not retire to my chamber as he is prone to get tired
and discouraged and quit.

He needs to get DAC's approval on his project book and application. A
Board of Review must be put together. Does the Board have to sit
before his birthday??? I think so, but I am not absolutely sure.
Maybe the paperwork just has to be accepted.

Not much other news.

The former Mr. Cotton has lain 5 eggs last time I counted. I have
only removed 1 which was obviously past its prime. I haven't had
time or energy to worry about her mothering problems.

I have been trying to start work a few minutes early and staying after
work half an hour each day to try to earn time for when we visit for
Acadia's baptism. I will be burning 16 hours, but not eligible for
vacation time until August. I had 5 1/2 hours. Now I have 1 1/2. If
he gets his Eagle it will be worth it. When Seminary ends, I can
start work earlier to earn time.

Work has been busy. Fun with checks. For 2 1/2 days we didn't have a
check printer. I prepared batches of checks to print and stacked them
up. Finally the check printer was repaired or replaced. Now the new
check signer is ruining a few checks every batch. So I have to key in
a reversal for those checks and key in a replacement. One person's
check has been ruined twice so far. Also fun with fielding phone
calls. There has been a rash of calls either asking why we haven't
paid - then I have to research to find out if we have or not, relay
the information, and request copies of canceled checks. In one case
we found that a multi-thousand dollar check had been cashed by the
wrong vendor. I am waiting for my super to come back from doing
training (on the Orange Coast, poor thing) to find out what we do with
that mess. - or asking why we did pay them - which usually takes brief
research. One day I am not sure I did one other thing but answer
calls. The phone just wouldn't stop.

My beginning Financial Accounting Class the State sponsored is O-VER.
HOO-RAH! I should have a solid A - even though I really do not "get"
it. Done for the summer! Breathe. Then I, along with most of my
classmate/coworkers are signed up for the next one in the fall. Try
not to think about it.

Joseph is also done with his classes. One was done a few weeks ago -
it was a half term class. A's in both, I think. Way to go, Joe! I
think he is planning on a class this summer. He is thinking about
trying to mow lawns to earn money. Good, Even community college
strains the budget!

Andrew and Ben are getting ready to wind up their school year. Andrew
will be in a strange spot for him. High School over! Eagle won or
lost, but behind him. Time to make choices and decisions. I hope he
gets a part-time job. There is an arborist who brings a pair of
huskies to the dog park. Andrew loves trees. I think Andrew should
talk to the tree doctor. Transportation might be a big problem,
though.

Ben plans on getting working on his Eagle this summer. He is trying
to figure out how to get the documentation for a merit badge or two
and his early ranks. He was counting the merit badges he needs to
earn. Ben is a good self-starter and he also has the benefit of
learning by watching. Ben still is very chivalrous toward me. He
wants to spare me, as well as himself, another ordeal like Andrew's.

Andrew has finished his rough draft. Tomorrow he will write it nicely. Now we go to bed!

Cotton Tale

I told you that we adopted a couple of rescued cockatiels. Well, the
last few days, Mr. Cotton, the grey one, has been acting a little
strange. Spending a lot of time crouched in the corner of the cage.
I don't have time or money to take a bird who showed every intention
of biting the hand that came to close to the vet, especially when, so
often, birds hide any illness until it is too late. Then, again, the
bird would show up on the side of the cage or on a perch looking fine.
Later, on the bottom again. A little distressing. Last evening, Mr.
Cotton was again up on a perch looking just fine. We were looking at
him and discussing him, when the mystery was solved. I spotted a
little white egg down in Mr. Cotton's corner. Mr. Cotton laid an egg!
Now the discussion is what to call Cotton. Does she remain Mr.
Cotton? Become Rosy Cotton? And will she be upset if we take the egg
away?

busy, pleasant, boring weekend

Friday and Saturday morning were Miriam's moving days. We took apart
her bed, moved all her worldly goods from one house to another, put
her bed back together, and helped clean the old place, finishing just
as the new renter arrived with his U-Haul truck.

I really like her new home. Her old place was magazine perfect. Her
roommate/landlady is a perfectionist. It was lovely (though not in a
style I would choose myself), but one could not really relax. I
suppose Miriam's roommate was a gal who could not relax unless
everything was in perfect order. That is easier on the owner than on
guests, however, I think. Miriam's new room is bigger, but she has
less kitchen space. She is now sharing with 3 other girls. Whereas,
before she had a bathroom mostly to herself, except for it also being
the guest bathroom, now she will share with another girl and it is
also the guest bathroom. The new house has a more or less formal
living room AND a family-type room. That's where the TV is and most
of the parties happen. She shares a fridge in the enclosed back porch
with another girl. They have a nice big backyard. And yard service.
The atmosphere is pleasant and comfortable. Her roommates are all
card-carrying Mormon girls. The neighborhood is pleasantly old, but
the streets are a bit narrow, there are no street lights or sidewalks.
She is closer to where she attends church, but further from work and
will have to fight some traffic.

Poor girl! We left her with stacks and stacks of boxes nearly filling
her room. She will be busy for quite some time trying to find her
things.

After the move, we got home just in time for the Kentucky Derby. I
enjoyed it, but I didn't really get into it like I sometimes do.

The real excitement for me was putting together a set of shelves I got
from Costco. I was impressed with how well the parts were packaged
and labeled and how easily it all went together. Despite it being put
together without any tools, each shelf can hold up to 600lbs. I am
going to get another set soon. First, they will just help us stash
stuff that is coming out of rooms and will eventually go into another
room, but cannot yet. Then it will hold my kitchen while we work on
it. (When I figure out funding and what and how to do.) I may use it
for kitchen storage, or the family room. Or, as it was originally
meant to be, for the garage, if we ever get it cleaned out enough!

Race over, I worked on paying bills and sorting through papers.
Exciting stuff. I have forests of papers to sort. Where does all
this stuff come from? I know where much of it is going – RE-cycle.

I also, for the first time since starting work, read a novel pretty
much over the weekend. (Not counting Reading Club, which just
finished re-reading Marley and Me). I read a Reader's Digest
Condensed Mystery, Married to a Stranger. Ok, not great.

Sunday morning, Joseph had an Elder's Quorum Presidency Meeting (he's
secretary), so instead of going to the off-leash park, Anna and I
walked the neighborhood around the church for about 40 minutes,
practicing 'heel". My shoulder is sore today.

I cannot think of anything really stand-out at church. Pat, who had
the attack a couple of weeks ago, was back, looking and sounding none
the worse for wear.
As much as we enjoy the Sunday get together dinners, it is pleasant to
sometimes be just us. A bit more laid back and lazy. Usually when it
is, we have pot roast. The boys and I cannot imagine tiring of it,
but the girls like to have other things. That's nice, too!! but
sometimes it gets to be a long time between pot roasts.

We talked a bit about what more needs to be done for Andrew's Eagle,
but I didn't crack the whip, and I don't think anything actually
happened. Except! While at church he and Bro. Pena agreed to deliver
the books on Thursday.

The weekend was over far to soon and so is my break!

The End of an Era

I have been in the habit of occasionally, in the early morning when
no one was around, letting Anna run loose in the undeveloped area
right around the off-leash dog park and skate park. She loves it!

Today was the last day. She started a rabbit. I had always thought
that she would be no match for a wild thing, but today I learned two
unhappy facts. 1) When she is on the hunt, she doesn't hear me or
won't listen. 2) She can run down a wild rabbit. She hurt it
somehow. Not knowing what to do, I left it, hoping that it was mostly
stunned or minorly injured and will recover or that another wild thing
that actually does have to kill to live will find it soon. No more
running loose. Sad, really. She enjoys it so much. But, for her
safety and the wild ones, that's it.

He Knew Just What To Do

Yesterday, I had the blues. Lots of little things, nothing big or
important, all seemingly related to having to become a working mom,
but not yet having learned how (if there is a way!) to do it right I
won't go through the list (at least not right now). I was just blue.
Then the last straw. A couple of days ago, Ruth had sent out a list
of retiring Stampin' Up sets. It took 2 days before I could even
print out and look at the list. Finally, an evening at home! – what
was left of it after getting to the pharmacy minutes after it closed,
despite going straight there after work, and then braving the crowds
at Costco for a "quick" trip. Lots of work to do, but I wanted to
rest and look at the stamp sets. And could not find my catalog. I
realized that I had not looked at my Stampin' Up catalog since I
started work. It was too much. The tears I had been holding back for
hours overwhelmed me and I was crying.

Ben got up from watching TV in the other room, walked in without
saying a word and hugged me. Perfect! Then, after a bit, he asked if
there was anything he could do. A minute or two later, the other guys
showed up. Just gave me their support.

Then, Ben found my Stampin'Up catalog and I actually sat down and
looked at it.

They ate left over pizza from Andrew's Eagle Project Wednesday night
(sorting, counting and boxing).

Good guys!

Give Me a Break

All day long, as I work, I will think of things I want/need to do. Then break time comes and two things come into play: 1) I forget much of what I was going to do. 2) Break is too short!

Good thing, I like my job. It is a real blessing. The work day goes almost as quickly as the breaks. Almost.

Fledgling

Andrew's Eagle project is coming along. Last night, the troop went
out collecting books where they had distributed flyers last week.
(Between J & M from about 40th-48th) I think we had 4 cars, each with
a team of boys. We passed several houses without seeing any books
waiting on the porch. I was thinking, "What are we going to do? TL
won't pass Andrew without at least 500 books!" Then we found the
first full bag. Whew! By the time we finished my appointed route,
there was barely room in the car for me. Books, stuffed animals,
games, sports stuff, and a few empty boxes. I think it was the same
with the other cars. There sure is a lot of stuff on the stage
waiting for tonight's sorting, counting and boxing! When we got home
there were about 8 calls on the machine. Some may be from people we
missed. Andrew is sorting that out today and will send out a team
while the others work on the sorting. It is exciting.

The Books in the Barrios guy is going to be gone until the 10th. The
day after that is the Father-Son thing. I hope that Scoutmaster Pena
an take him the 10th or soon thereafter. Time is short. And he has
to do his write-up. Of course, he can start on it.

20 days until Andrew's birthday!! Still needs to contact a
Communications counselor.

He gave letters to some people asking for his Eagle recommendation
letters Sunday.

I hope he makes it! I don't know how he or I will handle the
disappointment if he doesn't! I try not to think too much about it
when I cannot do anything. I sure know why mothers get those pins!