update on Billy

Billy sent us more pictures today, along with his letter. He's in an apartment with 3 other elders now, and the area is not as productive as the one he just left, so he's a little down about that. He survived a bad earache, but promises me he's just fine now. I added all the pictures to his slide show, but here are a few of the best ones for instant viewing.

The cityscape is of Rio Branco, the area he just left.








He's standing with Helder, a man he really liked, and who let him hold a speargun.










The little girls are all dressed up for a party during holiday week in Sao Joao, and the little boys are just little boys. He didn't say anything specific about them.

Flowerbed pictures

Here are the front flowerbeds, newly weeded, with a few new flowers beside the established ones. The alcove definitely needs alot more flowers.

Front Flowerbeds

I weeded my front flowerbeds this morning. They look really nice. John helped me dig some of the huge iris out of the alcove flowerbeds, re-arrange some plants, and then brought dirt from the garden to fill in the holes. He's always so helpful. Now I just need to get some annuals planted so the flowerbeds will be full of something besides bare dirt.

Years ago, (before the depression years), I spent alot of time working in my flowerbeds. I've never quite gotten back to them. John says I just need to develop the mindset of working in the flowerbeds weekly--that I can't just plant something and be done. Sounds pretty basic, but I haven't been able to make myself stay current with the necessary weeding and dead-heading. I'm going to try to make that effort as my Father's Day gift to John. To keep the front flowerbeds looking pretty. Ask for updates...and watch for pictures of flowers. With a little luck, I'll be posting some before too long.

Hooked on Phonics

I got this from my sister, Jana, and laughed out loud. Thought it was worth posting so others could laugh, too.

My five-year old students are learning to read. Yesterday
one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said, "Hey,
look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"

Startled, I took a deep breath, and then asked..."What did you call it?"

"It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"

And so it did...

'A f r i c a n Elephant'

Hooked on phonics! Ain't it wonderful?

Sunday Dinner and Sidewalk Chalk

Rob and Sarah and their kids had dinner with us yesterday, and we indulged in lots of outdoor fun. John got some sidewalk chalk for Lincoln and taught him how to outline bodies with it. Lincoln outlined John, Sarah, Rob, and Melo. And we outlined him and Avery Belle. The basketball court was full of chalk bodies! Avery Belle kept trying to outline herself, and rolled back and forth on the ballcourt as she did one side, then the other. Melody tried to help her.


Lincoln has been afraid of Newton lately, but he wanted Newton to come outside with him. Somehow, with the dog outside, Lincoln wasn't afraid of him anymore and followed Newton all around the yard. Poor Newton is so old it didn't take much to tire him out! I think he went back and forth to the ballcourt twice, and that's it.


Rob brought out the telescope and found the shack on the top of Mt Timp for us. He struggled to see anything at first because he didn't realize he needed to put a lens in place--he'd left those in the house.









Avery tried to share Melody's fudge bar, but Melo kept moving the popsicle just slightly away from her mouth every time Avery tried to take a bite. Melody laughed and laughed, and Avery just kept leaning in for more fudgesicle.

Memorial Day and more!

I've been trying to post pictures from our first ever official John S. Hiatt FHE for a while now, but haven't gotten them all edited and cropped the way I wanted.
I decided just to put some up anyway. We had a great time playing ball, blowing bubbles, and eating together--topped off with homemade peanut butter chocolate chip ice cream.





















I made several pair of PJ's for Avery Belle, and at the end of FHE, Sarah Emily and I played dress-up with Avery by having her try them on, so you get to see a couple of the new PJ's, too.
















Melody spent some time one afternoon making funny faces at Seda. Seda responded with her own versions of Melody's funny faces.


















John and Melody babysat one night while Sarah Emily and I attended a jewelry party at Kathy's. Here is photo proof that they are great babysitters!











And to finish it off, a double rainbow appeared just off our backyard the other day. It's kind of hard to see the upper rainbow, but it's there, trust me!

Progress in Cleaning

No pictures today, but I have to report on my cleaning/de-cluttering efforts. Yesterday, I cleaned the carpet in the front room, and today I cleaned the couch and ottoman in the family room. My arms ache, and my hands are sore!