My neighbors came to visit us at the lake yesterday, all five boys and their parents. We had SUCH a great time! S brough bagels and tuna fish and egg salad and cream cheese and marble cake and chocolate chip cookies. (They keep kosher so I couldn't feed them all that easily.) I had drinks and snacks for them. Poor A got a little carsick on the way up, so he ate a bit, then went to lay down for 10 minutes or so. J took the 4 boys to the Sanctuary and showed them the beaver dam, and they met Marley (our neighborhood dog). It was raining, that's the only bad part of the day. J really wanted to take them out on the rowboat and show them around a little bit. Maybe next time!

I have a great picture of the five boys but I won't post it 'cause I don't have permission from their mom. But trust me when I say you've NEVER seen cheeks like the baby has - he even beats my niece who had chipmunk cheeks when she was born! We called her Dizzy, after Mr. Gilespie! G has her beat BIG time!!!

On the way home (we all left at the same time), the boys called us on my cell to shout, "Thanks, J and Krys, for letting us visit you at the lake!" Let me tell you, 5 boys! 5 boys so well brought up that they were less trouble than either my nephew or my niece, and certainly less trouble than the two of them together!!! These boys are so well brought up - my neighbors should be proud of themselves!!!

I'm stressed with the reorg we just went through here at work: I have double the territory, and I have to cover it in the same amount of hours for the same salary. Now of course, once the targets are set, if I make my numbers, my incentive payment goes up accordingly. But the work!!! OMG!!! I have two cold sores that have broken out on my lower lip; yes, a pretty picture! Today I emailed my friend CT, and he wrote me such a nice note of encouragement:

"Deep breath.
Now, remember that whatever you do will be an improvement over your predecessor. Also, remember that the sun will come up tomorrow, no matter what you do. And finally, at the end of the day, you can go home and shut the door on the trials and tribulations of your job. Might not be easy, but it can be done.
Love,
C
P.S. – Not sure if this is appropriate, but I just re-read Illusions (http://www.barefootworlds.net/illusions.html) and it always improves my outlook on life.

There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts."

Illusions is one of several books by Richard Bach that I've read and reread over the years. I collect quotes and Bach's books are chock-full of them! I've sent so many of them to C over the years, when we were single and writing letters to each other (back in the days before email!). It means a lot that he chose that book for me today! And I think I'll go home and pull it off the bookshelf, drop it in my bag, and when I finish the one I'm reading, I'll reread Illusions again. I'm sure there'll be a quote for me to send C when I'm done!

My mom is joining the ranks of the technologically advanced: she's switching to Dish TV, and she's going to have to learn that remote control all by herself. No emergency calls to me to come and fix what she broke. And she wants to buy a DVD recorder. I am a simple Cablevision customer, soon to switch to the Optimum Triple Play, I think... I have to have computer access at home, and cable is taking away channels and adding charges each month. (Sound familiar?!?) It's time to upgrade!

Well, I'm about to leave and walk cross-town to J's school, so we can leave on time. He wants to mow Mom's lawn (at least the front lawn) before we go to his sister's to celebrate her b'day. It's supposed to rain for the next three days or so, not pouring down storms, but showers on and off 'til Wednesday or Thursday (unless they've changed the forecast since this morning!). (An aside: I hate rain.)

Toodles!