News of the Week 8/31/08

Things were quiet at our house until Friday, when Rob and Colette arrived for the Labor Day weekend. Nicolle and Johnathan are visiting her family in Texas (we miss them dreadfully) and Rob was lonely in Salt Lake, as well as having gigs in Provo, so it worked out well. I took a lot of photos of Colette at the Scera park in Orem while Rob played at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, but it is very hard to catch her on camera--she's a speedy girl who doesn't stop to pose for photos--that's why it's a little out of focus. She climbed the highest slide at the playground about 45 times. "I did it, I did it!" she chanted.

Our garden is still lovely, if a little exuberant. There are squash and pumpkin blossoms, for example, in the peach trees and roses, and on top of the grape arbor. Our neat little knot garden that is so tidy in the winter time looks like this by the end of August. What's that extra large tomato with the bucket--oh, sorry, that's Chris.I told him he looks like a dahlia. I eat about five tomatoes per meal, and we have buckets and buckets of table grapes. Soon it will be time to make purple grape juice. Here are some more photos of the roses. When it cools down just a little, as it has, the roses put out another flush of blossoms.
Dave called tonight and said he and Devon are in their Philadelphia apartment, within a half mile of the Mint, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell. Dave has a part-time blogging job, and is looking at other options, including private practice. Devon's classes don't start for a few weeks.

Amy and Jamison are settled in their new place in Chicago. I can't wait until they send more photos. She enjoys her classes and will be painting by Friday--she meets with her advisor on Tuesday. We look forward to our visit in February.

We haven't heard much from Betsy and Brett--I think they are in full-out school mode. We'll see them tomorrow at our Labor Day Barbeque, and hopefully have more pictures then. Chris is doing well in all his classes (two weeks into the school year), and John starts teaching on Tuesday. I feel sort of left out not to be doing anything with school. I'll survive it though. I bumble along with my work, still trying to figure out how to be an effective businesswoman. I'm grateful for help from Betsy and Rob. I'm also glad that the BYU swimming pool will be open again this week--I really miss swimming. I do OK riding my exercise bike, but swimming is more fun and more of a workout.

We're happy to hear from Tena of the new little (or not so little) Mo'unga baby Elias. We're sad to hear of Justin's accident and pray for his recovery.