Just another view. Hopefully you can see the background better.

Okay, I've wanted to do a wolfy painting for Sam for a long time now. So I found this paint by number & tweaked it to look better than directed. My favorite part is (are?) the trees in front of the wolves -- they are so 3D.
btw, it took me over a year to do it.

From Betty Hopkins and Clarissa Welch.

the Van Cleeves from Willow Creek

Dennis & Rika Maloney are from the McKinleyville Cong.

The Boyds are in Redding, but they used to be in Arcata.

Judy brought us three potted flowers -- one each for Mom, me & Eva. There's a delicate-looking white one with exposed dried-up roots (apparently that's the way it's supposed to be); another with small orange blossoms; and the third looks a silky flat cactus with a purple flower. I chose the last one because it's kinda ugly. Eva chose the orange one like I knew she would. So Mom was left with the dried up one, which she didn't mind because it's a "no fuss" plant that only needs to be misted.

Linda Kraach

tía Becky sent flowers!

Oops, I just noticed I scanned the card in wrong. Sorry swan.

For those of you who don't know, Pat Payne used to be Pat St.John.

From the Oshiro's in Blue Lake.

This card is from the Saige's ~ Arlene, her autistic daughter & a grandson.

[Left side] reads: "How happy we will all be to see our loved one in the 'Resurrection.' John 5:28 Love Arlene + Georgia"

[Right side] reads: "'I well know the thoughts I am thinking toward you ... thoughts of peace .... to give a future and a hope' Jeremiah 29:11 Love Shiloh"

It's a good thing the weather kept me home from the meeting today, or we'd have been late. Charlie called to say that he has only one spot of cancer left. Hooray! and his local docter put him on some old kind of antibiotic that is clearing up his infection. If he keeps this pace up, he and Annie will come down in the spring. Double hooray!!

So Mom went next door to share the news. Nana was happy, Sam relieved, and Eva said "oh." All I will say about that is it is hard to muster up enthusiam about her family's achievements when the feelings aren't reciprocated. and I feel bad that Sam gets that same reaction to his and Scot's plans.

I'm going to listen to the meeting now…
{Jason -our new PO- gave the talk. Can't rember the title, but it was about testing ourselves to make sure we're awake. Very good, even though he referred to the outline once.}

…Just found out that Carlos, Eva's littest brother, age 14, is in trouble with the police. Apparently, he went outside his home knowing full well that right then there was an altercation going on between the police, his older brother Luís, Luís' wife and her friend. Now his parents want to sue the police. Now, see, I'm having a hard time coming up with any stronger comment than "oh." Maybe it's my total lack of surprise.

All I know is I want to go back to my writing. A critique and a submission is due to the Blue Quills, and I owe some things to the Yahoo groups.

Not a bad start today, despite Mom's nervous tension to get the house ready for the housekeeper. Sounds silly, but I get it.
I was able to have my breathing treatment--put a mark on the wall! Still, I felt a bit grouchy, blue, so I spent a good hour talking it out with Shannon.
The rest of this morniung I didn't feel like doing much, except read. Blah kind of weather does that to me. Plus, I was a little nervous about interviewing Jessica and having Patty here today. So I read a Nora Roberts book -- desperate I know -- and it was terrible. Bad idea, no plot, and way, way too much cheese. Her characters were good, fully fleshed out and 3 dimensional -- they deserved better than that.
Elsie came early as usual, but Mom successfully distracted with make work until she was ready for her. It was a good Elsie day--Nana got a bath and there weren't any disasters. After awhile Nana didn't want anything, so Elsie spent an hour weeding. It relaxes her and Mom could use the help.
About Patty--she came today, but she gave her 2-week notice. Mom's hurt, but hopefully, everyone involved uses this as a learning experience.
Shannon and I watched Monsters, Inc. during lunch. We'd just finished both when Jessica arrived.
First impressions: very self-possessed. Smells like a library, musty old pages. Mass of curly gold brown hair. Dressed in hip-hugger jeans frayed at the bottom, nice dress shoes (actually made me look forward to when I can wear high heels), leather beit, white t-shirt and a black cotton or linen fitted jacket that flares out all ruffly at the hips. Like she's not trying to fit in, just be herself. Face has character--big eyes and everything's all roundy, kinda like a troll doll, but her nose doesn't stick out beyond normal. Jasmyn demanded and got pets, then plopped herself down on her lap, so that's a good sign.
Unfortunately, her only available hours are already taken. and she won't be here this summer, maybe be gone until December. Definitely be gone by next May, so is it worth it?
Oh goody. The weather has just blackened, perfect for writing …

Got this email today from cousin Anna:

Hi to all . . .
Just to let you know that Selena has been reinstated. We are sooo happy..
They will anounce it in our congregation tonite..
So can't wait to talk with her and hug her as our sister and daughter in Jehovah's service..
It has been a long time in coming; was hard to be patient..
Well, need to get dinner so bye for now..
Love to all,
Oh P.S. Chuck in now back on Chemo 3 times a month with 1 week off.. it is stronger stuff this time hope it works.. Love Anna

Okay, so welcome back Selena. Looking forward to meeting you in person. In the meantime, here's a {{{((((((((((hug))))))))))}}} for you.

Tessa and Shannon are back at work today! Yeaah!! Can you tell I missed them? They are really great respite care workers, but I also feel like they are my friends.
With Shannon I felt I got more accomplished in 4 hours than I have all week (probably because I didn't have respite all last week!). For one thing, I was up in my chair waaay before 10. She is the only caregiver, besides Mom, who picks me up. Then she helped me pay my bills, which I'm proud to say are finally shrinking, and fed my lunch. One of the things I appreciate about Shannon is that I can really grouse about my family to her. She doesn't try to give me advice, just lots of sympathy. Since my nervous breakdown this past summer, I've found that letting off steam about certain things is a tremendous help. I can decide if I have a legitament concern, or if I need to overlook something. And if I do need advice, I'm much better at expressing myself to the elder, sister, or cousin I'm speaking to. Sometimes I'll even be upset about something, but not able to know why, and Shannon will make a comment that clears it up. I'm glad she's going to be hanging around for a couple more years.
Before she left at 1, she set me up at the computer. It's where I can be the most independant when there's no one around for any length of time. So this afternoon, I wrote more of my Round Robin segment, which I hope to post by Thursday.