APRIL 2008

Happy April to all. Even though I'm posting this on April Fools Day, everything here is absolutely the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
(You'll understand THAT when you read on.)

Mom has decided to turn her jewelry making , well, we won't say "obsession" but we will say intense hobby, into a business. As you can see by her card, she's serious! And, she's left the door open for other pursuits such as gourd art, etc. by adding the word "Plus" to her business name. As we who know her know, she is entirely capable of traveling down other creative roads at the drop of a hat.

You can see some of her creations below. We thought we would try our hand at a creative approach to showing her creative endeavor.

She has quite an inventory built up and is adding to it every day.

What am I doing, you ask. Well, the same ole, same ole as you can see here.

Actually, the snow is melting fast. Where this photo was taken is probably melted by now. There's still plenty higher up but Spring is definitely springing around 7,000 feet.

I had heard that it's not unusual to have snow this time of year so we were very lucky to have a lovely, sunny day for the St. Patrick's Day parade. I was asked to walk along with the contingent supporting Ron Chacey for Commissioner. I don't know what Ron wants to do when in office but he's a good guy, been here a long time, active in local politics, AND brave enough to serve so I figure I'd give him my support.

Other than that, our exciting lives extend to having a sump pump installed underneath the house to pump out any water accumulation from all this snow melt. Who knew?! It's amazing what you can learn over scones and coffee. Of course, you can't JUST have a pump installed. First, you have to have the access door pried up cuz the wood was so swollen you couldn't get it open. Then you have to have the door edges sheered off so you can put it back down and still be able to open it again. Then you have to have electricity run down there. But, before you can do that, you have to hire a guy to come shovel all the snow away from the house so the electrician can even get to the place he needs to in order to install the wire to run under the house to put in the outlet so the plumber can install the pump. But he also has to install a light so the plumber can even see to install the pump. Yep, it's one of those. You're all familiar with them. The seven or so step process it takes to do the one thing you're trying to do in the first place. But it's done and, from time to time, fires up to pump out a fair amount that we are glad is not accumulating beneath us.

My new experience for the year so far was being picked for and serving on a jury for a week long criminal trial. I was so close to being dismissed but the attorneys kept knocking people out of the jury chairs due to their disagreement with the drug laws, agreement with the drug laws, experience with the system, inexperience with the system, blah blah blah. The eventual result was me sitting in chair three on the front row for five days. It was long, difficult and exhausting. While I willingly and seriously participate in our system, I find it very difficult to have such an effect on a person's life. I didn't relish the experience but I'm glad there are people such as myself and the other eleven people with whom I served to take part in our justice system.

Now, on the lighter side, Let's hear a WHOOP WHOOP for friend, Judy A.'s birthday in March. Another WHOOP WHOOP for my birthday in March which, by the way, I spent rigging ropes in trees to practice hauling someone across a crevasse or some such. And we'll have another WHOOP WHOOP for Tom's upcoming birthday in April who we will see when we make our Spring journey to Texas the second half of the month. I'll share stories and photos with you all upon our return.

We hope Spring is bringing green grass, colorful flowers and blue skies to you. Let us hear from you when you have a few minutes.