Yet another ten days or so has passed since I have been able to sit down and write.   The day after my last post, Bernie also died.   Three cats in 10 days.  With the help of the Internet,  Jessalyn came up with a possible diagnosis of heart worm for the two littlest ones.  They are from the same litter, and about 7 months old.  They say it can take six months for it to be detected, and then without much warning take it's victims.   We think that maybe the mother was infected, and somehow it infected the cats?  It was a sad few days. The other two are doing just fine.

I did my service to AWANA and am retired for now.  Jess is still helping out, going every week.

 The weather had been exceptional the last weeks.  The colors really showing on the trees.  Spring and autumn I always look and listen for the birds migrating.   I love to hear them approaching, their song subtle then becoming stronger.  You have to really listen to appreciate all of it, as when they are approaching you may think it is the wind in the trees.  

I happened to have the pleasure of two migrations of birds within a short period of time fly over.   Of course, I ran to get the camera!  I was just outside the mudroom as they came. 

They reached the span of one side of the property line over the pines, to the other, surpassing the game lands.   The perched themselves high above on the south side of the house, singing and singing!  Then one by one, off they flew.  Leaving that sound like a breeze in the wind.  So wonderful!

Jessalyn has run into a problem doing school here.  They are not coming forth with the DSL  that they said would come through by the end of this month.  She can no longer do her "on demand" classes and interact with the teacher here at home.   Her self paced classes take a long time, but she can at least do them.  So Tom and I had to make a quick decision as to what to do.  I had called the school to find out about enrolling her there,  but Tom said he had been offered a place for her in an office at work.  She can do her studies there undisturbed.   They have wi-fi  so she is getting more than she ever could here.   I was going to take her to the library to do her studies, but they are not open all the times that she has classes.

While she is there three times a week I am busy doing all kinds of work that I felt guilty doing while she was here, or just didn't have time to do.  I have been going room by room and purging and tidying up.  Funny how things get pitched somewhere and tend to stay there....for a long time!

I had already brought Becky's room back from space, and have been working in Ken's.   I took all the drawers out of the dressers and fixed them the best I could.  Now they should open and closed easier.  I had Tom take down a partial framework that was up to start a closet door.  Nothing ever became of it, so down it came.

I also have been in my room slowly purging the yarn, thread, and material stored there.  I have so many sewing patterns and books,  I need to use or get rid of them.

I did take a day to go into Mom and Dad's place and mowed their leaves in the front yard.   I don't know how well that worked, as two days later we had the big Frankenstorm  of 2012 come through.  We were spared compared to a lot of people on the eastern side, but the wind did manage to take down some trees in our yard.  Many in the back pasture, falling on the fencing.   One came down across the road and into the neighbors pines.  Tom and Tommy went out in the pouring rain to cut it up just enough so the road was open.   Limbs fell across the road, but Tom wanted to wait until daylight because it might have been to close to wires.    Just today I got the chainsaw going and cut them up. I will gather them later with the tractor and wagon.

When I was in Big Town mowing, I thought I would stop in and see Ken's place.   It was the day the big storm started rolling in.  It was sunny in Big Town, but as I headed NW to the lake,  you could see it coming!

He had been making many improvements to his place. 

He was staining the porch he put on when I pulled up. 

Inside, he had laid new carpeting down in the living room,  and new tile in the kitchen.  

He thought it appropriate to put this up over his stove:

   Room by room he is renovating and making it his.    The unfortunate part is that a day or two after he moved in,  he had a meeting with his company.  Shortly after, a confirmation letter came to affirm the fact that they have terminated his position and he will be permanently laid off.   He as well as a dozen others faced the same cut.   Now what to do?   Good thing he left his bed here, although I know he would rather find something else and stay in his new place.

Last week we were invited over to Rebekah's for Sunday dinner. 

It was really good.  I chided her about the chicken coming from Schwans.   It didn't really, but it looked like it! It was tasty baked chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans.  For desert she had brownies and ice cream.  I had brought half a chocolate creme cake (that I had bought at the store) and a loaf of my bread.

We visited for a short time and then came home to put the steeler game on.

I had to take Tommy to work anyway.  Once again, his car is ca-put.  Tom is going to take a look at it, already narrowing it down to one or two things.  It wants to run for 10 minutes and quit.  So back and forth we go again.   I really hope it is something small and will be fixed soon!  Without a car, dating is limited.  We got to enjoy the company of Tom and Geneva the other night while watching Star Wars.