Off To Save Rhinos

There’s no turning back now and besides I think I’m ready to leave town. September always makes me yearn for a new outfit so I can begin teaching in the new school year. This feeling would be over in few days but still it is better to be gone. I need to leave so I can back off on the attempts I’ve been making to meddle in my grandsons’ discipline program. Believe me I want no part of being responsible for raising children but I hate it when an outing with me becomes the privilege they lose for misbehavior. It makes me want to become the mean grandma so they will be forced to spend time with me when they misbehave if that is the result of this behavior program.

I have packed so lightly that I know I’ll win the prize for the smallest duffel bag. Still I have carefully checked off each required item inside the bag. Since you and Hank have everything but the kitchen sink in your bags I’m sure I will not be without supplies. And I will enjoy using Hank’s computer in Nairobi if I indeed meet up with you two. Labor Day weekend is not the best time to expect to travel on schedule.

Diana and Jim rented a cabin at Twin Lakes near Spokane and I was lucky enough to go visit even though a certain someone was not able to attend with me due to the afore mentioned disciplinary action. We went in the kayaks for a tour and then had dinner with all of their offspring. Charlie is anxious for me to shoot something in Africa. He thinks it would be a lifetime opportunity to bring home some African prey. I didn’t want to tell him no one has working weapons, well actually some do but probably not the people who’ll be protecting us. They’ll be the ones with the ancient weapons that don’t fire.

The twins and I have been spending the day together as I arrived yesterday to babysit for Cyd and Dave’s 10th Wedding Anniversary. It’s amazing how much easier it is to watch Walker and Peyton mess up their own house than it is watching them inside my home. Of course, there they have two cousins who help destroy things so that is a big difference. The twins are happy boys and seem to like the novelty of grandma around to watch them.

Talked to your sister today and she thinks we’re crazy. She just warned me not to adopt any kids or goats. Hope to see you sometime before September 3rd. I’ll be with Shizuo looking for Earthwatch shirts.

Our Friend Raymond

Our fun, witty friend gave up his liver transplant search on Tuesday. More than a year ago it was his choice to forego a transplant and just quietly slip away. Finally in February he changed his mind and agreed to attempt a transplant search but it turned out to be too late. He added so much humor and laughter to our family over the past 35 years and we are surely going to miss the good times. If we can just reminisce about half of the past experiences we will still laugh a lot.

The people are pouring in and out of their home this week. Claire has everything handled and the funeral Saturday should be as Raymond planned. He took care of all the details down to the music he liked.

The four grandsons have been together quite a bit the past week. The three young ones are periodically biting one another while at the same time tattling on their biting cousins. They use two word sentences, “Miles bites”, “Peyton bites” and “Walker bites” so we have to add the “No bite” to their names. Lucas gives them occasional hugs and says he likes babies. That’s easy for him to say as he doesn’t get bitten.

Jill and I visited on the phone the other day. She went skydiving yet again but hopefully she’s done with that kind of fun. Their family has a week’s vacation at Chiwawa so they are in the water every day. Gayle is trying to get her neck surgery healed and then they are off to Australia with Ron and Dorena.

September 1 is quickly approaching and I know Leslie wants to learn that is the day we leave. I am taking neither camera nor binoculars. You’ll have to show me the photos later. Any last minute words of advice, like see if my cancellation insurance will kick in?

Listen to Elvis All Day

We will have to return to Graceland once they get the makeover completed. I’m glad you watched Larry King last night. I missed it.

Lind Cookie Baking happened this week so we had a short visit. Barbara bought two carousel animals at the McDonald House Benefit. They are the Spokane version of Chicago Cows and are residing in Warden with the Cookie Jar Collection and the Red Wing Crocks. She also mentioned that they have an arsenal of 63 guns with one revolver in each auto. Be careful if you ride with Barb.

Sondra has been visiting all of her children in South Carolina for the past month.
Now she has returned to Warden to re-landscape her overgrown, neglected yard.

It is nice to have some happenings from school friends. Jane is busy with her workshops and new age philosophies. She also spends days with grandkids so that always is a good time. My good times with grandsons have diminished some since our return from CA. We’re giving one another space until Cyd and her boys arrive on Saturday.

My mom is getting along well although she mentioned there are no men where she lives. I think she’d like a few men around. I have a good time when I visit as I can get the women all involved in conversations and they can’t believe I know their names and where they’re from. In fact I can repeat the same conversation and it is fresh and new every five minutes or so. Mother couldn’t believe I knew where she lived and how I found her the other day. It’s nice everyone is happy.

Happy Birthday Great Jo!

Did you remember that she was born on this day in 1892? I found pieces of paper with that date on it so I hope it's correct.

The children didn't actually win on the trip to CA but perhaps Miles won. He stayed awake all the way home until the plane landed. He also wore me out chasing him and picking him up. Really we had a great time and Lucas liked looking out the window of the plane where he said he could see the whole wide world. He didn't enjoy the beach sand in his bathing suit so I see we will have to toughen him up some. I enjoyed the being away from home but I can't figure out why the hotel had to have 6 pillows on each bed. We went to the zoo and one of your lookalikes gave us a behind the scenes tour of the gibbons. I wonder if you have that many pins and patches on your docent shirt.

Did you see the new book about Frank Lloyd Wright? It is an historical fiction of Wright's affair with Mamah Cheney called Loving Frank. Your trip to Taliesin sounded wonderful.

It's nice we have Ron warning us of the infectious diseases in Kenya. It is going to be laborious getting ready in the morning with all the DEET application, body covering and attaching of emergency items. Fun,fun,fun.

Sunday

Most people spend their Sunday in church but twice recently I’ve been at an empty McDonald’s playground at 9 a.m. while Lucas acts out a blast off into space or a Power Ranger scenario and I man mission control. It beats going to church which I did do one day in July when my mom’s church had a special outside service. I’ve actually attended that particular service for the past two years so that should mean something. Mom would deny she was ever there so I don’t suppose I have anyone to corroborate this statement. She does enjoy her weekly outing to church and she loves the singing.

It is still hot, hot here and the boys are learning to do lots of things in the water. Miles is fearless and tries everything he sees his brother do. This may not be a good choice for Miles as Lucas does most of his swimming under water.

Jane sent a long email the other day. This part is so Jane that I’ll have to quote it here: “Otherwise, I have been having lots of fun learning magical things at a light language weekend class and reuniting with my friend, Stacey, from Connecticut, who was my roommate when we did the don Miguel Ruiz journey to Teotihuacan 4 years ago. I took light language 1 and 2, and Stacey stayed for the whole following week doing light language 3. My circuits were pretty much blown and I knew it was more than enough for me to absorb at one bite. I've never had that much energy running thru me in my life. We were constantly admonished to keep our feet on the floor to keep ourselves grounded, to eat lots of dark chocolate and drink copious amounts of water, and to breathe. This is purportedly a teaching that has been handed from curandera or shaman to student through the years from Mayan times, and deals with light, color and geometric shapes, the various combination of which can be used to create grids for any purpose imaginable, from healing to creating a peaceful world. I felt like I was in the intense, super-speedy and far more spiritual version of 3 or 4 years at Hogwarts. It was pretty amazing.”

It’s nice to know that we each stay pretty much the same as we were in high school. Our lives took predictable paths and I think Jane could have written something close to this about her future when we were all 17.

Diana and I had a conversation the other day. She is planning on sending in the application for Washington State Environmental Learning Centers. We’ll see if anything is open for May 2008. It is great that someone is looking out for our future reunions. There’s always lots of talk but little action after the weekend is over.

Santa Barbara is beckoning as Anna Marie and family attend her brother’s wedding leaving them in need of an accompanying nanny. Hey, I volunteer to be a nanny anytime travel is involved. I’m assembling a kiddy goody bag of things to do when all else fails. I’ll let you know who wins.

For the September trip I have packed my Swahili dictionary, two whistles, and Swiss Army knife.