Dear Kids,
      Tom and Kim have a house! Well, a house they’re going to rent. It’s in John and Heather’s neighborhood (but not in their ward) and they’re moving into it the end of June. Tom is pretty confident that housing prices will keep going down, and I think he’s probably right. At least they won’t be going up any time soon. So maybe after a year or so they’ll buy their dream house, or maybe it will be built. The fun goes on. At least they’ll have the room they need, with a family of six.
      Dad and I had a great time at the cabin Memorial Day weekend. We went to church in the Francis 2nd ward on Sunday. You see guys with big belt buckles and bolo ties, and ladies in levi skirts. At least their organ doesn’t ring in my head like the new one in our chapel here at home. (I’ve had it with that organ--I’m going to start attending the 9:00 am sacrament meeting at the Lighthouse Church, and then coming back to our ward for the rest of the block.)
      Monday was fun, too. Donna and Bevan took us on a bike ride in the morning. We went up Lower River Road to the Oakcrest turnoff, and then up the hill, past Mrs. Fields’ ranch, and back to the cabin. It was very refreshing. (i.e. very cold.) We loved it.
      Memorial Day afternoon was like another Eric Dowdle puzzle, but a summer version, this time. People were playing horseshoes, badminton, cowboy golf, and croquet. And, as Nora remarked, we were all OUTSIDE. That was the greatest. The weather was beautiful, not too hot, not too cold. As everybody was having fun, I realized that all our outside games have been donated to the cabin. I think John was the first one to bring a badminton set. Vanessa and Trent gave us the cowboy golf. Monica and Neil donated the croquet set, for their big wedding bash. And James and Nora gave us the horseshoes, many years ago. So thanks to all of you. I wish you could all have been there. I’m looking forward to the family reunion on August 1.
      Dad is having a great time with his new GPS, so thanks to all of you who went in on it for his birthday. He’s literally a kid with a new toy. Last night he was sitting on the front porch programming in different directions. This afternoon we’re using it to drive to the cabin. Of course we don’t need GPS to get there, but he likes having it tell him out loud when to turn. I could do without the voice, but I guess that’s part of the fun. He showed me I could set it for German or Spanish, if the English got boring.
      Life is great. I love you all! Mom