Dear Kids,
           We just said goodbye to Al and his kids, and they left to go home. They came here to the cabin last night for a sleepover and to go sledding this morning. Missy stayed behind for a cake decorating class and some projects. In fact, she didn’t seem to mind being left behind, because when Al called her at noon, she urged them to stay here longer. (I think all you young wives are familiar with that scenario.) I was glad to have extra people here, because it gets very lonesome, especially when I’m here by myself. I have plenty to do, but I still feel like Rapunzel singing “When will my life begin?” Well, we had plenty of life this morning. It was a great day for sledding, and the hill was so slick that we got our sleds all the way to the play fort before they stopped. We had a great time until the wind kicked up, and it’s been blowing hard ever since.
           Dad is still working hard on the tile demolition project, and it’s going lots faster now. Several people have suggested that I ought to hire a crew to do it in one day, but they’d have to go through the same learning curve as Dad, and I doubt they could do it as well as he can. He’s nearly half done. In two or three more weeks, he’ll be into the kitchen, and I can start putting down the wonderboard and tile in the living room. That will be the fun part!
           Back at home in West Valley, I made a list of the things I want to finish before we sell the house. None of it will affect the selling price, but I don’t want to leave the laundry room still unfinished, the cubbyhole closet with no tile on the floor, and the back lawn still not completely planted. I’m like the one pioneer lady leaving her home in Nauvoo, who swept the floor and left the broom in its corner, never to come back. OK, it won’t be that dramatic, but it’s hard to think about leaving a house you’ve lived in for 35 years. Don’t anybody cry about this, but we already took out the drinking fountain. It hadn’t worked in several years, and I couldn’t find another one like it anywhere. Now we have a hole in the wall, and some plumbing to rearrange.
           Paul will probably be installing security systems this summer for APEX, oops, I mean Vivent. He’s probably going to Sacramento. That is, if he doesn’t find a cool job or internship before then. He said there’s a career fair coming up, but he will probably be competing with countless other engineering students. Good luck, Paul!
           I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it. I am! Love, Mom