Dear Kids,
          I’m looking out the window at a giant brown moose. He’s staring in, very threateningly. I know he’s made of sheet metal, but I’m worried by that ominous glare in his eye. Oreo hates him. We have him staked to the ground, not to keep him from barging into the cabin, but to keep pranksters from carrying him off, like a garden gnome or a snowman. He’s pretty heavy, though. It would take more than one person. I bought him Thursday night at a roadside tree farm near Charleston. I had seen him a few weeks ago, but I thought he was way out of my price range. When I checked, they wanted to get rid of him, and it was a terrific bargain. There’s a little rust on his legs, from standing too near the road, and getting sprayed with ice melt, but we can fix that. Thanks to Donna, Bevan, Nicole, Alex, and Dad, for getting him here. I thought he would fit into the garage, but he’s nine feet tall, so he’s out by the dining room window. In the dark of night, with the moon shining on him, it looks like he’s coming right in.
          Last Tuesday morning, when Dad and I went down to our West Valley house, we discovered that the refrigerator wasn’t working any more. We hauled it out to the curb, since it was bulk trash day, but the city wouldn’t pick it up, because it didn’t have a freon-free tag on it. We’ll have to take it to the dump ourselves. Our house is gradually getting emptier and emptier. We’ve cleaned out closets and drawers. Every week I haul at least one box of stuff to the DI. It’s amazing how much stuff you accumulate. This Tuesday we’re supposed to make the final choices on our new house, sign the final papers, and pay the 30% down. After that there’s no turning back.
          I was sick last Monday, Presidents Day, so I missed out on the sledding fun. I was watching from our upstairs bedroom window, and I felt like a little kid looking out the living room window watching the rest of the family having fun. (Remember?) Later on, after the sledding, lots of kids went wild and crazy inside. So I’ve added a new rule to the list of "Cabin Rules, and it says: " No running, yelling, screaming, or roughhousing in the cabin. Go outside." "Nuff said.
          I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it! Mom