Dear Kids,
         I’m really looking forward to the barbecue-birthday party at John’s house tomorrow. (5:00 pm) When I was in second grade, I decided that May 27th was my favorite day of the whole year, because school was getting out that day, and it was my mother’s birthday.  Little did I know that it was also my future husband’s birthday, and a future grandson’s.  So May 27th is still one of my very favorite days.  Thanks to John for letting us have the party at his house!  I twisted his arm, but Dad and I plan to come early and haul rocks, to make up for it. If any of you want to come early too, John said there would be plenty to do.
         I woke up a few mornings ago to find a play mouse on the covers, right by my face.  Scout stood behind it, smiling at me.  He must have wanted to play!  I got out of bed and tossed the mouse down the hall for him, and he went running after it.   I keep buying more mice at Walmart.  They’re called skitter critters, and they come in a 3-pack.  At our house, they get lost long before they wear out.  But not at John’s house.  I bought a 3-pack for his kitties, but they tore them to shreds. Of course, John’s cats have front claws.  And they’re used to catching and eating real mice.  None of those play critters for them! 
         The contractor who’s repairing our cabin worked exactly one day this week, between rainstorms.  Dad and I drove over to talk to him about how he’s going to re-do the balcony on the east side.  He and his son had been tearing off burned siding, and it mostly filled a dumpster.  You can imagine how many hornets nests were on that east wall, and there was also a hole where a bat had been living.  I asked about the bat, and the contractor said he had to kill it.  I guess he might have had rabies–the bat, not the contractor.  We’re hoping things can move along faster when the weather clears up, but who knows when that will be?   On Thursday we had a snowstorm that left a couple of inches on the ground.  In the tops of the mountains they’re getting new snow almost every day.  If it decides to melt all at once, there could be some major flooding.  But who cares?  We just want summer to come.
         Lots of love, Mom