Dear Kids,
         I’m finding lots of dead mice in our lawn these days.  They’re full of bite marks, and some are water-logged.  I think most of them are from Scout.  He has turned into a mouse killing machine.  Every morning, after their canned cat food, he’s frantic to get outside.  When I open the door, he bolts for the pasture.  Sonia follows him, but as far as I know, all she catches are grasshoppers.  She brings them to the back door to show us,  alive and kicking. 
         Nothing’s being done on our cabin these days.  Our contractor told Dad he had to go off and do another job for a couple of weeks.  Oh, well.  It will be finished sometime.  Tom and his kids came with us to inspect the cabin last Sunday.  Tom was very nostalgic about all the jalapeno poppers and dutch oven potatoes we’ve enjoyed there over the years.  He’s very confident that the cabin will get its magic back again, and I’m sure he’s right.  But it will take a lot of work on our part, even after the contractor is done.
         Our washing machine died, so we had to get a new one.  Donna told us about the advantages of getting it from Washing Machine Exchange in Salt Lake, but Dad said if there were two of him, and it were ten years ago, we’d do it.   As it was, we went to R.C. Willey.  I was hoping to find a simple one, say, with just a choice of  hot, warm, or cold water, and maybe three water levels.  But all the ones we saw are programmed to do the thinking for you.  You just throw in the clothes and the soap, set the dial for whatever you’re washing, and it decides the water level, how long, the temperature, etc.  It actually weighs the clothes to decide on the water level.  So far it’s working OK, but it makes the most awful sounds!  It grunts and groans and starts and stops and burps and dings.  It’s like having another person in the house.
         Stefanie had her doctor’s appointment this week to check on the new baby.  Everything’s fine, and there’s just one baby.  Some of us were hoping for twin girls, but one baby is a fabulous blessing.  Even another boy.  We love all our wonderful little blessings.  Speaking of which, Tyler’s blessing is still on for September 1.  More on that next week.
         Lots of love, Mom