Dear Kids,

Bentley will be leaving for San Antonio this week, so tonight we’ll have “farewell s’mores” at our house.  You can show up as early in the afternoon as you want to.  I’m not sure when we’ll be actually be toasting our marshmallows, but it will probably be about the time it’s getting dark. Like all our family get-togethers, it will be wild and fun.

Nora’s family had a sleepover at our house Tuesday night because the 100 mile-per-hour winds in Centerville had knocked out their power. There were trees in the park across the street that were blown down, and one lady was texting around to find out what happened to their trampoline.  They found it up on the mountain.  Some of the houses were damaged, but Nora’s house survived OK.  But with no power, they were having a boring time of it, and it was going to be a cold night.  I encouraged them to come, but when they were packed up and finally on their way, they heard their power was back on. (Of course, if they hadn’t come, it would have been out for two or three days.)  Anyway, it was fun having them here.  And Scout enjoyed stretching out alongside Nora while she slept. 

Yesterday Dad and I went to the Heber airport so Dad could help John put his glider together to fly it.  I went along because I’ve never seen the process.  I wondered how they went about putting the wings on so they wouldn’t fall off.  It turns out there are some long bolts that go deep into the plane.  There’s also tape–it almost looks like Scotch tape, which they use to seal the seams, and hold the wing and tail pieces on if everything else fails.  John reminded me that once, on one of our long drives, I had told you kids a story about him building a plane.  John said he was about seven, so the rest of you can be forgiven for not remembering, and some of you weren’t even born yet.  Anyway, in the story, John finds different airplane parts and fastens them all together, making a plane he can fly.  And here he was, yesterday afternoon, putting together a plane in real life.  It’s funny how prophetic my story was!  When his glider was put together we watched him take off (with the tow plane pulling him,) and a couple of hours later we watched him land.  It was all lots of fun.

I’m still spreading the lava rock out on our corner.  It’s easy and fun, and people out walking stop and tell me what a good job I’m doing. Naturally I’m not in any hurry to finish.  Scout supervises me, usually coming from his hunting territory across the street.  He rubs against my legs while I’m shoveling, and he, too, tells me I’m doing a good job. 

I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it!  Mom