Dear Kids,

The first meeting of our family book club will be this afternoon at 5:00 at our house.  We’ve been reading Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill.  You don’t need to have read all of it.  I’ve read it twice, I liked it so much.  The author definitely understood cats.  The idea behind the book club is that we’ll choose books you can read together with your kids, and then we’ll meet once a month or so to talk about them.  I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.  

And next weekend is Easter, so we’ll be meeting at Nora’s on Saturday (the 16th) at 2 pm.  Bring eggs for your kids, and you can call Nora for a food assignment.  It’ll be cool that day, probably about 50 degrees at Nora’s house.  Whatever the weather, whatever the menu, whoever can come–it will be great fun.  

Some of you have asked if there’s going to be an Allen family reunion this summer, so I asked Bonnie, and this was her answer: Laurie Jacobson has graciously offered to host on Saturday, July 9, in their backyard.  They have a large space with a pool, basketball court, patio area and a lot of grass for volleyball, etc.  It will be the usual where everyone brings their own food and drink and we enjoy visiting while the kids play.  I will get back with everyone on details of time (morning) and other details, but put Saturday, July 9, on your calendars.   Please let your children and grandchildren know about this.  

So we have that to look forward to, and our own Ackerson family reunion at Bear Lake the last weekend in July.  So many good things up ahead!

Sharon has had two job offers from hospitals, and she needs to do some shadowing to learn more about both places.  One job is med surg (you know, medical, surgical) and the other is intermediate care.  One starts August 1, and the other on August 26.  Naturally I hope she takes the one that starts later, so she won’t have to leave our family reunion early, but in the long run it won’t matter.  We’re really proud that she’s done so well!

So much is going on!  Dad and I are really lucky to be matriarch and patriarch of such a great family.  Love, Mom