Dear Kids,

Nothing new here.  Oh, yes, it warmed up a little bit.  Tuesday morning it was -10, and it seemed like it would be cold forever.  Then, miraculously, it started warming up, and by Friday afternoon it was 50.  Dad and I took a walk around the block, for the first time in weeks.  The snow started melting, and it’s down a few inches now.  It’s supposed to snow again this afternoon, but we don’t care.  We’ve had a hint of spring!

Looking down the road: Book club is next Sunday, the 12th, at 5 pm at our house.  If you haven’t read Because of Winn Dixie, there’s still time.  You can read it in a couple of sittings.  If you can get a hold of the movie, it’s almost like the book.  

Then, we’ll have Super Sunday again on February 26 at Tom’s house.  I won’t be surprised if he does something spectacular with his smoker or his barbecue.  There’s no stopping the good food and the fun.

Then, looking way down the road, our Ackerson family reunion will be July 27-30 (Thursday thru Sunday) at Huber Grove in Midway.  We met there in 2014 and 2015.  Donna’s in charge, and I think she’s arranging for a photographer to take a big family picture of us.  He told Donna that Huber Grove is his favorite place to do mob pictures, so it should turn out really well. 

Jane and Nancy came by Thursday afternoon to pick up a box of Grandma and Grandpa Allen’s letters.  Originally the letters were all sorted by date, but when Morgan James was a toddler, he got into them and scrambled them around, and nobody has had the heart to sort them again.  Until now.  Nancy said she’s willing to do it.  So when she and Jane came by, Sonia was watching from the front window, and she was very glad to have them admire her.  Until we brought in Scout.  Then she disappeared while Jane petted Scout and told him how handsome he is.  They decided he has the face of a lion, and naturally he smiled all over and nuzzled Jane.  I told them that he and Sonia are supposed to be siblings, and they said “No way!”   

Tomorrow I have an appointment at the LDS Hospital wound clinic, where they’re trying to cure the open sore I have on my back end.  So far they’ve helped me with an my swollen lip, an abscess, and the first wound on my back side.  But the new wound isn’t responding to anything.  I’ll keep going in as long as they’re willing to keep trying, but I’m losing hope.  Anyway, I’m starting chemo again on the 13th and chemo always keeps things from healing.  It’s keeping me alive, though, so I can’t complain too loudly.  

I appreciate all your prayers for me.  I pray for all of you every day, too.

Love, Mom