Backward: A Recap:
It's been a busy few months! Lots of things I wanted to get done did get done.
Most recently was our annual trip to Nebraska. We chose a longer time frame this year. We were accompanied by great-nephew Angel, who has visited Nebraska twice with his Grandfather. He likes Nebraska a lot, and at 14 is looking at a post-high school graduation move to Nebraska, where he could learn the drywall business from brother Scott and his son Sean. I decided to jump-start his plan by bringing him with Ron and I this year and having him work with Sean, getting his feet wet (or dry!). He worked a total of 25 hours over 6 days, and earned a paycheck that pleased him mightily! Besides the work opportunity, he also flew for the first time. He was a champ at that, and overall a pleasure to have along.
Our list of activities included the following:
- The bi-annual family reunion for my Dad's side of the family.
- The Sumner 4th of July.
- Two rehearsals and a noon-time concert of hymns with my Uncle Dwane.
- A visit to MONA for the usual outstanding exhibits.
- A drive through spectacular rolling hill country to a couple of fading small towns to look at a couple of interesting historic storefronts and the last one-room school to close.
- Visits to a couple of cemeteries to take flowers to various family members.
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| Our morning walk. |
Other projects and activities that have gotten accomplished are:
- Easter Family & Friends visit to Tucson
- Our ONP trip
- The One-Woman Sprint Tri
- House plant replacements
- Practicing saute for cooking school.
- Personal challenges of practicing yoga and meditation, keeping to a sleep schedule, and controlling my post-dinner eating are....works in progress, shall I say.
- Jasmine and I have started her Agility classes with trainer Rebecca.
- Change the violin strings!
- Do my bi-annual seasonal clothes swap. The spring was cool enough that it's just now time.
- Cooking school: After those comments about my bread loaves splitting, I've diverted cooking school to address that. So far, I've tried letting the loaves proof longer and adding cuts just before putting them in the oven. That has been successful. Next I'm going to try adding some grains/seeds to the tops of the loaves before baking for an interesting, still rustic, appearance. There's a trick to getting them to stay on!
- Great-nephew Jonathan, brother of Angel, is coming to Flagstaff a week from today to go to the NAU Running Camp. Like Angel and the drywall, he indicated an interest in running, and plans to try out for cross-country at Tucson High when he starts 9th grade in the fall. This will be a jump start for him. The NAU Running Camp is top-notch, coached by the same coaches who have given NAU a #1 ranking in their cross-country and track and field program.
- Ron and I need to do a big review of our financial investments to see if they're still where we want them in the proper proportion. We also both want to make changes to our wills.
- Gain consistency in those personal challenges mentioned above.
- Both violin and piano practices need revamping. Violin because I've starting learning some new quite difficult technique/mental concepts. Piano because I've been focused on a recital (which didn't happen) and the hymn set for Dwane.
- My quarterly Book & Music Order. I'll replace the books I've read the past quarter. I like the used book site Better World Books, but I think I'll start out with a sweep of the local thrift stores and see what catches my eye. I'll also look at CD's to see if there's anything interesting musically. With those results in hand, I'll go to the WWW as necessary.
- Continue Agility classes with Jasmine as they are offered, and practice what we're learning regularly. We've been introduced to another piece of equipment Ron can easily make, and one that I have needs to be modified for more advanced work. Some of what we're learning needs more space than the deck provides, so I'm looking at occasional trips to Raymond Park at the front of the Village. That's a different time commitment.
- Enjoy summer outdoors in Flagstaff! Regular hiking, biking, and running.
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