The Joy of No Homework

Try telling a roomful of fifth graders that we're having a "no homework" week. They just have to read every night for at least 30 minutes (hey, that's not homework) You'd think I gave them a million dollars instead of a break from math and spelling.

Off to Spain

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/oviedo.htm
http://www.ayto-oviedo.es/en/oviedoCityCouncilWebSite.php

Kimmi is off to Spain to complete her language requirement for her degree. I'm slightly jealous and a little nostalgic. She's traveling with two other girls and will spend a month studying the language, then another week or so touring the area around Oviedo and Madrid. What an adventure! She had to hug us all at least two times before she could bring herself to step into the line for security check. I knew that once she found her friends at the gate she would be fine, though. I remember winging off to England twice while my family stood at the gate wondering what the heck I was thinking - running off to traipse around some foreign country without them. I survived just fine and in fact recall both trips as life altering. I know most young adults get such an experience, and I'm happy as can be for Kimmi. She's come a long way. But I can't help but be a little jealous for the chance to shed other responsibilities to go adventuring in another country. Ah, well, retirement beckons and perhaps there's some adventure left for me down the road.

Faaaaabulous!!!

How fabulous can you get in a $6 thrift store dress? Do they know how to shop or what?

Another year - Another candle

(I'm sure she dropped me right after the shutter clicked.)
Happy Birthday, big sis. You're another year older whether you want to be or not. I'll always remember the things we shared as kids:
* We played horse in the backyard and I always got hurt. I would try to jump that d***ed broom between the lawn chairs and always got my feet tangled up in it while you just sailed right on over.
* We played horse in the house and I always got dirty knees. How yours stayed clean is a mystery to this day. If it's true you must crawl before you can walk we must be two of the best walkers in the world.
* We drew horses. Yours were graceful, lovely, and realistic. Mine were quirky, oddly colored, and not so realistic.
* We petted horses. They adored you. One tried to kick me, another bit me in the chest. What was that all about?
* We rode horses. You rode tall, graceful thoroughbreds and learned how to jump and do dressage. I rode small, nasty ponies and learned how to duck and fall off.
* We dibbsed (is that a word? As in "I dibs that horse.") horses on car trips. Since I generally sat in the middle I got a lot of brown horses that you didn't care to dibs.
* We went to Lynnleigh Farm where you groomed horses and fed horses and rode horses and I watched you. Oh, wait, we're still doing that. I'll be over next weekend to let Mom see you on Mother's Day. I guess we still know how to have a good time even if it does involve horses more often than not.