Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day! 

It's fun to see all the flags flying and people making an extra special effort to thank and support our troops but I have to tell you, we hear sentiments of appreciation all year long. So what's on tap for your holiday today?

Dave and Mason have been gone all weekend so I have been left to do whatever the heck I want! Saturday night I went out dancing with some of my girlfriends, checked the cherry trees for ripe fruit (not quite there yet), I cleared out both mine and Mason's clothes (two big bags - gone!), took all of his cowboy bedroom decorations down, ran errands, cleaned some of the house, washed and changed sheets and then I played in the kitchen. I had some wonderful fruit from last season in my freezer so I made spicy fig orange jelly, fig cupcakes with cinnamon honey butter frosting, and two lemon-blueberry pies. Yep, you guessed it, figs and blueberries are now put to good use and I'm ready for the fresh fruit of the season. My good friend Max pickled some fresh veggies and we traded goodies - why have I never eaten veggies like this before? They were amazing! I guess I thought pickling was just for pickles!

Today the boys will be home and we have a nice dinner planned. I'm going out to clean the deck in the back yard and set the table. I have one more week off and then summer session begins, although my online math class has already unofficially started. I hope you are having as much fun this long holiday weekend as I am!

 

Happy Monday! I survived the spring semester at school and if my calculations are correct, I finished with 3 As and 1 B. Dang B! So now I have a two week break between spring and summer sessions and I'm somehow fooling myself into thinking I have nothing on my calendar. My house is a M-E-S-S, I really need to get back to packing, I have bills to pay and so much more.

Over the weekend I did my first art show with RiverLights and it went well. It was a lovely day and it's always a good sign when you can at least make your money back on the cost of the booth, which I did (plus a little). On June 14th I will also be participating in the Auburn Art Walk where my work will be displayed at Bukovina, a medical salon/spa. They are very excited to have my work decorating their space and boy, do they have a lot of space! My prints will be on display through the summer until the fall walk is announced. Life keeps us on our toes and just when we think we've got a handle on it, something new presents itself sending us back to recalculate our plans.

So here is the late breaking news, Mason had his first commercial audition last week and he rocked it! I am so dang proud of him. He answered his interview question like he's been auditioning for years... "What do you like to do when you are not in school?" Mason: "Oh! I like to take things apart...you know, things that are not broken but maybe I just want them to be something else. The only problem is mom mostly likes them the way they were." and he laughed. The woman casting was floored, she looked at me with eyebrows raised and a big smile. She had him do some improv and he took direction like a pro (why doesn't he listen to me like that?). Finally, she asked him if he had any questions and he said, "How much does this gig pay?" On the way to the audition I was attempting to coach him on what to expect and all indications were that what I was saying was going in one ear and out the other. Finally, I said (before I knew he would be listening to me), just remember two things: #1 Whatever you do, don't get shy, and #2 if she asks you what you like to do when you are not in school, don't tell her you like to watch TV and play video games - every other little boy will say that. When we were done, he thanked her for seeing him and offered his hand to shake as we said good-bye...I was SO DANG PROUD I WANTED TO SCREAM! He booked it! It shoots next week and will air locally on Comcast. I will do my best to get the spots and if I do, I will share.

I hope you have a great week and if you have nothing to do, come over and help me pack and clean!!

Give It Up To The River

RiverLights Originals

Finals Week!

I am up to my eyeballs in homework and studying for finals. I am more challenged by the workload than I am by the material,but I love, love, love school! I had a wonderful Mother's Day and hope you did as well. More next week, I have a philosophy final I am simply not ready for tomorrow! Sweet dreams.

Oh Happy Day!

Happy Monday!

I have a beautiful day on tap and what am I doing? Homework!! School is winding down with just two weeks left (4 classes) and all of my professors this semester kept such a casual, go-with-the-flow attitude at the beginning of the semester that now that we are in the homestretch, we are crunching to get it all done. I did hours of reading and homework this weekend and now I'm close to having it all done. School rocks! I love it even when the deadlines get stressful. I have one more year at Sierra and then where I transfer to remains to be seen...in California or somewhere else?

We have accepted an offer on the house and have a backup in place as well. This is a short sale so how long it will take to close remains to be seen. I am hopeful that we can be moved by this fall. Again, we plan to stay in Auburn until I graduate this time next year and then possibly a little longer depending on Dave's job. Nothing really to share there, it will just be a matter of evaluating his opportunities with the park service versus his current employment. I'll keep you posted but stay tuned for our "Housecooling Party" that will likely come in late August, early September. The scare we had last week with Dave (a reaction to medication or a mild stroke?) just reinforces the importance of doing the things in life that one really wants to do. There are no guarantees so the time is now - or in our case, the plan is now and the move will happen in 12-24 months!

Now I'm back to homework. What did you do this weekend? Something fun I hope. Mason and I spent some time at the river yesterday and it was pure bliss! Have a great week and let's make sure we look at our calendars and make a date, it won't be long before our opportunities to get together easily won't be available. Smiles! Kath

*Note, Mason does not have a life vest on but he was not more than ankle deep int he water. Too cold and too fast means no swimming.