Back to work today after a wonderful weekend. We loaded up on Friday after I got home from school and headed out. It was surprisingly a short trip but we did get there late due to the girls getting away late. We had some probs with moving the RV but we got to the park at Inks Lake an Warren had us a space right next to him. We set up with some difficulty and I went to bed. L and K and B watched a DVD and had themselves a good night. Late the next morning we woke up and the girls were still hunkered down in the RV. later after breakfast by Kathy, we saw the dogs being let out and next thing my girls are at the trailer door whining to bet ninety. l and K came later and then we decided to go to town to get some stuff for the trailer like light bulbs etc. did that but it was cold and overcast so I visited with War and kat and l and K went for a shor t hike. that night Warren made some gumbo and we ate and then built a rather nice fire but my butt was freezing and after about 2 hours I decided bed looked really good. l and k wnted to sty up but us "elders" decided they could we wouldn't. Next day was absolutely beautiful. Warm and sunny. Perfect day. We messed around for a while and talked some more and L and K went for a hike with the two little dogs. Brenda went around the circle and once took Guiness who loves to go for a walk with her. that night we watched TV at Wa nd C's and had taco soup made by Keri. It ws so good. warren made homemade ice cream and then the girls wanted cookies so they got them and Kathy made them. We all ate too darn much but it ws fun. Monday and we messed round. L and K again went hiking and then about midday we packed the RV and drove home. Got home rather late but got the RV set up nicely and then the girls went home so here I am in a new space and it is nice. Supposed to get really cool tonight.

Well, today I am home from school and this afternoon the girls are coming with the herd and Brenda and we are gong to take my home to see Warren. When I get back on monday I will be at another home site. At least the girls will feel better about the new site. i hope the weekend turns out like the girls want it to. they want to go hiking and canoeing etc. Brenda justs wants to go and I just want to visit and do nothing. The girls will have a good time with the herd (guiness, the doberman, and Hurley and Joker the two shizhu's. I am going to take two lat courses to get the AK certification so I can apply to go back next year. 4K in tuition, at my age that is a stupid waste of money, but oh well, it'll give me something to do with my mind and may lead to a jb next year in AK. I have nothng else to comment on today so I'll fill you in when we get back from the campout.

Nope, I'm not. I am in Belton T instead. I am taking some more courses that should allow me to go back to AK next August. I am working at a charter school. It is a residential treatment center for adolescnts. These kids are really bd off. they usually stay for any time from 4 weeks to a year. they live in cottages on the fenced grounds and go to school there alos. I am the school counselor. It is a good job and pays well. i am living in l and K's RV. It is 24 foot long and is comfy for the girls and I. It is OK to be close to Austin and the farm and I usually trade off weekends going one place or the other. I have to wash clothes so it's nice to be one or the other. I really have very little to do at my job and it is very boring but it a way to earn money and bide my time while taking the classes I need to take. I keep thinking I'm gonna pay off my debts but it is slow going. I do keep in touch with the village and maybe will gothere next year but I don't think so. I'll try someplace new. L and K are doing very well. Brandon enjoyed cummer camp so much that he is going back over Xmas holidays for a week. Peyton and Linda and Peter are OK. Farm is doing well and Beth is getting over knee surgery to clean up some splinters. New renters but they too are Ok.

I am now in Moulton at the farm and very happy. House is really dirty but I'm making headway on the cleaning. I've emailed John Lamont, the super, alex Russin, the asst and Larry Ledoux the commissioner of ed for AK and now it's in their hands as to whether I go back this year. I will be devastated if I can't. I've also expressed interest in jobs in Seguin and shiner. We'll see, I suppose. In the meantime. Peyton is down here visiting and we've been planning the trip. we leave next Monday so we've got very little time to get stuff done. Leia and Keri have been so good to me this summer. I think I've maybe been a pain in their butt but I'm entitled!!! My knee is always achy but it is even getting better. I thought the ache would be gone by now but alas, no. I have done nothing concrete this summer but Ive had fun anyway. Haven't visited anyone I planned to visit but I'll try to get that done. Tomorrow I'm going to call all three above to ask the status. Then I'll know for sure what will happen. Carla wrote but I've not written back yet. Brandon is having a great summer camp experience. Peter went to see the basic graduaation this weekend and saif B looked good.

It's been one month out since the surgery. I feel good and the leg is a bit uncomfortable. I am still at L and k's house but will go home for 4 days tomorrow after rehab. I am getting all the letters written that I need to send to see if I can get another cert so I can go back to the vilage. Allis well here.

Sitting on my daughter's couch and finally getting around to putting in the blog. I was in Mountain a week and hen came through Chicago to get to Austin. At Leia's. Angie, the new renter and Beth came up last Sunday and we ran around some and hung out. They came up on Saturday ad I wish they would hav come over then. Cray gooses. Anyway, on Monday Keri and I took Leia to the surgery unit and she had her hand operated on. she was so hugry after the surgery that she wanted to go out to eat!!!!!!!! Yep, she is not sane either. Next morning we all got up and Keri drove us to the hospital where I checked in to have my surgery. Got into a room, all my tests, all the paperwork, all the signatures and finally off to the surgery. Woke p later in recovery, stayed for a short time and thenwent to my room. Just came home to Leia's today. Idon't like being there in the room because of the unreality of it all. I like tht e idea of an in/out lke Leia's. Well, I had expected mucho, mucho pain and ended up with nothing. Rather that thanthe first idea. Really here was very little pain. My knee hurts but not any more than it did when I was grinding away the ole bone against bone. So, The firsst day was OK. I had this poey thing tht would give me shots of drugs. Really didn't have to use it very mucha t all. Nurses kept coming inasking if Iwa hurting. No way, wth really truly drugs on board. So next dzy I suggested that the real poky drug thingy be taken out and I could have some of the 'notsogood stuff'. They gave me two pills. I don't wnt toknow what they were, but in 5 minutes I was floating around the roo unable to speakin a coherent sentence. I guess my life dream of being druggie will never be fulfilled because I can't tolerate 1/ glass of wine or drugs either one. That afternoon they gave me only 1 of the pills. Stillwent to loopy-land. They talked to the dr and he gave me amild form of drug. Works fine but I rarely need it. Another womanwho had just hd her scond surgery4 monthsago on the second knee, showed up and asked about the pain. I told her on a 1-10 scale ,ine was 0. She said her's was painless too!!! Who knew?? We both agreed tht it must be partly because the pain we felt for yers from the bones just was more than we ever thought we were tolerating. Hence, almost pinless. I wish now that Ihad done bothof them together. Well, Icanwait knowing that it's not gonna be as bad as Ithought. Very nice nurses in the hospital. They now all work. I mean that they do everything the CNA's do and vice cersa. Intresting changes from several years ago. Nice stay. Did EXXTREMELY WELL. The doc said that the flexion from front to bscak was off 8 degres nd the flexion from side to side was off 16%. I was walking so stoop shouldered, I hd no idea. Anyway,now I canstand talland walk almost normally. Got flowers fromBeth and from P ndMel. Paul and Mel have now determined that I should be called the "Bionic Senior" or BS fr short and should wear a cape. You think?/??? Happy to be home and ready to go to the gym. Gott get a scaale.

Well I'm sitting in my office doing nothing. Gossipping and playing pranks. Allie just crawled into a box and then we called Mel down and allie jumped out. Scared Mel. it was so fun. But then Allie was so smushed into the box she had to be tipped over to get out. Crazy people. Waiting for lunch and then i want to go home. So bored. Then I've got to wash clothes and pack for next week. Get the girls stuff together. Then Monday I go to Mtn. this morning was the first morning that Nudles wanted to go outside. it was still 30 degrees but out she went . Did her thing and came back in shivering. She is so ready to go to texas and sit in the sun on the porch. Sad to leave the village.

I cannot believe. It's almost over and another year has passed. I cannot decide whether to do both knees or just one. it was 20 degrees this morning with a light snow. And in texas it is 100 degrees. that is stupid. Texas would be great if we just didn't have the hell heat!!!!! And Warren is in n Calif looking at trees. One is called the Gen sherman. Always pissed me off. Ought to cut that sucker down some night. sherman was the one that marched through 'hour southrn lan' and burned stuff. Bastard. Cut that tree down or rename it the President Jefferson. Or name it the 'great dianne' tree. I like the sound of that one. i have only 1 1/2 weeks til the girls and I are home. Woah. What the hell am I gonna do all summer. Swim and walk, that's what. My kids think I'm gonna sit on my porch, well I'll do that too, but I am gonna swim and work out. I'm gonna get these knees workin agin and be able to x-country ski. Yippee. And I'm gonna ride my cycle!!!!!!!!!! Maybe get some tats and a leather sleeveless jacket and some cool glasses. They'll call me the 'termiknittr'. can't hold this ole lady down. Looking for a hot tub and some beer. I am really going nuts up here.

Close to the end of another school year. This morning coming to school down the still snowy path i nearly fell and in trying to get up I could hear my knee grinding together. Interesting sound!!!! My precious one called today to suggest that I stay in Austin so she could babysit me and make sure I went to rehab. I don't think my little darlings understand that I MUST rehab in order to come back here next year. I don't think they understand just how annoying it is not to be able to manipulate this old body around drifts and stairs and . . . . Believe me, I will swim every day so I can really get into good shape. I just don't know yet whether I'll do both or one. Trying to get renters and the lawyer keeps giving me advice so I'll not get stuck. I think, if I were a nasty little person, that I'd be willing to burn down the Dupler's just so they would stay. (Not really. I'm looking forward to going over in the mornings and getting coffee and sitting gossiping in their new house. They've just been such incredibly good people that I'll miss them down the road. I plan to go to Rachel's graduation at the end of May. Wouldn't miss it!!!! Beth and I both will go. Got the crate so I can send the girls home under the plane. Only two more weeks.

Hello there world!!!!!! And you too Warren!!! I look at the weather where W and K are and have to laugh. It's raining! Either they hunker down or they get wet. One or the other. So sad too bad! I just bought some more stocks. Ain't gonna get rich but I hope I get something!!! Roomie is at home ill. Principal is at home ill. Lots of ill around here today. I'm printing the yearbook and hoping that we get the ring binders so I can get it put together. Schedule is on hold, AGAIN. Oh well. Nothing else going on except watching the snow melt. SSSSLLOOOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLLYYYYY! It was in the 20's again this morning. And it's 96 at the farm. Damn!!!! Now, duh, where would you think I'd want to be??????? 1 1/2 weeks to mt. The girls are even going outside now. Hot dog. bout time. Graduation dinner this Thursday and Grad on Friday. Then 8th grade grad and that's it. I have seniors in the office writing speeches. Nearly over and I'm really surprised at how fast the year has gone. Next year will be even funner!!!!!! We get a 2K bonus at the end of June and then a 1 1/2 % raise next year. Good. that'll be Ok with me. I need money. (Well my kids do really). l is hunting a scooter today. would be good to use around the farm. I gotta get a license first. Will do that this summer.