Tuesday

I am having a terrible time trying to get internet access, so I hope I can keep up. We are going to switch to a different provider. The company we use now has failed us- completely!!!! I can't wait to have consistent service.

The Buddy update: For those of you bored to death of baseball updates, just skip ahead. For the patient, I will let you know this was an awesome game- the best yet. His team lost 10- 11, BUT they had a terrific rally. Buddy hit what I will call a home run (it is technically a triple with a throwing error) and a single. He also walked once. He scored 2 runs. He didn't pitch tonight. He has now established himself as a pitcher and hitter who can contribute to his team. It is a blessing for us to watch him play- especially to see his discipline and willingness to work. I fully believe in competition. It is one of those God given innate qualities that causes people to excel. Without competition there wouldn't be a reason to move ahead or improve- can you imagine life without it? It would be like socialism in Russia- dead.

We had a great stay-at-home day. There are certain chores that require a day at home- laundry being one of them. We had piles of clothes everywhere. Martha and Buddy had major room cleanup duty. It was painful to watch them sift through all their junk, but necessary. I had to intervene, threaten them with a loss of privileges, and do a small amount of verbal "encouragement" to keep them going.

I've had a steady stream of Backyard Friends (Bluebirds, see picture below) visit since I have provided worms. We have other Backyard Friends (Orioles and Finches) who love the grape jelly and orange slices. I love to see the bright orange, blue, and red birds eating just a few feet away. I used to watch the Mourning Doves, Woodpeckers, and Sparrows in the front of the yard, but they just don't compare in beauty to these other colorful creatures!!

Hope you are having a good week!!