Reflection of Mt. Adams in Tahklahk Lake 

Paul climbed to the top of a rocky lava flow on Sunday. We had beautiful weather. 

These are the four fish (one is hiding behind) that I caught on Friday. I caught two more on Sunday bringing my grand total for the summer to seven. 

Rebecca and I clean fish like real backwoods mountain women.  

I looked back at my list of things I wanted to accomplish this summer just to see how I was doing.

List of things I want to do this summer:

1. Garden (paul has this one covered although I sometimes feel guilty about not doing my fair share of gardening)
2. Eat most meals outside (it hasn't really been warm enough yet)
3. Go for a walk every day (failing in this category)
4. Learn to fish (check)
5. Read a book by a new author (Jamie Langston Turner)
6. Learn to sew (I am going to start working on this any day now)
7. Convince Paul and my landlords to let me get a dog (the next best thing, Dexter)
8. Train my new dog (We have been trying, but Ozzie is not a good influence)

So far, so good. I still have a good month and a half of freedom before I go back to school, and to tell you the truth, I am starting to get excited about September. I'm hopeless - I miss school!

Interesting fact for today:

Chehalis has it's own oxygen bar. Paul and I predict it's demise will take mere months. We'll keep you updated.

For the past year I have been driving a wonderful car. Mainly wonderful because it was free. I like that little word, FREE. A few problems with the car though: freeway driving was just a little scary, my dear husband faithfully changed the spark plugs ONCE A MONTH, I had to add oil every week.
One time one of my student's told his mother that "Mrs. Robinson really needs a new car". This little car has been in our family since 1982, handed down through the generations, starting with my great grandma, who moved to a retirment center years ago and no longer needs it. It will be passed from me to my little brother Dan who is coming home from Mexico in August. It's a good thing he is a mechanic.
I took the liberty of posting a personal add for him a few months ago (in fact he has ignored my attempts to find him a mate despite my success (I will press on no matter what!)) I have something to add to the personal add: Owner of a steel grey 1982 Honda Civic! Bring your own romantic music ladies because there's no radio to distract you from getting lost in his eyes...

Goodbye little grey car, I will miss you.

Extreme car makeover: BEFORE 

Extreme car makeover: AFTER 

Paul works on making a canoe rack for our truck. 

I just attended a Kindergarten Workshop for three days. What? you say. School during summer? Yes, I could actually get paid more if I take classes to further my education, and I need all the help I can get. One of our assignments was to go with our team to Dollar Tree, Big Lots, and Goodwill to find cheap and useful things for our classrooms. Let me tell you the dollar tree is my new favorite place. I also found a giant Clifford and a Dr. Suess game at goodwill. I won some free things as well and got lots of good ideas for my classroom next year.

Before you criticize a co-worker, walk a mile is his shoes. This way, when he gets angry, he'll be a mile away and barefoot.

I love best friends! My friend Sarah emailed me a test to take to see where I stood on the "type A, type b" scale. Turns out I am actually a "type b" personality. I am glad because the actual definition of a "type a" personality is quite scary. I don't think Paul is a "type a" either, though he definitely has some more obsessive tendencies than I. Do you know that he won't drink water from the bathroom sink just because it's in the bathroom? I fill my water glass from the bathroom sink all the time.
Something else I found out: I am of "average" intelligence! Hallelujah!
I will try to post the websites where you can take both the personality tests and the IQ tests. Let me warn you, they are addicting!

Our landlords got a new puppy, Dexter.  

Coming soon: EXTREME CAR MAKEOVER

We have been in Portland for the weekend and inevitably we run into old acquaintances, hear the latest news, etc. Upon hearing some happy news about another couple, Paul exclaimed, "hey, they stole our life." Indeed, at one time our goal was to end up exactly as they are living right now. For two rather "type A" personalities this can be rather maddening. What is more maddening however, is that we can be pretty sure that the life stealers actually stumbled upon our ideal life.
We are planners, list makers, consumer report readers, note takers. We are both first born children. Being this way comes in handy. People think you have it all together, and you usually do. What freedom we can find in stumbling though, in not knowing what the future holds. We are confident beyond a doubt that God has us in his palm.

arial view of our garden 

Anyone want to move to Kansas? They're giving away free land!

http://www.kansasfreeland.com/

I decided to change the format of my blog because my profile and information kept showing up at the bottom of the page. My friend Alysun had the same problem and I noticed that when she changed the format her profile popped back up to the top of the page. How does everyone like it? You can post a comment at the bottom of each post.

Warning: Before you view the pictures I have posted today, Paul asked me to remind you that he is married, and no matter how much you are tempted by his buffness and good looks, he will not answer your letters or phone calls.

Stand back ladies, he's all mine!