Hello from Idaho

Somehow two months, to the day, have flown by since I was last here. We've had an awful lot going on, and I won't bore with details. I'll just toss a few bullet points out as a catch-up.

Hallie Grace, born May 27, 2014 We're all already in love with her. She's grand baby #8, the caboose to all our blessings we suspect, and an answer to prayers that ran years-long. God is good. 

We're in Idaho now, all snug and cozy in our little Coeur d'Alene townhouse. Some of the bedrooms are still empty. The garage has more than its share of to-be-chalkpainted furniture, but Hallie and picnics and dollar movies and glasses of wine at sidewalk cafes and such have us running behind a bit. All is good.

I'm having a birthday tomorrow - #59. I seriously am barely used to being 50, which I celebrated by doing a cartwheel in my backyard. Sometimes I think about doing that and wonder what my back would think.... Don bought us bicycles as my gift, and we've got plans to pedal all around town here in Idaho. The 70-degree days and low 50's nights just call for bike riding. 

My eye is not better, but not worse, so the jury is still out on a long-term prognosis. Either it will get better, or it won't and I'll learn to deal with it. I remember that so many others have so much more to deal with, and count myself blessed. 

Let's see - I've been reading quite a bit, in spite of being one-eyed! Right now I'm thick into a series my daughter, Sarah recommended - author is Laurie King, and the first book is The Beekeeper's Apprentice, fiction, about Sherlock Holmes and his 15 year old apprentice. One of those books that makes me want to stay in the tub til I'm completely shriveled, or sneak away somewhere and curl up til I'm finished. I started the year with a 52 in 52 pledge of 52 books this year - not sure what # I'm on, but I'm still plugging away. I also grabbed a book, 'The Happiness Project' at the Boise airport and it is intriguing. 

That's about it for now - nothing riveting, just lazy days of summer, new babies, furniture painting, picnics, grilling burgers, watching old movies, knitting at night, sleeping in when we can, wine on the porch at night watching the neighborhood wind down - it's all good. 

I'll try to be back sooner rather than later, quite possibly with some more new baby photos. 

P.S. We're still crazy about our new puppy - Lily has been a trooper since we got her, having flown 4 times, made a 1000 mile road trip and lived in two different houses, had her tail pulled and didn't bite, ate my knitting once but nothing else - so overall, so far so good.