Month-end Report

Before February ends, I ought to write again.

The state runs an arsenal museum at the park in the capitol area which is open until 4 on Saturday. However, we ran there after work yesterday, and although we got there by 3:30, the doors were closed. We made the most of it, climbing the old Indian mound and racing on the sidewalks and grassy knolls. Then we went to the capitol and gawked at the big statues, big ceilings and big art, and rode up the big elevator. Today we went to the old state capitol and played on the stairs and hillside. We also saw the Merci Train boxcar.


I've been watching Mars lately. I am hoping to go to the observatory with the boys one of these winter nights.

Annie is growing. She smiles and still grunts a lot. She looks around and controls her head when sitting upright.

Isaac is healing well from his collarbone fracture and his usual rambunctious self. His communication skills are improving but he is not racing to talk or to use the potty either.

Orry is racing to read and write and to distinguish between convertibles and other cars. He has also become quite the little runner.

Meanwhile, Bonnie and I are making backwards progress in our developmental skills. Talking like toddlers or cooing like infants, laughing absurdly at little things, and playing Monopoly City or trying to watch shows after our bedtime.

Many of you know I do tree work to make extra money, but not many of you probably know the dynamis of working on crews that remove or trim trees. This sort of work is great outside work, labor in the elements, enjoyment of a job that changes from day to day, but I realized all this can be soured by either of two things. a) working with a lousy crew, and b) getting a government contract. Regarding a), the crew that Trent and I have worked with has been hit and miss over the past months. Working with Trent is great when we get a chance, but mostly we work with other guys. Regarding b), the company we work with got a state contract in January, and it is fairly demoralizing for the day or two a week we work that job, where the objective seems to be to work as slowly and as inefficiently as possible. Well, last week I had a breath of fresh air as I worked with two new guys on a residential job. The two new guys, Mexicans, made up a good crew to work with, and it is so nice to work "hard and fast" again.

It smells like a wonderful dinner at our place, so it must be time to close this up and feast. thank you for reading!