Union party

Last night was the union party for the firefighters, and Chuck hosted it at his place. I intended to arrive early and help him prepare, but I couldn't drop Sean off until late afternoon. Traffic was awful. I got there and Chuck had everything ready except the cranberry sauce. So I made that. Whoo hoo, lot of help.

He is an absolute wonder. I couldn't believe how much food he had prepared all by himself. There was some kind of beef, though I'm not a meat person so I don't know what it was, maybe a roast? He had some delicious mashed potatoes, a salad, a relish tray and a veggie tray and cooked broccoli. He even baked some cookies! He used to work in restaurants and even ran the line, he said. (Have I said he's a fireman, and he can cook, and I really like him?) I took my camera, but was in such a rush I forgot I had the battery in the charger on the wall. No pics.

There was no drinking until the shift guys left, and then people really just drank light and no one got crazy. I realized how much I miss being around fun people who banter and joke around. My life has been so serious in the past six years or so.

It was about 9 and four couples, including us, and one guy went up to the loft to play an 80s game. I was horrible at it, even though I'm a child of the 80s. Most of the questions were about music, and I really wasn't that into the music. The music I like wasn't the music in the questions. Ask me about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers or Dire Straits and I could probably answer, but I guess they aren't technically 80s bands.
It was a lot of fun, though. We weren't dead last, but close. Others seemed to know a LOT about the 80s. I enjoyed meeting the other couples and a few of the guys were really funny and made it enjoyable.

That game went on forever. I think it was midnight when we were finished, and I helped clean up until 12:30 a.m. or later, maybe it was 1 a.m., I can't remember.

His house is for sale, and wouldn't you know someone was coming today to look at it. Of course, the day after a big party. We worked fast and hard to get everything cleaned up.

I asked him, "What are we going to do after Christmas, when there's no party and nowhere to go?" Snuggle and talk, he said. Ahh, and that sounds great to me.

Cookies and fellowship

Last Sunday I stopped over at the pastor's house for an annual Open House Christmas Cookie fellowship.
His wife Sandra makes an array of cookies from scratch, complete with name plates for each decorative and delicious flavor.
Shane and Jacob-Joshua were at church that morning, and immediately after church we had an education meeting. After the meeting Shane followed me to Pastor Jim's and we enjoyed the decorations and friends there.

All of the cookies are from scratch, and they are decorated perfectly. Sandra said her mom was a cake decorator, so she watched as a child while her mother prepared cakes.

Yesterday was our Las Posadas celebration at church. It is the first time our church has put this on, and our fellowship hall was transformed into a Fiesta complete with banners and pinatas. The children followed Mary and Joseph as they knocked on a door four times and were turned away until the fourth time they were welcomed in. Each time they knocked someone gave examples of people who are hurting in our world and in some cases are turned away.
I didn't get pictures because I forgot my camera. The choir members and children all wore ponchos, except for Mary and Joseph. It was fun, but Sean didn't care for it. He was hot in the poncho and bored with the procession. My patience was wearing thin, so we didn't stay around for all of the rest of the celebration. We had a long day ahead with a social event that afternoon, so I figured I'd be setting myself and Sean up for a bad day if we hung around.

We came home and had a little while to regroup before heading to Chuck's. I took some leftover decorations for him to choose from for his union party coming up this week. Then we all piled into my car and were on our way to an afternoon Christmas open house at a friend's house. We were there for quite a while, but the food and company were so good it was hard to leave.
On the drive back to Chuck's Lilly and Sean were playing and laughing in the back seat, and I thought how long it had been since I heard that kind of chatter in my car from children.
Back to Chuck's, and a light dinner with Chuck and Lilly before he had to take Lilly back to her mom's.

Puget Sound Revels

We started a tradition last year when I took my aunt Bennie to see the Puget Sound Revels Show at Christmas time. After that show I was already planning to take her again this year. Each year the show changes, so I knew it would still be a new experience.
I bought tickets a week or so ago for today's matinee.
Time got away from me a bit so we were cutting it close on getting there on time, and then we had to park.
Parking is awful, but I knew I wanted to park in the same garage we parked in last year because it is so close to the theatre. We got the last spot in the garage, but I had forgotten what a pain it is to pay.

So you have to pay $5 to park. OK. Not a really big deal. Except I forgot about that part and didn't have $5 in my wallet. I dug around and found $2 and some change, and Bennie had some change. While she was digging for her change I was putting my money in the tiny little slot. I swear we spent an extra 10 mins. at this pay stall just trying to get enough for $5 and get it in the metal slot.

That's us. We parked in spot 31, and that long thin slot is the one for your CHANGE. The one next to it that you can barely see, that's the one for your DOLLARS. 

So we didn't have enough and Bennie read on the sign you could write a check.

So she wrote a check for $2. Then we had to fold that sucker small enough to fit into the slot. She tried to jam it in with her key, but it was stuck. So I pulled it back out with my key, unfolded it a bit and was able to cram it in.
Honestly, who comes up with these pay stalls?
Finally we were on our way. I get to the will call and get our extra ticket I ordered for Rhian and realize I left my other three at home. UGH! Luckily they had a record of my purchase, wrote me a note to get in that had seat numbers on it, and we got seated. I'm not sure how much we missed.

We weren't allowed to take pics during the performance, but Sean snapped some of the stage during intermission.
This year's show was really different from last year. It was Victorian England, and it was filled with lots of humor. We had a great time. I love two songs in particular that they sing each year, "Dona Nobis Pacem" and "Lord of the Dance."
"Dance, then, wherever you may be.
I am the Lord of the Dance," said he. "And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I'll lead you all in the dance," said he.
During that song the actors come out into the audience and encourage everyone to join hands and dance around the theatre. It is such fun.
I love this show because it was blatantly Christmas. There is no watered down "happy holidays," about it. The songs are all about Christ and the Christmas celebration.
The Puget Sound Revels have activities throughout the year, including a May Day celebration on May 1 and a Children's Play Date with Revels Theatre Project in October. I feel very lucky to have a Revels near us. There are only 10 cities in the country that have Revels. If you have one near you, go. It's a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.

                        

Finally, a picture

Just got home from the black tie dinner at the local country club put on by the Chamber of Commerce.
I had a great time. I haven't gotten that dressed up and spent that much time getting ready for an evening in YEARS.
It was fun to see everyone dressed up and having a good time. Chuck wore his chief's uniform and looked very handsome.
We had a good dinner. I ordered the sea bass and Chuck had the filet.
We sat with friends, and one couple we didn't know but will likely run into again.
My favorite part of the night -- being on the arm of this handsome man.

Welcome Parsla Estelle Debord

I got the call at about 1 a.m. that Jewel was in labor and thinking of going to the hospital. The phone rang again at about 6:30 a.m. and she was at the hospital and set up with an iv.
I waited and waited throughout the day to hear more news, and finally Bjorn called to say she was stuck at 6 cm and they were giving pitosin at around 2 p.m.

While we were at dinner last night Bjorn called to announce Parsla's arrival. Baby, mom and dad were all doing fine and exhausted.

I can't wait to get more pictures of her, and I can't wait to see her and hold her when I get there.

Happy Birthday Parsla Estelle Debord
7 pounds 4 ounces, 19 inches long

One dinner down, a few more to go

Last night Chuck and I cooked rice and stir-fried veggies for the annual civic center potluck holiday dinner. Once again I forgot my camera. Truly a shame because the room was decorated with a nice tree and the tables were pretty.

My days have been crazy lately. I've had meetings and interviews, and this social life that has kicked into high gear suddenly. I'm having a great time, though.

Last night I found out that the dinner we will attend tomorrow evening is a formal, black tie affair. Eeek! I haven't been anywhere in years. I remembered I had this nice red formal gown I bought a few years ago when Sean and I attended the Nutcracker Ballet in Seattle. I pulled it out as soon as we got home last night to try it on.

It's two pieces. The skirt is floor length and the top is strapless and zips up the back. The skirt fit fine, but somehow I gained weight in my torso. How in the world does that happen? So I'm walking around thinking, "Hmm. I can't really breathe very well in this thing. I don't know if I can handle wearing it."
Suddenly the zipper split from the bottom up and I was soooo glad I tried it on and didn't just wait until time to go to dinner.

Today I went to a consignment shop with the top in my purse to try to find an alternative.
Sharon's Consignment in Gig Harbor has really nice clothes and she was great! I told her what I was looking for and she went right to the rack and pulled a few options for me. She even found a skirt that was almost exactly the same as mine at home so I could see how the tops would look with the skirt.
I was in and out of there in about 30 mins. or maybe less and spent $43, and my choice still had the store tags on it. I was very happy with my purchase, and SUPER happy that I didn't have to go searching for a new formal outfit on short notice.
I'll be sure I take the camera to this shin dig.

Tree Lighting Festivities

We didn't make it in time for the actual tree lighting ceremony in our town on Sunday evening, and I hate that we missed it. Chuck was officiating the ceremony and I wanted to be there for him, but Sean was late getting home from his visit with his dad.

By the time we got there it was lit and Santa and Mrs. Claus were posing for photos. We decided to skip the long line and wait until the Fire Dept. sends Santa and the Mrs. through the neighborhood.
They have expanded the route this year, so we'll have a personal visit.

We hung out at the local computer shop where there was hot cider and cookies, and we talked with the nice owner and friends. She and her boyfriend hosted the wreath-making party we attended last week.

Then we mozied over to the Fire Station where we helped Chuck cook some stir fry veggies for the potluck dinner at the station house. It was really good food, very nice people and a few emergency calls while we were there. Sean loved hanging out in the station and exploring, and Chuck led the event with an ornament exchange.

I was still searching for my camera, so no pics.

Smitten

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to attend a social dinner by a handsome man I've known for a couple of years. We work in the same community and see each other often at events. I clicked with him the first time I met him, but ours has been strictly a working relationship.

As the editor of the local paper I've tried to be careful about any personal relationships in general. I am limited in my ability to get close to some of the major players here because chances are I might have to someday publish a story about them. I try to avoid bias, or any appearance of such.

It's difficult. In this tiny community you'd have to pretty much be a recluse to avoid becoming friendly with the people who make this place tick. And that is exactly what I've tried to do. It doesn't work very well, because as Executive editor I'm expected to be at certain community events and do a bit of what I call "back slappin' and grinnin'."

So when he asked me to dinner I thought he was inviting me as a guest. I thought he was trying to get me in the door so I could talk with a politician. Turns out it was an actual date. I didn't know it until about half way through the night when I heard him talking to someone and he used the term, "ex-wife." He had been introducing me as his date all evening, but I thought he was using that word as a joke.

After I was able to wrap my head around the fact that this man actually asked me out on a date, and I was happy and excited to see where this could lead, and after I decided I really wanted to get to know this man better, the panic started to set in. The implications for my job came to the front of my mind.

He's a division chief with our fire department, and I'm the Executive editor of the local paper. The fire department is one of the constant topics in our paper, and it isn't always pretty. I let him know at the end of the date that it is still my job to report news about the fire department to my readers. I'm searching for someone to take over the beat, but it's getting difficult to find anyone who doesn't have some kind of link to someone at the department. He understood, and has already been demonstrating respect for my position.

He is so perfect for me in so many ways. We have a long list of things in common. He has been so honest with me about his flaws, faults, past, needs, wants. I've been honest with him too. We're both at an age and place in our lives where the games are gone, the baggage is heavy, and we know what is important.

I asked some hard questions, so did he. Since that first date, we've been almost inseparable. I've attended Fireman events, we've been to community events, we've been to see a play in Seattle and we're constantly talking about places we want to go and things to do. Our kids have been on a couple of these dates with us, and our kids get along and we both like each others' kids. BIG PLUS.

He introduced me as his girlfriend last night at the Fire Department's dinner. I was really happy that he did, but wasn't sure how the crowd would take to it. I know to some I'm seen as the enemy. Next it will be my turn to announce to my staff. I hope to have someone else taking over the fire beat by the time I announce it. I have a feeling a lot of them already know. It is a small town.

I'm content and happy, and it just feels good. We've talked about what is important in a relationship. For me, at this point in my life, it is a foundation and it needs to be God-centered. He was going to surprise me and show up at my church last weekend, he said, but when he checked the start time it was too late. So he came yesterday to church, and it was really nice to have him sitting beside me.

I'm totally smitten.

Red Ranger Came Calling

We have enjoyed reading the book, "Red Ranger Came Calling," by Berkeley Breathed for a few years now. We pull it out around Thanksgiving and read it a couple of times before Christmas. It's a beautifully illustrated book about a boy who is shipped off by his parents to visit his Aunt Vy on Vashon Island (right here in our area) during Christmas time in 1939.

He is into a character called Red Ranger of Mars, protector of the 25th Century. The newest thing in 1939 was an Official Buck Tweed, two-speed, crime-stopper, star-hopper bicycle. Red, of course. And the little boy is called, "Red," and has red hair and a fiery temper to match. He meets up with an old man named Saunder Clos who the locals say is the real deal retired from the North Pole to Vashon. Red is prepared to unmask the phony. 

It's a heartwarming story, complete with a little piece of evidence that suggests the story is true. 

So I was REALLY excited when I found out a local theater company was doing a play based on the book.  I can't even remember how I found out about it, but I immediately looked for how to get tickets, etc. The dates worked out for us, so I was ready to purchase.

I decided to "friend" them on Facebook, and found on their profile page that redheads could get in for a discounted price of $10. And even if you didn't have natural red hair, you could dye your hair, get a wig, wear yarn hair, whatever, and get that discount.

Well, that was just icing on my cake. Anytime there is a chance to have a little silly fun I'm in. And believe me, a discount can send my heart racing.

I envisioned a troop of redheads in our party, and I was likely to be the only natural redhead in the bunch. I talked Sean into a wig in the beginning, but he changed his mind and wanted to dye part of his hair red. I was fine with that as long as it was temporary. My boyfriend wore a red wig, Sean dyed the top part of his hair with red hair gel, Lilly (my boyfriend's little girl) put a red streak in her hair, and my aunt and cousin went with their regular look. Not as many redheads as I thought, but still just fine.

Chuck with Sean and Lilly. Chuck wore the wig until after the play. Under the wig are Sean's spiky red locks. 

The promotion was only through the Facebook page, so there weren't many in the audience who had taken advantage of it.

The play was incredible. It was a musical, which I didn't expect. Honestly, I'm usually not that into musicals, but this one was really good. My joy came from watching Sean thoroughly enjoy every moment of it. Each actor did such a great job and really brought the book to life.

Sean knows the story so well, I'm sure he could anticipate what was coming next. To have it all right there bigger than life for him was so much fun!

We had just read it last week when Chuck was visiting, so he was familiar with the story, too. We all had a really good time. 

I loved that it was a Christmas story, but so different.

I feel so blessed to live here. There are some really rich and top-notch arts opportunities here.

Snowy Thanksgiving

We are supposed to have a cold, snowy, icy winter. So far we've already endured two windstorms and a snowstorm.

This was our neighborhood a couple days before Thanksgiving. Sean didn't go to school all week. Though school was on regular schedule Monday, I called in to say we wouldn't be coming. We already had about an inch of snow on our road and it was getting colder and snowing hard.
So we had a week off from school because Tuesday and Wednesday the roads were icy and school was cancelled, then Thursday and today were holiday break.

We had a nice Thanksgiving. The snow was starting to melt, but the roads were still icy. We drove grandma to Aunt Bennie's and had a good dinner and watched a couple of movies.
One of them was "Toy Story 3." We were laughing through the whole movie. Then we watched "The Last Airbender," and I wasn't so thrilled with it. Sean loves that show, so he thought it would be great. Even he wasn't as impressed as he thought he would be.

Today we went out to search for red wigs. A local theatre is putting on a play based on the book, "Red Ranger Came Calling," by Berkeley Breathed. It is one of my favorite books, and Sean loves it too. We have been reading it during the Christmas season for the past couple of years. So those who have red hair get in to the play for $10. Of course, I don't have to buy a wig :-) Knew someday it would pay to have red hair!
Sean wants to do a temporary dye job on his, and I was looking for wigs for Bennie and Rhian.
There could be more of us going, just have to confirm.

Anyway, we came up empty on the wigs. I started to buy yarn to make a Raggedy Ann type wig, but that shop had a line around the store because of Black Friday deals.
I can get yarn tomorrow, or next week. No big deal.
I love this time of year, so much going on!

So this month is almost over, and this Sunday we will make Advent Wreaths in my Godly Play class. I LOVE Advent Season. Love everything Christmas and everything about it. I don't really enjoy shopping so much anymore, but maybe it's because I don't have a partner in crime here. Before I moved from home Karen and I shopped together a lot.

I turned my radio station to the Christmas music station today. I listen to it in the car throughout the season. I love the decorations in the stores, love the Christmas commercials on TV and the television specials like Charlie Brown and all the shows for kids. We'll be pulling out "It's a Wonderful Life," and "Home Alone," and all the old Christmas movies on our shelves.

In December we have quite a few events. There's the Red Ranger show. I want to go to the Journey to Bethlehem again if possible, and we are also going to see the Puget Sound Revels again this year. Then we'll be on our way to Tennessee and I'll meet my first granddaughter, Parsla. Can't WAIT! Her ETA is Dec. 5.

It's a little strange to think of myself as a grandmother when I have a child who is 8, but I love the way my family has grown. I'd love for it to get even bigger. (Not that I want a baby, but I like adding new people to our tree.)

December will be a whirlwind for work. I'll probably start on the January edition Monday, and that's the day our December edition is delivered. Work is crazy. I need to try to hire some new people, work on some contracts, finalize a budget, and somehow do a little bit of shopping.

I also agreed to help out with a local non-profit. I was asked by the director of Interfaith Youth Camp to help write a grant. I'm getting a crash course in grant writing next week, then we'll see what happens. I'm supposed to try to write it and get it finished before the end of the year. Whoohooo. Lot on my plate. I like being busy, then when I'm finished I like to just crash and do something mindless, like watch "The Housewives of Atlanta."

Waiting for Superman

"Waiting for Superman" was playing at a local theater a few weeks ago, so I made a date with myself and went for a matinee. I learned a lot from it, and overall I loved the movie. I think we need to start the conversation of public school reform, and we need to be truly working toward a solution. This movie has started the conversation, now it's up to parents and educators to work together to come up with the solution.

In this country we seem to believe that people need to just take control of their own destiny, to choose another way if the way presented isn't good enough.

So the question for me is this: As a people, living in this country, are we entitled to an education? Is education a right for all people, or is it really just for some. Is it for those who live in a "good" neighborhood and make a lot of money, or are all children entitled to a good education no matter how much money their parents have?

Should education be a socialist idea? Shouldn't every child, in every neighborhood be getting the same education as the next if we want to have an educated society?
No matter what color we are, where we're from, or what economic class we fit into, parents want the same thing for their children: The best education possible.

Sitting there alone in the theater, I caught myself reacting with mouth agape, shaking my head in frustration, and sometimes fighting back tears.
The families in the film were living in areas where their schools are failing, and failing miserably. One mother had tried numerous times to have a conversation or conference with her child's teacher. The child was in first grade, and the teacher would not respond to her requests. Unbelievable.

When the mother who sent her daughter to a private school across the street from their apartment was crying because she was behind on payments and the school wouldn't let her daughter walk across the stage for her Kindergarten graduation, I was frustrated.
The little girl watched out her window as her classmates filed through the door of the school on graduation day.

I thought the movie left some questions unanswered.

For instance, I didn't realize that teachers get tenure after only two years, and they don't have to do much to get it. Why? I also didn't realize that bad teachers don't get fired, they get moved around to other schools. A travesty.

It definitely pointed out the flaws in the teachers union and why we need to reform the system, but it didn't present a solution.

I don't think getting rid of the teachers union is the answer. There are probably very good reasons why there is a teachers union. At some point in history teachers must have been treated unfairly. (And if I weren't lazy right now I'd start to research that and reveal it here, but I have dinner on the stove, a boy who needs a bath tonight, couple of freelance stories waiting to be written, some emails waiting to be answered, and some site council information to review tonight.) To do away with the union entirely would be a knee-jerk reaction and in my opinion not a good solution.

The movie showed that there are some amazing things happening in the charter system, though not all states have charter schools.

I'm in the midst of a similar movement where I live. Sean is attending a public Montessori school, but it isn't a charter school. I'm not sure what the buzz word is in our system, but the name I would give it is alternative education.

I encourage everyone to see "Waiting for Superman," and whether you love it or hate it, start talking about it.

A lesson in wool

This was our third year of attending the local Fiber Arts Festival. Each year we see something new and interesting.
As we made our way from the parking lot we happened upon this scene:

This goat's name is Nellie, and she is an angora. They were clipping her curly locks and the kind lady was nice enough to show us the next step in turning this soft wool into yarn.

This is called a carder. I had never seen this type, but it looks a bit easier than the ones I've seen before. There are tiny metal pins on the large and small wheels that separate the wool and make it a soft tuft. The tufts are then spun into yarn, like this:

This girl is a sophomore in high school and has a yarn business with her grandparents. She learned to spin as a young child. You can see other spinners in the background.
We had a great time, as always. Sean is so drawn to this artform. He insisted we needed more yarn, so I ended up spending a good amount on one skeen of hand spun, hand dyed yarn. It is really pretty, and he has been finger knitting regularly with it.
There were lots of things at this festival, including quilts and felted items, silk, wood buttons and so much more.
There were a lot of new vendors this year, and we can't wait to see what they have next year.

All We Need Is Love

"Children need love, especially when they do not deserve it." - Harold Hulbert


I found that quote on another blog today, and that person found it on a blog she had read, and so it goes on this wonderful engine of information. Maybe someone will read it here and post it again. I think it deserves to be shared around the world.

Anticipating Superman

David told me about this movie some months ago, and I've been eagerly waiting for "Waiting for Superman."You can see a trailer here: www.waitingforsuperman.com
It opened this week, and it will be playing in a city near me next weekend.
I think because I have lived through what I see as a messed up education system, I am passionate about this subject.
I attended public school. I know that each state, and each county, and even each school within each district, is different. I watched as my high school got all the cuts. No driver's education, no marching band, no, no, no was always the answer. While another high school in our same county and same district got all of those things. Why? Why did that high school get more money, everything shiny and new, and our school got nothing?
I can't wait to see this film. I've already been reading reviews and opinions on blogs and other Internet sites. I'm excited that we're at least talking about the problem with some intention. I'm also excited to see that some people are concerned enough to start doing something. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is putting a boat load of money into a study to find out what makes a teacher a good teacher.
I'm sure I'll have a lot more to say once I've seen the movie.

Great times

This week was a busy one for us. I had some interviews, meetings and a meet and greet. Thursday we had Sean's Open House and Book Fair at his new school, and before we went to that we stopped in at a gallery for an art show. That was for work, but it was a nice show.
Sean's favorite part of the evening was the book fair. This kid LOVES books. He could stay all day in a library and he was excited to get three new books. We also bought two for his classroom from the wish list :-)
Last night I attended a house concert. I thought maybe I had seen David Wilcox before, because he lives in Asheville. I used to hear a lot of live music. I didn't recognize his songs, but I certainly enjoyed them. He's a real poet and storyteller. Lots of fun.
I bought his newest CD and I was happy to see that my favorite song he played last night is on it, "Beyond Belief." It definitely speaks to me.
You can listen to it, and his explanation of what moves him to write his songs here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTmGZDLXqes

Becoming learned

My days are getting pretty busy again, so I thought I'd blog while I have a moment.
I'm excited to begin teaching Godly Play. This Sunday will be my first Sunday to teach. I chose to teach the younger ones, but I'm not really sure what the game plan is for this week. Last week it was mixed ages and only a couple of the kids were under 6. It's supposed to be a 3-6 class, but I guess if we don't have enough we'll make it 3-?

I've been reading the manual and hope to ready to roll on Sunday.
Sean seems to be liking his new school. I think it's going well. I talked with another mom in the parking lot this morning and we both shared some things we believe could be improved upon, but overall we think it's going well.

The school is located in an area that is different from what we're used to. For instance, a Med Flight helicopter landed in the field above the school last week to pick up a shooting victim. The shooting victim was not shot on school grounds, but only a few blocks away or so. (I thought it was some gang thing, or some type of domestic incident, but it turns out he was shot by police.) The field at the school was the closest one for the helicopter to make a landing. I was standing outside waiting for the bell to ring when the principal came out to inform the parents who were waiting what was about to happen.

The Medic One, a fire truck or two and some police vehicles were on the other side of the school. We watched the helicopter land. It took off without the victim, so I knew it was probably bad news.
I'm not saying that something like that can't happen where we live, because it certainly can. But the street that occurred on is known for some questionable activity. It's a city. Things happen.

And in contrast, crickets are chirping as I sit here writing. I enjoy listening. I love living where there is plenty of grass, quiet nights, and where we can see a billion stars when the skies are clear.  During the Perseid meteor shower I drove out in the darkest dark of our area to see if we could watch it. It's pretty dark here, but there is a small shopping center not far from our house. Where I drove there were no street lights, and it was late, so there was no traffic. That was a good thing, because I was sort of driving in circles trying to find a particular viewing spot that I knew would be great. I couldn't find it.

It was so dark out there I couldn't tell where I was, so I found a familiar road and we stopped in a gravel area and got out. We missed most of it, but Sean saw a few of them streak across the sky.

As we drove home today a black lab was riding in the back seat of the car in front of us. I watched as he sat looking out the window. He wasn't hanging his head out, but sat there like a person just looking out to the left once in a while, then straight ahead. I wondered what he was thinking.

Back to it

A lot has happened in the past few weeks.

Sean went to some summer camps at his old school, and as I talked with some people there I heard about a public Montessori school opening this fall. The school has been in existence for a long time, probably at least 50 years, but just transitioned to Montessori this year.

I was already planning for homeschool this year, but decided to look into the public school as a possibility for us. We visited, talked to some staff, I looked online, did some more research, and went back a couple more times and decided to go for it. It is out of our district, so I had to get a release form signed and there was a bit of paperwork to fill out, but it was really painless to enroll there. I made this decision for a couple of reasons. 1) I think he needs the opportunity to collaborate with other Montessori students on works, and 2) this school is free!

This all happened in the first couple of weeks in August.

August was a busy month for my work as we adjusted to some transitions. This month is proving to be pretty busy already.

About mid-August our beautiful brown Newfoundland dog was not feeling well. She was old, and I think she must have been between 10 and 11 years old. She was an older dog when we got her at 5 years old. I think we got her in 2005, but it could have been 2004. 

I was in the middle of deadlines the second and third week of August, and she was starting to have more troubles so I was up every couple of hours during the night with her. 

She passed away Aug. 27. 

Sadie Girl 2010

Sean turned 8 on Aug. 25th, and he started school Sept. 2, so he has had a busy few weeks. He's so funny. He doesn't really like a lot of fanfare for his birthday. (He HATES when people sing Happy Birthday.)

We have always had a party, usually at the park, with a few friends from his old school. This year he only wanted a party here at our house and only one guest, his friend who lives across the street.

I decorated with streamers the night before so he could wake up to a celebration day. I was hoping to have the day off, but I was working all day off and on and just tried to keep it low key. I would clean in the kitchen and answer a few emails, and was on the phone as little as possible. 

It wasn't much of a party. It was impromptu, and I hadn't even baked the cake when his friend came over. He came back the next day and had cake.

He doesn't like having his picture taken, but I did get one of the table and decorations. I forgot to take a picture of the gifts before he opened them. He got art supplies (two packs of paint brushes and a small easel) a book, a Star Wars pack with an attachment for his Republic Gunship, and three locks. He had been wanting some combination locks for a long time and I kept saying no. He always found them at the most expensive places, like a convenience store or something. I stumbled on them as I was browsing at Big Lots and remembered. They were his favorite thing, I think. He slept with one of them that night.

He helped decorate the cake, so it's pretty creative.Those are peanut m&m's on top. 

Here's the first picture of him as an 8 year old. We were at a festival in our community and I bought him an all-day pass for the inflatables. He loved it. You can tell from the socks that he had been playing for a while :-)

Exploring a new beach

When Dave and Jewel were small we would spend sometimes six weeks visiting here. We used to picnic at a beach near where my mom was living at the time. We would drive her to work, come back and spend the day at the beach, then go back to pick her up from work.

Sean and I have been going to the one closest to our house, but yesterday we ventured out to the beach I used to take his brother and sister to, on the other end of the peninsula. We started out at the one closest to us, and it was our first beach visit this summer. Our weather has been anything but summer weather, so yesterday was perfect for it. Sunny and 70s. The tide was out pretty far.

He found crabs, and though he's been digging in sand and picking up crabs since he was a baby, for some reason it took on a new meaning for him yesterday. He wanted to bring some crabs home as pets.
I decided it could be a great way to learn more about them, and we scooped some sand, rocks and seaweed, etc. into a container. When we got it all home and set up, we knew we didn't have enough water. Instead of fighting traffic to get back to that same beach, we went to the other one for more water.
We put all of it in an old fish tank that we've had sitting empty for a few years.

I'm not sure how long this pet crab thing will last. It made sense to me that the tide changes are important to the sea life, and they probably need fresh water at least once a day. So today we went back to the same beach and collected some fresh salt water for them.
Of course while we were there, we had to enjoy the 80-degree weather and do a little exploring.
Sean took his Spider Man board and tried to do what he could in the shallow water. The tide was way out while we were there.

We had to walk quite a ways to get to the water, and it was rough terrain. Luckily I remembered to bring our water shoes. There's no barefootin' it on these beaches. Barnacles are like razor blades.

Speaking of, some of the rocks we have in the crab tank have barnacles on them and it is fascinating to watch them. 

I thought this tree was really cool. Sean climbed on the roots a bit and explored the shoreline.
This beach is a lot easier to access than the one we usually visit.  I think we'll try a third one next time, if the weather holds for us.
We love living here. I think he would hate living in the city. He was born to climb trees and dig in the dirt. Today he was turning over rocks on the beach and reaching his hand in murky waters to catch crabs.

A step back to go forward

Though he certainly hasn't changed his mind about getting his picture taken, Sean has changed so much recently.
For a few weeks he has been doing some of the things he did as a 5 or 6 yo. He has always loved to cuddle and have "us time." We sit on the couch and watch a favorite movie or read a book and snuggle. He also started playing with some of his old toys, and wanted to read some of the old books. And right now he is sitting in the living room wearing his old Spider Man suit. It is really tight on him now, and the legs look like the Incredible Hulk's pants. I had to mend it because it had rips in the seams from so much wear. At one point it was difficult to get him to change into regular clothes. He actually wore it to the grocery store and some other places when he first got it. (He got some great comments from other kids and dads.)
It is always interesting to me to see the different stages that kids go through. I think this behavior is probably a sign that he's going to leap forward, and his little mind and body are visiting the past.
Of course he will always have the opportunity to read those books, play with those old toys and especially snuggle with mom. (I think we'll have to buy a bigger Spider Man suit if he still wants one.)
Suddenly, out of nowhere, he has been getting up in the morning, coming out of his room with clothes on, and bed made, and doesn't even come out to the living room until he has brushed his teeth. It's something new. I used to have to remind him to do those things.
He's better about picking up his toys and I've made him the recycle and trash guy. He has to take the cans out to the street, and he empties the inside recycle container into the outside can. He likes the responsibility-- but not all the time, of course.
I bought him a cheap pay-as-you-go cell phone before he went to Calif. and I put a bunch of mins. on it so he could call me. He didn't use it much while he was there, so there are still a lot of mins. left. A few days ago he got into trouble because he went to a friend's house without telling me, and when I called out for him he didn't answer or arrive. So I went looking, my mind filled with awful thoughts of what "could" happen. I'm following the Kyron Horman case closely, and it gives me chills. (Looks like it could be a close family member, but still.)
I finally found him and told him he was grounded for a couple of days. Yesterday he asked to go to that friend's house again, and suggested he could take his cell phone. I told him he had to call me at 7:50 p.m. In the summer, his bath time is usually 7:30 or 8, so I wanted him home by 8 p.m.
He called at 7:45 and asked if he needed to come home yet. I told him he had 5 mins. and he called again at 7:50 to say he was on his way home.
He's growing up so fast. I can't believe he's going to be 8 years  old soon.

Monitors: Not just for babies

I'm coming up with a list of things that I have found helpful. 

First on my list is the Baby Monitor.

My aunt Gwen recently called to ask if she could have hers back. She found it at our favorite thrift store about four years ago when my grandmother had hip surgery. I think she paid $2 for it. 

My aunts and my mother took turns staying with grandma day and night. The monitor was great. They could take it anywhere in the house and do what needed doing, and still attend to grandma's needs.

Once my grandmother was back to her old self, that monitor was put away. But we brought it back out when my mother was on Hospice care here and I was her caretaker. For a while I was sleeping on the couch just to be sure I could hear her if she called for me. Her room was just on the other side of the living room wall. But my aunt offered the monitor, and I was able to sleep in my bedroom again. 

Now I'm giving it back to Gwennie.  Her youngest grandchild and daughter-in-law have come to live with her while her son is serving in the Navy. 

If you know of someone who is caring for an adult, a baby monitor could be a great gift. They really aren't just for babies.

Stitches and gray hairs

Well, I knew it would happen sooner or later.
Last week Sean was playing outside with his friend and fell on the road. He came limping home, hysterical and spit out a piece of tooth. I saw a little bit of blood, but not much. I was surprised he was so upset.
I brought him inside and had him on the couch, got a cold cloth and wiped his face and then I saw it.
A deep gash just under his chin. It's that part you can't really see unless someone has their head tilted all the way back.
We made a trip to the ER. It was late, I had had a rough day, and was preparing for an even rougher one the next day. We got home around 11 something after several hours of him crying, worrying, being terrified, screaming, and quite a bit of resistance. It would have been fine if the numbing medicine had worked. When the guy came in to wash the wound it stung really bad, and that set the tone for the evening.
They numbed it more, but then he didn't trust them at all. So when they came back to wash it again he was a basket case.
Same with the stitches.
Now fast forward to Tuesday, the day he had to get them removed.
Bad scene. Our appointment was at 11:30 a.m. We were finally leaving the Dr. office at 1:30. He was afraid it was going to hurt, and had already decided he couldn't trust nurses and Dr.s anymore.
I'm pretty sure I've got a few more gray hairs than I had last Wednesday.

Change is in the air

I feel a change comin' on. I don't know about other people, but for me change seems to come in a big chunk. I can usually feel it coming, and there is always anticipation and a little bit of uncertainty with it.
I've had to make some changes with the newspaper. I'm restructuring, and there is a lot of excitement, stress, sadness, and possibility. For some I know it will be scary and I might even lose some people in the process. I truly do believe I'm doing what's best in order for us to grow and put out a better publication.
There is also a change coming here at home. I homeschooled Sean last year with Montessori philosophy and materials. I use that term philosophy loosely because I am not a trained Montessori teacher. I have a Montessori outlook on learning. I think he did fine here, but given the chance I would rather have him in his old Montessori school. Part of the lower elementary education is collaborating with other children, learning from the olders, and mentoring the youngers.
There is just no way to get that at home. So while I definitely prefer having him home as opposed to a classic public classroom, I really prefer that he continue with his Montessori education in a Montessori classroom.
During his summer camps I have been talking with various people and found out that a public school near us is converting to Montessori. The school has gotten a bunch of grants, etc. and they are phasing in Montessori for pre-K, K, 1 and 2 grades. Of course in Montessori, the pre-K and K are the Children's House, and the 1 and 2 grades will be combined.
Their plan is to build a brand new school, starting on it next year, and convert the entire school to a K-8 public Montessori school. There is already one school in that district that has been a huge success. The lady who turned that school around is now coming in as principal at this one.
I'm beside myself with excitement.
We visited today. I wanted to first know if he would even be accepted, since we live in a different district. It was easy peasy. I had to get a release form from our district to transfer him to that one, and that was surprisingly painless. (I've never had good luck with any "school" bureaucracy, whether it was elementary or college.)
I didn't really talk to Sean about it very much because I wasn't sure if we could get in. I didn't want to stress him out for nothing, nor get him excited for nothing.
He prefers to stay home, but honestly I have seen a big difference in him since he started camps, and it is a positive difference. I just hope it will be the same at this school. XX(That's me crossing my fingers.)
I felt like this move was meant to be. As soon as someone explained what they are doing there, I thought it was the answer for us. I can't afford private Montessori. He's going into second grade, and just makes the cut for their Montessori plans. AND, a teacher from his former school will be teaching a first-second class. If this works out, he will have had Montessori education from the age of 4.
So we met the most friendly office lady, Michelle, and she was very helpful and welcoming. She said we could have a look around in the rooms, though they don't have everything in them yet. They expect a shipment tomorrow of the equipment and furniture.
Sean had his face in a sour pout, so we stopped first at the library. Strategic plan on my part. He loves books, and the library was his favorite room at his old school. I knew this one would be larger, and he fell in love at first sight.  He could have stayed all day looking at the books.
This move is a huge leap of faith for us. This school has been a very poor performing school. The enrollment has dropped dramatically over the years. It's a very old building. It's public school.
For him, it will be a big change. He doesn't always do so well with change, so I hope that he will settle in nicely there. I'm going to be very watchful. If it just isn't working out, we'll change back to homeschool.

Retreat is a treat

Yesterday was the Key Peninsula News retreat. I used it as a day to talk about where we've been, where we are and where we're going. I scheduled one guest speaker ( a retired attorney) who talked to us about defamation. None of the people on staff have had journalism classes, so this subject is somewhat new for them. I think they know about libel and slander in general, but George Robison gave us some great information and sited specific cases in his presentation. (He made it clear he wasn't giving legal advice, only teaching us about the subject.)
Lori, our ad rep, graciously offered her farm as the location for the retreat. It was a beautiful day, and a lovely setting. It was a treat just to hang out there for the afternoon.
Her farm is beautiful. We had a delicious light breakfast as people arrived, and I decided this year to have the event catered. Last year we had it at the home of one of the volunteers and it was sort of potluck with sandwich trays, etc. I chose not to buy gifts for staff this year, and instead put the money into the food and have a "staff appreciation lunch."  I have to say that my assistant editor was instrumental in securing the caterer and did a wonderful job of working with Lori to make sure everything came together.

This is where you walk up to the small pavilion. That's a little rock wall with a small rock stairway between the flowers.

Here's where we had our speakers of the day, and light breakfast and lunch.

I didn't get a photo of it, but Lori made scones from scratch with homemade marmalade and berry preserves, and the coffee was from Ravensara, a local coffee shop.

The small pavilion is positioned in the middle of the vineyard. 

Chef Dorne Webster prepared Salade Nicoise featuring grilled salmon. DELISH!!We also had lemonade, tea, water and a sampling of Lori's wine. 

I think it was a great day. We had good information throughout the day, from libel, to what we're doing with social media, and plans for our new web site.

Here's the view of the water and Mt. Rainier from the grounds. We didn't have this view from the pavilion, but we took a little walk around the farm at the end of the day. 

New attitude

I'm procrastinating. I have about an hour before I have to make a trip to Tacoma, and I should be working on my presentations for the staff retreat tomorrow.
I work best under pressure, though I sometimes push it a little too far and almost kill myself to make a deadline.
When I'm working on deadline, I'm in a zone. I think the house could crash down around me and I'd barely notice. When I step back and look at what is happening from an outside point of view, I imagine people would think I'm insane. Maybe I am.
There's a quote from the movie Barfly, "Anyone who could ever write worth a damn could never write in peace."
I should have a house full of Pulitzers.
Here's what my day looks like:
I run Sean where he has to be, come home and work a couple of hours, then rush back out to pick him up. We get home, and Sean and his friends play nerf guns, complete with sound effects and whoops and screams, trampling through the house to take cover, or hide. Nerf bullets whiz through the air, sometimes past my head. They call out to me for more juice, a snack that is out of reach, or help fixing a jammed nerf gun. They argue, they yell, sometimes one of them gets hurt and I have to intervene. This all takes place around me as I write and edit.
So this is my life. And I love it. Some days not as much as others, but all told, I like having children around me. In fact, I prefer this over an office filled with adults who ACT like children--and not in a good way.

Now, I have never been a great housekeeper. I just admit it. I like having a clean home, I just am not very good at keeping it that way. And during deadline? you can forget about it. Once deadline is over, I'm a cleaning fool. All those things that didn't get done, like sweeping, mopping, taking out the recycle (I can't deal with trash, so we do get that outta here) laundry, vacuuming, all of that gets done the day after I'm off deadline.

Not so long ago, I would have never let anyone into my home in the condition it is in today. It is in a shambles. Sean's shoes are scattered in the middle of the floor, together mind you, but still in the middle of the floor. There's stuff on the dining room table, there's a bike in the entry and you can barely get the door open, we have a large cooler sitting in the area between my bedroom and the kitchen, and there is junk, wrappers, and small toys on the coffee table. Oh, and those nerf guns are everywhere in the living room--chair, sofa, table, floor, everywhere. He has an arsenal. (Don't like guns? Don't come here. I have done my best to be a peace teacher, it ain't happenin' here. This boy has guns in his blood. I keep trying though. I'll post about this gun thing soon.)

So, as I said, not so long ago I would never have let anyone in when the house is in this kind of shape.
Today a neighbor called to say she was bringing a catalog over.
Maybe it's the fatigue from working non-stop for days on end, maybe it's the insanity, a possibility I referred to already, or maybe I'm just ready to say &^%% it. You don't like it, I don't care. You have a problem with the way my house looks, then come on over and we'll have a cleaning party.
She came over, and I invited her in. Yep, I invited her INSIDE. She didn't really come in. She stood at the door, but she had full view of the whole mess. She seemed OK, but I wonder if inside she was horrified.:o)

Some people can do all of what I do and still maintain a beautiful home. I admit that I wish I could. I have just gotten to the point of acceptance. I accept that I can't, and I'm still OK. You know what? The world hasn't come to a screeching halt because I'm not a good housekeeper. Nobody has died because we have stuff on the table, and I don't think I'm a bad person because I have dishes in the sink.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Maybe. I tend to think I'm pretty close to God, and I see a lot of people who are pretty uptight about being clean and they don't seem to have that Godly glow.

Oh, and I didn't even talk about the back yard. I hope rain is not in the forecast. The yard. Now that's a subject I could go on about too. Another time.

A taste of summer

It was really hot last week. We had a couple of days in the high 80s, and that is pretty miserable for people who are native to this Pacific Northwest climate. For me it wasn't quite so bad. I really enjoyed the warmth.
Sean and his neighbor friend Kyle played with the water hose a lot, and even formed quite the mud puddle. I let them just have fun, but required that the puddle be filled back with dirt so we wouldn't have a pond in the yard. Honestly, I was happy he was able to play in the mud.

We spent the day with our friends Shane and Jacob-Joshua on Saturday. It was warm, though not quite

 as warm as it was on Thursday and Friday.  

We saw this deer as we entered their neighborhood. Shane says the new homes are on land that was wooded, so he deer is probably a bit confused. 

I kept wondering if he would go into the newly constructed home. He didn't, and instead he crossed the road and headed for the shrubs in the neighbor's yard.

The boys had fun playing in the pool while Shane and I looked through catalogs and chatted.

summer, finally

I'm wearing a tank top, and it feels so nice. We finally have some 80-degree days here.
We've shifted into summer attitudes and are a little more relaxed about everything. We're doing some fun things like trips to museums, etc.
A couple of tall ships docked in Port Orchard first, and then Gig Harbor back in June. We made the trip to see them in Port Orchard, but it was late in the evening and they weren't open for tours. We didn't get to do the tour in Gig Harbor either. We were at the Tall Ships Tacoma event in 2008, but I don't know if Sean remembers much about it. These two here offered sailing with cannons firing for about $65 or $70 I think. Fun, but not in my budget.

At the dock in Port Orchard.

Sean has been wanting a pair of roller blades. We stopped in for an impromptu quick look around at our favorite thrift store last month and found a pair of roller blades for $3. They looked like they had never been used, and Sean and I were pretty excited about the find. They adjust to four sizes. 

He started out on the carpet in the living room, then moved to the kitchen floor as he got more confident. Within about a day he was just rolling all over the place.

Taking a spin on grandma's carport. Believe it or not, this was taken in mid-June. 

Yes, we were still wearing coats. 

Sean took a two-week vacation to Calif. to visit with his dad's family. I stayed here and worked a lot, and made some new friends through a local women's meetup group. 

Today is hot for us, in the 80s. The poor dog is miserable, so I went out and clipped a lot of her fur today. I didn't get a photo of that. I don't think you'd even want to see how much I cut ;o)

Ahh! What is that, I'm blind!

Talking about the weather is so boring. I hate to do it, but we have had a lot of gray days, so when we get a sunny day it is a really BIG deal to us. It always seems so bright when we've had so many days of gray and the sun finally appears.
Saturday was beautiful. First day in many that the sun was shining.
We went to the zoo with some friends and played for a while. I was pretty disappointed when Sean had had enough and wanted to go home. We spent a little time at his friend's house, and the boys wanted to play inside and watch cartoons.
Go figure.
I was able to capture a few shots at the zoo, and Sean took a lot of photos of animals.

I'm cheating a little on this one. I took one of this stained glass window in the aquarium during our last visit to the zoo. 

We love to visit the touch tank. There are always star fish, sea urchins, anemones and sometimes hermit crabs. We like to see what each one feels like, but boy is that water cold. It's pumped in from Puget Sound, and the temps are about 50 degrees on a warm day. 

We've never done this dress up activity before, so that was something new and fun. Sean was an octopus and his friend Jacob-Joshua became a sea urchin. They had lots of really cute sea creature costumes.

It was a busy day, and we were invited to dinner with other friends. I didn't get any photos there, and wish I had. My friend Kevin spent the evening playing outside with the boys while his wife and I talked. We had a great time.

This week will be busy too. Meetings, social engagements and stories to write.

A favorite boy

Today my oldest celebrates his 25th birthday.
Time is funny. Sometimes it seems to go by very slowly, and in the case of children growing up it goes so quickly.
When he started Kindergarten, I couldn't believe David was already going to school. When he entered 6th grade, I was sad to see the elementary years gone so quickly. As he made his way to the high school campus, it was difficult to imagine that I had a kid in high school.
Sitting beside him as he practiced for his driving test was surreal.  He was a great student, and always had high scores on his tests, scoring in the 95th percentile or above usually.
Before I could turn around he was old enough to vote.
Now he is shopping for his first home, and he is clearly a grownup.
I always told him, "You're my favorite boy Dave." Which was kind of a joke, because back then he was my only boy. Then he became my favorite young man. He has always been a great kid, and I'm so proud of him. Not just because he's smart, but because he's such a great person.
I've been searching for some earlier pictures, but this is the earliest one I've found so far. He's about 10 months in this one, sitting with my brother.

Happy Birthday Dave! It's your day, and I am so blessed to have you as my oldest son.

Anticipation, excitement and nostalgia

In about seven months my daughter's life will change, and I will add another name to my list of titles. Jewel is 12 weeks pregnant, and I am excited for everything that a baby will bring for her. She is happy, Bjorn is happy and I welcome this new role for myself with open arms. I wonder if I'll be Grandma, Granny, or what name this new little person will give me. My mother was grandma to all three of my kids until Sean pronounced her Nanna when he was 2.
I wish I could live closer to Jewel. That will be a difficult part of this new chapter of life, I'm sure. There's nothing like the day-to-day living that bonds a family, but I am thankful for telephone conversations, and all of the things like Skype and Facebook that keep us connected.
David will be celebrating a birthday on Sunday, and he is looking for a home to purchase. I'm excited for him too.
I know it is such a cliche, but it is amazing how fast time flies. I have enjoyed all of my children at each stage, but I am keenly aware of how quickly childhood passes as I watch Sean experiencing things.
He's at a stage now for making rules to games. I remember studying this stage in child psychology. They enjoy games, and want to make up their own games with their own rules.
I've been blessed to have such kind and wonderful children. They are all lovely and caring and so intelligent. I don't think I could have a better set if I had been able to place an order. Each one is unique, and  the only thing I want for all three is that they live to the potential that God has planned for them.

Reptile Zoo

For Mother's Day we took a little road trip to Monroe, Wash. to the Reptile Zoo. It was our second visit, but I think there have been improvements since we were there last year.
We saw so many snakes it was overwhelming. Sean loved it, of course. He loves to study about them and when we took our library load back today we came home with his favorite snake book- again.
I'll let the pictures tell the story.
WARNING:
If you are not the parent of a little boy, or are not yourself interested in reptiles, some of the images may be disturbing.

Pretty cool stuff so far, huh?

Now we'll make our way to the cousin of the monitor.

This guy was enjoying the heat and sun at the window. He was eyeing us the whole time we were near his pin.

This is the Alligator Snapping Turtle. They hail from my home of Tennessee, and I am happy to say I've only seen one--this one--contained. 

I think this is the Green Tree Python, but I don't have Sean here to set me straight. Could be the Emerald Tree Boa.

Best buddies. These pythons were snuggled together in a large pin. The yellowish one is an albino.

Sean was really happy with this rosey boa.

The albino corn snake was friendly. But it was also determined to go where it wanted to go. In the picture above, the snake had slithered into Sean's sleeve and when he tried to pull it out it worked its way out the back of his shirt, but had it's tail gripping the sleeve.  It's tangled in the shirt in that photo, as you can probably tell, Sean was a little concerned.

We definitely recommend this place for all families interested in reptiles. There were tons of other photos that I didn't share on this post. Some of them were too messed up with light reflected in them because of the glass cases and all the heat lamps. There was a huge green anaconda, some rattle snakes, lots of different cobras, (one even struck at the glass a few times-yikes!) The reptiles look well cared for, and the people who work there seem to really love these guys. There is no guided tour, (not really big enough for that) but if you have questions there are people there to answer them. The man who owns the place does a program for schools, etc.

Reasonable entrance fee too, $6 for adults $5 for kids.

I have mixed feelings about zoos and places like this, because I don't like to see animals in captivity. It's a chance to educate people about the many different species. It amazes me how many different species share the earth with us.