GARAGE SALE SEASON

It's that time of Spring Again. Garage and Estate Sales are everywhere. But early June is the hardest time of all for me; that's when the upscale neighborhoods hold their combined weekend sales and the pickin's are easy and close together. We'll sample a couple this afternoon and maybe a couple more Saturday morning. And today the annual church sale begins; that one raises funds to pay for several houses the team builds in Mexico each year. Gotta go check that one out this afternoon. Wanna come along?

[Later. Here is the loot tally: 4 small DeGrazia refrigerator magnets for the collection, an expandable gate for the top of the stairs when Eli and Lucas come to see us, 4 books (a commentary on four N.T. epistles, an Egermier's Bible Story book {think Eli again}, a Japanese fairytale storybook, and "Forgiven" - reflections on Thomas Blackshear II's painting by the same title), a pair of clip-on sunglasses for me, a classical painter's palette for plein air, a partial oil painter's kit for the unused materials in it, a couple of animal puzzles for, mmmm, yup!, Eli again! Sox and jeans for Lucas, and a few little useful odds and ends. Total costs: $11.00 and small change. Cheaper than a movie without popcorn! Not a major haul, but almost four hours of fun and visiting with neighborhood folk and seeing a few friends at the church-lot sale. And... AND... AND... it didn't rain!!!]

A GRANDDAUGHTER'S HIGHLIGHT

We just spent a couple of days with David and his girls while their Momma was on a "Teacher of the Year" trip to Texas. This time Tabitha went along with us. On Wednesday, Tabitha, a home-schooled student, attended her first full day in a classroom environment. With the permission of officials at the Private Church School, especially Mrs. Duncan, the second grade teacher, Tabitha experienced what a room-full of other students can be like.

It turns out that school was the highlight of the whole trip. We asked what her favorite part was. Well, recess, of course, since she got to run ten laps of the rainy-day indoor activity. But get this. She liked Math too! Seems like she held her own in class and when the homework sheets she worked later that afternoon were checked by Grandpa, Tabitha got 100%, front and back, on all the multiplication probems presented.
Back home in Vancouver, her Momma said, "That's my girl.", but Momma wasn't any more proud than Granda and Grandpa.
Learning is all about new experiences, and it does take a team - sometimes. So special thanks to Payton for hosting her cousin, to her school for its hospitality, and to the gracious and adaptable Mrs. Duncan, teacher of twenty-two, plus One.