The Time Sink

I think we're going to declare it to be Spring here. I mean, we may as well since Summer will likely hit within the next few weeks. ...but for now? Well, it's stopped raining every other day and it's warmed up enough to where we were able to grill steaks and eat outside on the patio last night. That's the first time this season we've even been able to consider it.

...and for the kids, the State testing is over so it's back to the usual homework routine. ...but we'll be on the downhill side of the semester so hopefully things will go smoothly. I believe we only have six weeks to go.

...and on the basketball front, they lost the Sunday morning game, but they "played up" yet again. We have this weekend off, but practices are still on. ...and I'm encouraged by the way they're starting to go after some of these teams; I have a feeling mid-May will be a turning point as their ball handling skills mature. ...and if a few more shots drop!

...and a homework night. Nope, not with Brad, but with Daniel: we finished up his shoe box project and the paper that went with it and then moved on to graphs for his algebra class. I've been cutting him a lot of slack on the homework the last couple of months; he's turned into a 'self-starter' and has been keeping his grades up pretty much on his own...

...and up enough to pull off a "Principal's Medallion" award for grades again this year. Yeah! ...and tonight's finished product was 99% him with just guidance and suggestions (and some proof reading) from Shelley and me. ...and the algebra was just a 'show me two' and he handled the rest. I'm thinking this is a good thing with high school coming up next year.

Well, I jinxed the entire Central Valley with my "Spring" comment on Monday! We're looking for rain today and tomorrow (thunderstorms even!) and maybe through the week but for sure much of next week! This is late in the season for us for sure. ...but hey, if it's cold stuff and dumps more snow on the mountains, then no one is going to argue much at all.

On the other hand, the cotton farmers would really like to get crop in and the early varieties are already pretty much blocked off. The late stuff should be okay though. ...but we're getting just a tad soggy <g>!

Well, the rain held off and I got another evening blade in. Yeah! Now for a break sometime over the weekend to be able to keep the routine up...

...but somehow our one weekend off from the basketball tournaments filled up last Sunday evening with Mother's Day commitments here and there and everywhere. It looks to be a busy weekend anyway...

Well, I ended up at home yesterday caring for the family; my awakening was Daniel saying, "Dad, Mom says you need to take me to school; she's calling the vet and going to have Tun put to sleep today." Whoo... That was a load to process in a short amount of time, especially as he needed to be to school in about fifteen minutes...

...but yes, RunTunTun has been ill for a while; he's been on blood pressure meds and a restricted diet for some time, but lately he's been going downhill. ...and since the weekend his decline had accelerated. ...and our decision since the last cat we had to put down was when the quality of life became an issue for the cat we wouldn't wait. Thursday became that day.

Shelley and I have been down this path before, most especially with her cat from her college years. ...but the boys haven't. ...and was a long day and and even longer evening and night for everyone.

My thanks to all of you who wrote to me about RunTunTun; your thoughts and words were very much appreciated. I do believe I managed to reply to everyone; if I didn't, please resend your email because it means I didn't get it.

...and as to the family, we're holding together well enough. We have enough distractions this weekend to keep us busy, but the night time routine is sorely disrupted by not having Tun around at bedtime

Well, yesterday was 'over the river and through the woods' to have lunch with Shelley's Dad and Grandma Jean. ...and then back 'through the woods and over the river' to have dinner with the boys' Godmother for her mother's ninetieth birthday!

...and today? Church in the morning (finally; we've been missing due to basketball) and then my Mom's for dinner. ...and oh, yeah: fit Shelley's Mother's Day in there somewhere!!!

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"Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic."
Arthur C. Clarke, "Technology and the Future"

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