We are finally clearing up from the smoke a little bit. We still have a lot of smoke in the mountains, but it is blue sky above! It is also hotter than it has been - now that the sun can shine through! In many ways, it hasn't felt like we have had a real summer - cloudy (smoky) skies, and not a lot of heat. School starts in two weeks, and I'm still waiting for summer to start!

AJ is finally ready for his canoe trip. I found out Tuesday night that he still had to complete three merit badges before he could go on the trip (why? good question - it was just one of the rules the leader made up for them. He had known about it for the last 7 months, but evidently didn't think he needed to hurry.) and he only had until Friday at noon to get them done. We were at the last merit badge counselor's house at 9:15 Thursday night, but he got them done! Now, I just have to finish paying for the trip, and send him off. They are leaving Saturday morning at 2:00 a.m. from Redding and driving to Sacramento to catch a flight to Minnesota, and will come back the following Saturday - just before school starts.

AJ is still limping from his heel injury, and will also be missing the first week of soccer practise for the school team. I somehow don't think it was meant to be for him to make the team this year! He couldn't play at the soccer camp because of his heel, and now will miss the first week of try-outs. I don't know if his heel would be ready by then or not. As long as he stays off of it, he is doing good, but he went in to town shopping with me today, and was limping by the time we finished grocery shopping. We did finally get our hair cut! AJ looks normal now, instead of an overgrown hippy! Because of my schedule changes, we were over three months between hair cuts - and we were all shaggy!