We had book club the other night - a small meeting it turns out - several people couldn't make it.  The book this month was The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls - a memoir of growing up.  Very disturbing in many ways, but a very good book.  The bookmarks were, of course, castles.  Here's the finished ones.....

The next book is The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, which I've read, but now I need to read again and figure out a bookmark for.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I also checked out my garden - wow!  I have flowers on my zucchini, beans, and tomato plants.  Everything is growing great!  We've even eaten some of the lettuce and spinach.  Not bad!

Alex and I have started a list of things to do before he leaves - both fun things and things that need to be done that might not be so fun.  He's already bored - his last final was Wednesday.  He's applied for his passport, and checked out flight schedules, etc.  The other person going is someone he knows - he was in Choir with him, so....it may not be Jeff and Michael, but it is at least someone that he likes.  On our "list" - canoeing on Whiskeytown Lake, hiking Whiskeytown Falls (actually on our list for tomorrow) a trip for him to see his cousins in Vacaville, lots of shopping for 'new' clothes, backpacks, etc. - most of his stuff is pretty worn out by now, and a camping trip at Hat Creek/Manzanita Lake area.  A full summer!

I think we have all the dogs healthy again.  When Mom, Alli and I got back from our trip, Koori hurt herself somehow, welcoming me home.  She cried out if anyone even walked near her (especially if that someone happened to be Alex).  I think she must have wrenched her back or something - she was very protective of her left hip - silly dog!  Every time I looked at her, she was favoring a different part of her body.  By morning though, she seemed fine.  Jasper made the trip in to see Susan on Wednesday for the growth on her eyelid.  Turns out Susan was fully booked, so Jasper saw Dr Corriea (who I like, as well - we see him more often that Susan I think - my dog's emergencies don't always coincide with Susan's days at work) instead, and $600 later, has eye drops three times a day, and her eye lid looks much better even with stitches in it.  She had  rough evening of it right after surgery, but perked right up by the next day.