Just finished working out in the yard -- seeding, weeding, feeding, trimming, and planting. Six new tomato plants have joined the family. We'll see how they do. My neighbor gave them to me. He said that was his good deed for the day. I'm so lucky to have a wonderful neighbor.

Buddy is doing better since Saturday night. We're not completely sure, but we think he got bit by a scorpion. When he came in from outside, he sort of fell over and acted like something was biting his leg. Then his back leg went stiff and he couldn't climb the stairs. We looked at him but couldn't see anything unusual except that he couldn't really walk. Easter morning, our vet (thank you Dr. B) put him on a steroid and an anti-inflammatory. Slowly the leg is coming back, but it is difficult to watch Buddy dragging his back leg. He wagged his tail for the first time last night. So, it must have affected his back side up into his tail. He was pretty sick Sunday and Monday, but now wants to get outside and check out the action. We're not going to walk him until next week when we hope he is running on all fours again. Buster is missing his big brother. Today Princeton (a mini-shnauzer) joined him as we walked up the Hill. It was fun but not the same as his Buddy!

Today is Book Club. We read Ivan Doig's The Whistling Season. I really have enjoyed Doig's books. If I haven't said this already, they are somewhat similar to Stegner. I hope Doig considers that a compliment because it is. The Whistling Season tackles a lot of concepts from the perception of a young boy, who tells it like it is. The descriptions of a wild Montana were fantastic. I imagine teaching school in a one-room schoolhouse would be an incredible adventure. My other Book Club is reading Murder at Astor Place, a good murder mystery.

One of my friends taught in a one-room schoolhouse here in southern Utah-northern Arizona. I keep nagging her to get her story finished because I consider it history, delightful commentary, and a look at life that passed too quickly in our days of technology. I'll keep you posted in that one!