A LIttle Bit Busy

Things have been a little bit busy here at La Casa. We've had L & R and their family with us for a few weeks. They moved to Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, but L was about 37 weeks along and didn't want to start new with a doctor she didn't know. So she stayed with us and went to a family friend. And a new baby joined us on Saturday. We are all a little sleep deprived but so happy our family has grown. We are so happy for R & L; they have such a bright future!

I've read a few books since my last post, but none of them really worth writing about here. I just started re-reading Death Comes For the Archbishop by Willa Cather. I first about this book when I was in the American Lit class taught by Professor Genaro Padilla. He was from New Mexico and also taught the Southwest Lit class. He is now at Berkeley. The first time I read the book was when we traveled to Albuquerque to visit family, and I was reading it as we passed by Acoma. [We later visited Acoma on a subsequent visit] I think I've read just about everything Willa Cather has written; I've even taken a Willa Cather Lit class taught by a Cather expert, Marilyn Arnold. My other Cather favorite is Shadow on the Rocks. My one complaint about Death Comes for the Archbishop is her treatment of the local Spanish people. Her Anglo arrogance [as well as Archbishop Lamy's] shows through the prose. I wish there were a book of this caliber written for and about the Spanish people who settled New Mexico and showed them as I believe they were -- hardworking people trying to make a living for their families.

I'm going to visit the Land of Enchantment this weekend with some of my sisters. We will visit our Aunts, go to a lecture about the Jaquez family, visit several of my "internet" cousins who have been so helpful with genealogy, and enjoy the scenery. When we go to restaurants and they ask "red or green" I will always choose green. I will stand where my Dad played and grew up, and remember.

Fun In The Fort

My next door neighbor friends (age 9)

have made use of a little hole in the shrubbery in our yard.

We had one of the shrubs died and so, I pulled out the remains.

The shrubbery on each side filled in through the front,

but in the back, there is a nice little hole and it is the perfect hiding place.

They call it The Fort.

Yesterday, they took Little D in there and he loved it

so today, he wanted to play some more.

I fit in The Fort but preferred sitting on the wall

or even better, on a blanket on the grass out in the open!

We had fun playing

Chase The Ball,

Kick The Ball,

Roll The Ball,

Throw Rocks in The Rock Garden,

Find Rocks in the Grass to Throw in the Rock Garden,

and Roll In the Grass.

What a fun day with a fun fellow!

I also had fun with his Uncle D,

his Mom Linds,

and his Grandpa.

I had a fun evening with our next door neighbors, D & C,

and a surprise visit with my sis and her co-worker.

It is now 1:20 AM.

Can't go to sleep. Not sure why.

Could be the two Diet Cokes I had with dinner. :(

Today would have been my Mom's 82nd Birthday.

I miss you, Mom, and have wonderful memories to keep you always in my heart.

I found her family in the 1940 census. She was 9 years old at the time.

I also found my Dad's family. He was 19 years old.

The 1940 census became available online 5 days ago.

It took me an hour or so of looking

but it wasn't too hard and well worth it to see their pages.

Maybe now I can go to sleep.