And the visit ends

Daughter Patricia says Good morning. Erin is packing up her car getting ready to return to San Francisco and finish out her spring break with a side trip to Yosemite. Her friends are waiting patiently for her return. Patricia will be sad for a short while as she gets used to the empty nest feeling one more time. It is such fun to have our children come home even if it is for a short time and we have to let them go back to their own lives. Emma is going to be moping around today. She will go to Erin's room and look for her, then sit by the door hoping she will come out and play with her. We will probably be moping around a bit too.

Granddaughter Erin invited her mother and me out for Pancho's fish tacos last evening. We had a wonderful few days that have gone by much too fast. We did some good visiting, some terrific eating and saw a movie or two. It wasn't all play though as Erin helped her mother get the garage ready for the upcoming city wide yard sale at the end of this month. How we wished she could have stayed on to help with that. It is so nice to see a vibrant young woman work hard and make it look so easy . I'd like to bottle up some of that energy and save it for another day, like the sale day, when we will be wishing her back with us. She tells us she will be back in June so that is not that far away.

Yes, the sun did come out for two days and it was awesome, still a bit cold, but it felt so good. Erin came in the rain and another storm is due in today so she will be riding down the coast hopefully before it breaks. My granddaughter was out and about with her camera but hasn't had time to post her pictures for me to share. She took several in the restaurant of her mother and me and I am anxious to see them. Her trip around the area should prove to be interesting so hopefully she will find time to send them along so I can share them with you. Meanwhile son John is up visiting the Fairbanks area with his friend Jo and they are having a great time. They have seen some of the frozen rivers beginning to break up as it warms up in Alaska. As for the rest of my family, Christine is busy helping out at the local gallery with plans for a community event. If all goes as planned she will be coming for a visit in May. Then Michael is enjoying seventy degree weather for a change and still 'shoveling horse manure' as he waits for the news of a job opening up. He has been lucky to live on a horse ranch and be put to work earning his keep as he helps with the feeding and care of the horses. A man of many talents, thank God. I wonder if construction jobs will ever be the same. What a horrible mess our country is in.

So, you hear enough of that 'mess' without my digressing to the maelstrom of bad news we are inundated with on a daily basis. I am off to have my coffee and wake up . . . about time! Make your seconds count this Thursday and get ready to celebrate Easter and new beginnings. Ham or Lamb? That is the question . . . me, I'm going buffet and have it all. Hugs to all.