I've been collecting tax info all morning for my hubby. Seeing as how I'm so disorganized, that's a monumental task. In the middle of this mildly frantic search, he went to Kroger and bought a weather radio, then insisted I come program it. After I unpacked it, I sat him down in a good light with the owner's manual and told him to figure it out. Maybe that will keep him occupied for the next hour or so while I print reports from the banking software. It also could be better organized, but I'm not going to tackle that today. Maybe before tax time 2008, I'll do it. For people trying to live on a shoestring, we sure did spend a lot of money. "Cutting back" doesn't mean the same to me as it does to him, surprise, surprise! We probably need to have a serious discussion of priorities. Again.

Happy Birthday to my Number One Niece, Laura. Wish I had a recent picture of her, but I don't. She's lived up north ever since finishing college at Millsaps, first in Maine, now New York. I was so glad she came to her grandmother's funeral, and especially glad that she and Benji reconnected after several years of estrangement. With less than 2 months difference in their ages, they were close as children, but became alienated somehow. Maybe as adults they can be good friends again. I didn't get close to my favorite first cousin until we were in our 50's. I hope they don't wait that long. I'm hoping she shares the pictures she made at Jack's funeral.

Thanks, Betsy, for sending this recent picture of Laura and her 4 year old son Nathaniel.

Our long awaited rain is beginning to fall. We're about 5 or 6 inches below the average rainfall for this time of the year. Seems last year started out like this, too, but we finally got all we needed.