Hi Folks! Sandi 2L checking in. I am writting in haste as the day continues to get away from me here. I am scheduled to be in Spokane by dinner time and with a 6 hour trip in front of me, I still have to finish packing, get the raspberries picked, drop off my plants at the neighbors, run the dishwasher and get dressed. Honestly! It's almost noon here, so I hope dinner isn't planned before 8 p.m.

I have decided to spend the family reunion time with Mom in Spokane. I am sorry to miss you all, but my heart is there with her and the rest of our family right now as we adjust to the changes before us. I hope to make a trip later this year - I want a turn on the waverunner without there being a line!

Mom and I were going through pictures and we found some that will answer a question Aunt Sue has asked me several times. She remembers a visit with Aunt Rose to our house back-in-the-day and riding some of our ponies. She kept asking me what the other pony's name was besides Duchess. I recited all the ponys' names that I knew of, but she wasn't certain of the one she and Rose rode when they were there. In amongst Mom's pictures was the answer! It was our black pony named Smokey. (We used to sing: "On top of old Smokey, all covered with hair....") Mom let me borrow the pics long enough to get them scanned into my computer when we came to my house for Dan's graduation and so Viola! Here they are! Aren't Sue and Rose and my Dad so cute!!!! The first one from l to r: Uncle Jack, Kaye-Kaye, Dad, Aunt Sue on Smokey, Anna petting some dog we had. If you look closely, you can see Grammie in the picutre window!

The next one shows Uncle Jack, Aunt Rose on Duchess, Kaye, Dad, Aunt Sue on Smokey and Peggy hugging the colt called Twinkles. We had these ponies for years. My Dad was especially good at giving us ponies. I remember him trading a load of hay for Twinkles. Mom might remember how we acquired the others. We never had much money so bartering was always a creative and effective way to keep us kids in pets and projects. I love these photos!

Our get together for Dan's college graduation, (Steve's second son), was a fun time. We got a family photo - kind of. We missed getting Anna and Dan in. They came all the way down on Saturday to the beach (Pacific Ocean, that is), back to Portland on Sunday for the brunch and then home to Spokane. (Remember is six hours away...tick, tick, tick....)

Back row (l to r): Monica, Dan, Dave, Jake, Sandi, Glenn.

Front row (l to r): Tammy, Mom, Aaron, (Matt down front), Steve, Debbie, Kyle, Cyndi and Kaye.

Proud Dad and Proud Grad! Who do you think is happier?

We love getting together! I hope the days ahead will continue to bring good times and draw us closer to each other. We have so much to be thankful for and the family we cherish is at the top of it all! Hope to keep in touch with you all. Enjoy the time at the lake!

We love you!

Sandi