We have news about the "Little Abbott Family," which is our designation for Randy, Lynn, Erica, Amanda, and Connor, to distinguish them from "The Big Abbott Family." Connor, as our dear blog readers may know, is a student at a prestigious boarding school in northern Missouri. He will graduate in one more year with two years of college credits. He has been accepted at Yale to attend an intensive day on the application process for admission. He and Randy are traveling to New Haven, CT, later this month to look over the campus and attend the seminar for application. Randy said only 30% of the students who apply for this seminar are accepted. He also told us Connor (with a whole lot of help from his mother) is looking at six universities, one of them Rice in Texas where he has already been offered a full-ride scholarship. Connor is quite the scholar!

Not to be out done though, Erica and Amanda are doing their thing too. Erica has a summer internship at Hussman where her Auntie Bebe (Sabrina) works. She goes to Spain for the fall semester--also on scholarship. Sabrina told Rose that she has introduced her niece to almost everyone at Hussman very proudly. Furthermore, Sabrina has been at the company so long she knows everyone! Amanda has raised the funds for her trip to Uganda. [Thank you to blog readers who contributed!] She leaves in mid-June. All three, Erica, Amanda, and Connor, are excellent students and have had jobs since they were old enough to work.

Sabrina has been training for a 10K race which is scheduled for tomorrow. Erica and Amanda are going along and doing the 5K section. Chris and Rose, slaggards that they are, are going over to Forest Park to watch. I am headed to the Lake this afternoon with Chris Groves. The home owners meeting is Sunday afternoon. It is a very important one because of the extra expense and decision-making prompted by the installation of the new dock. Weather promises to be perfect, that is, HOT.

Last evening I went over to BJEC for dinner and bingo with the friends I made while there. Sabrina once came for dinner and bingo, and everyone fell in love with her. They always ask when she is coming back. I won two games of bingo last night. Brayden is getting tired of my winnings--stuffed animals which I give to him.

Chris and I had dinner Tuesday evening at J.J.'s in St. Charles, one of his favorite places. After dinner we did a reminiscing tour around St. Charles. He has a hard time believing we lived in so many places when we were kids. He has a lot of fond memories of the Madison/Kingshighway Street years. Years ago, Joe would laugh and say that the way he found his way to visit was to look for a place with every light on. Still the case, Joe!

Brayden continues to excel at baseball. He plays shortstop and simply loves the game. So does Scott. Jalen, the artist and musician, has other interests at this point.

Danny Cullinane, who was at the lake last weekend, brought me a balance bracelet. This thing is some kind of magnet contraption made by Danny's company, Rawlings, that is supposed to help with balance and mobility. Two things I need! Last night at BJEC I ran into my two favorite physical therapists who were pleased with my progress. I showed them my bracelet and told them it seems to help.

We have ordered a chair lift for the lake house. Turns out the St. Louis company that gave us a bid last January wanted to tack on several hundred dollars because of the distance. We decided to order from the same company Margaret and Norm purchased theirs, and Doug will do the installation.

I need to correct something I misstated here. Brother Pete is having cataract surgery, not a colonoscopy. Pretty dumb mistake, huh? I think he had his surgery this week. Janet had her second cataract surgery last week and was very pleased with the results.

I know Donald and Vita were planning a trip to Europe about now. We hope they escape the E-Coli danger!