I'm taking my mom to see her sister this weekend. My aunt has been incapacitated as a result of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, or rather, the medications she's had to take because of it, and has been in a nursing home for the past nearly two years. Two of her daughters are in the same city and they bring her to their house nearly every weekend. Now and then they do bring her down here since my uncle still lives at home in the same small town and house they've lived in for over 40 years. He suffers from some health issues himself, but is able to take care of himself with the assistance of a girl who comes in the mornings and some very wonderful neighbors. That's enough, I don't want to bore you with any more details. My mom is going to have a blood transfusion tomorrow. After some routine bloodwork, they found that she is anemic and doesn't have enough. So they're going to fill her up tomorrow. She is none too happy about this development, let me tell you. She is also to have a biopsy on one of her lungs next week because of some nodules that showed up in a CT scan. We've known about these ever since her long stay in the hospital a couple of years ago, but… new doctor, new tests. The blood tests he had ordered did show some abnormalities so, if you would, keep your fingers crossed and your prayers upward. One of my coworkers and I have been looking after a mama whipporwhill and her baby for the past week. We learned that they like to build their nests on flat things and we figured the nest must be on top of our building and this one just couldn't fly well enough to take off. So mama's been in the parking lot all week, protecting it as it learned to fly better and better every day. Baby B had the notion that it preferred the big middle of the parking lot to sit in, so my coworker and I took turns going out and coaxing it off to the side now and then. We had a tennis tourney one day with no less than six school buses going in and out. Plus we're right next to the high school parking lot. So Baby B kept Mama B and the two of us hopping all week. They are both gone now, hopefully doing well. I had lunch with a good friend in our Community Art Center earlier this week. I love going there because it has a beautiful view of the bayfront AND you're surrounded by wonderful works of art while you dine. It's a very relaxing yet exhilarating way to spend a lunch hour. I hope you have a very enjoyable vacation, Jeanie. I know it'll be hard for you to see your folks, but I also know you will take advantage of every day you can spend with them. Until next week… Bueno bye.

Enjoy the weekend with your family, Debb.