Today is Matt’s birthday. He is 27 today. That’s even older than Julia and since I only feel 35 (most of the time), I must have been very precocious when I was pregnant with him.

Happy Birthday, Matt!

Jay, Ted and I (and the dogs) are traveling to Alba, TX to spend Thanksgiving with Matt and Julia and some guests. We will have a birthday cake for Julia and Matt then, since we missed their actual birthdays. BUT, the cards got there in time, so I’m good on that point.

Just a note that the family blog was moved to a new server, and the links to the pictures somehow got broken. I am working with Matt to resolve the issue, but I apologize for the loss of photos for earlier posts.

Bowling had been going well until just recently. Last week, I had a good game and was listed on the bowling honors bulletin board for high handicap game. I don’t remember the game being that good, but it must have been. Jay has been listed on the same board several times for high games, but he didn’t take pictures of his name.

Then this past weekend we participated in a local tournament, as a team with our Wed am teammates and as doubles (Jay and I). It was not like the bowling on tv, we bowled one series of games (3), just like league bowling and that series was compared to all the teams bowling and best game won, etc. We didn’t. On our team game, we all bowled slightly above our average. However, on the doubles series, Jay had two terrific games, both over 200, and one average game. He almost had a 600 series, it was very exciting. On the other hand, on the same double series, I couldn’t do anything right, and had a 112, 101 and 88! Pitiful…. poor me. LOL.

Then on Sunday, I tripped going up the stairs and jammed my right hand into the step riser. I injured the same finger that I hurt last September, but this time it was just jammed and bruised. It didn’t hurt that much, and I kept ice on it, but the knuckle had swelling and bruising anyhow. I knew I couldn’t bowl and have gotten substitutes for this week. It is much better now, I don’t have full range of motion yet, and it is still slightly swollen, but I can type! yeah! and do dishes! ugh! and I am sure that after Thanksgiving I will be able to bowl again. It’s not that remarkable of an injury, so no photos. However, I am having bowling withdrawal…

Julia turned 21 on October 28th. While we weren’t there to celebrate with her, a first – she reminded us, Matt did make it to FW to spend the evening with her. I guess it is tradition to visit a bar on your 21st birthday and to imbibe legally. Julia hit two clubs, one after midnight on the 28th, with some neighbors and one in the evening with Matt and two of her best friends. Matt took her to “the Church”, a club that he has been going to in Dallas for years – so it had a family “rep” as one of Matt’s famous haunts and a local DFW rep. Fortunately, neither Matt nor Julia had to work on Monday, the 29th, so they could party and sleep in. Matt got Julia a playstation 2 game, Guitar Hero III, which apparently is a “hot” game, even though her parents had never heard of it. Attached are some photos of Julia’s outings on her birthday and her new toy. I don’t know how any of my children have gotten so old, I don’t feel a day over 30, …..oh….., ok, maybe not over 35!

Jay had taken some pictures of early morning visitors to our back yard. Note that the second picture is the real distance, the first one being a close up, and he has moved about three feet to the left by the tree. The rest of the family came a few days later. This is our back yard, the rock is the edge of a flower bed, and the deer like the soft grass.  The fourth picture is of mountain goats or sheep? on Hwy 96 taken on our drive down to Pueblo or Canon City, a gorgeous drive in its own right.