Practicing daily the steps for our short beginners number at the Hafla on Saturday. And Moonglow (with a BA in Theater Arts) is going to do my stage makeup. I'm told that if I don't wear any I'll kind of vanish in the bright lights, so I asked her if she'd do it. I think she's looking forward to this! She also dances, as does her roommate, and they'll both be in the audience.

Tomorrow the dog sitting adventure begins, with the possibility of two of them going to a new home soon. We weren't able to have a visit with the woman and Susie before she leaves for this trip, but it'll work out. Four dogs is too many for Susie, and the woman who would adopt them needs companions for the dog she has. Her sister was the facilitator of the adoptions of all of my late co-workers pets (she passed away at age 44 from cervical cancer). If there are only two at Susie's house I may bring them down here to spend some time, let them play with my pack of three - Laborador retriever, American Staffordshire terrier, and blue heeler mix. I suspect all four of hers at one time would contribute to a bit of a riot back there in the yard (or it would look like I'm running a private dog park). The two destined for a new home are a sweet Golden retriever and a Heinz 57 named Puddin and Bug. Who knew, over the years when I stopped in Mako's office to compare notes on our beloved dogs, that we'd end up with all of hers over here and in my life now. So sad to have lost Mako to something as nasty as cancer.

I was able to sort out most of Susie's electronics. Her iPad now is set up the way she wants, and I had her put on a passcode to open it. I also had her set up a code on her phone, and we set up her voice mail. With the tablet and phone running she was able to take the bulky laptop computer out of her luggage.

Here at the house tonight I started setting up the sprinklers and hoses for the summer. It is time - the potatoes were looking a bit parched. I'm using stations on a sequence of short hoses, and I'll use soaker hoses in addition if I need them. They get buried in the weeds and grass and after a while it's impossible to move them if necessary. All of this will be on a battery operated timer system from the back yard. I have a small analog timer for hoses in the front yard, to run on the soakers around the foundation. Watering in a hot climate is an art form - delivering water where and when needed without wasting any.

I have a watcher on one item on eBay - I lowered the price a couple of times but now I'll leave it where it is. These things eventually sell. I have more household items to list, also some maps and books.

Lots going on here in the Texas Prairie.

SRS