HIP! HIP! HOORAY!

excitement has come to the Wehrspann household.

1) we were graced with a great niece: Emma Joy Kincaid - her mom, Stephanie is K's niece; in Auburn WA

2) taxes are done and sent off to our accountant in Auburn WA, also

3) K is back to work - had to take off three sick days last week with the traveling crud going through the hospital

4) am re-furbishing the hobby-horse that Howard (Lin's dad) made for Micah for Micah's

second Christmas.  am repainting it for Zephyr -  the Z-man!  will be fun to pass it on!

5) am taking off a day of work today.  first time in years - not counting vacations.

while going to the storage shed this morning to get the hobby horse, as I was driving away I saw

a coyote about 15 yards from me.  at night it isn't unusual for us to hear them

howling away - but today I saw one of the adults.  it looked rather skittish - even though there

was a chain-link fence between us - and even though I have a camera in my pocket at all times

I couldn't get to it fast enough to validate my story.  so I guess you'll just have to believe me.

last week, you may recall one of the nationwide lottery's went ballistic with a take of over $300 million.

I though to myself, "Dan, it's time you do your civic duty and get involved in this

process ..."  so I talked to the merchant at the place I get my morning cup of coffee

every day, and explained, "George, I have no idea how one goes about this lottery

process - but can I buy a ticket?  and how much is it?"  no doubt this articulates my 

gambling expertise!  so I spent FIVE bucks - (didn't have my $1.39 coffee the following

four days to make up for it)  - and entered the fiasco.  even had to ask George how

I find the results.  Well, the drawing was on Friday night - and heading to the church on

Saturday I noted that the tally was back down to 20M - indicating someone had won.

I stopped for my soda and forgot to check to see if I was the big winner.  Well,

Sunday morning at 7:00a.m. and you will all be relieved to know I the same ole

dan I always was.  Though I am wealthy (in terms other than money) - it's not from the dreams of the nation's

lotterists -  but someone, somewhere is having a five dollar cup of coffee from my 'nickel'.  so,

maybe the next time the lottery hits $300 M again, realize that I will again be struggling with my habit!  HA

went to the coast Saturday for the SOLV day (Stop Oregon Littering and Vandalism project) -

cleaning up a section of beach, cuz we wanted to.  every spring K and I invite anyone who wants to

join us to come to the beach and share in our 'service' project.  this year we had four

join us and went off to Rockaway Beach - just north of Tillamook - and spent a

couple of hours there.  We all brought back about 1/2 filled trash bag of junk.  Nothing

unusual this year - lot of broken glass; plastic fireworks casings; chunks of nylon rope;

pop cans; Styrofoam;  and other bits and pieces.  I thin I read that 3300 SOLVers

picked up some 4300 tons of trash - not a bad day's work. only rained for about

30 minutes of the beachwalking - but we were prepared for that also.  we end up

the outing at a member's ocean house - about 300 feet above sea level, but with a

gorgeous ocean view!  have lunch at their house; and desserts; and then make our

way back home.  truly is a fun day.

well, that's about it for now - gotta get back to the hobby-horse -for it's second coat.

think it was a 1950's DIY pattern.

had fun with the "living water" theme on Sunday -  you're always invited to hear what I had to say - just check the left margin to see how to get to the church website.  will be posted tomorrow - after I get to work. 

hope all is well with all of you.

a "well" K and D