Thank You Kristy and Karen! I am now convinced that I'm NOT INVISIBLE!!

For the past several months, I have been singing the song:

"Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Blog Gone?"

Yes, I actually LOST my blog. Okay, I'm NOT technically proficient! Yet I forge ahead anyway. I accidentally deleted my favorites tool bar (didn't know that was possible) and therefore had one heck of a time locating my blog. I'm going to get better in 2007 and I'm going to even jump in there and post a picture or two.

I will say that since December there have been no trips. It's just been all teaching teaching teaching and writing.

School is almost out. Well at least TAKS Testing is over! I'm helping take 80 4th graders to Austin on Friday. Wish me luck!

Last week had dinner with Alexandra (a 10 year old friend) and we wrote letters to the the other children who attended the German retreat last year. That was fun!

The next day went to dinner with a former college roommate, also named Linda, and due to tornadic activity in the area, we ended up evacuated with the rest of the restaurent to the Olive Garden Kitchen! Thank Goodness that was the worst of it.

I could ramble on...but don't really expect anyone to tune in...so let's just call this a little test.

Only 7 months since my last post. Not too bad. So much has happened that it's gonna take some time to catch up!!

Here's a thumbnail of noteworthy things since May. Of course travel is ALWAYS part of it!!

Rehearsed in May and June for Gypsy and the play ran (9 shows I think)in July. Had a blast and met lots of fun people! An embarrassing amount of friends and family attended to see me for 14 seconds on stage and that was the sweetest thing EVER! Megan, Jake, Luke and Sage came from OK (my cousins). Don and Gerene (cousins) from Georgetown, TX; Kathy and Pat (sis and bro-in-law) from Providence, TX; and Tom and Megan (Megan is a fabulous friend that I teach with, Tom her husband); and Heath (my personal trainer and his wife Jeanie). I'm so spoiled by supportive friends and family.

Went to the Bahamas and stayed at Atlantis the week before school started with my dear cousins from OK!! Can I refer to them as the Moores? Sounds cold, but they are some of my closest, dearest friends and relatives, but there are A LOT of them! Including, Mark, Megan, Jake, Luke, Sage, Emerson and Adeline. You will also hear an occasional reference to one of their pets, Daisy (the greyhound), Rachel (boston terrier), Penelope "Penny" (chiwa wa???) Mingo (Cornish Rex-cat), Ruby and Jasmine (black cats)

New school year started in August. Am not teaching ALL subjects for the first time. Still in 4th grade but only teaching the Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Spelling) and Social Studies. My "partner" teacher, Megan, my good friend, teaches all the Math and Science. (thank goodness).

Appointed to the library board for my town in September. (thought I'd try something new).

Thanksgiving Week was spent in Berchtesgaten, Germany where I head up the kid's program for a missions retreat. Took along my Brother, Kirk, his lovely wife Anne and MY DAD(he's 76 now)! When the retreat ended, we continued our trip with site seeting in Salzburg, Austria and Munich, Germany. (I will make a post about this trip alone, along with pics, if I can figure out how). It was incredible!

I was home two weeks before I was back to traveling. The Moores invited me to accompany them on a quick Christmas trip to New York City! (This will also require a separate post!)Just think luxury...and my first Broadway Show!!!!

School's Out! I have exactly 4 days until summer school starts up. A short break, but a profitable way to spend my time. Summer school gets out at noon each day, so this will still be a BREAK!! It's time to clean my closets!


Gypsy! I auditioned for, and have been cast in a small part (actually 3 small parts) in the play Gypsy, at a Community Theatre! I will be playing a stage mother, a neighbor, and a show girl. You might wonder what possessed me to audition for a play? Well, you know people do all sorts of things for the thrill of it. Some people run naked down a public street, some jump from planes. I like to go into auditions with little to no preparation, not knowing if I will make a complete and utter fool of myself, or just impress the HECK out of the judges who will be baffled to learn that a career on Broadway has somehow eluded me! This experience was closer to the former. This would be why the parts are small! But I'm excited. I've had a life-long love of the theatre and a life-long dream of being part of the play!

Archie! Archie went for his final check-up at the vet yesterday and had his stitches removed!! Then, in a touching ceremony late last night...Archie's Elizabethan collar was removed! He began IMMEDIATELY to lick himself clean. Something he hasn't been able to do for 12 days! This morning he has run all over the apartment celebrating his ability to move with the agility of a proud hunter once more! I'm really happy and relieved for him. I would have gladly worn the collar for him, but they didn't have one in my size!! (not to mentioned the funny looks I would have received at work).

Happy Memorial Day weekend! And let's remember the meaning of the holiday!

Finally! A blog of my own! Now instead of having the same conversation 300 times, I can put all of my stories in one place! So, where to begin? I was born in San Jose, California, but not raised there, or is it reared there? Just kidding....I won't post my life history (which is quite interesting actually!) unless requested. I'll just start you off with the here and now!

I'm a teacher. Thursday is the last day of school for the kids (4th grade) and Friday is my last day. That should tell you a lot! However, I am teaching summer school during the month of June, but getting out at 12 each day will make a difference.

My cat, Archibald Milton Rex "Archie" has been injured in a cat fight and after two trips to the vet is now confined to an elizabethan collar, otherwise known as "that big cone thing" and he is having quite a time getting around! This is a cat who will not even tolerate a collar. The first day home he could only walk backwards. It's been funny in a sad sort of way.

O.K. I need to go change a few things and see what my post looks like. It may be a little boring this time, but hey,I'm just getting warmed up!

Oh and Happy Birthday Pat! (my brother-in-law) : )

Testing! Just trying to figure out how this sucker works!