Updates

So the kid is home, finally, working off a sleep debt after getting 6 hours of sleep in 2 1/2 days. I actually spoke to her, letting her know we'd reconnect in a few days.

Rae is better, post-surgery fever gone, foot swelling gone, waiting a clean bill of health that will let her go out to visit her sister - who is also doing better. Doctors are cautiously optimistic. However, her health is still way too fragile for her to be exposed to even a remote possibility of a bug like MRSA. Which brings me back to what puzzles me: how can they be sure it's gone when it keeps coming back after a few months?

I filled out the forms and paid my two bucks filing to run for mayor for a third term. The current mayor, Kyle, always stated he'd be running for a single term. About a year ago he added to that, in a conversation with Richard, "...unless your mom runs again." Apparently he meant that. It will be an interesting race.

My grandnephew, Elijah David White, was born Wednesday, 8 lbs. 9 oz, 21" long. I caught his new mom on her way home from the hospital with him -hubby driving- on the cell. Love the happy lilt in her voice. Shared a few tips on dealing with infants from the deep recesses of my memory. Waiting for emailed pics, though I gather there are already hundreds to go through. Gotta love the enthusiasm of tech-savvy new parents.

The hot/muggy spell has finally broken. Enjoying having the doors open, breeze blowing through a house that's been closed up way too long. Planning on a backyard bonfire/weenie-roast for supper if we can find enough dry wood to burn. That'll be a challenge. It even rained last night in a last-gasp effort at perpetual sogginess.

And did I mention I'm engaged? Or perhaps I should say we are engaged, we being Steve and I. It started out as a semi-joke last week, kind of an if-we-win-the-lottery question, where we agreed to become provisionally engaged. Last night we discussed it in person, and decided to make it official. Not that we're in a hurry to get married. There are some financial issues. But there will be a ring, something discrete in yellow gold, low profile due to work which already does enough damage to my mother's ring. And sometime next month we'll try to find a nice enough weekend to throw an engagement party in the backyard, bonfire, potluck, all that. There's still family to notify. So far the people we've told have been thrilled for us - possibly why we picked them to be the first to be told. I'm sure I'll have to keep reassuring my dad that he's not going to get kicked out of the house, that nothing's changing as far as he's concerned.

Right now the biggest change is that I can refer to Steve as my fiance' instead of my boyfriend. That's so high-school! Hardly dignified for someone retired on Social Security.