Cathy and Vince, you are amazing. I have pizza oven envy now. It's always seemed like such a wonderful idea, but I've never known anybody who actually had one put in until now.

Thanks for the little forward about the pony with the prosthetic leg. I'd have bet it wasn't possible, either.

Shelly just finished coming out to visit for a few days, and we had a wonderful time. I just so enjoy your company, Shel. We made ethnic food, cooked, drank wine together, shopped, and talked and talked. Shelly makes a formidable partner in the process of weed-whacking poison oak patrol combination. We got a bunch of that nasty stuff destroyed.

Too little rain this spring is already appearing. The trees are budding out on the top poorly, the grass is already brown, and the little stream dried up the third week in May. We've had few frogs this year, and the sun is starting to beat down in its usual summer fashion. I've softened my resolve to spend no more on this property and am having a pergola put over the back deck. I'm not lucky enough to have a Vince around, so I'm paying someone to do it. It's got to be done eventually because it's just too hot to even utilize that space in summer.

So far, research into Glacier Park for next year's reunion is just beginning. There seem to be two options in that area. One is for absolutely spectacular lodging for a small fortune, and the other is for very ordinary lodging (a la Tall Pines, NM) at reasonable rates. Since I was scarred by the Tall Pines lodging experience, I want to research the modest lodging very thoroughly, if possible. I realize that we can have a great experience regardless of the accommodations, but you all know that I seem to be driven by aesthetics.

It was great to hear that you are considering retiring in two or three years, Russ. It makes me happy to think of my loved ones freed up to do whatever they want. I hope to join you in two to three years, too. Even that far down the line, it makes my job seem that much less onerous.

Love the photos of the Limoncello process. The bottles look so inviting. Something that exotic and high octane makes ordinary canning and preserving look quaint.

Stay cool in the summer heat, everyone.

Love,
The B of T