This is the week! We are off to the farm!

We are slowly taking down and packing up the last pieces of the house. We plan to drive up to the family farm on Thursday (17 Aug 06), with a load of fragile items, and then I will come back on Friday to move up the big truck with the last of the furniture and appliances (probably arriving Saturday afternoon).

Of course, much of the furniture is already there, in Mom and Dad's garage or Mike and Dena's house. I should only have the one truck trip this weekend, so we hope to be settled in soon.

We brought the furniture down from upstairs today, with the help of our friends Marida and John Salinas, and Matthew Mangum. They came over with breakfast tacos, and we had a great visit and moved some furniture. It was great to see them, and wish them farewell.

Speaking of which, I had lunch with two of my all-time favorite people: Dan Rigney and Larry Hufford. I hit them up to write letters of recommendation for me for the program at Trinity, but it was more than just a business meeting: as always, it was great conversation, about things that matter, with enjoyable company.

In the afternoon, Mary Lynne packed up some items from her office at St. Mary's, and then came home for the "neighbors' dinner." Although Erin could not make it, Paul Garro and Debbie Patton came over, and Laurie B. Hawkins joined us from next door. And, of course, the honorary neighbor/land lord, Bro. Cletus Behlmann, S.M. came over too! He brought art supplies with him, so after dinner we all sat around the table having dessert, visiting, and painting pictures! Very fun!

This is the week! We are off to the farm!