On our way - almost - celebrated Bob beautifully today. I sure love that man.

Excited about trip now. We got the groceries in and I'm about to make Chex Mix. We also went out to Fonda San Miguel, where we had our rehearsal dinner and many beautiful dates and celebrations to celebrate Bob 's sixtieth birthday. It is amazing how sixty seemed like a scary birthday at 37 and now it just seems good - a good point to reach. I know life can change at any moment, but I am looking forward to a good decade for Bob and for me too. What a blessing that man isin my life.

I promise travel blog next week. Right now I'm having trouble wanting to write much. I'm enjoying work this week, feeling connected with what I do there and also happy to have a break coming up. Traveling with Bob and the kids seems like a great treat - just being out of the heat and taking in remembered and new sights. Still have preparations to do - just scatter brained a little, thinking in too many directions. Bob and I were at the coast Saturday though and saw five coyotes running on the beach in the light of the rising gibbous moon - they were graceful shadow shapes - dreamy. We also noticed that the moonlight appeared silver above the water before we saw the actual moon. Every time we go to the beach alone at night our experience and knowledge of that place increases. I'm so lucky to be married to a man who will wait for the moonrise with me and who is as thrilled by coyotes on the beach as I am. I'm so lucky to be married to THIS man. He turns sixty Friday. I remember when sixty seemed like the beginning of "old". It doesn't feel like that now - maybe like the beginning of a little bit freer - but just the very beginning. Happy almost birthday, Bob.

OK, I liked about feeling completely uncreative, or maybe my mood changed. They do do that, moods. Anyway, a poem.

Mimics

Fear, intuition, hope
such skillful mimics.
Doesn't really matter
which one speaks.
Live now, anyway.

Victoria Hendricks
July 10, 2009

Not very creative this Friday night - not really creative this week, but checking in here anyway. I love it that I'm a Great Aunt (remember loving that generation of aunts and uncles in my family and want to do a good job by little Cristina Elena and all possible sibs and cousins who may follow.) I love it that our family is growing in sweetness and love. It's time to start getting ready for our trip with the KDZ. A week from tonight will be our last night hoime. K.K. and Margie have been excitedly corresponding about K.K.'s big girl visit to Denver. It's fun to watch her grow into that role and I'm so touched that Margie and Dave are offering her this special opportunity. Bob is doing his usual magnificent job of mapping out hikes, selecting car music for us to appreciate and rate. I'd better get started on my part - laundry and food.

So hot this July - we learned that it is because there is no moisture left in the parched earth to evaporate and cool things off. Global warming is rendering frightening results.
Peace,
Victoria

We celebrated K.K.'s thirteenth birthday yesterday - hard to believe. It's good to have her the age she is and who she is - scholarshipped dancer, about to fly off to Denver to visit Margie and Dave before our family vacation. I loved having Jean and Mark and Marie and Bill present for the party, which I wouldn't have made happen, but Bob did. So good to be married to someone who is good at making things happen in ways in which I am just not. The boys were darling yesterday, sociable Danny handing out animal medicine cards to guests, Zachary enjoying the presence of his "birthday twin" and special adult friend David. Liam and Andrea were precious baby selves, handed back and forth and crowed over by the women present. I love watching Jeannie and Marie (and K.K. and Ruth and actually, Chris too) with the babies. I missed Joanna, who is still caught in a storm of work, and am glad Tracy was able to drop in for a minute on his way to work.

No theme for July, Peggy - too busy a month with travel coming up. I hope to do another theme in August (maybe). I worked a bit today, unexpected response to need - and BOb and I walked at moon rise at McKinney Falls. Tomorrow KK turns thirteen, which means Kerr's been dead 23 years - hard to believe either fact.

good day - lots of progress on organizing family artifacts, mostly needlework. I'm writing notes and stories and putting them in the cedar chest with the items I'm saving (Ruth's idea) so it's kidn of a 3D scrapbook. I'm loving looking at my Grandma Anna's handwork. She lived so carefully, like she stitched, attention to detaiol, love in every stitch.

Hard work week - lots of people struggling - love what I do though. Tonight I got a brief armful of sleeping Liam. Wow! He can sit by himself indefinitely (when awake of course!) and makes all kinds of sounds (also when awake), including an unmistakeable crow. I've always loved the crowing sound some babies make. Bob walked four miles on the treadmill today and yesterday too. That is great progress. I love the way he has hung in this summer.

Busy week - delightful evening with K.K. Bob and I took her to Katz'after dance for a last time to order pancakes from the kid's menu before she turns thirteen. We've been going to Katz' off and on after dance since she was five and the tradition will continue. She flirted with the waiter, who was charming and got her a free birthday sundae, complete with prized cherry.