I should start by apologizing for being a miserable failure at blog-reading lately. If you lived with me, I could apologize for being the same at cleaning bathrooms, keeping up with paperwork, etc. My nose is above water, albeit it barely, but I think things are clearing a bit. Just over the horizon I think I see a break. I don't even have time to really post, let alone treat myself to reading blogs right now.

First - I have to say, Never Say Never. I HAD NEVER lost my debit card, just like I've never lost my keys, or cell phone, etc. Two days ago I filled my car with gas, and remember it cost $56.02 because I was hoping it'd be under $50 and it was not, something many of you can relate to. Then I ran to the driveup window of the pharmacy, and then Leslie and I were off to 10 or so garage sales to try to finish furnishing their new apartment. We paid cash for everything that day. The next day Don and I headed to Walmart, and after ringing up $180 worth of stuff, I went to pay with my debit card. I have a wallet that has little slits for each card, and they are always in the same spots. The blue debit card should have been two from the bottom, but the spot was empty. After emptying my purse three times, coming home and going through the laundry that was already washed, etc. I decided it was a first - I had truly lost my debit card. The only possible explanation was that I left it at the gas station, where you simply push in your card, take it out, and put it back in your wallet. I went online and saw no horrible charges for $5,000 cruises, etc. so I took a deep breath, phoned the gas station and sure enough, they said ONE debit card had been turned in that day. My debit card.

I left the card IN THE MACHINE, ready to use again. Instead of stealing my card, someone carried it into the store and left it there. Unbelievable. Thank you God for covering me.

Two weeks ago I could (and did) say I'd never wrecked our car. This week it's the debit card. Wonder what record will fall in the near future.

So update #2 on what we're up to around here. Leslie, Jeremy and baby Landon are getting more settled by the day. We've made huge strides, their place looks homey, and they are enjoying seeing wildlife right outside their door, and the cool temperatures here. We've got two more rooms to go, and should finish mid-week. I bought a carseat, big stroller, boppy, and new crib sheets at the garage sales this weekend, so we're pretty set up to have Landon hang out with us now and then. Having a carseat in our car looks strange. There were three to choose from, and I picked the one with the least drool on it.

The last free items I set by the curb (from my basement cleanout) were a table and four chairs. They lasted two hours, and two cars pulled up at the same time to grab them. The free garage sale is in full swing, with Leslie adding quite a bit to it. We have a cut crystal vase that likely cost over $100 in it, a stereo, television, the pile just gets bigger by the day. It should be great fun. I did grab my waffle iron out of the pile this past weekend for one last breakfast of Sunday waffles. I'm having a hard time letting it go.

My quilting/scrapbooking studio is looking great. With a new sewing station, and my cutting table out, I've actually done some quilting in the past few days down there. Don put up a nice blind over the window and it's looking much better. The basement overall looks worse, but I have confidence it will improve within the next month or so.

I'm cutting my hair off and coloring it brunette this Wednesday. There's nothing quite as fun as walking in the salon with one color and style and walking out feeling like someone gave you a whole new look. My hair has gotten so blonde, and this summer humidity is making it take on a life of it's own, so I've got a handful of short haircut photos to take to a new hairdresser. I voted for the Liza Minelli look but my daughter Sarah voted hard against it.

So nothing real big going on, just a lot of small stuff. We leave for Colorado in less than two weeks, this week the dog and I get groomed, three graduation parties, one wedding, finish getting Leslie and Jer set up, and continue to pile stuff to give away. Oh, my birthday is this Friday too - but we're honestly a bit too busy to do much about it. Don gave me a portable quilting machine several weeks ago for my gift, and once I get the two quilts I'm working on finished I'll post photos of them.

Reading - I'm in the middle of Peace Like a River - fabulous, fabulous. I wish I had time to just sit and read it all in one long stint. Next on the list is Wish You Well. That one may have to wait til I'm on the plane to Denver. Hope everyone out there is having a good beginning of summer.