I'M A GRADUATE STUDENT!!!!!!!!!

I found out yesterday I'd been officially accepted into the Masters of Arts in Teaching and Leadership through St. Xavier University. It's a good thing, too, as class starts tonight. I'm trying to not dwell on it. I'm nervous and excited. It's been 31 years since I graduated from college.

School starts tomorrow. We have 2 institute days, then students start on Monday. I've moved to a new classroom, so I get to be a bit more creative with the set up. My paras will help me with that tomorrow. I'm on my own on Friday. I've got most of my paperwork set up. I need to make materials for the first couple of weeks. I guess that's what I'll do on Friday.

Where has summer gone?

This has been a very active summer! I went to Florida in June, the Wisconsin Dells over the 4th of July weekend, and to California toward the end of July. I'm finally settling in at home. I go back to work in just a couple of weeks.

Let's see, Florida was fun, except for dislocating my right index finger. I go to the hand specialist in 4 weeks as I still have pain and do not have full range of motion. I did pick up Trixie and bring her home. She has really grown a lot. She's been spayed and had her puppy

teeth pulled. Her personality is the same as my first dalmatian's. We say she's Murphy, an 80 pound dalmatian, stuffed in an 8 pound body.

I went to the Wisconsin Dells over the 4th of July weekend. We had a wonderful time despite the fact that Lake Delton breached and drained into the Wisconsin River. We did go on a Duck ride down the Wisconsin River and did see where it breached. So much silt landed in the river that it was only 7 feet deep at that point so we had to turn around and not go any further up the river.

At the end of July I flew to California with a friend. She and her brother were settling their dad's estate and had to go through his storage unit. We got to do some sightseeing while we were there. We went to Santa Rosa to the Charles Schulz Museum. That was really neat. We also spent a day in Napa Valley, visiting the wineries. I've learned to really appreciate fine wine and did bring some home for a special occasion.

Bindi, the dalmatian is now 15 years old. She's really looking old. She's basically deaf. She can hear high pitched sounds and some really, really loud sounds. She barks when the other dogs bark. She's stopped making her "mooing" sound to get my attention. That makes me sad. She still has hyper dalmatian moments, though, and makes me laugh.

Hogan, the lhasapoo, has loved being with his "mommy" most of the summer. He loved going to Florida, but wasn't happy when we brought Trixie home. He's still trying to sort out his feelings. He'll go outside and hunt bunnies with her, but has no patience for her when she tries to play with him. He still loves to go "Nigh-nigh in da bed under da bankies wid da mommy" and will gallop toward the bedroom when I use those words with him. He's come a long way since I rescued him almost 4 years ago.

Then there's Trixie Jane, the yorkie puppy. She was 5 pounds when I brought her home. She was 8 pounds when I weighed her the other day. She is 7 1/2 months old now and is probably nearly fully grown. She's a character and I love her to death!