Still alive and well

In spite of the fact that I haven't posted any stories, poetry or pictures on this blog since January, I have actually done a lot of other stuff. For example, in February we went to Florida, I visited the Zoo near Orlando, rode a power boat over the Everglades lake, took a tour of Kennedy Space Center, saw some crocodiles etc. On the way back I went to Atlanta to visit Powell, Ben and Audra. We went to the Zoo there too, lots of handsome snakes and frogs.
I have been leading the Buddhist Sangha meetings at the UUchurch in Moscow, ID with a few people coming each week, and this has been a chance to exchange ideas and experiences about Buddhism. This will begin again in September. I have completed the Buddhist Lesson Book, available on line! upon request; and I am working on another discussion book about identifying "Higher Truth."
In March I went to Oregon to work on our house there and get new renters. Always a pleasant task to return to The Pond although the house work can be a dreary task.
In April I went to Thailand to visit Kat and Ky for their respective birthdays, and see KenBaba and Paritha and their families. I traveled on two "pilgrimages" with Paritha's father as his guest, one near the border of Cambodia, and another along the Mekong River alongside Laos. Libby came in May and we went to Cambodia, Angkor Wat and traveled by bus South through the country to the Beach, Syonoukville?, which was very enjoyable. We have some interesting stories to tell.
In June I drove to Park City UT to pick up Libby on her way back from Texas. I did some work there, helped supervise the three granddaughters, painted walls and played with the three girls.
In July we went to Greece, Naxos Island, and met Jo O. and Ron S. and did tourism. I spent four days in Athens, and did a good review of archeology there. Then to Thessaloniki to meet Libby and stay in Sarti for three days before going to England. We visited Libby's brothers and mother and enjoyed that. We saw two shows, one in London, "Billy Elliot", and "As you Like it" in Stratford Upon Avon. Very cultural. In both Athens and in Stratford upon Avon I stayed in Youth Hostels; reminded me of when I was a youth not so long ago. I stopped again in Atlanta on the return from England and Powell was so much bigger and actively moving around the house. I was a nanny for a few days when Audra went to her emergency room training (MD school.)
We visited Lolo MT several times during the last few months, including a three day stay in August. It is so peaceful and serene there, even though I spend some of my time repairing or improving this or that.