Back to school

Oliver off to 3rd grade at a new school. The kids will be in 3 different schools

1st grade for Daniel

kindergarten for Maya

she's smiling here but she is extremely nervous as she hates strangers. She also is a head taller than everyone due to being older and tall for her age

Josh and his grade school buddy. They were born on the same day and he went on several of our bike rides across the state. Now a daddy of an 18 month old

fawns (they had spots)bounding back and forth across our yard

hummingbird moth which moves almost as fast as a real hummingbird. From the side, its long tongue looks like a hummer's beak and it sips nectar. Unlike hummingbirds, it is not aware of us but still zips around quickly to evade potential predators

here its wings are not flapping. They flap so fast usually you can't see them

The end of summer but not of heat and humidity. 90 today and unbearably humid.

All the kids and their kids came here yesterday. The girl cousins played well together though it was too toasty to enjoy the outside much. I love having the whole family over. In 18 weeks or sooner, there will be another little one to love.

I have this expensive airline credit card that gives a free ticket once a year but I didn't use it until today. I thought I could make reservations by the end of the month for a flight in late October but no, I was told that my travel has to end by September in order for me not to lose the ticket. Scramble, scramble. My basic rule is not to leave Michigan when it is nice here, only when the weather gets sucky. We want to go to Yosemite which at least won't be snow covered then so that's what we will do. Steve's brother is coming next week. Hopefully he doesn't want to stay more than 8 days. I guess he still can but we won't be home.

My friend who has battling host versus graft disease has it in her eyes (along with in her lungs). She does not make enough tears. They put plugs in her tear ducts, which you would think would be counter productive but tear ducts drain from the eye not to the eye. Even artificial tears aren't working. They recommend that she get these special lenses, which are like huge contact lenses that trap saline solution over most of her eyeball. $10,000 these things cost!!! The insurance covers only half the cost. Can she afford $5000 for a bit of glass or plastic? Nope so she is doing a gofundme. page.  Hope they work.

Despite the heat, I am making chicken broth that will be the base of matzoh ball soup. Most of the chicken was used to feed the family yesterday (along with other stuff).