'Lopes Up!

We drove to Phoenix last week to visit Grand Canyon University where Ally is planning on getting her nursing education for nurse practitioner.  It is a small, Christian college near downtown Phoenix.  Ally spent one night in the dorms.  We made fun of their mascot which is an antelope.  The mascot is named Thunder, and you give the 'Lopes Up sign to show your spirit (see photo)...

We lost third gear coming back into San Diego.  Didn't know what was going on at the time, but barely made made it over the mountains.  The van is getting a new transmission... $3,400 -- the  most we have ever paid for a car repair.  However, I will say we have had the van for almost six years and never had to repair anything, besides the normal wear and tear.  And it was two years old when we got it.  Since it's a Honda, our mechanic says we should get at least another two hundred thousand miles on the engine.  And well, I don't want any car payments, so we did it.

I had problems downloading the new operating system from Apple onto my iPad, so I was without it for two days.  I almost died of withdrawal.  Got it working again yesterday and almost took it to bed with me, I was so happy to have it working again.

The pin is coming out of the claw in seven days!  It will have been six weeks, and I can't wait!

I need to get out my fall decorations... lagging behind -- as I seem to be doing in all areas of my life right now.

The Claw

Well, my volleyball induced injury did not heal, so I had to have surgery to place a wire pin into my finger for five to six weeks.  That is what I blame my lack of blog updates on.  Kinda hard to type, but getting used to it now.  The bone did not move back into place, so it is being forced back into place now.  Hopefully the pin will help reduce the droop at the end of my finger as well.  I wasn't totally under -- just a local and a sedative -- when the pin was put it, but I don't remember the surgery and, other than puking up the pain meds and having to switch to another, it hasn't been too bad.  I still ice it every day, but I've only taken one pain pill in the last week.  Ally came with me to have the bandage changed... I was surprised how big the pin was... EW!  We call it "The Claw," and his life in photos has been being posted to Facebook.

Ally's summer lifeguard job at Knott's Soak City has ended.  She is so glad, but I know she's going to miss that paycheck!  Chris's job with the helicopter detail is ending at the end of this month.  There are lots of areas he can get involved in with Homeland Security... ATV's, boats, even horses!  Amy's "unfortunate incident" has been reduced to a Wet Reckless which means less fines, no jail time, no community service, and a three month class instead of nine.  Something happened with the toxology report, and the toxologist was sick, so they offered her a deal.  Her public defender said he had never seen this before, so we snatched it up.

Summer is over -- I am ready for some cooler weather!