Four luck...

Yesterday James and I were playing in the backyard. All of a sudden he said "Look what I found!" He had a perfect four leaf clover! Click here to see a fuzzy photo. We looked through the rest of a rather big patch for another to no avail -- not sure how he spotted it or why he was even looking. Maybe our luck is changing! Lenore's eye problems have cleared up, I did get a job back at BSU next year, and, after a slow start for registrations, Lenore's Bluegrass Camp (16-18 July) is nearly full. James and I went fishing last night and we found some fast action for big perch right out in front of our dock at Marquette (he caught fifteen!).

I'm feeling great although any little ache or pain sets off a cascade of transitory anxiety. I have another check-up in mid-July. My hair has come back with a vengeance but it is pretty strange stuff. Mary Forseth says it looks like rabbit fur; Peg Schultz compares it to gosling down! In any case, I think I'll go in for a haircut today. Heading down to Otter Tail to celebrate the holiday weekend. /dps

Happy Birthday to Me!

Long time no posts but thought that today might be a good day for a brief update. Somehow it seems like every birthday from here on out will have a heightened meaning..."I'm still here!" Not a thought I had ever really considered much before this past year and not one I really dwell on but it does put things into perspective. I have been feeling great of late ('though my still reduced white count seems to make more susceptible to pollen and other allergens) and had a good trip to the BWCA a couple weeks ago. Our biggest concerns at the moment center on jobs. In April, it looked virtually certain that I would be back at BSU in a one-year fixed term position. Based on that understanding, Lenore put in for an unpaid leave for the next school (to finish her Masters and to further develop our on-line cape business). Now, unfortunately, it isn't at all clear what is going on with BSU and so we're feeling some building anxiety about health insurance (long story with still obscure plot lines). It may still be possible for Lenore to retract her leave request if necessary but even that isn't clear. Some decision on my prospects may come as early as tomorrow and good news there would be the best birthday present I could hope to receive. I'll post another update as soon as I have any news./dps

P.S. Here's a photo of James' first northern pike which he caught last week...he also has caught six perch and a couple giant rock bass off our dock.