DH is back to work today, and I finally have a little time to update this journal. It's been a busy day though, since I had to catch up on housework, went on my bike ride early this morning (still at 90 lbs!) and then run to the library.

We got all the spring cleaning done here, as well as built the nice, larger back deck with a roof. I scrubbed the cats' sunporch one day, cleaned their quarters thoroughly, and that looks so much better. I have a small room-size air conditioner for the sunporch (since it is not connected to our house central heat/air) and we took out a high window, installed it to stay there. The cats don't need it all the time in the summer, but occasionally when the temps are very hot (as it can be here in the South), I turn in on around noon and let it run during the hottest part of the afternoon. Spoiled silly cats, huh? :-) But I do love 'em all. I also cleaned out my kitchen cabinets one day, a huge chore!

Speaking of pets, I'm debating the issue of starting a part-time pet sitting business. I could advertise freely on bulletin boards at the vets and pet shops, the library here...and even run an ad occasionally in a widely distributed community shopping guide. I don't know how much demand there is for this kind of service, but our area has grown tremendously in population in the past ten years. We have a great many upscale, very expensive, exclusive suburb/neighborhoods bordering the main city (where I live). I could advertise my service for only in the city or nearby communities, so that the gas expense would not be prohibitive. And I'd like to charge less than it costs to board ONE pet at the vets/kennels... I would go out once or twice a day for those who are on vacation and/or traveling for business, and feed/take care of their pets in their home. However, I'm not much of a dog lover so I'd specialize in cats and small animals, like bunnies, birds, fish, iquana, etc. There is one other such service, but the lady doesn't advertise very much. Anyhow, I have written a tentative flyer, and may start posting it around town by the end of this week. I'll report any progress here.

We have not learned any more about the property/house in the country, so I doubt that we'll get it after all. And that's okay. I'm more of a city slicker, not a rural type person! Though I love my critters, pets...I don't like farming or even working in gardens, etc.

I did, however, put out some shrubs to block the neighbor's houses...where our six-foot high wood fence ends! Yep, I like my privacy. I also put out some pompass grass, and hope this batch lives. I got some last fall, planted it...but it died over the winter. I don't have much of a green thumb!

I went to the library earlier, got some fiction and a book about small animal care. I'll have something to read/study now!

Hot here today...near 85. Oh, we had a 4.9 earthquake in this general region of the South this morning. Unheard of, almost! I didn't feel a thing, but apparently some living further north did. I think there were even some trees downed, and other minor damage. Weird.

DH and I took a nice trip on Sunday: We went about 150 miles south to a very small town, looking for some of his ancestors who were supposedly buried in a graveyard in that area. Didn't find them. But I DID get some more cemetery and church pictures, which I'll put in my photo album soon.

That's it for now!