October is half over already which means Alicia has been in Africa over 5 weeks already.  Wow!  The wonderful thing about the times in which we live is that email, facebook, skype, cellphones all help to keep us connected and up-to-date with what's happening in everyone's world .. whether it is in Lincoln City, Battle Ground or half way around the world in Uganda!  KRAZY!  But so thankful for that.

Riley, Lucy and I have been busy getting the house ready for winter.  Last weekend we picked up tons of needles that had fallen from our big cedar trees.. Riley kept running down to the road and of course Lucy followed right behind.  I had to put them on time-out several times .. then I started to clean out the gutters and they stayed right there with me until I got to the top of the ladder.. and off they went as fast as they could run.  I was so scared up there .. cleaning gutters on the second story .. I wonder how long I'll be brave enough to do that.  Thanks to my friend Denise .. who came the next day to help... that job is finished.  Riley and Lucy finally came back.. and spent the next hour in the kennel.. BAD DOGS .. BAD DOGS.

Today I am spending a few hours with Emma, Ben, Katie and Nikki.  Lucy is coming to have her first sleepover with the kids.  I am helping with Love Teams at the Men's Walks tonight and tomorrow.  But the great thing about that is I get to spend time with lot of my friends .. and I love that.  I am going to stop now, because Emma and I are going to play a card game called "Around the world".  Bye for now!