An icky few weeks.

About a week and a half ago, we found out that one of the members of one of the local congregations (of the church we attend) killed himself. While it's not someone I knew well (though I knew *of* him), it is still a shock, as he was one of the last people one would have imagined doing something like that.

Last week, one of the long-time members of the church died of old age. I think my husband had once referred to him as being 150 years old -- he wasn't, obviously, but he was a definite fixture, and someone you could have just about pictured being around long after *you* were gone.

Last night, a member of one of the local Spanish-speaking congregations was killed when his motorcycle was struck by a drunk driver (actually, it's more likely that it was when the driver tried to flee the scene, and not the initial hit). The driver was pursued by several witnesses, who boxed in his vehicle with theirs and held him until police arrived.

Can this stop now, please?

Happy Ending

For a while, we thought we might have a mouse in the house, because at some point I saw a little brown blur (running faster than I thought a gecko would) in one corner of the kitchen. No evidence of a mouse, though, so after a gecko sighting, I thought that might have been it after all. Nope. Finally saw evidence under the sink. I was going to get poison or a trap on my last trip to Target, and completely forgot.

Well, today the mouse and I startled each other, and it *froze*. It froze really really well. For quite a while, I thought it must have had a heart attack (heck, I nearly did). I finally decided I'd kick myself if I didn't at least *try* to get it out of the house, while it was still paralyzed from fear or whatever. Got a canvas tote bag, crept up over the bed (it was on the floor beside the bed), and watched it for a while longer. It finally moved its head just slightly, and I tossed the bag flat over it, scooped it up through the bag, carried it to the back door, and gently tossed it into the vines in the backyard. Saw it hit the vines, too.

The canvas bag is now waiting to be washed with the whites, on HOT.

I'll still get some poison or a trap to put under the sink (the kiddos are kept gated out of the kitchen), just in case it or another comes back, but this time, we all ended up happy. Mouse lived, and it's not in my house anymore.

A new little one at church...

Yay! Congrats to Tara and Dustin on their little girl!

Grrr...

In professional-type communication (for school specifically), I *try* to model appropriate grammar. I was rather displeased (understatement!) to see, then, that on one of my notices that the main office printed out to send home, they substituted QUOTATION MARKS AS EMPHASIS instead of what I originally had (which I believe was boldface type).

Ugh. Now I look like a moron. Fantastic.