Weds., March 1, 2006, 7:31 p.m., C.S.T., Nashville, Tennessee~

Dear Bart~

I am so sorry for not writing back to you in so long, but I have been busy. With my full-time jobs as a mother and a nurse, what free time I DO have is very limited, and it is a very precious commodity! I hope you understand.

I am glad that you spent some quality time with Jack, Jeremiah, and Kenny. I bet the boys enjoyed having you home with them. I hope you did a lot of needed father-son bonding! Our kids are doing great, and Arjun is just about over his recent illness.  He is on supplimental oxygen still (only at night), and he is still a little weak, but he is definitely doing much better!

I am sorry the Winter Olympics are over. I really enjoyed watching the competitions on the television, and I particularly enjoyed the women's figure skating competition. I am happy that Sasha Cohen of the U.S.A. snagged a bronze; I was so sure that Irina Slutskaya had it, but then came that little Japanese beauty, who put on a flawless performance, and she deservedly got the gold medal.

I also enjoyed the skiing (Bode Miller sure was a disappointment, wasn't he? He had a big ego, and I think it ruined his chances of winning!), but when that American woman fell duirng her race, it made me cringe. *OW* I felt it clear through my body; I was turning into a pretzel when they showed the video of her fall! That was a horrible fall, wasn't it?? I am glad that she came back later (she didn't medal; at least she completed her race, much to everyone's surprise!); talk about true courage in action! :) She ought to have gotten a gold medal JUST for coming back after such a bad experience!

Now the Olympics are over, and it is back to the same old, same old. I really don't have much to do other than work and take care of my family. Oh, my husband, Bill, fell last week: he hurt his back, and he is on medical leave from his job until his back heals. We have enjoyed having him home, and he has enjoyed being off from work.

The picture to which you are referring to was something I found on the Internet, when I was searching for some pictures to download. I thought it was adorable, too; it reminded me so much of my own children, so I had to use it. I spend a lot of time on the computer when I am at home or on break from work if I am not feedin' my face! LOL

I also do a lot of writing on the weekends (again, usually at night), and I enjoy the writin' game very much. I have sent my manuscript for my fourth book, and I am waiting for word to see if it has been accepted for publication or not. If not, I will try again. :) I am NOT one that gives up that easily! :) Call me stubborn, if you will! :)

The weather here is sunny, and mild, temps in the sixties. In Texas, it was near 90, which is quite a bit warmer than normal for them at this time of year! Seems that the weather is shaping up to be another weird scenario this year; wonder what will happen in the weather world--one can only guess--I just hope and pray that no more monster hurricanes don't smack into the Gulf Coast; they don't NEED another Camille, another Betsy, or especially NOT another Katrina! Once was MORE than enough!

I hope the weather there is behaving itself! Have you had a lot of wicked weather this winter, or has it been (somewhat) uneventful? Here it has been colder than normal, with much in the way of precipitation (rain AND snow; we even had some tornadoes not far from here around November!). It is about as crazy here as it has been nearly everywhere else!

Well, Bart, I am sorry this isn't much, but other than Bill hurting his back, Arjun's being released from the hospital, working my life away, and writing, life is fairly uneventful at best (this is NOT easy, considering I have my village to raise! LOL). If I don't write as often as you would like me to, now you know why. I hope you understand.

Until next time, take care, and God bless you, Jeremiah, Jack, and Kenny always!

(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tennessee, Louie May. :D