The Doings, as Veronica calls it

Sunday April 6th was Angelo's 5th birthday. Angelo is our "Italian" English Springer Spaniel, he is beautiful but not very well-mannered when the girls come in the house. He is positive they have come only to see him and he gets a little over-ecstatic. But Happy Birthday, Angelo. We have suffered thru many epileptic seizures with Angelo, so his having made it this far is a miracle attributable to pet meds! Angelo got his spring haircut on Thursday, "pictures at 11".

On Monday both the male and the female loons appeared. They are so big and so gorgeous in their spring plumage. They are still here enjoying the good diving (loons can dive to 300 feet we read!). We also have a pair of Mallards, they alternate between the estuary out front, the drainage ditch out back, and the pond in the Cox's field! They have stayed around for a couple weeks. Last week we had a pair of white swans on the jetty; very gorgeous, but I didn't get to see them fly away. We have innumerable Eagles, one young mottled Eagle that perches on the roof 2 doors down, and many Osprey, terns, seagulls, and Golden-eye. Wednesday we had a Greater Yellow Legs calling to us and searching the lapping water for special treats. The Grebes were singing last evening, it was still 70 degrees at 6PM. We don't have very many Grebes yet, but I love it when they sing. We will have a Grebe songfest about the first of June, or the first warm evening.

Wednesday I went to Jake's in Snohomish for breakfast with the SHS Class of 61 crew. Ginger brought her neighbor Nadine who quilts and Sarah's daughter Monica joined us. Monica is working in Redmond, volunteering, and hoping for a part-time position soon. And Saturday, Sandie had a few of us over to celebrate Rita's birthday. It was a big one, ending in 5! Ginger, Sally, Dede, Rita and I had a wonderful little party. Betty was at a wedding and Sue couldn't come. We think Diane is in Arizona at her sister's. Happy Birthday, Rita!

Next week is Sandy C's birthday on the 15th. Scott will be celbrating his on the 16th in either Louisiana or Arkansas. And, we leave to visit Pat and Allison in Coulee on the 17th, after the Mille Cugini meeting on the night of the 16th. We will again be celebrating Pat's birthday (on the 20th), his 51st this time!!! April is quite the birthday month!! Buon compleanno to all!

Ciao for now!