Good morning one and all: A new week begins. It will be filled with routine paper / computer work, bank affairs, payroll etc until I go to the airport Friday to pick up the group coming from Bettendorf, Iowa. Before all of that though I must put last week to a close.

Saturday morning I was up bright and early to get the Enrichment team off to the airport at 6:00 AM....or just shortly thereafter. It was rather an overcast morning and I had a few goose bumps as we breezed along to the airport. I could have used a jacket that is for sure. Everyone else found it to be quite refreshing after the heat they had been experiencing.

As Marni said they came as two groups but left as one. It was such a pleasure seeing how the gang all melded together. There was never a lack of conversation and that is how they got their nickname of the "Mme Sarah Magpies plus two". The plus two is for Tom and Patrick who were the "bookends" to all of the gals on the trip. The ladies who sell goods at the local markets are nicknamed Mme Sarah's, after a bird in Haiti called Mme Sarah ( a yellow and black weaver type bird). The characteristic of these birds is that they are always chittering and chatting away. I had just told them I was nicknaming them the Magpies plus two, when I went to help Joel with something in the kitchen. He quietly asked me if I knew what Mme Sarah's were. Immediately I knew what he was intimating and said "yes, I do, why.....do you think this group are like the Mme Sarah's". He chuckled and said yes. I definately got a big kick out of this and knew for sure they had been nicknamed appropriately but I did adjust the name to the "Mme Sarah" Magpies......thanks to Joel's astute observation as well. They too got a chuckle out of the story when I shared his comments with them. Mind you Tom and Patrick were not wallflowers and kept up their bit to add to the conversations.

The kids were very proud to take their crafts home on Friday. Many of them were already wearing the various pieces of jewellry they had made. Several of the girls had their paper mache bowls pinned to their heads, acting as a little cap.

Marie, Patty and Renee (accompanying Patty) dropped by Thursday evening for a little visit. It is a small world indeed as several of the team members from Bollingbrook/Naperville area, realized they only live several blocks away from Renee and Patty.

Although tiring, I have to say that the last two weeks with VBS and Enrichment week have been very rewarding. The kids really enjoy having the opportunity to experience both events, which do enrich their lives in many different ways. They are already talking about what they will do next year.!

..and now folks, I will leave to get and get my first cup of coffee for the day and enjoy a few sips in peace and solitude.

Have a good week
Debbie

PS. Hopie is recuperating very well from her operation. Her little girl Peanut (the Felon) kept tugging at the strings to get the protective hood Hopie had to wear off of her. Yesterday I gave up the "fight" of keeping it on as long as I didn't see Hopie irritating her operative sites. Luckily she seems to be healed up well enough and she didn't do anything against the doctors advice. I know I sure would't have wanted to be walking around with a big plastic bottle tied to my neck either. As much as the energetic Peanut has tested my patience this past week, I will be a little sorry to see her go to Fleury's home today, as she was promised to him. I know he wants her to have puppies for him, so maybe we'll have one of them in the future.