I’m back! Did you miss me? I have missed you! I have felt so out of touch with everyone because I’ve had my head stuck in a computer! But the book is finally finished. Wahoo!!!!!

In the midst of what ended up being a mid-June deadline instead of an early June deadline, life still had to go on. Here’s what’s happened in the last two weeks since I’ve posted:

• Erica (17) got the role of Sharpay in our Community Theatre’s production of High School Musical. They have practice every night from 7-10pm and every Saturday 9-4. With that and her job at Le Peep restaurant we haven’t seen a whole lot of her! But she’s loving the show.

• Erica wrecked the car. I guess I should be more clear…Erica totaled the car. It was the phone call no mom wants to get. I answered the phone and all I heard was screaming and crying on the other end of the line. I couldn’t get her to settle down to have any clue as to what she was saying. Her boyfriend, Kendall, was with her and finally I heard him say, “Erica let me have the phone.” Then he spoke to me calmly, “Mrs. Savage, we’ve had an accident. Everyone is shaken up but ok. We’re at the corner of Locust and Main. You need to come down here right away.” Thank goodness for that clear headed, calm young man! I thanked him a million times for his ability to remain calm in a crisis.

• It took Erica three days to get back behind the wheel, but she is driving again—or it might be more accurate to say I’m driving her again. When we can spare a car, she drives. Most of the time, however, I’m being taxi mom again which honestly isn’t all that bad. Car conversations with your teenager can be a good thing.

• Austin has played a million baseball games. Ok, not really a million but I think it’s close! I honestly enjoy sitting at the games and visiting with my friend, Jill, whose son also plays on the same team.

• Kolya is starting up his little business again: Kolya’s Kustom Kar Kleaning. We call him moneybags because he’s quite the little entreprenuer. He is a hardworker and he does a fabulous job cleaning cars. He has many return customers because of it!

And in the midst of it all, my 91 year old grandma came to visit for four days. Can I just say that I hope that I’m as sharp at 91 as my grandma is? She’s incredible. In fact, Grandma went parasailing just a few years ago at the ripe old age of 88. Can you believe that? Here are some pictures of that experience she shared with my Aunt Judy. May they inspire you today!