A Beary Exciting Visitor

Had a heck of a time trying to get all of us calmed down enough to do school this morning. Just as I was getting ready to get started Daniel told us all to look out the window. I figured there was a cool bird, or the first deer of the season, or maybe even a cat doing something particularly entertaining. I was at least as shocked as the kids though when I looked and there was a very large, very healthy looking black bear! He was just strollling down the walkway, looking around like he was curious what was up. Once he got over the initial shock of seeing this huge beast roaming around our front yard, Nathan declared, "He's Cute!" The bear took his time, looking around, sniffing the air as he sauntered over to the woodshed. He stood up on his hind legs, getting a good look at a portion of the woodshed, then headed inside where he moved the plank of wood around, dug some slugs out from under and dined on them. He then nosed around, gobbled up the rest of the cats' food and a few more slugs. He headed over and had drink from the cats' water bowl then stopped, lifted his leg and relieved himself before slowly heading up the trail, past the pine tree and back down the walk way. He really put on a nice show for us!
Once he was gone we headed out to investigate. The cats followed us into the woodshed where they spent a lot of time sniffing at his tracks. When we left the woodshed, so did the cats. They haven't been back to their favorite hangout since. The neighbor's dog waited 'til the bear was gone before he started going nuts. That dog barked for hours! Of course he had to come over to our place so he could bark at the scent. Such a brave mutt he is!

This all happened about 10 AM and the cats are still spooked! I still can't stop looking out the window, wondering what's going to appear next. Daniel went out with the tape measure and measured where the bear was kind enough to stand up next to the woodshed. He stood right about 6 feet tall. Considering our heights and weights, and the bears appearance, we figure 350-400 lbs. as a conservative estimate.

Oh! If anyone's interested, the kids got right with the program and named the bear. His name is "Bill" :o)

An Important Message For Women and Their Loved Ones

PLEASE sign the petition by clicking on the web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/bc/pledges/bc_mast_pledge.html

PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family. THANKS!


Mastectomy Hospital Bill in Congress

If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important...please take the time and do it really quick!

Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important legislation for all women.

Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you are receiving this it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go and vote on this issue and send it on to others you know who will do the same.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protec! tion Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home hours after surgery against the wishes of their
doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on.