hi friends, fellow artists and loved ones! I have been off line for several weeks, due to another computer crash. God I need a new one bad! my son travis came up from san jose to visit and fix it for me. I hope it lasts longer until it happens again. things have been busy in our world. bill's ankle gets better and better all the time. after joining the gym in feb. he has lost 80 + pounds, I call him the incredible shrinking man. I have lost about 40, which is not bad since I can not do most of the stuff he does. between swimming and a stationary bike that you do not use your arms, i am getting stronger and stronger. if i get to gung ho, i still get the migraines, but am learning what I can do and what I can not. bill had a doctor apt. in san francisco last week, so we spent two days there. we had not ever been to alcatraz, so kryston surprised us with tickets to the island for our anniversary this month. (24 years!) we also met up with bill's old friend kelly , and his favorite cousin leslie.......had a nice dinner on the wharf. we went to the pier and wharf on our honeymoon, so it was fun to go again. we had a blast on haight and ashbury st. bill's inner hippie really showed. we took pictures of each other in alcatraz in a cell also. bill named his on his facebook 'from cop to convict' . i collected more street sign photos, that bill pointed out that I have collected since 2006 and not done anything with yet, but I really do plan to do a large collage with them 'someday'. since bill is the great photog....he got many many great shots. megan and tyler took a trip to oregon again for her little sister's graduation. travis has a new girlfriend, from the redding area, so I have a feeling he may be moving closer to home again. kryston has been busy with work, and unfortunately had a somewhat minor car accident the night of the redding fireworks. she had some minor bruises and did some damage to her right wrist, but is ok thank god. i am starting a new order of altered art for the singer amanda palmer (the band dresden dolls). I have also been doing some swap art and a couple of special orders. I am going to do a painting for someone local. an abstract, which is not something I do all the time, so it will be fun. anyway , at least I have kinda caught up a little and hope to do another blog soon showing some of the art I have done while I was unable to get on line. hugs to all! sandy