Cali

Saturday evening our dear cat Cali passed away. She is the one on the right. She was shy and reclusive and Emil Michael's favorite. She had been getting weaker and we knew that she didn't have long. We decided to give her the weekend and if she was still here after that we'd take her in to the vet. We felt that it would be the most comforting for her to go here at home surrounded by people who loved her. We buried her in the back yard. All the kids are taking it well.

Recently we have been having to deal with insurance companies and that has been a trial. Currently we are in the middle of our medical insurance company suing our auto insurance company over the charges resulting from Kai's accident. It's depressing to have to be dealing with this 9 months later. Thankfully we don't expect to have to be responsible for any of the charges however it's emotionally draining. Because of this Emil and I spent the night at my friend Tina's beach cottage this past Friday. It was nice to escape, even if it was just for the night.

Emil leaves on his hiking trip tomorrow. It will be good for him to get out in the woods for a while. It helps him clear his mind and gain perspective. They are expecting snow 2-3 nights. You couldn't get me camping in that for anything! At least he's going to be out there with 3 other guys so he won't be alone. He's taking Blaze. She's got her own hiking booties and a fleece sweater. She also has her own pack that she has to carry her food and water in. She loves hiking with him. She'll have a blast. She'll probably keep him warm at night too!