1. I think, one week in, that this new planner has been a success. So far. I thought I wouldn't like that it's even smaller than my old planner, but it's easier to write in somehow, and I really like the one page devoted to the week and the facing page devoted to notes. Because I'm sure you'll be dying to know how I get on, I'll let you know if we're still getting along a few weeks from now. ;)

2. I think we can feel the school year winding down. We can't feel it, as we shivered our way through yet another frigid baseball game, but it feels (and I hesitate to say it out loud in case, poof, next week the feeling is gone) as if the homework load is easing up, just a bit, and the days are easing up, just a bit, too. I'm ready. It's been a great year, but we're all tired. Bring on summer.

3. I think, however, that this week has been a doozy. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have seen that we had some canine drama around here. As if one cancer-ridden (and milking it for all it's worth) hound wasn't enough. As Neel says of our beagle Lucy, "The dog ain't right." She and our corgi Thea have had occasional dust-ups but not in quite awhile. Wednesday night, while we were eating dinner, they got into a fight in the back yard. Neel was on it in an instant and got them apart before I could even unwind the hose to try to speay them apart. Still, Thea was hurt pretty badly. She spent the night at the Emergency Vet (Neel came home after several hours), and is home with us now in a Cone of Shame. Thea will be fine, but I hate like crazy that this has happened to her. I can't even tell you. There's a bigger worry here and that's our funny Lucy. She's always been a skittish creature (this is a dog who freaks out and runs away from a dryer sheet lying on the ground) but lately she seems more so. And yet, she is the dearest, leaning-est, sweetest beagle too. When Violet was diagnosed with cancer, and I sat on our stairs with tears pouring down my face and texted Neel to call me, it was Lucy who quite literally crawled into my lap and leaned on me with all her weight. She put her head on my shoulder. No one should feel as aggitated as she does, and no one especially should get hurt the way our sweet Thea Turbo McFatty has. As if we didn't have enough puppy-worry going on.

4. I think, on another note, that as I work on my river series of photos each week, I find stories like these particularly inspiring. My photogroup had an assignment this past week to bring in work or other photographers that inspired you. Only a couple of us completed the assignment (I'm looking at you, Jackie!), but I did (go me! I never complete things!). It felt really good to look out for work other than those that I normally have my eye out for and to start to dissect why I find certain photographers so compelling. Thank you to all of you who weighed in on my lens questions yesterday. Investing in gear is important, but investing in time and education is important too. I'm just as un-good at that as I am at spending money on myself! Everyone seems to be making goals for the month. Maybe I'll make some too and include some work related goals. Couldn't hurt, right?

5. I think we have another fun weekend coming up. It's Field Day at Callum's school, which, trust me when I say, is a Big Deal. Our reward for surviving the festivities will be dinner with some friends Saturday night. I hope they can handle a face-painted, hair spray-painted Callum. Sunday, well. Maybe we'll get a little caught up on Sunday! Groceries, laundry, mopping. I asked Neel, is there anything wrong with wanting to just sit around all day for Mother's Day?! So who else is going to Field Day? I kid! What fun stuff do you guys have going on? I haven't said this in awhile, but thank you, thank you for hanging in and listening. XO