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This photos-for-food-and-drinks deal we have with our friends at MoNO is working out very nicely for us. Yum!

While in the Midwest, thedude stopped in Franklin, Wisconsin to pay a visit to his favorite nephews - Jacob and Ryan. It’s hard to believe how tall these kids have grown. Ryan is old enough to drive a car and is looking for a college to attend! Man, I must be getting old.

Sister Dawn and her husband Dennis’ backyard is adjacent this cornfield. Fun!

The fabulous Fresno Bee ran a story last weekend on a couple of our most favorite people on account of their being rabid Fresno sports fans - at least one of whom can carry on ad nauseum about her beloved Fresno girls softball team. Yep - that’s the two of them on the left in the “Red Room” - their shrine to the Bulldogs.

The Bee did a good job profiling Dorothy and Frank, though. There can’t possibly be any more devoted fans than what the author calls “the practical Hunters”. Hah!

Click on the picture to download the story of their 40 year love affair with Fresno sports.

We’re doing something tomorrow that we haven’t done in a long time - we’re taking a vacation by ourselves! Oh sure, it’s a short one - just 5 days - but we’re both totally looking forward to four blissful birdless nights at our favorite destination up the coast. No computers. Ahhhh… (Of course, we’ll continue update Kelly’s cell phone images as they come in. :)

More photos here.

I just hope that we’re as happy and healthy as our dear Aunt Mary when we celebrate our seventieth birthdays. Well done! Thanks to Mark and Lori for organizing a great and classy party.

View a zillion more pictures here and here.

The usual suspects in all the usual places.

View the rest of the photos here.

Yesterday we attended the end-of-season horse show at the Xenophon Therapeutic Center in Orinda. This little organization pairs disabled children with specially trained horses. Kelly has been volunteering her time at Xenophon for two years.

I was not sure what to expect on my first visit. What I found was truly beautiful and inspirational. Many of the children could not have gotten on the back of their horse without the help of two or three gentle volunteers, but once in control of their horse, everything changed. Their beautiful, smiling faces tell the rest of the story better than I ever could.

Chris and I have much in common, but by far the best thing we share is our beautiful wives. (Hm. That doesn’t sound exactly right…) There is nothing like the feeling that comes with knowing you’ll share the rest of your life with the kindest, most loving, most talented and beautiful women you have ever known. We are s-o-o-o lucky!

A few of the other fun things that happened on this Wisconsin trip:

Jimmy D. showed off his very impressive THREE monitor setup. Three 21″ LCD’s oriented vertically. Wow. Elvis Origami - layers of crispy won tons, bananas, peanut butter, honey, chocolate syrup - Kelly’s favorite dessert at B.J. Wentker’s in Burlington. Huns and Dr. Beeker and Lexy at Lonnie’s. Kerry and husband Matt at their charming home on River Road. Five party girls celebrating birthdays on a Milwaukee River cruise. All good.

A renowned family man, thedude is proud to share with you a few pictures of some of the younger people in his life. Nephews, daughters, sons and daughters of friends. See if you can tell which is which. C’mon, this is too easy!

Oh, by the way, Kerry is due this week. :)

Yes, miracles DO happen, and here’s proof. Kelly found her beloved Nova!!

So, you’re probably wondering how this could possibly happen. What follows is the story of the incredible series of events that led to Nova’s return home.

First, we printed a few flyers and stapled them to telephone poles in our neighborhood. Kelly has been aware of the Mickaboo Bird Rescue web site for years, so she posted our flyer there as well as on a Bay Area Birds site. It turns out that postings to these sites are replicated on the lost and found section on Craig’s list.

This led to a phone call from a woman in nearby Alameda who said that she had found a cockatiel matching the description. Of course we rushed to her home, but unfortunately the bird she had found was not Nova. The trip was not a total waste because it generated a new lead. We learned that our Alameda friend had met a man who had seen another bird in Oakland that might fit the description. Our Alameda contact gave Kelly the name of the guy who we hoped had seen our Nova. Kelly called him, and found that he had in fact seen a bird matching Nova’s description. Unfortunately, he had neither a name or a phone number of the person who might have our bird, but he did have an address. Enter Mapquest.

Kelly printed a map to the house about 2.3 miles (as the cockatiel flies) from our loft. Neither of us imagined that our little bird with trimmed wings could possibly have flown this far, but Kelly was certainly going to check into it. She drove to the house and found no one home. However, she did notice a name on an envelope in the mailbox. Enter Google.

A Google search on the rather unique name immediately produced an email address and work phone number.

Kelly fired off an e-mail and learned from her new friend that she was sure she had our bird. She was definitely more convinced of this than we were. Kelly tried not too allow herself to become too hopeful - especially when she learned that the woman’s mother had been smitten by the bird and had already moved her 50 miles away. Nevertheless, exactly one week after Nova fell out the window, Kelly learned the story of how Nova was found underneath a tomato plant by a pit bull mix about a day after she left our loft. It took Kelly about one second to recognize her old friend.

We are still stunned by our incredible good luck and the kindness of a few complete strangers. Our heartfelt thanks to Jeri and her dog who helped bring our wandering bird back home. We are deeply indebted to you, and to your mother who even bought a cage for our princess during her brief stay. Thank you so very, very much!