School Play, Dog attacked by a Kitty

Last nigh I drove to our friend's house to carpool into town.  I had the dog on leash because they have kittens and Bella is not good with the kitties.  One of their cats was at the front door and I erroneously assumed that it would leave when it saw me approach with the dog.  Wrong.  It saw that Bella was tethered and it jumped with all four paws claws out to attach itself to her face.  The whole time I was yelling at it to flee:  "Run, you fool!  Don't you know that she'll eat you?!  SCRAM!" 

 No, the cat wanted a piece of Bella. hahahaha.  After it got in a few good swipes it ran off unharmed.

Me and Riley.  Riley is becoming a prolific knitter.

Kim and Ryan

Kyle and Coco with Paul clowning above

We attended the local elementary school play.  I am posting a video on youtube of the kids saying their lines* (nothing exciting there unless you know the kids).  At the end of the play the school principal got up and invited the school's former students to join the current students in song.  A religious song.  In a public elementary school.  I couldn't believe my ears.  It is a tradition that is at least 20 years old, gauging from the age of the audience members standing to sing.    It's a cute tradition that wouldn't fly at my elementary school in the conservative and tiny town of Wimer, OR.  This rural Arizona town is homogeneous.  I volunteered my sewing skills to make costumes one afternoon at the school and everyone was calling each other sister Soandso.  Sister Soandso, will you please pass me the scissors? ... Did you hear that Sister Whatsherface had her baby last night? ... Etc.  I recognized almost everyone from Sunday School.  It must be easy for them to raise their kids in this town because there is peer pressure to go to church and avoid getting tattoos.  Wow.  I'm ok about moving back to Oregon because rural Arizona is just too precious to spoil with my "Liberal Ideologies."**  

I am Shannon, I've lived in a Yurt and I'm a Mormon.

*I'm not even going to write about the sexist roles assigned to the girls.

**I consider myself to be moderately conservative but it's all relative, right?  Riiiiiiight.


Ralph just woke up to remind me of the gigantic spider that lives under our bed.  It freaks me out.  I'm 95% positive that it crawls through my hair while I sleep.