My brother 8 of 12 became a father for the third time on May 2, an 8 lb. 5 oz. baby boy named Benen, after a little known Irish saint who was a follower of St. Patrick. This is my fourth nephew; I also have four nieces. One more is on the way this fall. My mother is going to Chicago to visit Benen and his parents in the beginning of June. I will send a card and some money with them.

Speaking of my mother, she was in a car accident last week. No one was hurt, but her car was totalled. My sister 4 of 12 was driving. The car in the opposite lane decided to make a left, but they misjudged my sister's speed and she hit them broadside. Until the insurance is straightened out, I am sharing chauffeuring duties with 2 of 12 a couple times a week.

On Friday, I went to the gaming club for the first time in six months. Didn't stay long, but had a decent time. Here's a cute game that can be played without buying anything: Chess, Tac, Toe. Use only one quarter of a chess board. Give each player a rook, a pawn, a knight, and a bishop. They move and capture the same way as in regular chess. The idea is to create a straight line with your pieces. All pieces start off the board, and the first three rounds, players take turns putting pieces on the board. After three rounds, on your turn you can either move one of your pieces or put one of your pieces on the board. If one of your pieces is captured, you can replace it on the board, using your whole move.

Yesterday, I went for a hike with a group of birders. Very different from the fast paced hiking I usually do. I was a bit frustrated at first, because spotting the birds takes a lot of practice, but after a while I found myself just enjoying the little bit I managed to learn.

One thing I haven't mentioned before is that the area I live in got heavily flooded about a month or so ago. A village to the north of me had about two feet of water along its Main Street. The area I went hiking in was along the side of the river, and it was amazing to see how high the water had gotten. There was mud about fifteen feet up in the trees.

Well, that about covers it.

Your Linguistic Profile:

55% General American English

30% Yankee

15% Upper Midwestern

0% Dixie

0% Midwestern

That's a pretty good call. Matches where I live geographically.