Sunday, June 8, 2008

Ahh, Summer!

Hey there, dear FIFTH graders!

It's summer! I celebrated the beginning of summer break by spending the day planting flowers. I find great delight in sitting on my patio on balmy June mornings. Somehow, the grim news in my daily paper doesn't seem as discouraging, and my coffee tastes especially lovely, when I am surrounded by vibrant pinks, greens, purples, oranges and yellows. Of course, Elsa loves to join me - that is, after she has thoroughly sniffed out the corners of the yard and chased the bunnies back under the shed. She has work to do, after all. No summer break for her!

Today, as I sit here at the computer looking out at the drizzling rain, my husband and daughter are riding their bicycles from Hinckley (where Tobie's is - famous for their carmel rolls) to the Twin Cities. Yesterday, they rode all the way from Duluth to Hinckley. By the time they finish this afternoon, they will have ridden over 150 miles. Usually my other daughter and I also pedal in this annual event. It is a fund-raising ride to raise money to fight the disease called multiple sclerosis. It's a difficult name to say, so most people just call it MS. MS affects a person's nervous system, making it hard for his or her brain to send signals to the muscles. It gets worse over many years. Currently, there is no cure, but the bike ride is one way people try to help fight this disease. The money they raise from friends and neighbors, pays for scientific research to help find a cure. Thinking about MS makes me grateful for good health.

That's what's on my mind today. What about you? How did you celebrate the beginning of summer break? Have you ever participated in a fundraiser to fight a disease or to support some other cause?

I look forward to hearing from you! I certainly hope you all have an enjoyable summer!