Yesterday I went to Amber's bridal shower. Amber is the oldest daughter of my very good friend Ellen. I have known Ellen's husband Bob since we were both kids and attended the same church in Los Angeles. So I have known Ellen since Bob started dating her and for a time she and I even worked together in the same office (I was her manager, and we are still friends!). My daughter Jennifer was born in between Amber and the next oldest daughter Stacy and because Jennifer is an only child these girls (and there is a third, Carolyn) are like her sisters.

So, Amber is getting married in September to a wonderful young man she has been dating since high school. Amber just graduated from Cal State Fullerton and he graduated from Biola two years ago. So now it is time for them to make the big plunge!

The shower was lovely. Amber is a lovely girl and will make a beautiful bride. We all had such a good time and she got lots of great gifts, things she had registered for. We played three games one of which was "how well do you know Amber" and I got the most answers right!

One of her gifts was a set of four tea cups and saucers that had belonged to her grandmother. They were old and lovely. Also a nice book on teas with recipes for giving teas and a tea kettle. This gift was from Amber's grandmother but put together by her mother. Her grandmother has lived with them for many years but recently her health turned, she's 90, and she is now in an assisted living facility. So I took the cups and saucers and the book and set them up next to a picture of Amber's grandmother when she was a young woman.

And the big surprise of the day was that Jennifer was able to come down from camp. She found out on Saturday morning that the couple who are the staff overseers and live in Westminster were coming down with a couple of the guys for the night. Jennifer asked if she could come too and they said sure. She was dropped off at the house where the bridal shower was. She didn't quite make it in time for the shower but she got to visit with the girls and see the gifts.

We came home and had dinner and she did a laundry and got on her computer and talked with her on-line friends. She was so happy to sleep in her own bed if only for one night. This morning we all went to church and then while I was at handbell practice after church Paul took her over to the house where the couple live (not far from our church) and she left with them to go back up to camp for one more week. Then next Saturday we will go and pick her up and her job will be over.

I have a nasty little summer cold. Mostly in my chest and doing a lot of coughing. I either caught it because of a woman on the trolley in San Diego who coughed and coughed and coughed or the air conditioning in our motel room which we left on all night. Sigh.

I should also mention that last Thursday I met the teacher I work for, Catherine, at our school and we cleaned out the cabinets in our room. It was a job that really needed doing and we felt so good afterwards. We threw away a lot of stuff, gave some things to a preschool and other stuff to a thrift store. We have lots of shelf space now. She had her mother with her who is a really great lady and full of spunk for 84 years of age and they took me to lunch at Mimi's. It was good to see them and get caught up on things.

So, what does this week hold? Well, the weatherman says it will be cooler. One can only hope. I still have one more free ticket to Disneyland from my CHOC walk last year. So maybe this is the week to do that. And I want to buy Amber's wedding present while the pickings are still good.