A lot of people wrote to me today to offer advice on the phone problem. Brett suggested I get a refurb phone for less than the new price, so I'd still be able to upgrade to a nicer phone in September.

Dennis suggested a second phone on a different network, for redundancy. (We already have a Sprint phone for that exact reason, and I've been using it lately.)

Janine suggested finding one on eBay. Clarke suggested trying *228 to reprogram the phone.

These are all good suggestions. We did try *228 and it didn't help, but it was certainly important to try it before giving up on the phone. I wish I'd thought of the eBay or refurb ideas last night but, being in a tizzy about the impending failure of the phone, I ordered a new one online. I'll pick it up at The UPS Store in Aurora CO next week.

Terry also called to suggest we put a tube in the damaged tire, and keep it as a spare. We'll be looking into that possibility, which could save us $100 or so.

Thanks to all of your for your concern and assistance. It really means a lot to us to know so many people are looking out for us!

Today, Rich C and I took one more drive over the Teton Pass to Jackson to pick up another mail package I had requested be sent to General Delivery. The pass is still an interesting ride each time! Today there were a bunch of cyclists working their way up the 10% grade. A few people we've met here in Victor commute over the pass every day, all year long.

I am still getting a lot of paper mail despite trying to get everyone on electronic delivery. Sprint keeps sending me paper statements even though I enrolled in their online system, but hopefully this is the last one. The health plan people can't seem to wrap their heads around the concept of electronic delivery at all. Fidelity is still sending me statements on my retirement investments, so I'll log on there today and try to put a stop to that. USAA sends me everything electronically except life insurance renewals, so there's another website to visit today. And, about half of the advertisers in the magazine still prefer sending paper checks even though we accept all credit cards and PayPal.

It would be a fine day if I received my mail and there were nothing in the package except Netflix! But I've come to realize that day is probably never going to come. Paper ain't dead yet -- a good thing, considering that my job is publishing a print magazine.

Emma has found friends at this campground. They were also homeschooled for the first few years of their education. We stayed up till 11 last night talking with their parents in their motorhome, and Eleanor has picked up some very useful information about homeshooling as a result.