The Creatures of North Carolina

There are some pretty fun animals who have come to visit us here in NC. First visitor - and evil nemesis of our dog Max - Smokey the Cat. Smokey is very sweet and belongs to Molly's new friend Alex. Smokey also has a bit of a death-wish, as she keeps coming into our yard, up on our porch, taunting Max. Max chases Smokey. Smokey climbs the trees. Some day they will be friends...NOT.








Next up, TT the Turtle. Molly got TT from the lake near our house. TT was very cute. We did make sure she/he (who knows?) was not a snapping turtle, as they are mean critters. I was worried that TT would not last too long out of the wild. And when one of our neighbors told us that it really is illegal to keep wild turtles (though I don't think the turtle police were going to close us down any time soon), Molly agreed to send TT back to his/her friends at the lake.






Quacking up...over lake ducks. These guys came to visit us when Molly was fishing. I promised to bring them some bread on the next visit. How do they manage to stay in the water with all those mean snapping turtles?

Ribniks Move East

We left California on a lovely hot day in June, to trek across the US - straight across Highway 40.
We were lucky to have our dear friend Diana Duran driving with us. Actually, she did about 85% of the driving! Molly and Max shared the back seat, while the little critters stayed in small cages in the way back.

After 3.5 days in the car, we were all glad to stretch our legs and get out of the car and into the country!

Susie and Molly are having loads of fun....as new residents in friendly, lovely Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. [That is pronounced few-kway vah-ree-nah.]
Our new house is large, wonderful, has a big backyard, a fort with swings outside and a guest room with its own bathroom....hint, hint!

Good-bye Burbank...

The time came for the Ribniks to get ready to leave Burbank. Sad to leave so many friends, we did what any good Ribnik will do...we threw ourselves a "Goodbye/Molly's Birthday/Eat Up Our Food Party"! My sister Linda came out with my niece Katy. Cousin Jay was there to grill the burgers and dogs and then he led the kids in a putting contest! Katy led the party-goers in a trivia contest with facts about North Carolina.
If you gave a correct answer, you got a grocery item or cleaning supply (whatever I couldn't pack for a cross-country trek). If you gave an incorrect answer, you got two prizes! It was so heartening to have so many people come to our party and wish us well...and take home groceries. Terri Alff was particularly pleased to win the cooking oil.

Molly got an early birthday party with loads of her friends. We had two cakes, lots of presents, and a great big batch of fun!

Then people started to say goodbye and we had to let them leave. We tried to pack an extra kid or two to take with us to North Carolina, but their parents wouldn't leave the party without their kids. Go figure!

Graduation Day...Can you believe it?

The end of the school year finally came and with it...Molly's graduation from 5th grade and saying goodbye to Bret Harte Elementary School in Burbank, California.

Molly looked beautiful and so grown up as she crossed the stage to accept her diploma from her teachers and the principal. It took all my stregth to not weep openly. Sniff, sniff.

I'm so proud of my little girl!
Here she is showing off her diploma!
Molly and Ms. Davis, her homeroom teacher.