It's a boy!!

The first pictures of our great-nephew...who will be born in mid-December!! How adorable are these?! Technology is awesome!!

Be Well!!

Time passages...

Another weekend comes to a close. The minutes seem to fly by with amazing speed during time off. It has been a good weekend...albeit fast. We attended a beautiful, garden wedding on Friday evening at Botanica. After the reception, we went for a drive and stopped for a bite of dessert. Saturday was a bit of housework, and an afternoon performance of the displaced Chinese Acrobats formerly of the now defunct Wild West World. They were absolutely fantastic! Performing with them were a Chinese dance troupe (so beautiful), and a Chinese yo-yo group (very entertaining)! We were surprised when the Prairie Rose Wranglers of the now defunct Prairie Rose Chuck Wagon Supper, gave a brief performance as well...it almost seemed like an insult to the Acrobats! Saturday evening we helped Shane unload and install his new washer and dryer, then came home and watched a movie and went for a moonlight swim around 11:30 p.m.

After opting for the late service on Sunday, we went to Pizza Hut for lunch then went to our house and visited for a while. Shane and Candy were absolutely exhausted after their whirlwind trip to Springfield this weekend, so they left early to go home and rest, and Marvin, Chas and I hit the pool for a couple of hours!

This evening found Marvin and I hard at it...he washed his truck, shocked the pool and cleaned the garage out, while I did several loads of laundry and vacuumed the living room furniture and upstairs carpets.

Back to work tomorrow...Council on Tuesday...blah...blah...blah...yada...yada!

Be Well!

Kansas Weed Eater Massacre...

July 17th, 2007, shall go down in the annals of gnomedom as “Red Tuesday”. Once again, “Marvin The Mangler” strikes! Throughout recent history, he has become known and feared around the world for his indiscriminate destruction of flowers, bushes, and now…gnomes! In the late 1970’s, he boldly beheaded his mother’s Peonies…during the mid 1980’s he iradicated his wife’s Iris’s, now it seems that he has developed a “bloodlust” with his most recent tearing off of tiny people’s toes! One can only imagine the maniacal laughter that must have rang from sea to shining sea as his terrible tool of transgression lopped off the magical, mystical digits of this proud little man, resulting in the new nickname…”Gimpy” for this heretofore graceful garden prince.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT…for a 6 foot tall, wild eyed, redheaded madman…roving the neighborhood with tools of grass destruction!

Be Well!

Whirlwind...

The Chinese Acrobats with the Mayor and special Park City Police car and motorcycle during the farewell picnic.

A whirlwind weekend comes to a close! It looks as though the rain has finally abated and hot, dry temps are forecast for the coming week!!!!!! Thank heavens!! Although it passed in a flurry, we accomplished much and managed to get in a bit of rest as well!

We got up early on Saturday and headed to Chas's house to help her with some yard chores. We started about 10:30, and with all three of us working, managed to mow, weed eat, trim some limbs, and blow the driveway and both porches clean. We finished at about 11:45 and by then...the heat had begun to bear down terribly! We had intended to go from Chas's yard to Shane's, but instead we headed for our house and the pool!! After a bit more than two hours in the water, we dressed and drove over to Newton for dinner and a bit of shopping! Chas and I both came home with two outfits apiece, and Chas bought a very cool spice rack!

Sunday morning, we arose a bit earlier than we had on Saturday and met at Shane's around 9:30 (hoping to beat the heat). It only took the three of us an hour to mow, weed eat, and blow the drive, porch, patio, and the front walk clean! By 10:30 the yard work was complete...and the heat was back! We headed for our house and collapsed on the couch in the cool house while lunch cooked (pasta bake, green beans, and peaches with fat free cool whip). After lunch we hit the pool for a couple of hours, then Chas headed home to do laundry and Marvin and I watched a bit of "Como vision". Around 5:45, we drove over to the grocery and bought a cherry chocolate cake, and went to a farewell picnic for the displaced Chinese Acrobats formerly with Wild West World (the short lived, now defunct amusement park in Park City). The picnic was sponsored by the City of Park City and Park City Pride, and turned out to be a very nice event! A total of approx. 77 people attended. The Mayor gave a brief speech, presenting each of the Acrobats with a 'goodie' bag of memorabilia to take home with them. The interpreter for the Acrobats spoke as well, thanking the City and community for their support, assistance and kindness during this stressful time. They are not only very talented performers, but pleasant, gracious individuals as well!

After the picnic, I took Sugar for a short walk (the mosquitoes ate us up), and I think we will hit the pool for a moonlight swim before retiring for the evening!

Shane returns tomorrow, and I hope that the weather cooperates and he doesn't end up sleeping at O'Hare International again! The forecast for Chicago is a 40% chance of thunderstorms...with chances increasing later in the day... hopefully he will slide out between storms. He has had a wonderful time in Kentucky and we are very anxious to see pictures, and have him home again!!

Be Well!!

Fast weekend...

It’s been a great weekend! Saturday we got up around 8:00 a.m., got all of our chores done, and spent two full hours in the pool!! It was luscious!! Afterwards, we went to Kobe (thank you Candy for the Christmas gift certificate), and had shrimp, steak, chicken, fried rice, mushrooms, cucumbers, onions, bean sprouts, and clear chicken soup! It is a Japanese Hibachi establishment and it was so fun! Our cook flung eggs in the air, made an onion volcano, tossed shrimp into our mouths from across the grill, and kept us totally entertained with witty repartee! Afterwards, we did some shopping and got home around 10:00.

Sunday was early service at church, and then we all came to our house for pasta bake, and hot rolls. After lunch we took some pictures and hit the pool for a couple of hours, then watched a Julia Roberts movie, while we ate angel food cake and whipped cream!

I sooooooo hate to see the weekend behind us! It seems as though having fun and relaxing just gets started…when it’s over! The coming week will be the week from Hades…Park and Tree Board on Monday, Council on Tuesday, and of course…work all week. Shane departs for Kentucky on Tuesday; please pray for a safe journey and lots of relaxation and fun for him…he deserves it and needs it!

Be Well!

Sky...

Just a couple of pictures that I took of the beautiful sky tonight...on my mosquito infested walk. I'm afraid that this is the last walk that I will take outdoors for a while. The treadmill and Gazelle will be my mainstays until the bug season passes!

My soul is heavy tonight. Several things on my mind. I actually took my walk tonight for the main purpose of praying, without distraction. My heart is full of things that we Baptists call "Unspoken requests". If you are a praying person...please lift my prayers up with your own?

Be Well!

Wet weekend...

It has indeed been a wet weekend! The rains continue to fall, although they are forecast to begin receding soon. Areas all around us are experiencing flooding problems. I spoke to my dad just a bit ago...he and his friend are members of the Red Cross. It seems his friend is stranded in Fredonia...for at least a couple of days...maybe longer. Not only has 1/2 of Coffeyville been flooded by swollen rivers, creeks etc...but officials have now opened a nearby dam to lower the level in some areas...causing more flooding in the Coffeyville area. My aunts home has approx 4 feet of water inside and it is still rising. She and her husband are now staying with my dad. Sadly, they have no flood insurance...as most people don't. There hasn't been a flood of this magnitude in that area since 1942...and it was considered extraordinary.

I went out a bit ago to check the pool, empty the leaves from the skimmer and put in chlorine. The water is nice and clear...but if the rain continues...I don't know how long that will last! Storms are no deterrent for fireworks...each time there is a break in the rainfall...people venture out of their homes and set off firecrackers and night works!

The coming week is looking somewhat dubious. We have planned a cookout/pool party for July 4th, and the weatherman just announced that the rains could continue through that day. What a mess! I suppose if they do...we shall simply move the party indoors!

Events overseas have been more than a little disturbing this weekend! It has become a frightening world that we live in.

Be Well!