Monday, May 28, 2007
Sports
Thought that I'd add our sports update. Declan's team, CHS Ultimate won their 7th state championship yesterday, beating the Princeton team 15-8 in the final.
Lyn and I spent the day cheering the team. The previous weekend, the boys travelled to Lebanon, Ohio, where they placed 3rd in the Ultimate High School Eastern Tournament. They lost the semi-final by one point in a really exciting game with their perennial rivals, Pennsbury HS.
Magda is home, and already working as a waitress at a wonderful local Italian restaurant. It is difficult to believe that she has finished two years of college. She has another job lined up for June/July as a counselor at an Art day camp at a local country club, then Wisconsin and on to Pretoria, South Africa in August.
As to Irish travel advice, pick a corner of the island and concentrate onthing that are only a short distance apart . Go to Limerick and visit cousin Ruth Ann's "The Wild Onion" on High Street for an amazing breakfast the morning you get in. (Look for and old guy to ask for directions, his answer might be "Oh, f**k, I've lived here my whole life, but I d'know"-true life experience)
We made our arrangements through Brian Moore Int'l Travel. You can divide your time in different ways-we did 2 nights in a hotel in Dublin, then 4 night in B&Bs in the South. We had specific objectives, which turned out to be a lttle too far flung,but we certainly saw a lot along the way. Lyn and Georgette's most recent trip was mostly on the SW coast.Anyhow, the tour co. sendsvouchers for youaccomodations and a guide book to help you choose. We found it practical to actually phone the B&Bs to mke the arrangements, but it can be done easily with email.
We must do lawn and garden work this morning, so take care everyone and spend sometime today thinking about our departed soldiers, sailors and airmen(women) and hope that our president does, too.
Love, Kevin
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Congrats to Freya on her new teeth! Nice that it was so uneventful. Its so hard to lose a good caregiver, but things have a way of working out. Montessori sounds good, though. I am sure she will do well wherever she is.
Beautiful day here. Yesterday the soccer game got finished before the rain started, but CMH prevailed, 9-0. They apparently are nationally rated, so our girls didn't feel too bad. They played hard, but couldn't stop them. Glad that season is over. Bridget caddied today, then joined us for a few holes of golf. Colin is working and preparing for a four day tournament in Appleton next weekend, so needs to focus and not play with his less than skilled parents. Oh well.
Mark, I will call and give you some ideas for Ireland. You should put the Cliffs of Mohr on your list, though. They are not too far from Shannon and pretty amazing, depending on which way you point your car. You can't lose with whatever you chose. I heard that its better to book B and B's for at least your first and last nights in the busy tourist season. Kevin and Lyn would know more about that. We always traveled when there weren't too many others there. Hope everyone enjoys their three day weekend. See you all soon. Love, Susan
Beautiful day here. Yesterday the soccer game got finished before the rain started, but CMH prevailed, 9-0. They apparently are nationally rated, so our girls didn't feel too bad. They played hard, but couldn't stop them. Glad that season is over. Bridget caddied today, then joined us for a few holes of golf. Colin is working and preparing for a four day tournament in Appleton next weekend, so needs to focus and not play with his less than skilled parents. Oh well.
Mark, I will call and give you some ideas for Ireland. You should put the Cliffs of Mohr on your list, though. They are not too far from Shannon and pretty amazing, depending on which way you point your car. You can't lose with whatever you chose. I heard that its better to book B and B's for at least your first and last nights in the busy tourist season. Kevin and Lyn would know more about that. We always traveled when there weren't too many others there. Hope everyone enjoys their three day weekend. See you all soon. Love, Susan
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Teeth, Montessori and More!
Good Saturday morning, everyone! Mark, your trip to Ireland sounds like it is going to be great. I can't help you with trip advice at all, but you're talking to the right people it sounds like.
Things are going well in Idaho. Matt has been training a "new" officer. This guy actually retired as a game warden in the state of Alaska, so he's been around the block a time or two. I think they're both enjoying working together.
Freya has surprised us recently by having all four of her first molars show up without any fuss at all. Matt spied what looked like a swelling on her gum the other night, and some digital inspection found that all of them (barring the two-years) had broken through and were ready to go. We were flabbergasted--her incisors were pretty hard on her when they came in, and we figured the molars were going to be horrible. So what a relief!
In other news, Freya's caregiver (our neighbor across the street) told us back in April that she was going to move on to new things when her son started school in August, and she wouldn't be available for Freya anymore. (I don't blame her--if I had five mornings a week all by myself, I am pretty sure I could cure cancer. Or at least get my carpets clean.) We've been looking and looking for a new care situation for her, and I think I may have found it yesterday. I had looked into Montessori schools and had seen one that was not good at all. Then I visited the one yesterday, and was so impressed with it. Freya seemed to like it as well. I think we'll take Matt to check it out when his work schedule slows down a little. And it is only five minutes from my office! Can't beat that.
Well, that's it by way of update for us. Hope you are all well and enjoying a great Memorial Day weekend!
Casey, Matt & Freya
Things are going well in Idaho. Matt has been training a "new" officer. This guy actually retired as a game warden in the state of Alaska, so he's been around the block a time or two. I think they're both enjoying working together.
Freya has surprised us recently by having all four of her first molars show up without any fuss at all. Matt spied what looked like a swelling on her gum the other night, and some digital inspection found that all of them (barring the two-years) had broken through and were ready to go. We were flabbergasted--her incisors were pretty hard on her when they came in, and we figured the molars were going to be horrible. So what a relief!
In other news, Freya's caregiver (our neighbor across the street) told us back in April that she was going to move on to new things when her son started school in August, and she wouldn't be available for Freya anymore. (I don't blame her--if I had five mornings a week all by myself, I am pretty sure I could cure cancer. Or at least get my carpets clean.) We've been looking and looking for a new care situation for her, and I think I may have found it yesterday. I had looked into Montessori schools and had seen one that was not good at all. Then I visited the one yesterday, and was so impressed with it. Freya seemed to like it as well. I think we'll take Matt to check it out when his work schedule slows down a little. And it is only five minutes from my office! Can't beat that.
Well, that's it by way of update for us. Hope you are all well and enjoying a great Memorial Day weekend!
Casey, Matt & Freya
Friday, May 25, 2007
and
I was hoping that you, Michele, Mom & Dad and Kev & Lyn would have lots of suggestions for places to go. I'm letting the kids pick out places, too. I figure they can each pick out one stop, and I get the rest.
That's great, Mark! Are you flying into Dublin or Shannon? If its Shannon, I can give you lots of places to try that we saw once and even twice. We really liked the area north and west of Shannon, Galway,Connemara, etc, so let us know. I hope everyone has their passports. They are taking about 10 weeks to get unless you pay the megabucks to expedite them. Colin ordered one in early April and it hasn't arrived yet. All is well here. We had Bridget's senior portraits done today and there isn't a bad one in the bunch so the decisions will be hard. She plays CMH tomorrow in soccer cause they beat Jefferson on Thursday. Expecting to get whupped! Happy Mem Day everyone!
Kissing the @#*&^$ Blarney Stone!!!!
I'm psyched! I just booked tickets for me and the kids to go to Ireland July 9-17! The tix weren't cheap, but they were still about $150 a head less than what it first looked like I would have to pay, so I'm not complaining. We'll be flying on Aer Lingus, non-stop from O'Hare. Now we just have to figure out where to point our wee rental van once we land :)
Sunday, May 20, 2007
well, here i am again, after resetting my password with google. i can't remember all this stuff! we got the camper hot water heater fixed--cobwebs! and went out with our neighbors the weekend before mothers day. we were supposed to go up to steamboat, to a state park up there--but they were predicting about a foot of snow for the mountains, so we ended up north of loveland instead. we got rained on but no snow. and had a good, social weekend!
my shots seem to have helped quite a bit--expecially on my left side. i had a followup visit with the surgeon, and he was encouraged. so we'll just keep our finegers crossed. david got the pergola stained last weekend, and it looks beautiful, while i planted all of my planters--about 9 all together. they look wonderful also. we also replaced some perennials that hadn't made it through the winter. we are slowly but surely adding more greenery to our rock landscape. but it is hard soil, and clay which resists planting.
this weekend, davd did the plumbing to hook the camper up to the house sewer system, so we can dump into the house sewer. several of our neighbors have rigged this up, so we took a look at theirs, and did the same thing. it took 2 trips to home depot, and 2 trips to camping world--but it is done!
we aren't sure what we are doing over memorial day, but the first weekend in june we'll go to another trip with our neighbors -- to a private campground in the mountains. we may just stay put over memorial day. david will be in eastern colorado this week for a few days, and my job is busy and just never stops. so we might need some relaxing time!
great to see all the pictures of freya and M and C, and bridget and her buds, and the tandem bicycle. we won't be making it to domi's graduation party mark--but hope you guys have a wonderful time.
we are going to be coming to WI--probably the same time as K and L. will probably leave here on friday night 6/29, and arrive in WI saturday evening. then leave again on friday evening, july 6, to get home on saturday night. probably will drive the sugbaru with the dogs, rather than the camper. but we'll decide that later. we hope to see everyone. how about a picnic on sunday july 1--i've already asked mom about that?
well, off to make some dinner in the midst of our late afternoon thunder storm.
we rented "lyrics..." with hugh grant and drew barrymore last night--and it was pretty funny. hugh grant does a mean pelvic thrust!
we love you all---michele and david, link and ruby
my shots seem to have helped quite a bit--expecially on my left side. i had a followup visit with the surgeon, and he was encouraged. so we'll just keep our finegers crossed. david got the pergola stained last weekend, and it looks beautiful, while i planted all of my planters--about 9 all together. they look wonderful also. we also replaced some perennials that hadn't made it through the winter. we are slowly but surely adding more greenery to our rock landscape. but it is hard soil, and clay which resists planting.
this weekend, davd did the plumbing to hook the camper up to the house sewer system, so we can dump into the house sewer. several of our neighbors have rigged this up, so we took a look at theirs, and did the same thing. it took 2 trips to home depot, and 2 trips to camping world--but it is done!
we aren't sure what we are doing over memorial day, but the first weekend in june we'll go to another trip with our neighbors -- to a private campground in the mountains. we may just stay put over memorial day. david will be in eastern colorado this week for a few days, and my job is busy and just never stops. so we might need some relaxing time!
great to see all the pictures of freya and M and C, and bridget and her buds, and the tandem bicycle. we won't be making it to domi's graduation party mark--but hope you guys have a wonderful time.
we are going to be coming to WI--probably the same time as K and L. will probably leave here on friday night 6/29, and arrive in WI saturday evening. then leave again on friday evening, july 6, to get home on saturday night. probably will drive the sugbaru with the dogs, rather than the camper. but we'll decide that later. we hope to see everyone. how about a picnic on sunday july 1--i've already asked mom about that?
well, off to make some dinner in the midst of our late afternoon thunder storm.
we rented "lyrics..." with hugh grant and drew barrymore last night--and it was pretty funny. hugh grant does a mean pelvic thrust!
we love you all---michele and david, link and ruby
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Finally a weekend at home to catch up with stuff. Colin came home yesterday with more stuff than he left with, so extra work there. I had asked for a load of mulch for Mother's Day, so I am relaxing after moving all but one wheelbarrow full of the six yards of mulch. I didn't expect to do it all today, but with so little time to garden these days, I just kept going and going. Its a beautiful day and we are having a luncheon with Mom tomorrow, so this was it. Jay is working on the pier so we are really behind this year. He had to make an emergency trip to our wonderful eye doctor for a suspected piece of metal in the eye. Turned out there was no metal, but he sliced a piece off of his eyeball which should heal by tomorrow.
My work continues to be interesting as my boss transitions out and the evil psychologist gets meaner to me. He is in his death throes with the organization, I hope, so I should be fine. Is there a job out there without some crazy person making life nuts? 10 more years! One of our offices will be moving, we are hiring new people and we continue to be busy, so I have lots to do. The lease is up on the office we rent in Burlington and there are about 5 more people in it than should be, so Aurora is buying and renovating an old bank building to house us. Its a neat building and when they do this, everyone gets new everything, so it should be great. The evil psychologist says the building in inappropriate and if they move there he is not going, he will stay where he is. Many of us hope that he does just that. This will be happening sometime around the end of the year, or we have to rent yurts and find a parking lot to put them in.
Our clinic continue to have some business but Jay is ripping out his remaining hair dealing with insurance. I still do the billing which is much smaller, but if I hadn't gotten a job, we would be in dire straits by now. So, I must not let the evil psychologist get the better of me.
Bridget and I had a nice weekend last weekend visiting Frank Llloyd Wright's place, exploring Eagle Cave with 200 Boy Scouts, and hanging out at her teacher's beautiful land near Richland Center. We opted not to sleep in the wet, muddy cave with 200 Boy Scouts and their beer swilling leaders, and Bridget bailed out of sleeping under the stars on Sat. night when the rain came. That bed in the van is pretty good.
This week kept us busy with 3 soccer games, two at home and one in Kenosha. Bridget played 6 games, both varsity and JV,
and had a field trip to Chicago this week and she caddied this AM. We sat for 12 hours, one night with Grandma and Grandpa in the rain, so it is nice to be home. Only one game next week and then the season is over.
Well, I should get up and put some yard stuff away. Hope everyone else is well and had a good Mother's Day. Hopefully we can get together soon. Love, Susan
My work continues to be interesting as my boss transitions out and the evil psychologist gets meaner to me. He is in his death throes with the organization, I hope, so I should be fine. Is there a job out there without some crazy person making life nuts? 10 more years! One of our offices will be moving, we are hiring new people and we continue to be busy, so I have lots to do. The lease is up on the office we rent in Burlington and there are about 5 more people in it than should be, so Aurora is buying and renovating an old bank building to house us. Its a neat building and when they do this, everyone gets new everything, so it should be great. The evil psychologist says the building in inappropriate and if they move there he is not going, he will stay where he is. Many of us hope that he does just that. This will be happening sometime around the end of the year, or we have to rent yurts and find a parking lot to put them in.
Our clinic continue to have some business but Jay is ripping out his remaining hair dealing with insurance. I still do the billing which is much smaller, but if I hadn't gotten a job, we would be in dire straits by now. So, I must not let the evil psychologist get the better of me.
Bridget and I had a nice weekend last weekend visiting Frank Llloyd Wright's place, exploring Eagle Cave with 200 Boy Scouts, and hanging out at her teacher's beautiful land near Richland Center. We opted not to sleep in the wet, muddy cave with 200 Boy Scouts and their beer swilling leaders, and Bridget bailed out of sleeping under the stars on Sat. night when the rain came. That bed in the van is pretty good.
This week kept us busy with 3 soccer games, two at home and one in Kenosha. Bridget played 6 games, both varsity and JV,
and had a field trip to Chicago this week and she caddied this AM. We sat for 12 hours, one night with Grandma and Grandpa in the rain, so it is nice to be home. Only one game next week and then the season is over.
Well, I should get up and put some yard stuff away. Hope everyone else is well and had a good Mother's Day. Hopefully we can get together soon. Love, Susan
Sunday, May 13, 2007
I am so glad some of you all can do pictures, so mgreat to see that little ham posing in the doggy cage. I cannot imagine Grover looking pained with Freya around. I'm still having trouble visualising the Album covers as plant protection.
Beautiful prom pictures and OL' Nellie is a hoot. How long is the trek to school?Waht a BZ week for all. David Hasselhoff! Bill Maher quipped that he is the only guy whose designated driver is a car. Did the Escalade talk?
Happy Mothers Day to all. Ours here is wet and chilly, after a fasbulously beautiful day Sat. spent doing jail visits andthen hitting all the fun local garden centers. Our favorite is carrying koi this year- $100 fishies! Guearanteed 72 hrs! Wally world gold fish work just fine in our little ponds. Weve been shivering thru bits of SCI FI channel's Mother's Day Marathon of offspring only a mother would love movies (currently the world's worst possible version of Beowulf w/ Grendel as the otherwise unloved giant scion, painfully giving Ben Cross employment. ) David Hasselhof must have turned down the part.
Stephen is between spring semester and summer session so we may be seeing him here and there. Alex will be back here this week to work on reviving the Escort. I'm planting, Tim is pointing to the perfect place for me to plop the plants. Quiet and peaceful here. I have a cruch of jury trials with clients waiting til the last possible second to settle so I've had a lot of prep, then a vacuum. Even tho there is plenty of other stuff to do, its hard to wind down from trial mode to research or writing or filing. Digging holes in the ground seems to work. Three jury days this next week, I'd really like one to go, or I'm going to run out of plants.
A friend is going on emergency medical family leave and distributing his cases to a few of us (I get all the mentally ill clients, 'cause he trusts me with them) so if no trials I have several interesting new folks to meet with motions and other hearings already scheduled. We'd already been picking up some of his stuff for the planned paternity leave, but the little guy came really early.
I think I'm going to find a cliffnotes of Beowulf 'cause this is nothing like I remember. The monster is peeved because he doesn't get invites to the best parties? The Scandanaviansmust have had collective seasonal affective disorder (sorry Casey) to come up with dark epics during those long dark winters. Somehow,it seems more epic, less twisted when I studied it years ago.
Tim thinks we were in Coldwater for way more than an hour, but did we get treated nicely. The outlet store is very nice, with some incredible bargains, especially for the XS and S folks. And ladies with teensie tinsie feet.
Looking forward to St. Joe's party next Sunday. Mark, if Capri will allow me to borrow her for the party I'll pick her be her wheels. Tim will be staying here with Steve and Alex visiting.
Must sign off, Grendel's mommy is avenging him.
Beautiful prom pictures and OL' Nellie is a hoot. How long is the trek to school?Waht a BZ week for all. David Hasselhoff! Bill Maher quipped that he is the only guy whose designated driver is a car. Did the Escalade talk?
Happy Mothers Day to all. Ours here is wet and chilly, after a fasbulously beautiful day Sat. spent doing jail visits andthen hitting all the fun local garden centers. Our favorite is carrying koi this year- $100 fishies! Guearanteed 72 hrs! Wally world gold fish work just fine in our little ponds. Weve been shivering thru bits of SCI FI channel's Mother's Day Marathon of offspring only a mother would love movies (currently the world's worst possible version of Beowulf w/ Grendel as the otherwise unloved giant scion, painfully giving Ben Cross employment. ) David Hasselhof must have turned down the part.
Stephen is between spring semester and summer session so we may be seeing him here and there. Alex will be back here this week to work on reviving the Escort. I'm planting, Tim is pointing to the perfect place for me to plop the plants. Quiet and peaceful here. I have a cruch of jury trials with clients waiting til the last possible second to settle so I've had a lot of prep, then a vacuum. Even tho there is plenty of other stuff to do, its hard to wind down from trial mode to research or writing or filing. Digging holes in the ground seems to work. Three jury days this next week, I'd really like one to go, or I'm going to run out of plants.
A friend is going on emergency medical family leave and distributing his cases to a few of us (I get all the mentally ill clients, 'cause he trusts me with them) so if no trials I have several interesting new folks to meet with motions and other hearings already scheduled. We'd already been picking up some of his stuff for the planned paternity leave, but the little guy came really early.
I think I'm going to find a cliffnotes of Beowulf 'cause this is nothing like I remember. The monster is peeved because he doesn't get invites to the best parties? The Scandanaviansmust have had collective seasonal affective disorder (sorry Casey) to come up with dark epics during those long dark winters. Somehow,it seems more epic, less twisted when I studied it years ago.
Tim thinks we were in Coldwater for way more than an hour, but did we get treated nicely. The outlet store is very nice, with some incredible bargains, especially for the XS and S folks. And ladies with teensie tinsie feet.
Looking forward to St. Joe's party next Sunday. Mark, if Capri will allow me to borrow her for the party I'll pick her be her wheels. Tim will be staying here with Steve and Alex visiting.
Must sign off, Grendel's mommy is avenging him.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
hi all
I just checked with the The Boise Social Services office and I guess it's okay to put little kids in dog cages in Idaho, so that cleared that up for me.
Hope everyone is well. Happy Mother's Day to all Moms. I was in Las Venus all week at the big kitchen and bath show and my big brush with celebrity for the week was seeing David Hasselhoff fubbling for the keys to his big black Escalade behind the Paris Hotel. I'm pretty sure he was drunk as a skunk. I also think I saw Sinbad at a buffet eating by himself. I also saw Russ Feingold at Mitchell field but he was too far ahead of me in line to say hello to.
I talked to Kevin yesterday about possible biking excursions this summer. They will be in WI probably from the last weekend in June through the week of the 4th of July. He thought he and Declan would want to do something early that week. 2-3 day thing. Anyone else interested? Maybe ELroy Sparta/ Dells/ Baraboo? Let me know if anyone is interested.
Hope everyone is well. Happy Mother's Day to all Moms. I was in Las Venus all week at the big kitchen and bath show and my big brush with celebrity for the week was seeing David Hasselhoff fubbling for the keys to his big black Escalade behind the Paris Hotel. I'm pretty sure he was drunk as a skunk. I also think I saw Sinbad at a buffet eating by himself. I also saw Russ Feingold at Mitchell field but he was too far ahead of me in line to say hello to.
I talked to Kevin yesterday about possible biking excursions this summer. They will be in WI probably from the last weekend in June through the week of the 4th of July. He thought he and Declan would want to do something early that week. 2-3 day thing. Anyone else interested? Maybe ELroy Sparta/ Dells/ Baraboo? Let me know if anyone is interested.
Old Nelly
Just thought I'd post this picture of Domino and Calvin taking Old Nelly to school this week. Ain't she a beaut? The kids don't look too bad either.
Remember, next week is Bike to Work Week!
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Thankfully, we found our way back to the OCblog!!
Dear Family,
Any font using LARGER is best for readers here, Thanks.
Congratulations to Domino for being Vassar quality and her confident choice and to Magdalena for her "sportsperson journalistic"
description of the Mount Holyoke regatta victory!
Happy Birthday wishes for Susan today!
Pleased with the blog, e-mail and phone reports on the music activites of Declan, Cooper and Charlie. Perhaps we'll see a photo of Declan with instrument, suit and beard???
We were a small part of the photo shoot for Prom Court member Bridget on Saturday afternoon--about 1 PM --and she and Tony were just starting the series of events which kept her parents out all night as well! The photos in the blog really don't do her justice!!
Enjoyed recounts of the O'Connell-Long Colorado visit with M, D, L and R. The great house photos are impressive and certainly use of the new facilities would impress any guests. Thanks to Michele and David for sharing the many views!!
Praying here that the cortizone will provide Michele with relief promptly and continually.
Will hope she won't have to make any further
complex decisions. Appreciated the phone visit you and Mom had on Sunday evening with relating the weekend camping event along with other topics.
Our 4 day Retired Educator convention at Chula Vista in the WI Dells was worthwhile and we
had an opportunity to have a visit from Maura and Tim at our campsite and later at the new Dells Tanger Mall where the staff at Coldwater Creek served the ladies for at least an hour(I don't think it was that long) and found some lovely things. We had to get back for a dinner so our trip was shortened, but we had a good time.
We didn't tell you much about the trip to Boise, and I will begin with thanks to Matt, Casey and Freya for being such gracious hosts! Little Freya provided the entertainment, was very friendly after she got used to the new faces, and we were able to play and read and eat with with her. Matt got out the outdoor gym that he had purchased at a sale the last time we were there and, tho she couldn't climb up onto the slide, there were always helping hands to boost her up to the top and catch her at the bottom. Lots of pictures to attest to this. Plan to send a pack of photos to Idaho soon.
Dad and Matt had a (Snake River at Brownlee Dam) fishing day, Casey went to work, Freya to her baby=sitter and I had the day off to read and relax until the troops got home.That was Thursday.
Casey had been planning her garden for some time, so we went to visit a lady who was opening her greenhouse that day, and we found many things that she had planned for. We all made a trip to Lowe's to get wood for three square gardens, and soil, etc. to fill them and the men got three made and installed in the back yard. The trick was to keep Freya from helping, and the slide was a good distraction.
Really miss the good times we had with Freya, Casey and Matt. Also miss Matt's great homemade cookies which are partially responsible for Freya's most clearly spoken word aside for those for her parents!! Would guess "Grover" comes in next!!
Back home on Sunday evening too do laundry, load up the R.v. and drive to Chula vista on monday. dad has told you about that trip.
May is turning out to be as busy as the rest of the year has been so far. Lots of reunions,parties, etc. We went to Stein's on Sunday to purchase some annuals and perennials on sale, so spent Monday and Tuesday planting. we had an 80 degree day yesterday - perfect for outdoor work. Think we transplanted over 100 perennials, some from Steins, but most raised from seed last year, to multiple beds around the yard. Hope to get all the mulch salvaged from the basswood tree that blew down last fall on all these beds soon.
Like the blog "treasures", this entry seems to be going in reverse! Our AZ trip went almost without a hitch, after the first day. Near Bloomington, IL, we noted a soft rear dual tire and called AAA. A number of calls and nearly 5 hours later we were on our way with the flat fixed and the spare reloaded in the rack. Overnight at Scott AFB near St. Louis. On to the
Tinker AFB in OKlahoma City the next night.
Heavy head winds allowed us to get only as far as Santa Rosa, NM and Payson, AZ the next 2 nights. By the 5th night we were at a favorite spot, Usery Mountain regional park near Mesa where we stayed for 6 nights. Visited Aunt Gerry, cousins Mary Pat and Jack and their spouses and two couples we know from St. Joe's and Waukesha Retired Teachers.
The second week we were at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson. Almost every day we met Ann and Ed and
did things in the area. Most of the third week we were at Patagonia Lake SP near Nogales where we again did some things with Ann and Ed. Had a wonderful St. Pat's Corned Beef/Cabbage dinner sponsored by the local Senior Citizen group which was held in the old rail passenger depot which is now a Community Center.Not a
great year for birding or flowers because of the continuing drought. We were at Ft. Huachuca at Sierra Vista the 4th week. Did get back to the village of Patagonia on day to have lunch with A & E and their cousin Devera and her husband who
had come from their home in the LA area to visit A & E who sometimes see them when they visit Julie's family in CA. Had a rental car for the weekend which made it possible to get to some of the birding areas which are not accessible using the RV.
Started the 5th week heading home with a first night stop at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, the second and third nights in the Kerrville area where we spent most the day with our Whitnall friends, the Hokansons. Night 4 was spend after a day of dodging severe weather at a RV spot in Gainsville TX, near the OK border. It was Little Rock AFB the next night. Saturday night, 3/31 found us back at Scott AFB RV FamCamp where a tornado warning sent us to the laundry room/lavatory building at dinner time until we got the all clear on the Weather Radio!! After Palm Sunday mass there we drove on home to Big Bend on April Fool's Day--almost 5000 miles. Our new weather radio, a WPR pledge gift, got a work out, but we didn't have to use the crank up standby power, as the batteries held out! Susan & Jay used it on their Colorado trip, too.
Can't forget a couple of other "family" times we were glad to have had between AZ and ID. Had a nice visit with David and Finn on Good Friday
afternoon and then on Easter Sunday and Monday we were in Ft. Atkinson with the children when Mark was in TX. Found ourselves in the midst of the annual basket hunt at 500 N. Main which involved all four plus cousin Nick Schulz before he and Nemo returned to Madison. At the same time Domino and Beth were scrambling around getting ready to drive to Milwaukee to catch their plane for New York. Things quieter when
we went on to Lillian street with C & C. We stayed overnight and took them to school and picked them up and took Calvin to his guitar
lesson on Monday. The "unquiet" returned as we learned that Mark was in Denver after a flight cancellation and he wouldn't get to MKE until
late evening. We stayed until he got home and then drove to Big Bend--probably the latest we've stayed out for a long time. But worth the effort.
Thanks for reading to the end!! Love and prayers, Grandma Jeanne and Grandpa Gene
Any font using LARGER is best for readers here, Thanks.
Congratulations to Domino for being Vassar quality and her confident choice and to Magdalena for her "sportsperson journalistic"
description of the Mount Holyoke regatta victory!
Happy Birthday wishes for Susan today!
Pleased with the blog, e-mail and phone reports on the music activites of Declan, Cooper and Charlie. Perhaps we'll see a photo of Declan with instrument, suit and beard???
We were a small part of the photo shoot for Prom Court member Bridget on Saturday afternoon--about 1 PM --and she and Tony were just starting the series of events which kept her parents out all night as well! The photos in the blog really don't do her justice!!
Enjoyed recounts of the O'Connell-Long Colorado visit with M, D, L and R. The great house photos are impressive and certainly use of the new facilities would impress any guests. Thanks to Michele and David for sharing the many views!!
Praying here that the cortizone will provide Michele with relief promptly and continually.
Will hope she won't have to make any further
complex decisions. Appreciated the phone visit you and Mom had on Sunday evening with relating the weekend camping event along with other topics.
Our 4 day Retired Educator convention at Chula Vista in the WI Dells was worthwhile and we
had an opportunity to have a visit from Maura and Tim at our campsite and later at the new Dells Tanger Mall where the staff at Coldwater Creek served the ladies for at least an hour(I don't think it was that long) and found some lovely things. We had to get back for a dinner so our trip was shortened, but we had a good time.
We didn't tell you much about the trip to Boise, and I will begin with thanks to Matt, Casey and Freya for being such gracious hosts! Little Freya provided the entertainment, was very friendly after she got used to the new faces, and we were able to play and read and eat with with her. Matt got out the outdoor gym that he had purchased at a sale the last time we were there and, tho she couldn't climb up onto the slide, there were always helping hands to boost her up to the top and catch her at the bottom. Lots of pictures to attest to this. Plan to send a pack of photos to Idaho soon.
Dad and Matt had a (Snake River at Brownlee Dam) fishing day, Casey went to work, Freya to her baby=sitter and I had the day off to read and relax until the troops got home.That was Thursday.
Casey had been planning her garden for some time, so we went to visit a lady who was opening her greenhouse that day, and we found many things that she had planned for. We all made a trip to Lowe's to get wood for three square gardens, and soil, etc. to fill them and the men got three made and installed in the back yard. The trick was to keep Freya from helping, and the slide was a good distraction.
Really miss the good times we had with Freya, Casey and Matt. Also miss Matt's great homemade cookies which are partially responsible for Freya's most clearly spoken word aside for those for her parents!! Would guess "Grover" comes in next!!
Back home on Sunday evening too do laundry, load up the R.v. and drive to Chula vista on monday. dad has told you about that trip.
May is turning out to be as busy as the rest of the year has been so far. Lots of reunions,parties, etc. We went to Stein's on Sunday to purchase some annuals and perennials on sale, so spent Monday and Tuesday planting. we had an 80 degree day yesterday - perfect for outdoor work. Think we transplanted over 100 perennials, some from Steins, but most raised from seed last year, to multiple beds around the yard. Hope to get all the mulch salvaged from the basswood tree that blew down last fall on all these beds soon.
Like the blog "treasures", this entry seems to be going in reverse! Our AZ trip went almost without a hitch, after the first day. Near Bloomington, IL, we noted a soft rear dual tire and called AAA. A number of calls and nearly 5 hours later we were on our way with the flat fixed and the spare reloaded in the rack. Overnight at Scott AFB near St. Louis. On to the
Tinker AFB in OKlahoma City the next night.
Heavy head winds allowed us to get only as far as Santa Rosa, NM and Payson, AZ the next 2 nights. By the 5th night we were at a favorite spot, Usery Mountain regional park near Mesa where we stayed for 6 nights. Visited Aunt Gerry, cousins Mary Pat and Jack and their spouses and two couples we know from St. Joe's and Waukesha Retired Teachers.
The second week we were at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson. Almost every day we met Ann and Ed and
did things in the area. Most of the third week we were at Patagonia Lake SP near Nogales where we again did some things with Ann and Ed. Had a wonderful St. Pat's Corned Beef/Cabbage dinner sponsored by the local Senior Citizen group which was held in the old rail passenger depot which is now a Community Center.Not a
great year for birding or flowers because of the continuing drought. We were at Ft. Huachuca at Sierra Vista the 4th week. Did get back to the village of Patagonia on day to have lunch with A & E and their cousin Devera and her husband who
had come from their home in the LA area to visit A & E who sometimes see them when they visit Julie's family in CA. Had a rental car for the weekend which made it possible to get to some of the birding areas which are not accessible using the RV.
Started the 5th week heading home with a first night stop at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, the second and third nights in the Kerrville area where we spent most the day with our Whitnall friends, the Hokansons. Night 4 was spend after a day of dodging severe weather at a RV spot in Gainsville TX, near the OK border. It was Little Rock AFB the next night. Saturday night, 3/31 found us back at Scott AFB RV FamCamp where a tornado warning sent us to the laundry room/lavatory building at dinner time until we got the all clear on the Weather Radio!! After Palm Sunday mass there we drove on home to Big Bend on April Fool's Day--almost 5000 miles. Our new weather radio, a WPR pledge gift, got a work out, but we didn't have to use the crank up standby power, as the batteries held out! Susan & Jay used it on their Colorado trip, too.
Can't forget a couple of other "family" times we were glad to have had between AZ and ID. Had a nice visit with David and Finn on Good Friday
afternoon and then on Easter Sunday and Monday we were in Ft. Atkinson with the children when Mark was in TX. Found ourselves in the midst of the annual basket hunt at 500 N. Main which involved all four plus cousin Nick Schulz before he and Nemo returned to Madison. At the same time Domino and Beth were scrambling around getting ready to drive to Milwaukee to catch their plane for New York. Things quieter when
we went on to Lillian street with C & C. We stayed overnight and took them to school and picked them up and took Calvin to his guitar
lesson on Monday. The "unquiet" returned as we learned that Mark was in Denver after a flight cancellation and he wouldn't get to MKE until
late evening. We stayed until he got home and then drove to Big Bend--probably the latest we've stayed out for a long time. But worth the effort.
Thanks for reading to the end!! Love and prayers, Grandma Jeanne and Grandpa Gene
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Prom
Good Morning everyone-It is 10AM and Jay and I got to bed around 6 after getting the LB Yacht club thoroughly cleaned up. I am trying to add some pictures to the blog, so we will see if I am successful. We did manage to load the pictures to my computer last night. I am still not really good at taking them with the digital camera. The one of the four girls include B's best friend, Susan Hiller, in red, who was crowned Queen and Kara Haines, in a dress, heels and with fake nails for maybe the first and only time in her life. The kids said the dance was great, their dinner was great and we know the post prom was great. We had food, games, prizes and a hypnotist. Bridget won the baby picture contest-she guessed 44 out of 47. Overall, we are very tired and will not get anything which requires a brain done today, but it was fun.
This week will be very busy getting ready for the cave trip. I will be glad when this period is over. Mark, Domi's party sounds fine for us. We may be coming late, or taking two vehicles cause the kids will be caddying by then. Well, I need to figure out how to get some food in the house. Hope the pictures will transfer. If not, look for them in email. Susan
Saturday, May 5, 2007
no cute baby pics here, but...
I'd like to invite everyone to a Graduation party for Domino here in Fort on Saturday, June 9th. Come any time in the afternoon--there will be tennis and frisbee and Bocce in the park and I'll fire up the Weber around 4. All I ask is that you bring lawn chairs :)
Friday, May 4, 2007
Happy to Oblige
We don't have any shots of both Grover and Freya in the dog box, but try to imagine Grover with a pained expression. That's about it.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
!
Everybody is so BZ!
And great pictures!
Swa M&D for a short visit and enjoyed the Idaho stories. The new Sierra store was a big hit, the new garden beds sound great (but I cannot picture those album covers?) but the CUTE BABY stories are the best. High Fives! Could you guys try to sneak a photo of Freya with her buddy Grover? in the Grover cage? She looks pretty cool in her latest blog photo. I had tried to keep the calendar clear for the visit but a client filed his own motion and I learned about that am. But we got a short trip to Coldwater in while the guys paced. Tim made it down to the kitchens stores just fine. Pacing warmed him up .
I'm doing a better job of picturing Dec with a beard- but a photo wowould be great, specially in the jazz duds. Magda, great race news, sorry you've had this cooold weather. Cool picture of you crewing. I'd love to see you guys racing some day.
The Denver pix are very cool- beautiful new colors and inviting deck. Michele, good luck with the cortisone. Tim had the grinding too, no plate or permanent solution option but that was 11 years ago.
We are enjoying the slow warm up, several of my regular drives now are through lovely countryside, with spring wild flowers and the bluffs leafing out everywhere. Have to get ready now for tomorrows early drive, just a warmup for Green Lake County at 8:30 Friday am. And I can't crank on the coffee as there are few convenient pit stops!
And great pictures!
Swa M&D for a short visit and enjoyed the Idaho stories. The new Sierra store was a big hit, the new garden beds sound great (but I cannot picture those album covers?) but the CUTE BABY stories are the best. High Fives! Could you guys try to sneak a photo of Freya with her buddy Grover? in the Grover cage? She looks pretty cool in her latest blog photo. I had tried to keep the calendar clear for the visit but a client filed his own motion and I learned about that am. But we got a short trip to Coldwater in while the guys paced. Tim made it down to the kitchens stores just fine. Pacing warmed him up .
I'm doing a better job of picturing Dec with a beard- but a photo wowould be great, specially in the jazz duds. Magda, great race news, sorry you've had this cooold weather. Cool picture of you crewing. I'd love to see you guys racing some day.
The Denver pix are very cool- beautiful new colors and inviting deck. Michele, good luck with the cortisone. Tim had the grinding too, no plate or permanent solution option but that was 11 years ago.
We are enjoying the slow warm up, several of my regular drives now are through lovely countryside, with spring wild flowers and the bluffs leafing out everywhere. Have to get ready now for tomorrows early drive, just a warmup for Green Lake County at 8:30 Friday am. And I can't crank on the coffee as there are few convenient pit stops!
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