I just wanted everyone to know that Sunday was the Quidditch World Cup, and the Vassar Butterbeer Brewers took SECOND out of TWELVE teams!!! I’m very, very happy and proud!!! We only lost to Middebury, and the final score was 70-40, which is quite respectable. Plus we caught the snitch. Just call us Bulgaria. I’ve attached some awesome pictures so that you can feel like you were there experiencing the magic, too!
hey guys--how are you? i just got back from a long week in asheville, NC. this was the first week of this 9 week leadership training i am going to for the FS. it was quite a plane ride--through atlanta. what a crazy airport. and we started on friday night. spend a day and ahalf with our deputy chief and associate deputy chief. we went to the cradle of forestry on the pisgah national forest. where the first forestry school in the USA was. then visited the biltmore estate for a day--a castle in the middle of the mountains. what a place! i was with 40 other FS emmployees--i knew a few befor i got there--and knew several more when i left. we always have some place or toher person in common. in fact i spent some time with the former district ranger on the krassel RD, quinn carver, who knows matthew. he said his first encounter was rough, matt--the FS kid who fried the chinook for dinner? at any rate, i met some great folks. i'll see them all again in albequerque in january. we've stayed close to home this weekend--david id dgo riding today cuz it was beautiful. i finished unpacking, ran errands, and relaxed after a week gone. i used you guys in my first speech about myself. i said:"i'm the middle child in a family of 7 kids, so i've been speaking in front of an audience ever since i learned how to ttalk." that got a big laugh! we hope all of you are doing well, and counting down to the end of the political ads in the light blue state to be done. this is pretty interesting. even though we are bound by the hatch act we always end up talking at least a little politics when i get together with FS folks. oone of the guys said he heard "sarah palin can see the moon from her front porch, so now she thinks she can drive the space shuttle." oh man. anyway, take care everyone--later
Weather's nice, kids are good, the cat is shedding, the basement's shaping up, Japan was great, my 30th CMH reunion is coming up in 2 weeks, and things are, all-in-all, pretty nice.
Thanks for the latest notes from CO, East Troy and ID-- and news learned in recent phone visits.
Took a few minutes to load and watch Freya and Matt. Quite a tussle. Glad for Bridget's improvement! Snow in ID and CO, and our leaves have hardly begun to fall! Spent yesterday in Madison at a Symposium on Macular Degeration. A worthwhil event sponsored by UW Hospital Opthalmoology Dept and some WI groups associated with national assitantance for the visually impaired. Not much new on Mom's condition, but some interesting presentations on nationwide research. Had hoped to take the RV and go to Devils' Lake overnight and see the Melkas. Rain made us change our mind and drive the Focus, and we did go to Baraboo and had dinner with Maura at Culvers-- Alex working and Tim didn't feel up to going out. Home safely about 9 PM. A reminder, Mom would really appreciate it if you could, after choosing a font, go to the right and give the TT and click down to the LARGEST and then click the b for BOLD. Just be a BOLD blogger....... Most of you had some connection with members of the Kascht family members at Catholic Memorial. An article in the Journal Sentinel on Sunday 10/12 in the Waukesha section featured a gathering which was held to honor Dr. Bob for the publishing of his memoirs, "Good Genes, Luck, Lots of Prayers". A number of pictures are included. I think you can probably pull it up on 'jsonline'. We'll save it and send it to any one who would like to see it. Perhaps we could start it and you could send it along to another sibling. I have reserved a copy from the Federated Library system and learn whether he includes any of his grade school days at St. John's in Waterloo where he was 2 years ahead of me. Rain this AM, so may not be able to finish spray painting the garage (barn). Have the north side to do. Did the other 3 sides on Saturday and worked on trim for a while on Sunday and Monday. Using the same "old" dark brown. Still wonder what it would look like painted red with white trim??? Grandma vetoed that, you may remember. Have a tentative date to be with Mark, Domino, Calvin and Capri somewhere on the evening of 10/22. Praying for all of you as you deal with your concerns, projects, health, jobs and school work. Love and prayers,
Grandma and Grandpa
Monday, October 13, 2008
What an exciting week! I don't need to repeat that anytime soon. Bridget was in the ER in Madison on Saturday with severe pain in her left side. Again, for the third time in her young life, she had a cat scan, a pelvic exam and an ultrasound and had several possible diagnoses thrown at her, but at 9PM, she got released with orders to see her family doc on Monday. He took one look at the records and said he thought it was a kidney stone, so she was relieved. She doesn't take pain meds well, so she had only had a couple doses at the hospital and then used ibupropen. She went back to school Tuesday. We may never get her to another ER, but hopefully she won't need it again. She was most mad about missing the Ohio State game. The crowd was yelling as we left Merritor Hospital. We are obviously glad it was no worse than that and she got orders to drink more water.
The combination of this bizarre campaign and the economic meltdown has been very unnerving. Jay's business has been doing nothing and we lost another therapist to a real job, so he is down to two people, including himself and very few phone calls. No one is interested in paying for therapy. His major job has been dealing with FEMA and the Small Business Administration with the flood aftermath. That has been helpful, but not a long term solution. Not too many job prospects in the AODA field either. The kids are getting sick of hearing me admonish them to watch their pennies, but they are doing it.
Sorry they don't blog, but they aren't communicating much other than the occasional text message. The classes are keeping them quite busy and the weather has been pretty good, so they are out and about when they can be.
We have enjoyed the last couple of weeks of nice weather and have been taking advantage of the last few opportunities to golf after work and on weekends. We opted to stay home this weekend and get the boats and pier out before the weather turns nasty. Lots of folks out boating so we had some nice visits with neighbors as we did our chores.
David's news was the capper on a great week, unfortunately. We can provide as much moral support and free therapy as you want to use! Words just don't seem adequate for that situation!
We have been enjoying watching Rachel Maddow and Keith Overman on MSNBC on weeknights. Of course they don't like McCain or Palin, so we enjoy their descriptions of the craziness of the preceeding day. I am feeling a bit more confident about the election, if I allow myself to.
Well, I have a pretty busy week ahead so should get to bed. Love to everyone and let's hope we all come through this! Susan
I took a bunch of stuff to a consignment joint today and got rid of some of Freya's baby things and brought home some good swag. Freya now has a pink straw cowboy hat, that goes nicely with the secondhand sixth-hand bouncy horse her Grandpa Larry brought her earlier this weekend. Fetching, isn't it?
In the picture above, she's also wearing snowboots. Those would have come in handy on Friday evening, when Boise got it's earliest measurable snow on record--one inch on October 10. I'm so thrilled to have been able to experience history in such a chilly and unwelcome way.
Matt has been very busy with hunting season, but has taken some time to do a little elk hunting here and there. I've applied for that new job I've been talking about all this time--I won't know anything for several more weeks, and even in the best-case scenario wouldn't expect to know whether I'll be getting it until mid to late November. I'm actually undecided as to whether I really want it or not, but I'd have regretted missing an opportunity had I not put in for it.
Anyway, here's Freya attacking Matt just about 15 minutes ago. She missed her nap this afternoon (elective on her part, not on mine), and she's been in rare form.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
hello everyone--october 12 and i have a 3 day weekend. we went up to estes park yesterday, with one of our neighbor couples, and we went into rocky mt. NP. saw the little place matt used to live, walked around bear lake, got sleeted on. the highlight was a quiet path off one of the closed campgrounds that had three bulls and harems of elk messing around. they were really active for 1 in the afternoon, and we sat on a picnic table and watched them for quite awhile. listened to them talking and bugling. i love that. then one of the big bulls mounted one of the cows. that was something we'd never seen. it was truly cool. i could have sat there for an hour but our butts were getting cold. it was suppposed to snow, and we were planning on camping--had to cancel reservations and just go up for the day. as it turns out, we only got rained on--so it probably wouldn't have been too bad. but the day was really fun. then we stopped and had a drink at the beautiful historic (the shining!) stanley hotel. that was really fun. we have discovered something that we think all of you could benefit from -- fleece sheets. we got them at bed bath and beyond--searching for a fleece blanket like the one bridget has on her bed, and we found sheets and a blanket. they might be better than flannel! we're trying to get through this global mess without freaking out too much. keeping our fingers crossed that the minds that run this globe can figure out how to get back on track. and get through this election. just talked to david-- take care everyone--we wanted to say hi and let everyone know we're doing well.
Greetings to all, Must begin with a salute to Domino who must more involved than most and still finds time to let us know about her busy life. A great inspiration, Domino! Thanks...... Appreciation, as well, for those who were able to be with the O'Connells at Peggy's home on 9/20. Sorry that health concerns kept Maura, Tim, Tom, Cathy, Bruce and their girls from being with us. While there has been telephone calls with info on the event, we'll try to give those unable to come with some details. Each family was represented by 3 children. Steve and Bridget Curran; Kathy, Joe Blodgett with Andrew and Kerry and Chris were there with Charleen and Bob. Mary O'Connell Williams and Judy O'Connell were not able to attend but Terri and Sandy, Bernadette and friend Kent and Patti and Amanda Bolan were Don's gang. Susan, Jay, David and Mark were in the mix as well. (Mary was to leave the next day for a trip to Spain.) Bob suggested to Peggy that Pam and Craig Farrell be invited--and they did come and it was great to have them in the mix. There was an abundance of good food, conversation clusters, many laughs and lots of memories. It was a fine 80th celebration for Jeanne (the OLDEST), Charleen and Bob! Bernadette agreed to coordinate the 2009 event at Governor Dodge State Parkland the date is Saturday, September 19. Mark your calendar.... We must add our appreciation for the ride to and from with Susan and Jay in the van and some new IL scenery--away from expressways. Rainy here overnight so was unable to start any outside work so the two of us spent some time finishing our homework for our Bible class tonight Might be able to get out this afternoon. No leaves falling yet! Got all screen porch windows closed and washed on Saturday. Have been able to get all the other windows washed on the outside after the paint dried as I went around the house and some of them have been washed on the inside, too. Had a nice break on Thursday of last week (10/2) when we took the RV to Kohler -Andrae overnight. Susan, David, Ellis and Finn joined us for a picnic supper which we had to eat inside because of rain. Charles came for a few minutes, but had to go to his Culver job. We were able to grill burgers and vegiburgers outside in the drizzle with help from Ellis who has enrolled in a culinary themed curriculum as he begins grade 9. While it was chilly overnight, the sun rose and Friday began as a clear day. After we had our breakfast we walked north on the beach as far as the Sanderling Nature Center and returned to the camp area on a now completed steel corded boardwalk along the crest of the dunes between the beach and north south park road--about 2 miles in all. We stopped at Harrington Beach on our way home for lunch. Observed crews in both parks completing improvements--more campsites at K-A , but now sure about H.B., but know that usage there has expanded a lot, so it probably is related to space for more patrons. (David, Mom also left your Taliesin cap on the kitchen counter before we headed south. She called out for Susan, but no one answered.) Planning to attend a day long UW Hospitals seminar on Macular Degeneration at the Alliant Center in Madison on 10/14. Had thought we might stop at Ft. Atkinson to have supper with Mark and hear more about Japan on our way home, but he has a business obligation. If the weather will be good, we might take the RV and go on to Devils' Lake overnight an try to have a evening meal with the Melkas, if that might fit their schedule. More on this directly with them, but thought it might be good to give the M's a heads-up. Know we haven't told all of y0u that Lucille Snyder died on 9/15. She had fallen in her home a week earlier and her monitoring service alerted us and the Rescue Squad, so Mom met them and opened the door they found her on the floor. No severe injuries were found, but she was hurting and she was taken to the hospital. After a few days there, she went to a recovery facility in Mukwonago where they would prepare her to possibly come home. Mom visited her there for a few minutes the evening before we drove to Dubuque. Unexpect ely, she died there quietly. We were involved with the midday funeral and lunch on 9/20.
Mom enjoyed her St. Columkille class reunion on 9/13-14 in Dubuque. The Sunday picnic at Eagle Point had to be moved indoors because of a cold wind. We stayed with the Vandermillens and enjoyed our visit with them. In those days between the Dubuque reunion and the funeral, we did get out in the RV and see a lot of WI and the early beginning of fall color. By evening of 9/15 we were at Peninsula SP in Door County. on Tuesday, we had lunch at Rib Mountain SP near Wausau and camped at Lake Wissota SP near Chippewa Falls for the first time. There was another first when we camped at the WI Interstate SP on the St. Croix River about 75 northeast of Minneapolis-St. Paul onWednesday. On Thursday, we drove south along the St. Croix, then the Mississippi to La Crosse before spending the night at the Pine View RV park at Ft. McCoy near Sparta. Lots of miles on 5 wonderful sunny, mild days! All RV systems worked perfectly and even mileage was better because we had a through tune up a year ago thinking we would be driving it to AZ last winter. Almost forgot to mention that we saw a lot of Whitnall staff members at their annual Golf event (9-5) at a country club near Antigo where the Sutherlands are members. Had pot luck brunch at their summer home before the golfers got started and dinner together at the country club dinning room that evening. A number of questions about all of you from those who remembered you from your childhood years! A one day round trip--so we got home late. A good time! The October calendar looks fairly open beginning today with only about major obligation per week--so were hoping for some sunshine and trying to anticipate the falling leaves. Hope all the leaves have fallen and have been taken care of by November 7 because we have decided to leave that day for another river cruise in Europe--this time a 16 day package. We will be making flights from O'Hare to Vienna with a Amsterdam connection and cruising the Danube, Mainz and the Rhine to Amsterdam. Our return from Amsterdam to O'Hare will be November 22. The MV Harmony will be our "hotel" for 14 nights and all meals are included, an inclusive feature which is very convenient. We're already considering how LITTLE we can pack! Have found a parking spot near O'Hare where the fee will be less than 2 RT bus trips from Milwaukee. More details as the departure date is closer. Thanks to all of you who keep sending e-mails, making phone calls and posting blogs, even though they are not acknownledged as they should be. Thanks, as well, for all the efforts you made this summer and fall to be part of Mom's birthday and the reunion at Currans in Naperville. Prayers and best wishes to all you as you work, toil, study, explore (caves?), struggle, perform, worry and enjoy. News of your adventures will be of interest of all.....
