Hi!
Have finally had some luck getting on to the BLOG!
Have WiFi here, but still not able to send email, but can receive it.
This will be the first blog entry for the month and that was by Domino. Have not been able to get on her new blog, but have checked with Mark when we have reached him on her progress. He said it must be good as she and Capri had a long phone visit and there was a lot of laughing.
We are having a slow morning after having gone to mass last night as the morning mass here is at 10 AM,and we might be able to get out and about before that time. Guess the sausage and eggs are about ready so it is time for breakfast.
Most of this week we have been at Patagonia Lake State Park after a long weekend at Ft. Huachuca in Sierra Vista where we toured around in a rental to places where the RV isn't welcome or are not paved. Birding is not as good as hoped, but even the bird walk leaders agree it is not good because of the dry winter and lack of insects on which the birds depend. Desert wildflowers sparse, too.
Our plan is to remain around Tucson until after all the Holy Week services from Thursday thru the Saturday evening Easter vigil mass. Then we will head west to the Colorado River where Mom would enjoy a day or three at parks near Parker.
Then it will be time to head east. No particular route plan yet, but we'll be check the weather as we go.
Will try again to get an email out to one of you and ask that it be forwarded.
Please forward it and alert them to this blog entry.
Love and prayers, Mom and Dad
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
sorry about the difficulties with the blog. here's a link, click it and it should take you directly to my blog.
http://squawksfromauckland.tumblr.com/
if that still doesn't work, let me know and i'll just keep posting things on this blog.
Friday, February 19, 2010
TROUBLE WITH SQUAWKFROM AUCKLAND blog
Domino--
Tried today to find your blog but was not successful. Found something about someone with sequin eyes, not much more. tumblr was part of it.
When you are settled, perhaps you can give us some assistance.
Hope your flight wasn't too demanding.
Happy Fall!
Love and prayers, Grandma and Grandpa
Tried today to find your blog but was not successful. Found something about someone with sequin eyes, not much more. tumblr was part of it.
When you are settled, perhaps you can give us some assistance.
Hope your flight wasn't too demanding.
Happy Fall!
Love and prayers, Grandma and Grandpa
Monday, February 15, 2010
Yay! People are blogging again!
Not to throw a wrench in things, but I started my own blog for while I'm in NZ. I currently post everything to this blog, facebook, and then email it to a bunch more people, which is inconvenient and harder than it has to be. So, here's the link to my blog: http://www.tumblr.com/dashboard
I'll still check this blog, though.
It was lovely seeing some of you yesterday. Thank you for the send off!
Domino
testing..
A test.
Second time today. This from the laptop. Have sent some Rome suggestions to Monica and finished, we think, the federal income tax work.
Fairly mild now, with some sun. Hope to do some RV work this PM.
Dad
Second time today. This from the laptop. Have sent some Rome suggestions to Monica and finished, we think, the federal income tax work.
Fairly mild now, with some sun. Hope to do some RV work this PM.
Dad
The Potter's Lake Valentine Brunch
Good Morning,
It was great to see Susan, Jay, Bridget, Maura, David, Susan ROC, Finn, Mark, Monica, Nemo, Domino, and Capri yesterday. Calls from Michelle and Kevin were also a part of the picture.
Lots of sunshine made for pleasant driving, apparently, and most got a start for home with the prospect of plenty of daylight for the trip.
We'll be busy the next two weeks preparing for our trip and we were pleased that David suggested yesterday's gathering as a sendoff for us and for Domino who will fly off to New Zealand on Thursday.
Pleased to learn that Monica has the opportunity to go to Italy in 3 weeks on business. The name of the town in the very south was not familiar. I didn't think to write it down, so not sure where it is in terms of the "boot heel" area but will try to send her some ideas on what to see in Rome.
Will be making an attempt to write here on the blog frequently as we travel. Nemo did help me get the laptop set for e-mail monitoring, but I'm still a little hesitant about the steps once we are on the road and needing to find places where we can get free/inexpensive wireless connections.
Must be on to some prep tasks.
Love and prayers, Mom and Dad
It was great to see Susan, Jay, Bridget, Maura, David, Susan ROC, Finn, Mark, Monica, Nemo, Domino, and Capri yesterday. Calls from Michelle and Kevin were also a part of the picture.
Lots of sunshine made for pleasant driving, apparently, and most got a start for home with the prospect of plenty of daylight for the trip.
We'll be busy the next two weeks preparing for our trip and we were pleased that David suggested yesterday's gathering as a sendoff for us and for Domino who will fly off to New Zealand on Thursday.
Pleased to learn that Monica has the opportunity to go to Italy in 3 weeks on business. The name of the town in the very south was not familiar. I didn't think to write it down, so not sure where it is in terms of the "boot heel" area but will try to send her some ideas on what to see in Rome.
Will be making an attempt to write here on the blog frequently as we travel. Nemo did help me get the laptop set for e-mail monitoring, but I'm still a little hesitant about the steps once we are on the road and needing to find places where we can get free/inexpensive wireless connections.
Must be on to some prep tasks.
Love and prayers, Mom and Dad
Thursday, January 21, 2010
I think the blog sounds like a good idea. I have checked it regularly even though I didn't add anything and no one else did. All's very quiet in ET with the kids back at school. Bridget started her lab job this week and Colin is tweaking his schedule but still has 17 credits. He still will have to go back next fall for one more semester. Busy week at work, as usual, and I will be glad its Friday! Love to all, Susan
A Laptop check test item at 326 pm 1/21/10
Looks like I did it.
Have had a busy week. Sorry we missed Michele's call back. Mom left a message last evening. Also a phone call from Mark midday when we were in Waukesha.
Enjoyed having dinner with the O'Connell-Longs on Saturday evening. Susan
prepared home-made pizza which we really enjoyed. Both Bridget and Colin had concluded their AV work day so they were able to be with us for dinner. Susan was able to share many/most of the Hawaii pix which David had sent--and which Michele mentioned in her summary e-mail.
Mom saw our new Opthalomologist at Great Lakes on Tuesday and learned that things were, as she suspected, about the same as the cataract doctor had told her at their last meeting. She is now to be on a 6 month cycle--it had been a year since January 2007. We will be seeing, or being seen, by the Optometrist on 2/11 for our annual vision test, so she will learn then if she may receive a new prescription.
This is Mom's turn---this was my turn for preparing a light breakfast ffor 20-25 people so hd a busy day yesterday. Our partner pepared ham and rolls, I baked a coffee cake and= corn bre4aqd cones, and Dad made what has become a very good apple salad. This is a good time for catching uip on visiting with friends.
Good news - Dad found a device on the internet that is helping me with my reading. It is a hand held magnifying glass (TV camera)with a bright light which gets plugged into a small box next to the downstairs tv. The reading material is held on your lap or a table and you move the light (mouse) along the line of print and it is magnified so much that I can read it easily. (Dad's editing--It is called EZ Reader)
Looks like I may require carpal tunnel surgery, too, since tingling and locking knuckles on my left hand have been causing trouble. Always something new; Listening to a weather report about the weather in the west, and it doesn't sound like a trip west is too desirable right now. We still are planning on a trip to AZ early in March , weather permitting. Our snow has not melted too much and what is below the snow is ice . The deck didn't get shoveled on time so we cannot budge the mass that is covering it, so it may still be here by summer time. A belated happy birthday to Michele and two good wishes to Finn and Stephen. Hope it is a happy one.
That's all--Love and prayers, Mom and Dad
Have had a busy week. Sorry we missed Michele's call back. Mom left a message last evening. Also a phone call from Mark midday when we were in Waukesha.
Enjoyed having dinner with the O'Connell-Longs on Saturday evening. Susan
prepared home-made pizza which we really enjoyed. Both Bridget and Colin had concluded their AV work day so they were able to be with us for dinner. Susan was able to share many/most of the Hawaii pix which David had sent--and which Michele mentioned in her summary e-mail.
Mom saw our new Opthalomologist at Great Lakes on Tuesday and learned that things were, as she suspected, about the same as the cataract doctor had told her at their last meeting. She is now to be on a 6 month cycle--it had been a year since January 2007. We will be seeing, or being seen, by the Optometrist on 2/11 for our annual vision test, so she will learn then if she may receive a new prescription.
This is Mom's turn---this was my turn for preparing a light breakfast ffor 20-25 people so hd a busy day yesterday. Our partner pepared ham and rolls, I baked a coffee cake and= corn bre4aqd cones, and Dad made what has become a very good apple salad. This is a good time for catching uip on visiting with friends.
Good news - Dad found a device on the internet that is helping me with my reading. It is a hand held magnifying glass (TV camera)with a bright light which gets plugged into a small box next to the downstairs tv. The reading material is held on your lap or a table and you move the light (mouse) along the line of print and it is magnified so much that I can read it easily. (Dad's editing--It is called EZ Reader)
Looks like I may require carpal tunnel surgery, too, since tingling and locking knuckles on my left hand have been causing trouble. Always something new; Listening to a weather report about the weather in the west, and it doesn't sound like a trip west is too desirable right now. We still are planning on a trip to AZ early in March , weather permitting. Our snow has not melted too much and what is below the snow is ice . The deck didn't get shoveled on time so we cannot budge the mass that is covering it, so it may still be here by summer time. A belated happy birthday to Michele and two good wishes to Finn and Stephen. Hope it is a happy one.
That's all--Love and prayers, Mom and Dad
Twenty Ten or 2 oh 10?
Hi to some who have had some what of a January thaw!
Seems like we have all been boycotting the blog!
Even Domino, who really tried valiantly to keep it alive, has turned to other pursuits. And she does have a lot on her plate with all the excitement and planning for her trip to New Zealand.
As we are beginning to plan our RV trip to the southwest in a little over a month, i am thinking that we could possibly use the blog more effectively to communicate our where abouts and activities more quickly by blogging more frequently and then you could just check the blog and we would not have to send emails.
What do you think? Is there another way that we could make it easier for you and for us to keep in touch with the least difficulty for all, especially since many of you use e-mail less frequently?
We will send this same request out via e-mail with the same questions.
Love and prayers with this intial blog of 2010
Mom and Dad
Seems like we have all been boycotting the blog!
Even Domino, who really tried valiantly to keep it alive, has turned to other pursuits. And she does have a lot on her plate with all the excitement and planning for her trip to New Zealand.
As we are beginning to plan our RV trip to the southwest in a little over a month, i am thinking that we could possibly use the blog more effectively to communicate our where abouts and activities more quickly by blogging more frequently and then you could just check the blog and we would not have to send emails.
What do you think? Is there another way that we could make it easier for you and for us to keep in touch with the least difficulty for all, especially since many of you use e-mail less frequently?
We will send this same request out via e-mail with the same questions.
Love and prayers with this intial blog of 2010
Mom and Dad
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Oops, I forgot to mention this in the last post...
The Quidditch World Cup is this coming Sunday. Games will be broadcast live at: http://www.collegequidditch.com/wc/ from 9:45am to 6pm (Eastern Time), in case you feel inclined to watch. I think it will be great fun!!!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wyatt Earp has Alopecia!
Egads! It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it? My life has been out-of-control busy, but I’m on October Break now, inside and watching football (only getting the Vikings game, unfortunately, but hopefully I’ll get to watch them lose…) on a cold, drizzly day, and it seemed like it was time for an update.
This semester has started… stressfully. But, as is usually the case, everything is working itself out for the best, I think. At the very beginning of the semester were auditions for Drama Department shows, and I went in with very high hopes since we’re doing RENT and a Streetcar Named Desire, both shows I adore. Plus the third show, Haarlem Berlin, is also a musical, so it was an exciting time to be auditioning. Of course, that made it all the more devastating when I got cast in nothing. Nothing. Well, that’s not entirely true, I got cast as the Assistant Costume Designer for Haarlem Berlin. But, while I enjoy costuming, it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to be doing production-wise this semester. However, my friend Andi was cast in the ensemble of Haarlem but had to drop out do to scheduling conflicts and they asked me if I was interested in taking over her part. I was.
Haarlem Berlin is an original musical written by one of the professors here at Vassar, with music by a guest artist. It was directed by a guest director from NYC. The music was beautiful (I have it on my computer. If you’re interested in an original cast recording, let me know), and unlike anything I’ve ever done before. And the process itself was taught me a lot about what it’s like to workshop a new show. The cast was a great group of people, and all in all I had a great time. We performed the first weekend in October, which means September was extraordinarily hectic, but it freed me up in time to get involved in student shows here, too. So I’m currently in a show called Our Hearts Were Young and Gay. It’s very lighthearted and hilarious. It’s set in the 1920s, and is about two 19-year-old girls, Cornelia and Emily, who go to Paris and have all sorts of absurd misadventures. I’m Emily, and I’m having a wonderful time. Rehearsal is probably my favorite part of the day.
In other news: Fencing is going really well. I’m the most experienced female sabre fencer on the team, which I was really worried about because it means I’m in charge of getting the girls ready to compete, I’ll be in charge of the roster/substitutions during tournaments, I’m expected to help coach them a little, etc. and I feel like I’m still learning so much myself that I wasn’t sure if I was ready to give other people advice. But the Alumni Match was the other weekend, and not only did I win undefeated, but I realized that I did have a lot of tips to offer the other girls. I’m pretty sure our squad is going to get killed at tournaments, but I think we’re going to have a fun time anyway, and I’m actually excited to be able to help them the way that all the previous sabre girls helped me.
The Quidditch World cup is next weekend, and it’s going to be incredible. Our team is phenomenal this year! And there are going to be 24 teams there from all across the country, and I think one from Canada. International. Awesome. I’ll let you know the results when we get back!
In other academic news: I love my classes, as usual. I’m taking Sources of World Drama, which I enjoy immensely most of the time. We’re reading drama from a time well before the women’s rights movement, however, and I’ve gotten a name for myself as the girl who always brings up feminism. Ah well. It’s just like being back in high school in Fort.
I’m taking a Seminar in Paratheatre, which is the study of everything theatrical that is not theatre. For example, religious ceremonies, sports games, and even everyday conversations, given that one behaves (or performs) differently depending on who they’re talking to (the audience). It’ very fascinating, but I sometimes feel like I’m beating my head against a wall because a main premise of paratheatre is that everyone has an individual definition of what constitutes a performance, so discussions can get very circular.
Because my semester would not be complete without a class where I do yoga, lie on the floor and breathe, play acting games, and other strange things that I often think it’s funny I do in college, I’m also in the Actor’s Voice. So far my favorite days have been the one where we learned tongue stretches (I often catch myself doing them in public now, which would make my professor proud, but is more than a little weird…), and the day where we got to look at our own and others’ soft palates and learn how to lift them correctly. It was one of the most unsettling things I’ve ever seen, but it’s actually been really helpful, especially for voice lessons.
Speaking of, voice lessons started off a little rocky this semester because I’ve been so busy and wasn’t able to practice as much as I should have. However, now that my life is a little more calm, things are going really well. I’m singing some wonderful songs, including The Lonely Goatherd from The Sound of Music, because I’m a huge dork, but it’s SO MUCH FUN! My friend Charlie and I really want to do a senior recital together and we want to sing the Edelweiss duet. I’m so glad I’ve found someone else here who knows how to appreciate The Sound of Music.
I need to go apply to my abroad program in New Zealand now, because I’ve been putting that off for far too long. But I hope you are all well and enjoying the early snow! I know I am!
This semester has started… stressfully. But, as is usually the case, everything is working itself out for the best, I think. At the very beginning of the semester were auditions for Drama Department shows, and I went in with very high hopes since we’re doing RENT and a Streetcar Named Desire, both shows I adore. Plus the third show, Haarlem Berlin, is also a musical, so it was an exciting time to be auditioning. Of course, that made it all the more devastating when I got cast in nothing. Nothing. Well, that’s not entirely true, I got cast as the Assistant Costume Designer for Haarlem Berlin. But, while I enjoy costuming, it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to be doing production-wise this semester. However, my friend Andi was cast in the ensemble of Haarlem but had to drop out do to scheduling conflicts and they asked me if I was interested in taking over her part. I was.
Haarlem Berlin is an original musical written by one of the professors here at Vassar, with music by a guest artist. It was directed by a guest director from NYC. The music was beautiful (I have it on my computer. If you’re interested in an original cast recording, let me know), and unlike anything I’ve ever done before. And the process itself was taught me a lot about what it’s like to workshop a new show. The cast was a great group of people, and all in all I had a great time. We performed the first weekend in October, which means September was extraordinarily hectic, but it freed me up in time to get involved in student shows here, too. So I’m currently in a show called Our Hearts Were Young and Gay. It’s very lighthearted and hilarious. It’s set in the 1920s, and is about two 19-year-old girls, Cornelia and Emily, who go to Paris and have all sorts of absurd misadventures. I’m Emily, and I’m having a wonderful time. Rehearsal is probably my favorite part of the day.
In other news: Fencing is going really well. I’m the most experienced female sabre fencer on the team, which I was really worried about because it means I’m in charge of getting the girls ready to compete, I’ll be in charge of the roster/substitutions during tournaments, I’m expected to help coach them a little, etc. and I feel like I’m still learning so much myself that I wasn’t sure if I was ready to give other people advice. But the Alumni Match was the other weekend, and not only did I win undefeated, but I realized that I did have a lot of tips to offer the other girls. I’m pretty sure our squad is going to get killed at tournaments, but I think we’re going to have a fun time anyway, and I’m actually excited to be able to help them the way that all the previous sabre girls helped me.
The Quidditch World cup is next weekend, and it’s going to be incredible. Our team is phenomenal this year! And there are going to be 24 teams there from all across the country, and I think one from Canada. International. Awesome. I’ll let you know the results when we get back!
In other academic news: I love my classes, as usual. I’m taking Sources of World Drama, which I enjoy immensely most of the time. We’re reading drama from a time well before the women’s rights movement, however, and I’ve gotten a name for myself as the girl who always brings up feminism. Ah well. It’s just like being back in high school in Fort.
I’m taking a Seminar in Paratheatre, which is the study of everything theatrical that is not theatre. For example, religious ceremonies, sports games, and even everyday conversations, given that one behaves (or performs) differently depending on who they’re talking to (the audience). It’ very fascinating, but I sometimes feel like I’m beating my head against a wall because a main premise of paratheatre is that everyone has an individual definition of what constitutes a performance, so discussions can get very circular.
Because my semester would not be complete without a class where I do yoga, lie on the floor and breathe, play acting games, and other strange things that I often think it’s funny I do in college, I’m also in the Actor’s Voice. So far my favorite days have been the one where we learned tongue stretches (I often catch myself doing them in public now, which would make my professor proud, but is more than a little weird…), and the day where we got to look at our own and others’ soft palates and learn how to lift them correctly. It was one of the most unsettling things I’ve ever seen, but it’s actually been really helpful, especially for voice lessons.
Speaking of, voice lessons started off a little rocky this semester because I’ve been so busy and wasn’t able to practice as much as I should have. However, now that my life is a little more calm, things are going really well. I’m singing some wonderful songs, including The Lonely Goatherd from The Sound of Music, because I’m a huge dork, but it’s SO MUCH FUN! My friend Charlie and I really want to do a senior recital together and we want to sing the Edelweiss duet. I’m so glad I’ve found someone else here who knows how to appreciate The Sound of Music.
I need to go apply to my abroad program in New Zealand now, because I’ve been putting that off for far too long. But I hope you are all well and enjoying the early snow! I know I am!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
family compound here we come!
hello everyone. long time, no write. i am sitting here on a beautiful sunday afternoon, getting packed to come to WI!
great video of the daredevel miss freya and her amazing water tricks!
i finished my senior leader program in may, with 4 days in DC, a very successful small group presentation, a very successful personal presentation, and lots of pictures with our new chief and all the other big whigs. we also got to take pictures at the podium where the secretary of agriculture addresses the press. then i took the train down to newark, and spent the weekend with K and L, M and D. we had a wonderful weekend--a day in manhattan and meeting with mag to see a wonderful dance performance, got to listen to declan play at a very cool restaurant, did the sidewalk sale, and had a great visit.
came home to work back to normal, and looking forward to a quiet august. not to be. july 20 we got a horrendous hail storm, and have been working with the insurance company ever since. they will pay to replace the roof and gutters, replace 8 windows, replace siding on the N and W sides of the house, and all sorts of personal property in the back. they totalled our camper, and there was some damage to the dodge. we have kept the camper, and will sell it on our own. they still sent us a pretty fair check.
after shopping and looking at all of our options, we decided to put a down payment on an outback (keystone) trailer, the smallest one they make. it is very cool. we'll get it in september sometime. it is about 23' long--and the bed rolls out the back wall. lots of storage, and a door iin the front to put your bikes inside the camper. the new lances were great--but way too expensive. so we're going to try a trailer, and see how we like it. david was wanting something bigger--so this should work.
we've finally lined out contractors for all the work--and should get it all done in september or october. the new roof and new windows will be a wonderful thing for this house. we are excited about that.
amongst all that excitement, dick and jane (david's brother) called last week to say that one of the lots that we have been eyeing in akaska SD was for sale. so david went up there this weekend (he rode his BMW--which he was jazzed about) and met with the owner, and did the SD way of buying property. the owner had given one of his friends the first right of refusal. but he bailed. so david just called to say we have bought it! akaska is north of pierre, about 1/2 mile from the missouri R. lake owahee. it is a teeny town, in rolling hills of sunflowers and wheat. the polar opposite of here. about 30 permanent residents, mostly single wide trailers, and a few stick built homes and it swells to hundreds during walleye season and pheasant hunting. a bait shop/restaurant/bar and one other not so good bar, and that is all for commercial activity. mobridge and selby is where you go for groceries and beer. i will be the second democrat in the whole town--which teaches me to bite my tongue and smile at the same time. it is a small city lot--about 60 x 130'--so not big enough for 7 airstreams. but it is getting closer to the ND property! we also know that we could sell it next year and make money--unlike many things these days. so, we bought it, for a very small price, and are excited. it won't be the summer residence, but will be the place to hang for fishing and pheasant hunting. we always stay at dick and janes, cuz we've been going up there about twice a year for 5 or 6 years. it is about the best lot in town--trees, privacy, nothing behind it but 12 acres of undeveloped land and the creek. we'll have to send pictures.....
we think we will leave here thursday after work, and then continue on to WI on friday. but that is subject to change. we'll keep in touch. we are so looking forward to seeing you all.
see you all on sunday the 16th, if not before.
love michele, david link and ruby
great video of the daredevel miss freya and her amazing water tricks!
i finished my senior leader program in may, with 4 days in DC, a very successful small group presentation, a very successful personal presentation, and lots of pictures with our new chief and all the other big whigs. we also got to take pictures at the podium where the secretary of agriculture addresses the press. then i took the train down to newark, and spent the weekend with K and L, M and D. we had a wonderful weekend--a day in manhattan and meeting with mag to see a wonderful dance performance, got to listen to declan play at a very cool restaurant, did the sidewalk sale, and had a great visit.
came home to work back to normal, and looking forward to a quiet august. not to be. july 20 we got a horrendous hail storm, and have been working with the insurance company ever since. they will pay to replace the roof and gutters, replace 8 windows, replace siding on the N and W sides of the house, and all sorts of personal property in the back. they totalled our camper, and there was some damage to the dodge. we have kept the camper, and will sell it on our own. they still sent us a pretty fair check.
after shopping and looking at all of our options, we decided to put a down payment on an outback (keystone) trailer, the smallest one they make. it is very cool. we'll get it in september sometime. it is about 23' long--and the bed rolls out the back wall. lots of storage, and a door iin the front to put your bikes inside the camper. the new lances were great--but way too expensive. so we're going to try a trailer, and see how we like it. david was wanting something bigger--so this should work.
we've finally lined out contractors for all the work--and should get it all done in september or october. the new roof and new windows will be a wonderful thing for this house. we are excited about that.
amongst all that excitement, dick and jane (david's brother) called last week to say that one of the lots that we have been eyeing in akaska SD was for sale. so david went up there this weekend (he rode his BMW--which he was jazzed about) and met with the owner, and did the SD way of buying property. the owner had given one of his friends the first right of refusal. but he bailed. so david just called to say we have bought it! akaska is north of pierre, about 1/2 mile from the missouri R. lake owahee. it is a teeny town, in rolling hills of sunflowers and wheat. the polar opposite of here. about 30 permanent residents, mostly single wide trailers, and a few stick built homes and it swells to hundreds during walleye season and pheasant hunting. a bait shop/restaurant/bar and one other not so good bar, and that is all for commercial activity. mobridge and selby is where you go for groceries and beer. i will be the second democrat in the whole town--which teaches me to bite my tongue and smile at the same time. it is a small city lot--about 60 x 130'--so not big enough for 7 airstreams. but it is getting closer to the ND property! we also know that we could sell it next year and make money--unlike many things these days. so, we bought it, for a very small price, and are excited. it won't be the summer residence, but will be the place to hang for fishing and pheasant hunting. we always stay at dick and janes, cuz we've been going up there about twice a year for 5 or 6 years. it is about the best lot in town--trees, privacy, nothing behind it but 12 acres of undeveloped land and the creek. we'll have to send pictures.....
we think we will leave here thursday after work, and then continue on to WI on friday. but that is subject to change. we'll keep in touch. we are so looking forward to seeing you all.
see you all on sunday the 16th, if not before.
love michele, david link and ruby
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Daredevil
We found a used swingset on Craigslist for cheap, so we got that for Freya yesterday. She's got a daredevil streak; she's already figured out how to make it more exciting. (And risky.)
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Hi Everyone-I will see many of you tomorrow and will be sharing this news, but I wanted to let everyone know-and use the Blog-that I have a new job. As you know, I have been looking around Aurora for awhile and have come close, but no cigar. This was the job I was working on in April. I was one of two, the job was given to someone outside the system and she was to start on July 6. I got a call from the new Administrator on Wed. asking if I might still be interested because the other candidate had withdrawn. My current department has been going through many changes due to trying to get all of BH following the same procedures, and for me it has gone from bad to worse. Many of the therapists are talking about leaving and setting up their own practices and I am getting blamed for all sorts of things. Dr. Crowder is making one move after another trying to save his skin (money). So I accepted the new position.
I will be the Manager of a large, multispecialty medical clinic in Kenosha. We have recently acquired some Northern Illinois practices, so I will be involved in that also. Its a big job and totally away from BH, so I am a little apprehensive about it-it will be learning my fourth job in four years. I know alot of the other managers and they are all expressing their happiness about me coming on board, so that is wonderful. Its about twice the commute, but a lovely drive and I can do almost all back roads. I will be starting early in August. Its a lateral transfer so no raise, but I just got a nice bonus so its OK. More later and love to everyone! Susan
I will be the Manager of a large, multispecialty medical clinic in Kenosha. We have recently acquired some Northern Illinois practices, so I will be involved in that also. Its a big job and totally away from BH, so I am a little apprehensive about it-it will be learning my fourth job in four years. I know alot of the other managers and they are all expressing their happiness about me coming on board, so that is wonderful. Its about twice the commute, but a lovely drive and I can do almost all back roads. I will be starting early in August. Its a lateral transfer so no raise, but I just got a nice bonus so its OK. More later and love to everyone! Susan
Friday, May 22, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mothers' Day--5/10/09
Belated MD greetings to all,
Quiet, cool, breezy and cloudy day here!
Thanks for the phone visits which we've had over the last 3 days--and the messages you've taken time to leave if we did not answer.
We're getting the hang of the voice mail, but miss the visual signal we have to get something from Time Warner to restore our own message and recording.
Were Susan and Jay's guests for brunch this morning. So, as you might guess, we had a great and ample meal and time for some visiting. Did enough outside work yesterday to appreciate a day to do some relaxing. Went to Culvers for a takehome salad entre for our early evening repast. No need for another FULL meal!
A hint for you raised bed gardeners. I have implemented a new watering idea for our 4. During the past couple of summers I have been using a 5/8"soaker hose in the front flower bed under the living room window. Snaking it around I have about 3 east west lines and this has been a great way to water that area which gets all the sun with almost no shade--and it can water gently without tending for as long as one desires. So last fall I got some 1/2'' x
50' hoses along with a hand full of plastic hose repair male and female fitting and cut a hose into 4 10' lengths and put a fitting on each end. Then I joined ends together to make a loop tied with plastic wire straps which fits nicely into the 4' squares. I had some salvage 1/2" regular hose and made 3 custom segments and put on
male and female fittings on each end to connect the circles. It was easy to unscrew one end of each of the joiner segments to open the area between the boxes when I needed to mow between them.
So now I can run a hose from the farthest back yard faucet to one square and water the four of them at the same time. I have already planted bush beans, 3 kinds of peas, zuchinni and a yellow summer squash and some lettuce in the squares leaving space for
tomato, pepper, and egg plant transplants latter this month. You
westerners might want to think about this idea for your raised beds. The 10' foot circle should be great in Idaho, but you CO folks might be able to try this without as much cutting and end fitting installations. Hope you can visualize this!
This week we decided to replace the fading fake geraniums which we have used in the 6 pots on the racks in front of the living room window with real plants. So the green pots were painted "trim" brown and the transplants were put in.
Using one piece of 1/2" soaker hose I made 6 smaller circles which would fit inside the pots securing them with the plastic wire bundle ties. With fittings at both ends, the 6 can be watered at the same time. Some of the soaking water will fall to the ground, but as this area in under the awning, it will have value there, too, as rain does not reach it. These are the same pots which Susan attempted to water for us one time when we were gone until she realized the realistic looking geraniums were fake! These will be place in the plant holder tomorrow--more later after we try the watering scheme--because we know NO rain reached this area...
Enjoyed our 2 night /3day stay at the Elkhart Lake Osthoff House Resort for our retired educators' convention. Mom told most of you about it. We led off the days with a nice lunch visit with Susan and David at a Sheboygan river front sandwich shop, en route on Tuesday.
Mom has her first cataract surgery day, 5/23--the second follows about mid June. More on this later.
Our desk top is for a tune-up. Using the laptop tonight with the highspeed, but won't try to get email into this unit. Will respond to e-mails we find when we get the desk top back tomorrow.
Congrats to Magdalena on her commencement next weekend!
Love and prayers to each and all,
Mom and Dad
Quiet, cool, breezy and cloudy day here!
Thanks for the phone visits which we've had over the last 3 days--and the messages you've taken time to leave if we did not answer.
We're getting the hang of the voice mail, but miss the visual signal we have to get something from Time Warner to restore our own message and recording.
Were Susan and Jay's guests for brunch this morning. So, as you might guess, we had a great and ample meal and time for some visiting. Did enough outside work yesterday to appreciate a day to do some relaxing. Went to Culvers for a takehome salad entre for our early evening repast. No need for another FULL meal!
A hint for you raised bed gardeners. I have implemented a new watering idea for our 4. During the past couple of summers I have been using a 5/8"soaker hose in the front flower bed under the living room window. Snaking it around I have about 3 east west lines and this has been a great way to water that area which gets all the sun with almost no shade--and it can water gently without tending for as long as one desires. So last fall I got some 1/2'' x
50' hoses along with a hand full of plastic hose repair male and female fitting and cut a hose into 4 10' lengths and put a fitting on each end. Then I joined ends together to make a loop tied with plastic wire straps which fits nicely into the 4' squares. I had some salvage 1/2" regular hose and made 3 custom segments and put on
male and female fittings on each end to connect the circles. It was easy to unscrew one end of each of the joiner segments to open the area between the boxes when I needed to mow between them.
So now I can run a hose from the farthest back yard faucet to one square and water the four of them at the same time. I have already planted bush beans, 3 kinds of peas, zuchinni and a yellow summer squash and some lettuce in the squares leaving space for
tomato, pepper, and egg plant transplants latter this month. You
westerners might want to think about this idea for your raised beds. The 10' foot circle should be great in Idaho, but you CO folks might be able to try this without as much cutting and end fitting installations. Hope you can visualize this!
This week we decided to replace the fading fake geraniums which we have used in the 6 pots on the racks in front of the living room window with real plants. So the green pots were painted "trim" brown and the transplants were put in.
Using one piece of 1/2" soaker hose I made 6 smaller circles which would fit inside the pots securing them with the plastic wire bundle ties. With fittings at both ends, the 6 can be watered at the same time. Some of the soaking water will fall to the ground, but as this area in under the awning, it will have value there, too, as rain does not reach it. These are the same pots which Susan attempted to water for us one time when we were gone until she realized the realistic looking geraniums were fake! These will be place in the plant holder tomorrow--more later after we try the watering scheme--because we know NO rain reached this area...
Enjoyed our 2 night /3day stay at the Elkhart Lake Osthoff House Resort for our retired educators' convention. Mom told most of you about it. We led off the days with a nice lunch visit with Susan and David at a Sheboygan river front sandwich shop, en route on Tuesday.
Mom has her first cataract surgery day, 5/23--the second follows about mid June. More on this later.
Our desk top is for a tune-up. Using the laptop tonight with the highspeed, but won't try to get email into this unit. Will respond to e-mails we find when we get the desk top back tomorrow.
Congrats to Magdalena on her commencement next weekend!
Love and prayers to each and all,
Mom and Dad
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
We are still adjusting to both of us working full-time for "real jobs." Its an adjustment, but going well so far. We did decide to purchase a vehicle which has less than 150,000 miles on it, so discovered and settled on a Ford Freestyle. For the car buffs, they only made them till 07, and now they are called the TaurusX. Big station wagon, essentially. We got a pretty simple one to keep the gas milage good and it has less than 25000 miles, so we should have a couple of good years.
Bridget came home Thursday night and we took her back on Sunday in time to take the lunch cruise on Lake Mendota. We managed to get it in during a break in the rain and although it was pretty cool and damp, the boat was enclosed somewhat and the lunch was quite deluxe. This was an Evans parent day. We then went to the Union and met Colin's new friend, Amanda, who is a sorority member where he works. She is very nice and we behaved ourselves and I think she liked us.
Back to work, working on the battery backup for the sump system just in time for our soggy weekend. One is installed and hopefully the next will be soon. We had several lakes in the yard, reminiscent of last June.
I should know by the end of the week if I will be offered the job of Manager of the Kenosha clinic. The other candidate is having their interview tomorrow and they will decide. I had a panel interview with 8 people yesterday and they told me that I made them feel very calm, which sounded promising to me. I just want to get offered the job, so whoever is praying these days, add me in.
Well, have to get some work done here, so back to the grind! Love, Susan
Bridget came home Thursday night and we took her back on Sunday in time to take the lunch cruise on Lake Mendota. We managed to get it in during a break in the rain and although it was pretty cool and damp, the boat was enclosed somewhat and the lunch was quite deluxe. This was an Evans parent day. We then went to the Union and met Colin's new friend, Amanda, who is a sorority member where he works. She is very nice and we behaved ourselves and I think she liked us.
Back to work, working on the battery backup for the sump system just in time for our soggy weekend. One is installed and hopefully the next will be soon. We had several lakes in the yard, reminiscent of last June.
I should know by the end of the week if I will be offered the job of Manager of the Kenosha clinic. The other candidate is having their interview tomorrow and they will decide. I had a panel interview with 8 people yesterday and they told me that I made them feel very calm, which sounded promising to me. I just want to get offered the job, so whoever is praying these days, add me in.
Well, have to get some work done here, so back to the grind! Love, Susan
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Being busy in Big Bend 4/26-09
Greetings to each and ALL---
First order of business: New email address joconnell18@wi.rr.com as we now have high speed internet!
First bonus: Being able to see the Middle Fork Easter Egg Hunt without
the long loading time. Glad to see the searchers in their Easter best and the improvements which were evident in your garden SPOT! Freya you are a great egg locator!
Pleased with the phone visits we've had with Kevin, David, Michele, Matt, Susan, Mark and Maura in recent days and since our Easter Sunday meal and visit. Admit we've not sent too much email in the
busy outdoor days we've had such good weather.
Biggest chore in the last week was getting fallen branches from winter winds and a couple of days of trimming and sawing low branches around the yard to get a pile out to the street which the village workers put thru the chipper on Friday. That was preceded by a lots of raking of leaves which we carted to the village compost pile in 4 big plastic fabric
tubs which contain about 4 bushels. A record should have been kept of the trips--but was not. Regardless, it is better than burning.
Mom saw her new ophthalmologist last week and will be getting a time for her first cataract operation soon and the second one should follow within 2 or 3 weeks. She is pleased that I had a thorough audiology test at Great Lakes Hospital ENT clinic and have ordered hearing aids.
Glad to have had first hand and blog reports on the O'CLong Colorado visit from both the hosts and the guests. It surely was a good time.
Grateful for Domino's report and do hope that she has been able to keep abreast of all her obligations and opportunities. Really sorry that Mark was unable to get to her play.
We've been in touch with Ed and he is still busy with a lot of follow-up thing. Told Mom in a call this week that he has planned a trip to Minnesota to see some friends and will be in California for Erin's graduation and Julie hopes that he will be able to stay there and have his birthday celebration.
Charleen and Bob are coming up to be with us for the day on Thursday of this week. We still have some Grandma and Grandpa O'Connell
stuff that we should go over again to determine how to deal with it.
Mom hope to go to Dubuque soon to have the same kind of meeting with Pat and Ed to go over some Doll material that she still has.
Mom had her 3rd visit with Susan's friend, Dr. Barbara Murray, who is exploring whether some new medicine might be helpful for memory improvement. At this time the dosage is provided by using a patch which is changed daily. For the first month she took a daily pill. The doctor is positive and encouraging as the trial continues. The the next appointment is after a 2 month period--the earlier ones followed for shorter periods.
We will be in Elkhart Lake, WI (Sheboygan County) at a resort hotel for our 2009 Retired Educators' convention. May try to connect with the Sheboygan folks if it won't conflict with David's homework schedule!
Last week we went to an afternoon showing of "Slumdog Millionaire" at an Oak Creek miniplex. No review here.
Susan came to show us their new Ford Free mini-SUV and Grandma really likes it especially the green color! A very impressive set of wheels!
Have had a very rainy weekend. I worked outside on getting soil ready for an exchange in the raised beds yesterday morning, but the rain came just before noon. There was 2.5" in the gauge when we set out for mass this morning. It has continued to rain most of the day--over an inch when I checked late this afternoon. I did get some weed&feed spred yesterday morning before breakfast, so hope it wasn't spoiled by the rain--but things really looked very green by today's last overcast light.
Best wishes to all you scholars as the end of your school year nears!
Good luck to all the job seekers, too!!
Love and prayers, Grandma and Grandpa
First order of business: New email address joconnell18@wi.rr.com as we now have high speed internet!
First bonus: Being able to see the Middle Fork Easter Egg Hunt without
the long loading time. Glad to see the searchers in their Easter best and the improvements which were evident in your garden SPOT! Freya you are a great egg locator!
Pleased with the phone visits we've had with Kevin, David, Michele, Matt, Susan, Mark and Maura in recent days and since our Easter Sunday meal and visit. Admit we've not sent too much email in the
busy outdoor days we've had such good weather.
Biggest chore in the last week was getting fallen branches from winter winds and a couple of days of trimming and sawing low branches around the yard to get a pile out to the street which the village workers put thru the chipper on Friday. That was preceded by a lots of raking of leaves which we carted to the village compost pile in 4 big plastic fabric
tubs which contain about 4 bushels. A record should have been kept of the trips--but was not. Regardless, it is better than burning.
Mom saw her new ophthalmologist last week and will be getting a time for her first cataract operation soon and the second one should follow within 2 or 3 weeks. She is pleased that I had a thorough audiology test at Great Lakes Hospital ENT clinic and have ordered hearing aids.
Glad to have had first hand and blog reports on the O'CLong Colorado visit from both the hosts and the guests. It surely was a good time.
Grateful for Domino's report and do hope that she has been able to keep abreast of all her obligations and opportunities. Really sorry that Mark was unable to get to her play.
We've been in touch with Ed and he is still busy with a lot of follow-up thing. Told Mom in a call this week that he has planned a trip to Minnesota to see some friends and will be in California for Erin's graduation and Julie hopes that he will be able to stay there and have his birthday celebration.
Charleen and Bob are coming up to be with us for the day on Thursday of this week. We still have some Grandma and Grandpa O'Connell
stuff that we should go over again to determine how to deal with it.
Mom hope to go to Dubuque soon to have the same kind of meeting with Pat and Ed to go over some Doll material that she still has.
Mom had her 3rd visit with Susan's friend, Dr. Barbara Murray, who is exploring whether some new medicine might be helpful for memory improvement. At this time the dosage is provided by using a patch which is changed daily. For the first month she took a daily pill. The doctor is positive and encouraging as the trial continues. The the next appointment is after a 2 month period--the earlier ones followed for shorter periods.
We will be in Elkhart Lake, WI (Sheboygan County) at a resort hotel for our 2009 Retired Educators' convention. May try to connect with the Sheboygan folks if it won't conflict with David's homework schedule!
Last week we went to an afternoon showing of "Slumdog Millionaire" at an Oak Creek miniplex. No review here.
Susan came to show us their new Ford Free mini-SUV and Grandma really likes it especially the green color! A very impressive set of wheels!
Have had a very rainy weekend. I worked outside on getting soil ready for an exchange in the raised beds yesterday morning, but the rain came just before noon. There was 2.5" in the gauge when we set out for mass this morning. It has continued to rain most of the day--over an inch when I checked late this afternoon. I did get some weed&feed spred yesterday morning before breakfast, so hope it wasn't spoiled by the rain--but things really looked very green by today's last overcast light.
Best wishes to all you scholars as the end of your school year nears!
Good luck to all the job seekers, too!!
Love and prayers, Grandma and Grandpa
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thanks for the great video, Casey. We can never get enough. Freya keeps looking more and more grown up. We had a very nice Easter gathering. The cousins who came got a chance to catch up with each other, as did the siblings. Everyone seems to be doing OK, despite some significant adversity. Having been poor in the past is certainly helping with our current situations!
Jay took the kids back and I got a night off. Jay is going to have a late start, late evening on Mondays, which started this week, so he got to drive to Madison. Bridget and I had spent Saturday applying for summer jobs for her and actually had fun. Hopefully, something will pan out. Colin will be staying in Madison if he gets his wish. He's ready for some freedom!
We're hoping for some 60 degree weather this week, which would be wonderful. The cool weather has lasted long enough. That Boise green grass looked awfully good, and the new flower beds look great. Have a great week everyone!
Jay took the kids back and I got a night off. Jay is going to have a late start, late evening on Mondays, which started this week, so he got to drive to Madison. Bridget and I had spent Saturday applying for summer jobs for her and actually had fun. Hopefully, something will pan out. Colin will be staying in Madison if he gets his wish. He's ready for some freedom!
We're hoping for some 60 degree weather this week, which would be wonderful. The cool weather has lasted long enough. That Boise green grass looked awfully good, and the new flower beds look great. Have a great week everyone!
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