Saturday, August 18, 2007
Stephen's long time high school era girlfriend Kassie Dallmann died unexpectedly this week from a heart condition, either during or post surgery. Stephen just called. 28, with her 10th year high school reunion coming up next week. We haven't stayed in touch with her but the big group of friends still has a good network. Someone called Ryder tonite,to tell him, and Ryder is down in Carbondale visiting Stephen. Most of you have met her at our house, or seen her in plays or choir /musicals. Beautiful girl, beautiful voice, radiant smile.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Message from Magda
Hi family!
A special hello to Grandma, Grandpa and GG! Hope you got my forwarded emails!
Things are going well here, I went to the primary school today and finally got to do some observations, which was really great. Today was also the first time that I witnessed the teachers using punishment such as hitting the children's palms with sticks or twisting their ears if they were not listening, or as the teachers like to call it "naughty". They will call out a student in class and tell you they are the naughty one in the class- and in most cases these are the kids who are not learning as quickly as everyone else. It's so unfortunate that they are labeled naughty so quickly, and because they don't get much individual attention they don't have the motivation to surpass what the teachers think of them. W
We also had to "talk to", which means teach, the grade 2 classroom, which was tough because the kids were bouncing off the walls. They couldn't really tell us what they were working on because no one was listening. But, Courtney and I were working together. SO, it wasn't terrible.
This past weekend we went to The Apartheid Museum, in Johannesburg, which was interesting, but not quite what I had expected. I thought it was going to be a really intense experience that would be so overwhelming, and in all honesty it seemed to downplay and only skim the surface of what happened here in South Africa. There was a big focus on Nelson Mandela, who was in prison for 27 years of Apartheid, which I found a little weird, and the stories and facts that we were told about didn't quite do justice. I guess I was hoping that I would learn more about what happened, and see more images, hear more personal accounts. I am disappointed that I didn't. I just find it interesting that there wasn't a much more graphic visual experience when the museum is dedicated to remembering.
I won't go into every thought i had about the museum, but I was mostly struck by a photographic essay in the beginning of the museum and the stories about the children in Soweto who were killed during Apartheid. After the museum, we went to Soweto to have lunch at a famous restaurant called Onedy's(sp?) where we were served curried lamb and beef, chicken, animal intestines(I DID NOT TRY THAT ONE!!!), beans, white beans(mashed corn), pop(which is similar to gritz here, but not as liquid-y), mashed pumpkin, mashed potatoes, vegetables and salad. It was an interesting meal, and it was pretty delicious. I wasn't sure how it was going to be. Afterwards we had drove through the township with a local Soweton(who lived there all her life) and she showed us around a bit. We visited the Hector Peterson memorial dedicated to Hector and all of the other children who died in walking to protest an education taught in Afrikaans. Hector was the first child to die. He was only 14 years old. There is a famous picture of his brother(I believe) carrying his body and running to get medical assistance. It was such a powerful image. The memorial has a portion laid with rocks to represent what the students used to try and hold off the police forces. Their rocks were no match to the police gunfire though. After visiting the memorial we went to Nelson Mandela's house, the one he lived in before and after he was arrested. After his release he only lived there for 11 days before he moved because he couldn't sleep at night. Everyone was so excited he was released and home they just sang outside his house. Unfortunately, his house has been renovated to preserve some of the the house, so there is wood paneling that isn't original due to damage from a petrol bomb. The original furniture is no longer there. I was a little disappointed by this, because the petrol bomb was still part of the history there and i wouldn't have minded seeing the stains on the walls. Bishop Desmond Tutu lives about a block down the street from Mandela's old house, and just up the street a few blocks is where Hector was shot. It is a famous block, and the only block to have ever had two nobel prize winners living on it. Pretty crazy fact.
Other than the tour of Soweto and the museum, we didn't do much else this past weekend. I went to a flee market yesterday and that was a lot of fun, and I picked up some really great artwork..hopefully I don't have too much trouble getting it home!
The american that we met came over last night, because we kind of had a dinner party that pretty much too many people were invited to. It could have gotten really out of hand, and left us wihtout enough food, but that was the fault of other people in the house. This guy, Ryan, is a pretty intense person, with lots of beliefs that I don't completely agree with. He is a Republican who has made a great deal of friends, in the 4 months he has been attending U. Pretoria, who are mostly Afrikaaner. It was difficult being around him last night because he was making some really racist remarks and speaking to me in a really demeaning manner, as though I was a complete idiot. He kept telling me I didn't understand the differences between all of the South Africans, and that I didn't know the history. He was talking about Zulus and Xhosas as though they were some epidemic, and really couldn't see why I wanted to meet all of these people from different cultures not the Afrikaaners who caused Apartheid. I know that we are a younger generation that can think for ourselves, but I am fairly certain I have been able to pick up opinions of different cultures that have been passed on through the parents. It was really frustrating sitting there while he talked. Everything he said was just terrible about any black person here, and he was even trying to show differences in culture through a comparison of music. I am sure the Afrikaaners don't hang out with Zulus and Xhosas because of the music they listen to and that it goes much deeper than that. I don't know. I couldn't really respond to him, because he wasn't giving me the chance and kept telling me I don't understand. Mom and Dad, you know how much I hate when people say that to me. I'm sure you can imagine how furious I was. He excused himself when I wasn't responding and I literally stood up and walked out of the room with tears streaming down my face. there were so many things I wanted to say, but i couldn't bare to speak to him, let alone here his voice or any more of his opinions and interpretations of history. It was truly awful.
Other than that I am feeling better today, and the kids at school really put me in a much better mood! There was one little girl who jumped into my arms and wouldn't let go. It was so sad, because she then said you are my mom. And I was like what about your mother, and she told me she was dead and her new mama wasn't nice. She only has her Papa. The kids are darling, but they really have some terrible stories if they open up to you. I love working with them though, because they put a smile on my face from 7:30am until 1:30 in the afternoon. It's great!
Anyways, I need to go work on some research, make some phonecalls and make a lesson plan on Recycling for Grade 4 tomorrow. Woohoo!!
Love,
Magdalena
P.S. Dad, if you want to put any of this up on the blog, from this email and previous ones feel free to. I might try to, if I have time...
A special hello to Grandma, Grandpa and GG! Hope you got my forwarded emails!
Things are going well here, I went to the primary school today and finally got to do some observations, which was really great. Today was also the first time that I witnessed the teachers using punishment such as hitting the children's palms with sticks or twisting their ears if they were not listening, or as the teachers like to call it "naughty". They will call out a student in class and tell you they are the naughty one in the class- and in most cases these are the kids who are not learning as quickly as everyone else. It's so unfortunate that they are labeled naughty so quickly, and because they don't get much individual attention they don't have the motivation to surpass what the teachers think of them. W
We also had to "talk to", which means teach, the grade 2 classroom, which was tough because the kids were bouncing off the walls. They couldn't really tell us what they were working on because no one was listening. But, Courtney and I were working together. SO, it wasn't terrible.
This past weekend we went to The Apartheid Museum, in Johannesburg, which was interesting, but not quite what I had expected. I thought it was going to be a really intense experience that would be so overwhelming, and in all honesty it seemed to downplay and only skim the surface of what happened here in South Africa. There was a big focus on Nelson Mandela, who was in prison for 27 years of Apartheid, which I found a little weird, and the stories and facts that we were told about didn't quite do justice. I guess I was hoping that I would learn more about what happened, and see more images, hear more personal accounts. I am disappointed that I didn't. I just find it interesting that there wasn't a much more graphic visual experience when the museum is dedicated to remembering.
I won't go into every thought i had about the museum, but I was mostly struck by a photographic essay in the beginning of the museum and the stories about the children in Soweto who were killed during Apartheid. After the museum, we went to Soweto to have lunch at a famous restaurant called Onedy's(sp?) where we were served curried lamb and beef, chicken, animal intestines(I DID NOT TRY THAT ONE!!!), beans, white beans(mashed corn), pop(which is similar to gritz here, but not as liquid-y), mashed pumpkin, mashed potatoes, vegetables and salad. It was an interesting meal, and it was pretty delicious. I wasn't sure how it was going to be. Afterwards we had drove through the township with a local Soweton(who lived there all her life) and she showed us around a bit. We visited the Hector Peterson memorial dedicated to Hector and all of the other children who died in walking to protest an education taught in Afrikaans. Hector was the first child to die. He was only 14 years old. There is a famous picture of his brother(I believe) carrying his body and running to get medical assistance. It was such a powerful image. The memorial has a portion laid with rocks to represent what the students used to try and hold off the police forces. Their rocks were no match to the police gunfire though. After visiting the memorial we went to Nelson Mandela's house, the one he lived in before and after he was arrested. After his release he only lived there for 11 days before he moved because he couldn't sleep at night. Everyone was so excited he was released and home they just sang outside his house. Unfortunately, his house has been renovated to preserve some of the the house, so there is wood paneling that isn't original due to damage from a petrol bomb. The original furniture is no longer there. I was a little disappointed by this, because the petrol bomb was still part of the history there and i wouldn't have minded seeing the stains on the walls. Bishop Desmond Tutu lives about a block down the street from Mandela's old house, and just up the street a few blocks is where Hector was shot. It is a famous block, and the only block to have ever had two nobel prize winners living on it. Pretty crazy fact.
Other than the tour of Soweto and the museum, we didn't do much else this past weekend. I went to a flee market yesterday and that was a lot of fun, and I picked up some really great artwork..hopefully I don't have too much trouble getting it home!
The american that we met came over last night, because we kind of had a dinner party that pretty much too many people were invited to. It could have gotten really out of hand, and left us wihtout enough food, but that was the fault of other people in the house. This guy, Ryan, is a pretty intense person, with lots of beliefs that I don't completely agree with. He is a Republican who has made a great deal of friends, in the 4 months he has been attending U. Pretoria, who are mostly Afrikaaner. It was difficult being around him last night because he was making some really racist remarks and speaking to me in a really demeaning manner, as though I was a complete idiot. He kept telling me I didn't understand the differences between all of the South Africans, and that I didn't know the history. He was talking about Zulus and Xhosas as though they were some epidemic, and really couldn't see why I wanted to meet all of these people from different cultures not the Afrikaaners who caused Apartheid. I know that we are a younger generation that can think for ourselves, but I am fairly certain I have been able to pick up opinions of different cultures that have been passed on through the parents. It was really frustrating sitting there while he talked. Everything he said was just terrible about any black person here, and he was even trying to show differences in culture through a comparison of music. I am sure the Afrikaaners don't hang out with Zulus and Xhosas because of the music they listen to and that it goes much deeper than that. I don't know. I couldn't really respond to him, because he wasn't giving me the chance and kept telling me I don't understand. Mom and Dad, you know how much I hate when people say that to me. I'm sure you can imagine how furious I was. He excused himself when I wasn't responding and I literally stood up and walked out of the room with tears streaming down my face. there were so many things I wanted to say, but i couldn't bare to speak to him, let alone here his voice or any more of his opinions and interpretations of history. It was truly awful.
Other than that I am feeling better today, and the kids at school really put me in a much better mood! There was one little girl who jumped into my arms and wouldn't let go. It was so sad, because she then said you are my mom. And I was like what about your mother, and she told me she was dead and her new mama wasn't nice. She only has her Papa. The kids are darling, but they really have some terrible stories if they open up to you. I love working with them though, because they put a smile on my face from 7:30am until 1:30 in the afternoon. It's great!
Anyways, I need to go work on some research, make some phonecalls and make a lesson plan on Recycling for Grade 4 tomorrow. Woohoo!!
Love,
Magdalena
P.S. Dad, if you want to put any of this up on the blog, from this email and previous ones feel free to. I might try to, if I have time...
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Big Bend 8/12/07--An update.........
The St. Joe's Fun Fest ended this evening and we came home shortly after 6 when we concluded a 4 hour stint collecting money bags from the booth/activity workers and returning to the rectory office (with A/C) to count the money!
We did this for 3 hours Friday night, as well,
and sang at the outdoor mass this morning as
"retired" choir member invitees. This involved
the attendance at some special choir practices and listening to a CD with the unfamiliar quite "up beat" hymns we didn't know.
Not many entries since our last effort so we know everyone has been busy. Guess we haven't signed in since about the time Mark was sending the first pictures from Ireland--a month ago.
All of you knew of Aunt Geraldine's death. Last Sunday we drove to DBQ and stayed overnight with C & B, and then drove to Jesup with them for the Mass of Resurrection at her long time parish church and where she taught many years in the parish school. Her two surviving children, Mary Pat Mosier, whom some of you will remember (lived many years in Racine) and her brother
Jack (another John O'C) the wife of a deceased brother Bill. Mary Pat and Jack lived near Gerry in the Phoenix area so we usually saw them when we there in the winter. Jesup is about 15 miles from Waterloo, so we were very close with this family when we were growing up. Their father, Vic was about 6 years younger than your grandfather. They, too, retired to AZ after your grandparents, but in the Phoenix area, but they saw lot of each other during those years.
Our other cousin, A. John O'Connell, drove out from Connecticut for the mass, too. So we were glad to see him.
Many of Gerry's grand and great grandchildren were there so it was quite a gathering of cousins, so there was a good deal of visiting at the church hall after the mass. Really a joyous ocassion.
We came back home on Monday evening.
Our gardens are doing pretty well, but we've had to do a lot of watering. Had our first Roma tomato on 7/28 and have had enought great green beans for a number of meals since about earlier that week. Flower gardens did well despite the heat--but were watered often. Weeds continue to do well.
Enjoyed an afternoon in Sheboygan on 7/24. Finn, Ellis and Charlie joined their parents to take the harbor area cruise which Mom won at the Kohler Art Fair last year. The weather was ideal and it continued during the early evening when we had a pizza dinner on the RO'C's deck.
We drove up early enough to visit Kohler-Andre
SP for some beach walking and a picnic lunch.
Returned home that evening.
Yesterday, Ann, Ed, Pat, Dennis and Barb Doll came here for lunch and review of some matters related to the ND oil/grazing property. Mom currently is the
coordinator and there seemed to be a need to discuss
some details. This was done and we had a good visit. Susan, Jay, Colin and Bridget stopped to say 'hello' and some of them had some of Mom's shrimp pasta salad main dish.
On Wednesday, 8/1, we went to Ft. Atkinson to pick up the children at Beth's and then spent the night with them while Mark was in SFO for a meeting which had him on two 'red eye' flights and we came back to BB after he came home on Thursday AM. We heard a good bit about the Ireland adventure and enjoyed knowing that they had such a good time.
Guess we were the only ones on the e-mail from David about a Kohler-Andre camping trip he made with Finn and Ellis where their well erected tent and fly kept them dry when it rained in the night and of the up-
coming trip he will make with Cooper to look at a
Luthiery school in Vancouver. He talked with Mom on the phone this morning. David, don't forget your passports!!
Glad for both Michele and Susan's blog recent entries.
Hope we find a good September weekend for a reunion. Charleen and Bob think they should be free around that time.
We didn't see more Ireland pictures in Ft., but really appreciated those Mark put on the web. Mom talked to him tonight to make sure we can get to see Domino before they head east on 8/24 to begin her big adventure.
Our trip to Boise begins Sunday, 8/26. We are using the new Midwest non-stop service to Seattle and will rent a car there for the rest of the trip. Seattle isn't much farther than Portland where we rented a car 2 years ago when we went out on AMTRAK, so we will hope to reach Boise by Monday evening, 8/27. Our return flight is on 9/6, and we will hope to do a little
exploring after we leave Boise before we must catch the plane.
Last Wednesday, we attended the annual Citizen's Bank indoor picnic at a restaurant in Waterford for their 'senior' customers who belong to their "Good
Life" club. Nice lunch with music for some to dance after a party mixer game to get people talking to one another. It is well attended--in fact, they have 2 dates to take care of all those interested. Most of our Big Bend senior group belongs so we don't need the mixer games to get to know them!!
This week we have a picnic with the Retired Officer group at the South Milwaukee Yacht Cluf, the 4 day
national reunion for members of the USS LSM/LSMR
WWII & Korea sailors who served on these ships, Irish Fest. As amember of the WI LSM/LSMR group, I ahve been helping with some local arrangements and publicity. We will be going to the main banquet on next Saturday night, so must miss that time at Irish Fest.
Mom talked to Kevin this week when we heard of the heavy rain and bad weather in Brooklyn. Nothing
unusual happened in South Orange. He said that we could send an e-mail to Magdalena in South Africa using her Mount Holyoke edress. She also had a phone visit with Tim and then Maura about a week before that and they continue to be very busy--and in need of rain, like the rest of us in WI. Lots of stories these days about very low lake levels. This is certainly true about Lake Michigan--broadest beaches we've
ever seen at Kohler-Andre.
Past time for bed. Goodnight. Love and prayers,
Mom and Dad
We did this for 3 hours Friday night, as well,
and sang at the outdoor mass this morning as
"retired" choir member invitees. This involved
the attendance at some special choir practices and listening to a CD with the unfamiliar quite "up beat" hymns we didn't know.
Not many entries since our last effort so we know everyone has been busy. Guess we haven't signed in since about the time Mark was sending the first pictures from Ireland--a month ago.
All of you knew of Aunt Geraldine's death. Last Sunday we drove to DBQ and stayed overnight with C & B, and then drove to Jesup with them for the Mass of Resurrection at her long time parish church and where she taught many years in the parish school. Her two surviving children, Mary Pat Mosier, whom some of you will remember (lived many years in Racine) and her brother
Jack (another John O'C) the wife of a deceased brother Bill. Mary Pat and Jack lived near Gerry in the Phoenix area so we usually saw them when we there in the winter. Jesup is about 15 miles from Waterloo, so we were very close with this family when we were growing up. Their father, Vic was about 6 years younger than your grandfather. They, too, retired to AZ after your grandparents, but in the Phoenix area, but they saw lot of each other during those years.
Our other cousin, A. John O'Connell, drove out from Connecticut for the mass, too. So we were glad to see him.
Many of Gerry's grand and great grandchildren were there so it was quite a gathering of cousins, so there was a good deal of visiting at the church hall after the mass. Really a joyous ocassion.
We came back home on Monday evening.
Our gardens are doing pretty well, but we've had to do a lot of watering. Had our first Roma tomato on 7/28 and have had enought great green beans for a number of meals since about earlier that week. Flower gardens did well despite the heat--but were watered often. Weeds continue to do well.
Enjoyed an afternoon in Sheboygan on 7/24. Finn, Ellis and Charlie joined their parents to take the harbor area cruise which Mom won at the Kohler Art Fair last year. The weather was ideal and it continued during the early evening when we had a pizza dinner on the RO'C's deck.
We drove up early enough to visit Kohler-Andre
SP for some beach walking and a picnic lunch.
Returned home that evening.
Yesterday, Ann, Ed, Pat, Dennis and Barb Doll came here for lunch and review of some matters related to the ND oil/grazing property. Mom currently is the
coordinator and there seemed to be a need to discuss
some details. This was done and we had a good visit. Susan, Jay, Colin and Bridget stopped to say 'hello' and some of them had some of Mom's shrimp pasta salad main dish.
On Wednesday, 8/1, we went to Ft. Atkinson to pick up the children at Beth's and then spent the night with them while Mark was in SFO for a meeting which had him on two 'red eye' flights and we came back to BB after he came home on Thursday AM. We heard a good bit about the Ireland adventure and enjoyed knowing that they had such a good time.
Guess we were the only ones on the e-mail from David about a Kohler-Andre camping trip he made with Finn and Ellis where their well erected tent and fly kept them dry when it rained in the night and of the up-
coming trip he will make with Cooper to look at a
Luthiery school in Vancouver. He talked with Mom on the phone this morning. David, don't forget your passports!!
Glad for both Michele and Susan's blog recent entries.
Hope we find a good September weekend for a reunion. Charleen and Bob think they should be free around that time.
We didn't see more Ireland pictures in Ft., but really appreciated those Mark put on the web. Mom talked to him tonight to make sure we can get to see Domino before they head east on 8/24 to begin her big adventure.
Our trip to Boise begins Sunday, 8/26. We are using the new Midwest non-stop service to Seattle and will rent a car there for the rest of the trip. Seattle isn't much farther than Portland where we rented a car 2 years ago when we went out on AMTRAK, so we will hope to reach Boise by Monday evening, 8/27. Our return flight is on 9/6, and we will hope to do a little
exploring after we leave Boise before we must catch the plane.
Last Wednesday, we attended the annual Citizen's Bank indoor picnic at a restaurant in Waterford for their 'senior' customers who belong to their "Good
Life" club. Nice lunch with music for some to dance after a party mixer game to get people talking to one another. It is well attended--in fact, they have 2 dates to take care of all those interested. Most of our Big Bend senior group belongs so we don't need the mixer games to get to know them!!
This week we have a picnic with the Retired Officer group at the South Milwaukee Yacht Cluf, the 4 day
national reunion for members of the USS LSM/LSMR
WWII & Korea sailors who served on these ships, Irish Fest. As amember of the WI LSM/LSMR group, I ahve been helping with some local arrangements and publicity. We will be going to the main banquet on next Saturday night, so must miss that time at Irish Fest.
Mom talked to Kevin this week when we heard of the heavy rain and bad weather in Brooklyn. Nothing
unusual happened in South Orange. He said that we could send an e-mail to Magdalena in South Africa using her Mount Holyoke edress. She also had a phone visit with Tim and then Maura about a week before that and they continue to be very busy--and in need of rain, like the rest of us in WI. Lots of stories these days about very low lake levels. This is certainly true about Lake Michigan--broadest beaches we've
ever seen at Kohler-Andre.
Past time for bed. Goodnight. Love and prayers,
Mom and Dad
Thursday, August 9, 2007
OConnell Reunion in Sept.
Hi Everyone-I'm checking people's availability for a party in Sept. at our house. We are not available on Labor Day, but other than the 15th, we are free. Let me know. Last year we did a Sunday, which would work, but we can also do Saturday.
All is well here. Everyone is working alot and trying to deal with the heat! Love, Susan
All is well here. Everyone is working alot and trying to deal with the heat! Love, Susan
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
it's pretty warm in denver
hello everyone--how are you all?
david is in houston, so i just finished vacuuming and mowing the backyard. and now i've finally put the AC on. it was up to 100 today.
things have been going well since we got home. we went camping one weekend, took friday off and went up to gore pass, west of kremmling. found a dispersed site, and hiked and read, and david taught me to play hearts. that was fun! we really needed some time in the woods.
we made history by seeing bob dylan at red rocks a couple of weeks ago. we went with my friend diane from work, and her boyfriend. we took brats up and grilled in the parking lot and watched all the people;. it was pretty mellow, but bob can still rock. he played lots of new stuff, but started with everyone must get stoned, and ended with a jazzy blowing in the wind. his band was in matching suits, and he was in a suit with a bandana tie, and a straw hat. it was really really fun. i felt like i was in my 20's again--but i told mom it was just the same except i was wearing a white shirt and a bra! if you have never been to red rocks for a concert, you should go while you have a place to stay here at our house! dylan hasn't been to red rocks for 20 years.
david built our little shade redwood lattice corner on the NW corner of the patio. it looks great--he did a really good job. now we have to plant some grapes and trumpet vines.
the ireland pictures are wonderful. you look like you are having fun. i hope you and the kids had a great time. and the grover wild horse video was so funny. what a good dog! freya is a hoot.
i've gotten some runs in during the cool parts of the days--mostly evenings. the dogs are laying around and drinking lots of water.
we're here for another weekend, and david will go out and do some riding. then he's in an enduro in montrose in 2 weeks. he's gotten a couple of good rids in lately. while i stay at home and dink around with the dogs or hang out--or run errands.
we hope you are all well---take care--love--michele and david
david is in houston, so i just finished vacuuming and mowing the backyard. and now i've finally put the AC on. it was up to 100 today.
things have been going well since we got home. we went camping one weekend, took friday off and went up to gore pass, west of kremmling. found a dispersed site, and hiked and read, and david taught me to play hearts. that was fun! we really needed some time in the woods.
we made history by seeing bob dylan at red rocks a couple of weeks ago. we went with my friend diane from work, and her boyfriend. we took brats up and grilled in the parking lot and watched all the people;. it was pretty mellow, but bob can still rock. he played lots of new stuff, but started with everyone must get stoned, and ended with a jazzy blowing in the wind. his band was in matching suits, and he was in a suit with a bandana tie, and a straw hat. it was really really fun. i felt like i was in my 20's again--but i told mom it was just the same except i was wearing a white shirt and a bra! if you have never been to red rocks for a concert, you should go while you have a place to stay here at our house! dylan hasn't been to red rocks for 20 years.
david built our little shade redwood lattice corner on the NW corner of the patio. it looks great--he did a really good job. now we have to plant some grapes and trumpet vines.
the ireland pictures are wonderful. you look like you are having fun. i hope you and the kids had a great time. and the grover wild horse video was so funny. what a good dog! freya is a hoot.
i've gotten some runs in during the cool parts of the days--mostly evenings. the dogs are laying around and drinking lots of water.
we're here for another weekend, and david will go out and do some riding. then he's in an enduro in montrose in 2 weeks. he's gotten a couple of good rids in lately. while i stay at home and dink around with the dogs or hang out--or run errands.
we hope you are all well---take care--love--michele and david
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Must Be Summer
It sure is quiet around here--I think that's a sign of summer winding to a close and everyone wanting to get in as much fun time as possible.
We just had Freya in another week of swim lessons. She enjoys the water much more than she did before, but she's still a little unsure so she sticks pretty tightly to Matt and I. We're leaving tomorrow on vacation to Eagle Lake, California. It's between Susanville and Lassen Volcanic National Park, if that means anything to anyone. We went to Lassen on vacation about 3 years ago and loved it, so we decided to head back to that area this year. Eagle Lake is California's second largest natural lake and has a subspecies of trout--the Eagle Lake rainbow, I believe--that is supposed to be quite tasty. So Matt is excited from a catching them standpoint, and I am excited from an eating them standpoint. I think Freya will just be excited overall.
Here's a recent one of Freya. I had found a pair of Crocs (knock-offs) at a yard sale for her a few weeks ago, and it has taken her some time to get used to them. This was in the early days... Oops, looks like Blogger is having a problem with the image upload right now. Well, we'll have plenty of great photos from our vacation to share, so we'll just have to owe you.
Love,
Casey, Matt & Freya
We just had Freya in another week of swim lessons. She enjoys the water much more than she did before, but she's still a little unsure so she sticks pretty tightly to Matt and I. We're leaving tomorrow on vacation to Eagle Lake, California. It's between Susanville and Lassen Volcanic National Park, if that means anything to anyone. We went to Lassen on vacation about 3 years ago and loved it, so we decided to head back to that area this year. Eagle Lake is California's second largest natural lake and has a subspecies of trout--the Eagle Lake rainbow, I believe--that is supposed to be quite tasty. So Matt is excited from a catching them standpoint, and I am excited from an eating them standpoint. I think Freya will just be excited overall.
Here's a recent one of Freya. I had found a pair of Crocs (knock-offs) at a yard sale for her a few weeks ago, and it has taken her some time to get used to them. This was in the early days... Oops, looks like Blogger is having a problem with the image upload right now. Well, we'll have plenty of great photos from our vacation to share, so we'll just have to owe you.
Love,
Casey, Matt & Freya
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Lots of laughs
Who'd a thunk it? Freya a YouTube star!?! We nearly dropped our laptop we were laughing so hard. Everyone who has entered the house has had to see it! She is really a hoot! Grover looks so detached, which is probably good.
Mark, your pictures are great. It took a while to load them, but it was worth it. It looked like a great trip and there was some blue sky and sun, so it didn't rain all the time. I can't believe you rode bikes even on Inishmore-those roads were also very skinny and had lots of tour buses. Our B and B in Sligo was decorated in red, white and black with Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Elvis pictures and memorabilia. It was the weirdest place we stayed in. But we liked Sligo.
All is well here. We have been working, some of us caddying and working at golf courses, playing golf, watching golf on TV and live, and occasionally getting on the boat or cleaning up the yard. Had a few social events thrown in and not much time is left. Bridget has to start applying for the Evans Scholarship very soon, so that will add a new task for a few of us.
Thanks everyone for sending photos and narratives of events. This is a good way to keep up. Also enjoyed the article and pics about babies at work. We miss Freya, and of course her parents! Love, Susan
Mark, your pictures are great. It took a while to load them, but it was worth it. It looked like a great trip and there was some blue sky and sun, so it didn't rain all the time. I can't believe you rode bikes even on Inishmore-those roads were also very skinny and had lots of tour buses. Our B and B in Sligo was decorated in red, white and black with Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Elvis pictures and memorabilia. It was the weirdest place we stayed in. But we liked Sligo.
All is well here. We have been working, some of us caddying and working at golf courses, playing golf, watching golf on TV and live, and occasionally getting on the boat or cleaning up the yard. Had a few social events thrown in and not much time is left. Bridget has to start applying for the Evans Scholarship very soon, so that will add a new task for a few of us.
Thanks everyone for sending photos and narratives of events. This is a good way to keep up. Also enjoyed the article and pics about babies at work. We miss Freya, and of course her parents! Love, Susan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
