Once Upon a Time...25 Years Ago

Twenty-five years ago this date, Melany and Wade got married. Where have the years gone?!? In some ways it seems a little like yesterday and then in others it seems like even more than 25! Such a pretty wedding! I'm glad that the part of putting on a wedding is behind me! Woody did our weekly Krogering today. He used the grocery cart as a walker. He went just a little before I left to work in the church library so I wasn't here to help him unload the car after the shopping. He even had almost all of the groceries put away before I got home. Work in the library saw the three of us complete a task that we have been working on for quite a while now. Good to see a task completed and the stacks of books we have been working on disappear back onto the shelves. After leaving the library, I stopped at the public library to return some books and check out some more. Then I came home to rest for a little while before I cooked some pasta to go with the marinara sauce that I made a few days ago. This marinara sauce had fresh home grown sweet basil, oregano, and marjoram, and garlic...pretty tasty. We are all settled in for the evening. Sounds like some rain has blown in...I wasn't expecting rain. The plants will be happy for this drink. Happy 25th anniversary, Melany and Wade!

More Super Heroes & More Baseball!

Woody has rested but done quite a bit too...he has faithfully done his rehab exercises...he harvested the rest of the garlic (thanks in part to the new tractor gardening seat)...drove to the prayer room...and then went to Elijah's baseball game. He continues to have to use the walker, but he did think that today he was a bit better as one hurt had gone away...at least for part of the day. I had school with the children. It was Joy's turn to have a "Grammy long time." It was decided that was a good time to make her a super hero mask. She cut out the mask shapes and I glued fabric around the two pieces and then sewed the two pieces together. That job took a bit longer than her time so I finished it for her. Not long after I got her mask finished, Isaac showed up with a white t-shirt so I could make him a "Compost Boy" shirt with short sleeves. He and I did that. Then it was time for me to rest...if I was going to be able to go to Elijah's game! It was another good game...at least for our team...12-0. Elijah was a super hero with his hitting again tonight. He was lead-off batter for the first time and did that place in the batting order proud. He really knows how to keep his eye on the ball (I'll bet that being able to juggle five balls has a lot to do with knowing how to keep his eye on the ball!) and his hits are going farther and farther. Good job, Elijah! We are home and settling in for the rest of the evening. It has been a rather busy day.

Super Heroes Abound!

Last night's children's musical, The Agape League, was a super presentation. Pictured here are our super heroes, Joy = Jumper, Esther = Serenity, and Elijah = Super Hero #1. They each had speaking parts and did any super hero proud (including parents and grandparents). Woody headed off to therapy early. Today was his last scheduled therapy appointment. He was reevaluated and now has another month of sessions scheduled. He really struggled with walking over the weekend finally resorting to using the walker again as it was just too painful to put much weight at all on his right leg. The therapist continues to say that the pain is due to the fact he isn't walking correctly on leg...so it continues to be a gait pain. I had school with the children in a more relaxed mode. It is obvious that the school year is winding down. Isaac didn't feel all that great this morning so his session was abbreviated. They were all pretty much into getting their new (to them) RV ready for a road trip. The girls and Kathy went shopping for supplies for the RV so the reading schedule got changed around a bit. Elijah read and then Abigail read. Esther had her long time. We got the bodice of her doll dress all ready for the sleeves and then she sewed the gathering stitches on the top of the sleeves. At some point Isaac showed up with Graham's old "Compost Boy" cape and mask...so he could be a super hero too.

I made the "Compost Boy" cape, shirt and mask "many moons ago" for Graham when we made up the super hero for the boy who emptied our two households' compost buckets out on the compost pile. Isaac was thrilled to take over that super hero position in the family! And, since Isaac had a mask Elijah decided that he needed one too so....this afternoon he came over and we made him one. The girls now think they need a mask too...that will happen another day/s!

Adventure Day 3 + A Safe Return

We had a pretty busy morning with our "charges." Woody stayed at the house with Graham, Isaac, and Joseph and I took Abigail, Joy, Esther, and Elijah to the church for the dress rehearsal for the children's musical (which will be tomorrow night). Abigail just wanted to go and watch the rehearsal and I decided that I would stay and take pictures since I could take them from several vantage points. By the time we got home it was time to get lunch ready. We found out that their mommy and daddy weren't all that far away. So after lunch a major effort on the part of the children went into getting the house straightened up before their parents got home! It's amazing what seven children can do in just a short amount of time! All went outside to watch for the arrival of their parents in their new "camper" (RV). I managed to capture the moment of them all running to the new vehicle. Each was very excited. Isaac kept saying, "Awesome!" At a point after snapping a few pictures and enjoying their excitement, Woody and I slipped away from the scene and headed back to our abode. And, have been settling back in over here! I did go outside for a little while to take advantage of a very nice day to water our hanging baskets and do a little weeding and deadheading. I got our dishwasher loaded (Woody had been eating over here for some of the meals and I had used several of our pans when I was cooking next door.). THEN it was time to head back to my recliner and rest for a while. That rest included closing my eyes for a bit of a nap...couldn't keep my eyes open very long after I sat down! Woody is back in his recliner downstairs. He has watched a library DVD or two and kept his leg up. He said that it is feeling some better than yesterday but he is still hurting quite a bit.

Adventure Day 2

I can sum it up with these words: "LOTS of pancakes! LOTS of sandwiches! LOTS of spaghetti!" The children who had school work did their lessons this morning. Their school year is winding down. Those that didn't have school played. When the school work was done, play began for them. It has rained off and on and it is pretty wet outside...but they managed to get in some outside time...Ummmmmmm several pairs of muddy shoes and socks...oops. Right now they are all sitting in the living room watching the Cardinal baseball game with Goosey (Woody). Speaking of Woody, he is still in a lot of pain...not from his knee but from swelling down near his ankle and foot. He isn't getting around the best today. Lately it seems like it has been one step forward and two back for him. Well, guess it is time for this break to be over and time for me to head back into the adventure. The parents (Nathan and Kathy) are on their way home. They are driving a new (to them) camper. The children are so excited and can hardly wait for their parents' return tomorrow. The camper is the reason for this trip. They had been looking for one for some time...ever since they sold their old one. This one will give them more room for their family to sleep...it had gotten pretty cramped in their old one. Abigail has already "called for" the bed that she wants!

Adventure Day 1

No picture tonight as the camera with today's pictures on it is next door. The day started out with Nathan, Kathy and children going to the Montessori preschool where I taught for 27 years...and, "of course" I had to go with them...back to my old stomping grounds! Shortly after we got back Woody and I headed next door to celebrate Nathan's birthday...cake and ice cream before lunch! After that we came back home and got ready for what should be an adventure till sometime Saturday. Nathan and Kathy have flown the coop...literally. They, at this time, are somewhere in the air between here and PA. And, we are attempting to keep the peace next door...so far so good. Woody has gotten Elijah to and from ball practice and I have gotten supper on the table. Phew! I will end by wishing Nathan a BIG happy birthday and head back next door. More about our adventure tomorrow!

What-A-Wednesday

At last I am online and able to blog. When I started to blog tonight, the internet wasn't connected correctly and it took a bit to finally get it connected. But here I am...at least I think I am here! Today had been a super busy day. It started out with Woody headig out early for rehab and then he went on to do our weekly Krogering. I had a normal Wednesday of school with the children.Abigail started making a jean skirt out of a pair of jeans...deconstruction sewing! She took the pockets off and embroidered a machine embroidery design on one of them. She will do the other one the next time we sew. She has lots of machine embroidery planned before we make it into a skirt. As soon as Abigail's Grammy time was over I grabbed up my purse and headed out the door for an appointment. Not knowing how long my appointment might take, I cancelled out usual work session at the library today. After my appointment I stopped by the library and checked books in and out...just general library maintenance. On the way home I stopped to get some machine embroidery thread that I needed to embroider names on Joy's and Esther's shirts that they will wear in the children's musical this weekend. As I type this Joy's shirt is embroidering...her name is "Jumper" in the musical. Next I will embroider Esther's shirt...her name is "Serenity" in the musical. Before I got underway with the shirts, I deboned chicken breasts and then made Chicken Rosemary using fresh rosemary that is growing on our back patio. Woody has bright blue "tape" on his lower right leg...it's supposed to help with the pain...guess time will tell! They are really working with him trying all sorts of things to get him over the "shin splint/ankle and foot" pain. I hope that something works soon! Guess I am off to take Joy's shirt off the machine and get Esther's hoopped up and ready to stitch. Woody and I will start on a three day adventure tomorrow...more about that tomorrow!