The Workshop Works

Pat has been using his workshop to make pens.  In fact, he donated eight of them to the Scholarship banquet to be raffled off.  Sammi decided that she wanted a bench to replace the two chairs that Henry and Lydia sit on .  They are in bad shape and need to find a scrap pile. 

Over the course of a couple of day, she and Pat cut and glued and screwed and routered and sanded until they had a bench.  Then Sammi stained it with a cherrywood stain.  The next day they glazed it.  I think it turned out pretty good.  She loves it and they made a memory by working together.  

I look forward to seeing what other creations come out of that workshop!

Picnic Weather

Coming home from Florida wasn't too bad.  Most of the snow was gone.  Only piles were left.  Of course with all that melting, our lower lawn was flooded.

What added to the flood was that Frank began pumping the water out of the Krueger basement.

My hyacinths loved the weather and came through the ground and began blooming.  So beautiful!

The weather was so nice that I planned a picnic on Friday night.  My family and Edwina was all I was planning to invite and then decided to invite Brett and Sue and Pat and Melody. The mopeds made their way out of the shed as well as a lot of bicycles.  Even our electric bikes made an appearance with everyone who was able and wanted to give them a try were allowed to do so. Everyone came and we ate and talked and played until after 9pm.  

It was so good to be outside and be together!  I love my family!

 

Hurricane Ian Damage

Dennis took us through Fort Myers on our way home from the beach on Thursday.

These homes are actually on Bonita Beach.  The first level is for parking and storage and not a livable space.  I can understand why.

This home still had some furniture inside and even a recliner outside. 

The sand was everywhere!

The trees across the street from the beach side were completely bare.  A lot of sand and refuse among the trees that weren't there last year.  We even saw a dumpster in the midst of it.

On to Fort Myers where trees were down.

Sand and rubbish piles were everywhere. 

Concrete piles are a common sight.

There are hotels/condos or vacation rentals everywhere in this city and not a one was open.  All were closed with many windows boarded up.

Mountains of sand.

The power of wind and water is incredible!

Nothing was open.  No restaurants, hotels, churches, nothing.  Every building was damaged.  I'm sure this cleanup makes things look so much better than they were five months earlier.  Still, so much work to be done.

 

Florida Trip +Erin

We planned our yearly trip to Florida to spent time with Dennis and Phyllis Allsop for the first week of April.  Erin said she always wanted to go to Florida so I asked Dennis and he said, "Bring her along!"  We left the house and headed off to the airport when Pat realized he left his phone charging on the kitchen counter.  We turned around at MMM and went back home to get it.  That put us 20 minutes behind and also caused us to hit a deer!  Fortunately, the plane wasn't even in the boarding process when we got through security.  Whew!  I'll admit, I had some anxiety!  We were able to arrive in time so we didn't miss any of the General Conference sessions.  

Florida didn't disappoint again.  The warm, clear waters were just the ticket to get us out of the grasp of this never-ending winter weather.

On Monday, we had a date to go boating.  We were able to see quite a few dolphins.  I love watchng those animals.  This time, I lathered us with sunscreen so I wouldn't burn.  I did some shell hunting but returned to the shelter of the tent to not get burned.  Erin didn't understand why I put sunscreen on my feet.  She found out why.  I burned my feet before but not like she did.  Needless to say, we didn't go to the beach on Tuesday but went and saw the Allsops future home and site and did some shopping.

Wednesday took us back out on a boat.  Erin and I both covered and/or sunscreened our feet and legs.  It seems that riding in the boat is the place where I get the most sun. Dennis took us on a tour of some very large and lovely homes with a lot of expensive boats moored next to them.

On this day we saw the ice cream boat as we were leaving our beach.   We did see an ice cream truck but I've never experienced this.  

My new favorite photo of my favorite guy.

We also saw a boat being towed.  Apparently that is an expensive thing to pay for. 

I do believe that the new hat and shirt helped to keep Erin's skin safe from the sun.  

Each morning Pat, Erin and I went for a walk.  It was nice to have Erin with me as she and I don't walk as fast as Pat and we had one another to walk with while he walked ahead.  This sign is posted as you enter the butterfly gardens.  Fortunately I've never seen either in that space. 

We did, however, see alligators most every day on our walks.  

The morning sunrises were heavenly.

On Friday, Pat didn't have seminary class so we went out walking earlier and saw the moon set as the sun was rising.

It was interesting to watch the alligators.  As they knew we were coming closer to them, they would disappear under the water.

Pat did his yearly service by climbing up and pulling down some dead palm fronds.

It wouldn't be a trip to Florida without a trip or two to the Waffle House.  I tried to keep my meals small but somehow they always ended up bigger than I wanted. 

It was a lovely trip with record setting warm temperatures.  I could have done without those but actually on the water with the breeze, it didn't feel as warm.  Coming home was a treat as the weather was nearly as warm as what we just left!

 

Coach for a Day

Chad and Tracy Thorne resigned as coaches for the Gresham Bowler track program as he got an advancement at work and his schedule wouldn't allow him to continue coaching.  Jeff DePerry cornered me at a basketball game to try to get me to go back to coaching.  Then Jeff Zobeck texted to say that DePerry had had a conversation with me and thought I might be interested.  I am not.  

I still love the sport immensely and don't want it to fail.  If I had to get back into it I would have just to save the program but I'm so happy that I didn't have to.  

Heidi Cerveny took the job and asked for a little guidance so I went to a few practices.  She makes the practices fun as she was conditioning the athletes.  Then she asked if I would accompany the team to their first indoor meet as she had a mandatory meeting she could not get out of.

I attended a few more practices and then went with the team to the Wausau West Early Bird meet.  A lot of teams in attendance and most of them were big schools.  There were only four division 4 schools.

I knew the kids from Gresham or at least I knew who they were by sight and they knew that I was Cami's grandma so that helped.  I met the Bowler athletes and the only problem I encountered was which twin was Jackson and which was Kellen.  

I had a great time getting to know the athletes and watching them compete.  I still love going to a meet.  I work several during the spring sports season and cheer on those that I know.

DePerry was right when he said he had a coach from Bowler but not one that he wanted as a head coach.  This woman really didn't get involved with the athletes. I was more involved and I was only there for one day!

I enjoyed being coach for a day and watching these kids compete!

I connected with Heidi the following day and we chatted about what I observed.  I look forward to working a few meets in the next month where I can watch these athletes perform again!
 

A Priesthood Blessing

On Sunday, Pat was dealing with a sore tooth or teeth.  He couldn't really pinpoint where the pain was coming from.  It was bad enough that he took a pain reliever.  He even got up in the night to do so.  On Monday during his work day it got worse.  

When he got home and was sitting in his chair in pain, I got him an ice bag to help with the pain.  I asked him if he wanted a priesthood blessing and he told me he didn't need one.  He had made an appointment for the next day with the dentist.  It wasn't long before he changed his mind and said he would like one.

I called Tom and told him that he needed to give his dad a blessing.  He anointed his head and with only one prompt was able to do it.  Then he sealed the anointing and gave a blessing.  He told his dad that he would "feel better" and he did.  He was able to sleep without any pain relievers.

The next day the ache was back but not like it had been.  I'm convinced that when Tom exerts his faith, great things can happen.  

He did need a root canal and was able to get in just two days later.  He's now ready for his vacation to Florida!

Watching Eddie

Sometime last year Andrew decided what he wanted to do with his life as far a a career and he went back to school at NWTC in Green Bay.  Cierra took a job teaching at Olga Brener in Shawano so on the days when Andrew has class, someone needs to watch little Eddie.  I volunteered.  

It has been a treat to watch him a few days each week.  Sometimes we go shopping and buy a new toy.  When Erin comes along on a Tuesday he may even get two new toys. 

We get creative playing with the Legos.  We used to always make a zoo but this time we created a garage for his cars.  

One day we bought a donut with sprinkles.  I giggled at the way he ate it.  All around the edges first and then the middle.  He's talking in sentences and knows what he does and doesn't want.  I'm finding joy in being able to be with him.  I especially love it when he snuggles with me and we read a book or just watch Elinor.