None-the-less, I will try to tap-tap-tap a few thoughts as a greeting to you all! (Then it will be YOUR turn to tap-tap-tap back!)
Our most recent "fun" was last weekend. Our little Jaimee came to visit us for the weekend. It is the second time we've done this since they moved to Orland Park last year. The adults drive to Princeton, IL and make the switch ... one of us trading a quiet car ride for a car full of life! and visa versa. This time I drove alone to meet Rhiannon and Jaimee ... and our great weekend began.
Randy couldn't come - as we had scheduled to have his dog neutered that day. We NEVER have to go through her being in 'heat' again. Oh my ... ugh! With Nick's Ti here - and being a boy - it was TORTURE for him and for us the whole time. He wailed and howled and whined and ... while she wasn't making all the noise and being obnoxious she wasn't doing anything to change his mind either! We decided NO WAY were any of us enduring that again. She did very well - we were afraid she would be in a lot of pain. Maybe she was, but other than sleeping a lot while the anethesia was still in her system - once she woke up she never really acted all that uncomfortable. They did laser surgery and her wound looks a lot smaller and neater than Rhiannon and Ryan's Rory dog looked. That little dog was very uncomfortable when she got her surgery.
So J and I rode together - I hoped she would nap on the trip (she's been taking nearly 3 hour naps of late) -- she slept ONE hour. Despite that lack of sleep she was an angel for the next couple of days.
Jaimee knows that Gwranma and Gwranpa live in Ma-tine. And she was very happy to be going to Ma-tine, though I think the poor little 2 year old must think Ma-tine is about a thousand hours away from Orland Park. She's so ready to stop by the time we get her here.
Our first stop was to go for a golf cart ride. Randy has a friend with a golf cart and so Jaimee, Randy, and I rode the golf cart. Jaimee got to steer. Thank goodness for wide open spaces! She looked SO pleased with herself. A little scared, but thrilled at the same time!
Then we came on home. We played marble-works ... that is the thing with tubes that fit together and you drop marbles in the top and they roll, spin, jump - whatever - all the way to the bottom. The kids had that when they were little, so we pulled it out for her. Mostly she let me play with it (trying to build something viable) while she pulled the rest of the toys out of the baskets!
It was so hot. Felt like it was about 1 degree for every one of Jaimee's perceived hours of travel - when in reality it was in the mid 90's. So hot. I finally broke down and turned the a/c on - and thankfully when we went up to bed the upstairs a/c worked. Sometimes over the winter it leaks out enough freon that it needs charged. We were very grateful that it worked for those 4 or 5 days of hot and hotter weather. It's now off - and while we are not enjoying the extreme humidity (the sky has a haze to it from all the moisture hanging in it), we are thankful for the coolness of the air.
Late Friday evening - just before Sabbath - Randy and I took Jaimee to the Mississippi Mist - a beautiful fountain on the riverfront made especially for little ones to run and play in. She enjoyed it - though the air off the river and the sun setting did give her a bit of a chill.
Sabbath afternoon after a VERY VERY long nap we (Jaimee and I) went back down and met my brother Mark and his little grandson Dayton. Dayton seemed to love running in the water, but Jaimee preferred not being in it. It surprised me that she didn't. It was nice to spend the time visiting with my brother. I think we're both pretty much in love with our little people!
Here's Mark helping Dayton wring out his soggy wet towel. (Towels are prone to becoming soggy when they are tied around one's neck - Batman/Superman/Super Hero style! - then they get too heavy to be of any use when you have to fly away on a moment's notice to save the world!)
This the only thing I took a picture of Jaimee doing at the Mississippi Mist, enjoying a fruit juice bar (Dayton had one too):
You can see the rusty/red color of the fountain area - and in the background the Mississippi River.
Gwranpa and Jaimee played in the basement for a little while just before bedtime Friday night. I ran down when I heard them both calling for me. (One was saying BRING THE CAMERA and the other was saying GWRANMA.)
We are looking forward to our trip out east in a few weeks. It's been far too long since we've seen Debbie and Gary (and family) and Jill and Mike and Abbie. We're going to do a segway tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield. I think that sounds fun - unless you need to have some sort of athletic abilities to ride a segway -- like superior balance or something ... then it might be a little more taxing! They have a pull cart that Jaimee will ride in behind her daddy or someone.
There were several things listed on Jill's email to Rhiannon (she is our little agenda planner - sorry I didn't get back to you via phone Deb ... I had just gotten J and it takes about all my concentration to manage a 2 y/o -- not like it was when I had my own little ones. I'm out of practice! So anyway, that's why I asked Rhiannon to get ahold of you! And you guys -- don't feel like you have to entertain us all the time. Okay?
Perhaps we can visit with Joan and Kirk and girls for a little bit in August. Randy got notification that his Class of 71 (that's far less painful than saying 40th class reunion) reunion is The first weekend of August. Do you have time for us? Maybe we could throw an air mattress on a floor someplace for a night? Randy has really been missing "home" and this is a great excuse to head north!
Our little Kate (Gail's girl) is moving to Atlanta. Her Chase has already gone there for his job - and she is following. We have a farewell soire' next weekend for her. It feels like she is still too little to make those kind of big decisions on her own! Sigh!
Wyn and Andy are house hunting. We were privileged to accompany them while they looked at a couple on Thursday. Both houses were good homes and they could be happy in either one. One had lots of that old-time character with woodwork and stained glass windows and some beveled glass windows (which I love because they create a prism effect when the sunlight dances across them at just the right angles). We definately are praying for God's guidance as they choose a home - either here in Muscatine or in one of the surrounding towns. (I'm partial to having them close ... but there are other factors besides Auntie V to consider! -- as Kate (see above) is demonstrating! *smile*)
Okay - looking at the clock I see that I should have been in bed awhile ago. Even on Sabbath I have to plan to get up and get moving! We pick up a gentleman at the nursing home to take him to church (which in a way is a good thing because it keeps us reasonably 'on-time'). Also tomorrow is potluck, so I have to load up my food and such before we go.
Aunt Nita - haven't heard from you in a bit. I know you were having a rough go of it - hope you are getting your strength back. Miss hearing from you. Kathy - you have sent a couple of things recently - thanks.
Take care all -- much love.
V
PS Have you noticed the weather patterns? More and more I am convinced that Jesus will be coming back soon. Remember ... He loves us all and wants us all!
