Animals in the "wild"

This trip to Windfall seemed to be our animals in the wild trip.
We saw several blue herons every day.



We found a nest right off the side deck that had at least four baby birds in it. We're not exactly sure what they are - but they have long, long legs like the herons.



One night while David & I were sitting out at the firepit we had a heron land in the trees right above us. Those things are huge! I wonder if this was the mom or dad for the nest.








As usual, there were tiny lizards running around on the dock all week. We found a snake skin on the beach, too. Kinda cool but kinda ew, too!






The racoons enjoyed the trashbag we put outside one night. The chipmunks weren't thrilled when we cleaned up the mess before they could get their breakfast.





Sarah was a total "back to nature" girl this trip. She brought a jar from home determined to catch one of the minnow sized fish that hang out at the beach. I'm sure she was planning on talking us into keeping it if she caught one. Well - she caught one the first day we were there. Sammy. She made sure he had plants, sand, air and cracker crumbs for food in his jar. The funeral was late Thursday. She was sad but we told her that his last days were like a vacation because he didn't have to worry about being eaten by the big fish.

Another adventure!

Windfall...just saying it puts me in a relaxed mood. Windfall is the "cabin" that Gabi and her sons own in Park County, Indiana (west of Indy). Windfall sits on a peninsula in at about the middle part of the lake so you have a lake view on three sides.






The picture on the far left is from the deck around the house looking out by the dock. The one on the right shows the tip of the peninsula on the left and the view across to the other end of the lake (taken from the boat). So you have open views but we can swim in a very large inlet






so it's very safe. Emily & Sarah were able to venture out into the "deep". This is usually Katie & Megan's area - but my "littles" aren't so little anymore! We took Gabi's boat out every day while there. You'll notice (maybe) that I'm missing from these boat pictures. That's because












I'm waiting for the AC repair guy to get there. It wasn't working when we got there the 1st day. No big deal - except it got really, really humid later that evening. But there are three ceiling fans and we were catching a small cross breeze. That was ok until a little after midnight ....when the rain




started...and then the wind started... and then the electricity went out (no more fans!). . .and when we heard rain and debris hitting all four sides of the house we headed for the basement!!! We found out the next day when Papa & Gabi (she looks good, doesn't she??) came for a surprise visit that we had been having 85 mph winds through our area. Trees were down around the lake - but we were fine. Except that electricity thing....no water because no pump. Can't open the fridge to get a drink cause you don't know when the electricity will be back on out there....the liquor cabinet wasn't a good idea that early in the day or for the kids...so we played in the lake to keep cool and bucketed water to the bathrooms so as to be a little civilized still. Luckily the electricity was back on by Tues. evening and the phones by Wednesday. Wednesday evening David headed back to Indy for the Foo Fighters concert with some friends. He actually got back at a reasonable time considering it was a concert. The girls and I had a blast playing Catch Phrase (Sarah was a RIOT with her hints) and watching movies. We made great use of the firepit several nights - yes I'm a still a controlled pyromaniac - no starter logs for me! We cheated on the smores and did them in the microwave because there weren't any good sticks to roast the marshmallows with. Except for Monday night - we had perfect weather for a lake vacation. Nobody got sunburnt - and we all really, really got to relax. There was a little trouble our last day with the plumbing and the washer - but Gabi graciously said to leave that load for her to do. The plumber was going to come during Gabi & Papa's stay this week. I'm just so glad that most of the "issues" we had happened while we were there and not Papa & Gabi! I even got Gabi to let me do a few chores around the place to help me feel like I'm earning my keep. As always - a big thank you to Gabi and her boys for sharing their little slice of heaven with us!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!!!

Happy 9th birthday to Sarah Elizabeth!!

We had a great time at Windfall - and I'll post about it later.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

People are funny

Friday night I went out with some new friends - a bunch of moms that needed a night out....we went out for drinks and dinner then walked over to our local park for a concert. The headline band was the BoDeans but I was there to see the "warm up" band - The Why Store. I really had a good time. I got to meet people that I've been reading about for so long from Diana's blog aka the BuNco girls. They are a funny bunch! But the best part of the night was when some of us went down by the stage and just watched people. Let me just come right out and say it - - the people dancing were some of the best entertainment I've seen in a long time. You've got the ones that think they can dance (and play air guitar), the jumping bean dancers and the ones that don't want to commit to it all the way but just can't seem to help themselves that end up just awkwardly jerking. You've got the whole other group that think they look really good grinding up against their partner. Ewww! I believe we may have even entertained a few people ourselves doing our impressions of some of the dancers. Like I said, lots of fun people watching! Special thanks to Diana for deciding to go despite all that's happening in her life (the orange moon was truly a gift!) and Suzanne for letting the unpacking wait so I wouldn't be the only "new comer" to the party! Once again our internet has been unpredictable. I wanted to post about this stuff yesterday but it has been out. I can't wait until Ryan (the wizard) can get down here and re-install our server. I tried to get ahold of my sister, Susan, yesterday to wish her a happy birthday - but she was on a trip to the casino. Sounds like fun! Hope she had a great time. We're heading out tomorrow morning for Windfall. Guess that means another delay on that server problem but we really need the break from everyday life! Not sure if we'll get a connection up at the lake but will try and post from their if I can. Then again I may just get on a raft and not come in until we have to pack to go home......yes, Laura and Kelly, I'll tie myself to the dock if I do....he!he!

Thoughts & Prayers

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Wang family on the loss of Diana's father, Bob. It has been less than a year since her mother, Mary, passed away. Close your eyes and listen with your heart - they are together again and at peace. May their love give you strength!

Well....that was fun....

I'd officially like to welcome my daughter, Katie, into the world of debt. Today I helped her figure out how to "e-sign" the first (of hopefully only a few) student loans for college. The rates are even lower now than when her dad and I did his long ago and far away when the dinosaurs ruled the earth. Crazy how with the click of a few buttons you can finish off the entire process. Almost makes it too easy....at least when you are across the table from someone signing things - you have to look them in the eye and know you are responsible for paying it back. This has just been a crazy year of "firsts" that I never really thought about when they were little. I'm glad she still wants my help and opinions, though. Looking forward to many more firsts.

Clean up on aisle 4.....

Here we go again .... another office manager bites the dust....so I'm back to work full time for Hull and Knarr....this time it is permanent. We can't seem to find an office manager that can do the job correctly for more than two years in a row - so the decision has been made to bring me back full time to the office. The girls are trying hard to adjust to me not being around (especially on such short notice)...but we'll get into a rhythm soon. Luckily Katie had not been scheduled into work during the week this week as she has taken over picking Megan up from summer school and watching Emily & Sarah in the mornings. Megan takes over with them after she gets home. I'm hoping I'll be able to work my schedule around drop off and pick up times during the school year. Again David's promise to me when we first got married that it would "never be boring" rings true!

Drive In Movie

Hope everyone had a great July 4th. The girls and I watched the QMIX fireworks on the 3rd - David was on a boys night out. It was nice, but we missed David. Friday Ariane & Alex came over to watch David set off our fireworks. It was nice this year because there are more families in the neighborhood - and so other people participated therefore we had a much bigger display. Saturday night we took all the girls to a drive in movie. They thought it was pretty cool and everybody stayed awake all the way through. But on the way home (at 2:30 am!) they got a history lesson that blew their minds. They know we're old but....we explained that a large majority of the movies we saw as teenagers were at the drive in. That movies came to the regular theatre, then a month or so later you could see them at the drive in but then it was usually YEARS before you would be able to see them again - and that would have been when they came to tv. No VCR or DVD to rent when you wanted....they hadn't been invented yet! Kind of put it in a different light! Of course then they had a wonderful time quizzing us as to what we did have .... Computers... No. Video games....pong only. Cds.... no, not invented yet. INDOOR PLUMBING......very funny!!! We had a great time and I'm glad there was still an old dinosaur of a drive in still around to share with the girls.

Lauran

A big happy birthday today to my niece Lauran!!!

May all your wishes come true!

We love you!