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Wednesday, 8-1-07
A day of picking vegetables and housework, sorting through more storage areas, cabinets, and drawers.
.
This has been the year of the bluebirds and wrens, with lots of visits from both.
.
The most commonly heard birds, on a daily basis, are the Sand Hill Cranes, Cardinals, Crows, Mourning Doves, and Wrens.
.
The very tasty patio tomatoes, almost the size of a golf ball, were planted from seed we saved from last year's tomatoes, and they are scrumpti-licious!
.
About 40 zuchinni plants, and 120 feet of fencing for pole beans, are resulting in weekly donation trips to the food pantry in Portage.
.
The days seem to just tumble away, one after the other! :-)
.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Thursday, 8-2-07
Evergreen Travel Club guests, Barbara and Duane, arrived in the early afternoon from Mesa, Arizona.
.
It was 94 degrees today, somewhat cooler than the current temperatures in Mesa, Arizona, which can go up to 120 degrees in the summer.
.
We suppered together on stir fried veggies on brown rice, tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, etc.
.
::::::::::::::::::::::
Friday, 8-3-07:
Bob making basil omelets for Barb and Duane, with potatoes, etc.
.
Cuzzin Jerry stopped here to chat with Duane and Barbara.
.
Then our Evergreen travel club guests spent the day exploring in the Portage area.
.
Bob harvesting tomatoes, cukes, and beans.
.
Not a hard working day, but again, it just slipped away! :-)
.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
Saturday, 8-4-07
Oatmeals, toast, boiled eggs, juice, and muffins for breakfast, after which our guests headed for the Baraboo area and The International Crane Foundation, which they enjoyed thoroughly, avid birdwatchers that they are, having already identified, or seen, 550 species of birds in their decades of viewing!
.
Whether eating or chatting, Duane and Barb always have an eye on the window, looking for birds, and frequently going to get their verrrrrrrrrry expensive binoculars!
.
A very nice couple to chat with about birds, or anything!
.
Loretta and Melissa came out to breakfast with us, before picking veggies, half for themselves, and the other half for delivery to the Portage Food Pantry on Monday morning.
.
This will be our sixth weekly delivery of freshly grown veggies to the food pantry.
.
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Sunday, 8-5-07
Basil and cheese omelets, toast, juices, banana nut muffins, and then our guests were off to the Wisconsin Dells Area to take one of the long (2 1/2 hours), river cruises.
.
Bob picked up Mom Thompson who made a delicious batch of Sloppy Joes for hot sandwiches, fresh veggies, and Mom's homemade Pineapple Upside Down Cake.
(Which she knows is one of Bob's favorites!)
.
The three seniors (senior to Bob), had a great time discussing, doctors, medicines, treatments, family, food, and birds.
.
A fun time with lots of laughs.
.
All afternoon, all 4 of us kept a sharp eye out for birds, interrupting the others, frequently, to point out birds, at the feeder, on the patio, in the tree, or on the tomato or pole bean fences or posts.
.
Barb and Duane were extremely knowledgeable about birds!
.
Bob drove Mom home and then, on the way back home, barely avoided two large deer that ran out of a farmer's driveway, and almost ran into the car!
.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
Monday, 8-6-07:
Bob breakfasted with Barbara and Duane, prior to their heading for a day of birdwatching at the Horicon Marshes.
.
During their 30 year marriage, this avidbird watching pair have travelled all over the United States and seen 550 species of birds!
.
A Candelight Breakfast honored Barbara's 76th birthday.
.
Chef Roberto has alternated breakfasts with different kinds of omelets, boiled eggs, scambled eggs, french toast etc., with all the "trimmings."
.
Kathy's plane arrived in Madison this evening, returning from Pennsylvania, via Atlanta.
.
An extremely heavy rain resulted in a very slow trip home, sometimes driving only 20 mph, with Bob hunched over the steering wheel, trying to get his eyes as close to the road as possible. :-)
.
Kathy wants to share some of the interesting points of her trip, to Pennsylvania, including:
Lisa and Peter picked me up, at the Harrisburg, PA airport. It was such a blessing, to be welcomed there, by both of them.
.
They are both constant reminders of love and joy to me, and make me feel "at home," to totally share with everyONE, totally and openly, from my heart.
.
We spent the following week at their home in Manheim, PA, experiencing their life, in the Joyful Ministries which is the ministry that they now have.
.
This includes Lisa, being interviewed to be a nurse at St. Anne's, and letting Holy Spirit guide her, in healing. She realizes that the healing is of the mind, so Spirit is giving her this backdrop, which seems to be a place where bodies are healed, to heal all that she touches, there at St. Anne's, and with everyONE.
.
Peter has started talking with people, about the food service, of distributing produce and food staples to people, in that area. Thank you Peter, for letting Spirit guide you, in this mission.
.
The second week, we headed to Bethany Beach, Delaware, for many beautiful moments of healing our thoughts about all of life's experiences with one another, and any blessing, that we embraced in.
.
Close to the end of the week, it was fantastic to talk with Bob and everyONE at Bumpity Road, to be serenaded, while at Bethany Beach, Delaware by the new song: "Looking Cross the Bed at You." I was brought to tears and joy, by this blessing, of love. Thank you so much, sweet Angel!
.
It was a fantastic opportunity, for me to be welcomed into this family vacation, and be accepted, as part of the family. EveryONE shared, from how they felt about what happened, openly.
.
Then, we headed back to Manheim, PA, for the last few days, before I flew back to Wisconsin.
.
Thank you Lisa, Peter, Paulie, Gabrielle, Kyle, and Kole. I had a fabulously miraculous experience, with all of you!
.
One of the profound miracles that this trip gave me, is a strong gratitude for our life, at Bumpity Road. I am forever grateful to thank Holy Spirit for the blessing of the home, that we are blessed with, by living a life of Love.
.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tuesday, 8-7-07:
We breakfasted with Duane, but Barbara was exhausted and joined us for her breakfast, early in the afternoon.
.
We interviewed Tina and Mike for a wedding and then finished making a late supper for the four of us, which included stir fries on brown rice, (s)mashed potatoes, and lots of fresh veggies from the gardens.
.
Then Barb and Duane watched the movie Where The River Runs Black, which made for their latest night ever, here at Bumpity Road. :-)
.
Wednesday, 8-8-07:
Duane and Barb had their final omelet (this time cheddar cheese), this morning, before leaving for parts south.
.
Loretta and Mike stopped by with a trailer full of furniture from which we selected a hide-a-bed, and two very unique, attractive and verrrrrrry comfortable chairs.
.
They also picked up veggies for delivery to the food pantry today, making our 7th delivery to The Portage Food Pantry.
.
We finished the day doing some harvesting and weeding, and afterwards, splitting and hauling wood to the pole barn, for drying and storage.
.
A late veggie and brown rice supper, dishes washed and put away, clothing washed, dried, and stored, and journal entries, finished out our day.
.
And, a couple of glasses of very tasty Sparkling Apple-Grape.
.
Barb W. stopped by after dark, and we had an interesting, and humorous, late night chat (till 11:30 p.m.), before calling it a day. :-)
.
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Thursday, 8-9-07 through Sunday, 8-12-07:
.
We spent these days arranging the new furniture, to welcome everyone into Bumpity Road.
.
It was a welcoming opportunity to clean things out, to have Bumpity Road ready, to share with Richard Masters, from Arizona.
.
Bob went into Portage, WI, to play cards with his mother, Helen, Aunt Eva, and Victor. They played for several hours, and Mom made a delicious jello cake. It is helpful for her, to do this, which gives her something to do for others, that helps her feel happy.
.
While Bob was gone to town, Richard M. called, to remind us about his visit to stay overnight, at Bumpity Road.
.
Kathy was still cleaning, when Bob arrived home, so he decided, to mow the lawn.
.
Richard called, to say that he was in a long line of traffic, which was backed up, on the interstate. This got him to Bumpity Road a little later than he wanted to arrive.
.
Bob had just finished mowing the lawn,
Kathy finished the cleaning, when Kathy and Bob welcomed him, with a song.
.
We came into the Sunrise Room and visited for a while. Then, asked Richard, if he would like to watch a movie. We decided to watch: I.Q. It is a great movie, to see this expression about the life of all those who are so touched by each other, including Albert Einstein.
.
Then, talked with Richard, into the wee hours of the morning, about all of the ironies of living in this culture, and the mysteries of life.
.
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.
Monday, 8-13, 2007
.
We got ready, and shared a two egg cheese omelet, with Richard.
.
This is a first, as Bob always makes a 4 or 5 egg omelet.
.
Once again, many fabulous, heart felt ideas were shared.
.
We talked, until lunchtime, and then, Richard went off, to Madison.
.
Bob and Kathy talked about doing more song writing, and what that will require of everyONE included.
.
We watched some more movies, and had an opportunity to rest, and relax. Thank you God.
.
::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tuesday, 8-14-07
Gardening "daze", with high humdity, and 80+ temperature, requiring an extra effort to do harvesting and weeding.
.
An extra healthy lunch today, included 7 items from our gardens: Mesclum Multi-Mix Lettuces, Kale, Basil, raw sweet Beets, cucumbers, bell pepper, and varieties of orange Garden Queen Tomatoes, and, bright red, Patio
Tomatoes, all saved from seed last year, and potted inside, late this spring.
.
We continue to munch on our 32 pound miracle watermelon, which is planted from seeds from a melon that Sylvia and Sean found on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Colombia, South America, having probably fallen off a
produce boat travelling between otherwise inaccessible, coastal villages on the ocean.
.
It is an ideal melon, with lots and lots of dark red flesh, that is very sweet, has very small seeds, and very, very few seeds at all!
.
We are hoarding whatever seeds we do find, in the hopes of reproducing this Wonderful South American Watermelon next year!
.
Bob pruned and filled a large wheel barrow with the larger leaves from our 12 Kale "trees", Kathy brought in two very large pails of freshly picked
basil, and Bob washed the freshly picked tomatoes and beets.
.
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Wednesday, August 15, 2007
After harvesting Zuchinni, Yellow Crook Neck, Tomatoes, Cukes, Bell Peppers, and Kale, we took a long break with visitors, Loretta, Mike, and Sofia.
.
We proudly brought out, Senor Colombia, the magnificent 32 pound melon, grown from seeds, imported by Sylvia and Sean, that we feel is the best ever grown here at Bumpity Road.
.
We are searching for, and saving, the tiny seeds, as if they were tiny gold nuggets.
(Actually, they are really, more priceless than gold!)
.
Our guests thought that Senor Colombia (found on the Pacific shores of that South American country), was also a very exceptional watermelon.
.
Loretta and Mike, also loaded up produce for our eighth delivery to the food pantry.
.
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Thursday, August 16, 2007
Our intent was to just do a little relaxing "walk-about", to take a peek at how things were growing in all the gardens, but we found so much produce that was ripe, that we began harvesting, and also doing some mowing of the weeds and grass between some of the rows in G-4 (garden four).
.
This has been our best year, ever, with apples, with lots of apples coming from a half dozen different kinds of apple trees.
.
Currently, we are only picking up those apples knocked to the grass, during our recent wind and rain storm.
.
We do have a chore of small and large branches to clean up, that were felled by our recent storm.
.
Some of the bigger branches, will have to be cut, or sawed, before loading them onto the haywagon, but that is a task for another day.
.
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Friday August 17, 2007
Bob joined Victor, Eva, and his mom, Helen, for a 4 way card playing shootout, that lasted till nearly midnight.
.
Mom won six of the first ten games, so she was really on a roll.
.
Bob did his best cardplaying ever, in terms of memory, and recall, of cards played and not played.
.
Kathy joined us for the evening, and served us orange cake and pecan rolls.
.
We got home very late, but it was a fun time, with the quartet of card slingers.
.
At 71, Bob is the youngest of the card slinging geriatric whippersnappers, all three of the others, being in their mid 80's, or older.
.
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Saturday, August 18, 2007
Loretta and Melissa stopped by to visit and pick up veggies that Bob had picked during the past few days.
.
We had a nice long chat with them, nibbled on hot pecan rolls, and then spent the day preparing for our weekend guests and making the house "childproof," as much as possible. :-)
.
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Sunday, August 19, 2007
Eldest daughter, Linette, and her highschool best friend, Katie, arrived in the early afternoon from Chicago, each with a 3 year old daughter, Gabriela, and Sarah.
.
Kathy did the salad, and Bob made a large venison roast, with steamed vegetables.
.
Dessert was thick slices from a 39 pound alien watermelon.
.
The parents were Charleston Gray Watermelons, planted from newly purchased "pure" seed this spring.
.
But their "mutant" offspring is a much darker color, has stripes (the parents don't), and, wonder of wonders, is twice the size of its parents and kin!
.
We ended the evening with the video movie, "Where The Water Turns Black," the story of the first ten years in the life of a jungle boy, who developed a close relationships with freshwater dolphins in the rainforest.
.
This movie, was a "real sleeper" with an unexpectedly diverse, interesting, and multi-themed story line.
.
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Monday, August 20, 2007
.
The five "ladies" left for the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, to wath the elephant and acrobats, and ride the merry-go-round.
,
Bob stayed home to do the dishes and pick and clean veggies for Linette and Katie to take back home to Chicago.
.
Their "doggie bags" (and pails), include South American Beach Wonder Watermelon, zuchinni, crook neck, cukes, peppers, several varieties of tomatoes, large orange tomatoes, and smaller, red patio tomatoes, about the size of golf balls, (55 of them in each "doggie bag.")
.
Chef Roberto served bell pepper omelets, basil omelets, french toast (made from baker David's recipe of whole wheat and nut bread, yummy, yummy!).
.
We packed the car with everything, including a number of rocks, large and small, to decorate gardens in Chicago.
.
We also "packaged" two whole, very large basil plants, after giving them each a double washing in our 100 gallon and 300 gallon, fresh rainwater tanks.
.
Each plant was about 3 feet high, and very, very bushy, but we were able to contain them in very large, garbage, bags.
.
The final loading was of two large, orange pumpkins, that we had picked during yesterday's haywagon ride and tractor rides around the gardens and walking paths.
.
Jeepers, it feels like we crowded a whole week into the past 24 hours!
.
Including numerous sessions at the jigsaw puzzle tables, trying to piece together about a half dozen different colored kittens, playing with different colored balls of yarn, some of which were somewhat "unravelled." :-)
.
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Tuesday, 8-21-07
Victor, aunt Eva, and sister Rose joined Bob at his mom's for another cardplaying shootout with alot of laughs and friendly teasing and chiding, back and forth amongst the cardslingers.
.
Then home to sample our "vondrous veggies", kale, tomatoes, peppers, zuchinni, crookneck, eggplant, lettuces, and watermelon!   :-)
.
And brown rice. :-)
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Wednesday, 8-22-07
Brother Ron and sister Rose joined Bob for some card slinging at their mom's, which was an afternoon of laughingly kibitizing between the four players, continually "gunning" after one another all afternooon.
.
Mom had a good time all afternoon, joking back and forth with three of her children!
.
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Thursday, 8-23-07
Bob and Kat harvested lots of patio tomatoes, zuchinni, cukes, radishes, and pole beans.
.
Lots of worms dug up in the compost area for the grandchildren and other "fishermen", arriving here next week end from Illinois.
.
The continuing rains, are a background music, that have been fairly consistent, day and night, for over a week now.
.
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Friday, 8-24-07
Aunt Eva and Victor joined Bob for another cardslinging event at Mom's O.K. Corral.
.
Bob's big container of cubed watermelon was a big hit, with everybody having a second, third, fourth, or fifth helping!
.
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Saturday, 8-25-07
Phone talks with Mama Newell, and also with Le Roi, about songwriting, marketing, etc.
.
Cuzzin' Jerry stopped by to work on getting our 20 horse tractor started, and then Jerry mowed the front lawn, etc.
.
Kathy weeded and picked two big pails of basil, green beans, tomatoes, and herbs, while Bob picked zuchinni, cukes, and 4 watermelon that weighed in at 23, 24, 26.5, and 27 pounds each!
.
100.5 pounds of watermelon! :-)
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Sunday, 8-26-07
Our two person meditation service this morning was followed by a lunch of steamed veggies: red potatoes, carrots, pole beans, and beets! :-)
.
Again, both of us picked veggies (7 big pails), Kathy also did weeding and Bob began trimming fallen trees from the recent storms, and stacking their smaller branches into big brush piles.
.
One of the largest trees (and others),on the property was knocked over at the root level!
.
Supper was a delicious eggplant, sliced and dipped in beaten egg, and then dipped in cornmeal and then sauteed, and it was really delicious, with side orders of raw onion, radishes, patio tomatoes, kale, lettuce, basil, beets and cucumbers.
.
So much good food, that no room was left for dessert, which was a 31 pound Charleston Grey Watermelon, just waiting for us to sample it.!
.
But, alas, no room in our tummies!
.
This melon is tentatively winning the bronze medal in the local Bumpity Road Watermelon Olympics.
.
It was edged out of the silver medal by a 32 pound South American Mystery Melon, whose parent melon was found on the shores of the Pacific in Colombia, South America, by our friends Sylvia and Sean, who were married in our Sunrise Room last halloween!
.
They were kind enough to bring us seeds!
.
In line for the gold medal in our Summer Watermelon Olympics is an alien child that was sired by Charleston Grey parents, but it does not have the light coloring or plain surface of its parents.
.
Other siblings, on the same vine, resemble their parents, but this one is very alien, perhaps a mutant, and much larger than its siblings or parents.
.
It has proven to be a very sweet and delicious melon, and we are saving every seed possible, to see if we can produce it next year.
.
We probably have about 5 weeks till the first killing frost, which is usually in the first week of October, so in 5 weeks a lot can happen out their in the melon patches!
.
Deer have been eating our butternut squash in garden 7, during the past two days, and the wild turkeys have been pecking holes in some of our watermelons, causing them to spoil.
.
Bob has already roughed out his planting plans for next spring, which may be modified somewhat depending on how much melon and winter squash survive the critters' smorgasbord.
.
Kathy is riding the exercise bike Bob is typing, and 8 winter squashes (7 buttercup and 1 acorn) are basking in a 350 degree oven! :-)
.
We usually pick winter squashes (acorn, buttercup, butternut, hubbard, moregold, etc.), after the first killing frost.
.
But these were plants that had died, so the squashes were not going to grow anymore, so, the first batch (of 8), is now in the oven, with others awaiting their turn.
.
And so, another week winds down, with an unusually busy weekend in the gardens, primarly due to veggies clamoring to be harvested.
.
Outstanding crops this year have been the lettuces, kale, beets, BASIL, watermelon, two summer and five winter squashes, bell peppers, orange tomatoes, red patio tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans, beets, herbs, etc.
.
And a bumper year with 20 eggplant plants. :-)
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Monday, 8-27-07
Up to our ears, in even more veggies!
.
What a great idea, to work on next year's garden plan, now, when we are harvesting so much, daily!   :-)
.
Thus, less rows are already planned for next year, less plants (overall), and less weeding, watering, and harvesting time required!  
:-)
.
We adjourned to the Sunset Room, before sunset, and watched the changing horizon "shiftshape," as the sun slowly sank into an ocean of treetops, and then, eventually, vanished completely, under the leafy horizon.
.
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Tuesday, 8-28-07
Hopping around in Portage, like the Energizer Bunny, running errands, shopping, and visiting with Mom Helen.
.
Then home, and back to the gardens, and the veggies, and harvesting, and washing, and packing the vegtables into containers, and freezing.
.
Butternut squash is in the freezer, so is pesto, and more tomatoes, both orange, and red patio.
.
We crushed walnuts for a nutty crust for a special apple pie, a la Chef Kathy!
.
More house cleaning and organizing for the weekend guests, and talking over and and tentatively suggesting six different possible room assignments for the 5 adults and 5 children!
.
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Wednesday, 8-29-07
There is a magician that comes to our garden 4, first planting of watermelons, and causes some of our prime, most carefully tended watermelons, to completely disappear!
.
Early in the spring, in the house, I potted some of the Colombia, South America, Pacific Ocean, Beach Watermelon seeds, that were harvested there by Sean and Sylvia.
.
When I transpanted the little plants to garden 4, I watched their growth very carefully, watering, weeding, and fertilizing, frequently.
.
They became my pets.
.
And, I grew quite fond of my pets.
.
Eventually, they produced a total of six watermelons.
.
Six, large melons.
.
And then, one day, one of them disappeared.
.
Other melons had been damaged and/or eaten by deer and turkeys, but the evidence of hoof marks, or bird pecking, was always evident around the remains of the melons.
.
The melons eaten by the animals, never, never, disappeared completely.
.
After the magical disappearance act, I harvested two of the remaining melons, leaving only three.
.
Today, I noticed tht one of the three have disappeared, also.
.
No tracks, no partially eaten melon, just completely vanished!
.
After considering all possibilities, there are only two possibilities.
.
One, it is a human melon thief.
.
Or two, it's a UFO, sucking them up.
.
So, having lost two, harvested two, with two very vulnerable melons still out there, I am somewhat concerned.
.
Especially since I have been watching these unique melons, very closely.
.
Thus, tonight, even though it is late, I have decided to take a very bright light, and a very large wheelbarrow, and meander out to garden 4, and if they are still there, quickly retrieve them, and hurry back to the house.
.
The fact that it is 10:30 p.m., makes no difference whatsoever.
.
I just hope that both of them are still there.
.
Waiting for me.
.
The melons, I mean.
.
Unless of course, there are some colorful, stationary lights, above, or in, the melon patch.
.
In which case, I have already decided, to become, a very passive observer.
.
And if I am never found in this world, ever again, you who read this, will know that I, loyal melon lover that I am, I, have gone with the melons.
.
So, out I go!
.
:::::::::::::::::::::
So, out I went, and now I'm back, with both of them.
.
Two beauties!
.
Each weighing in at exactly 21 pounds a
piece!
.
And if, tonight, in the middle of the night, the house should be surrouded by many bright, multi-colored, flashing, aerial lights?
.
Who knows?
.
Maybe, I can negotiate?
.
After all, I do have something....
.
.....that "they' want.   :-)
.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Thursday, 8-30-07
This afternoon we drove to Oeschler Park in Baraboo for Bob's High School Class of '53 Picnic.
.
Our intent was to chat with, and listen to as many of the attendees as possible, and, we did accomlish this!
.
We spent most of the afternoon, apart, talking to different persons, so that by the time we left we had chatted with nearly every one of the 30 or so attendees!
.
Lots of great food, including several hot dishes, heated in the kitchen of the park shelter, which also has an attractive small zoo, highlighted with prairie dogs!
.
Bob, was the youngest classmate there, having skipped kindergarten and entered first grade at 5 1/2 years old, thus graduating highschool at 17, plus 2 1/2 months.
.
And about a month later, on July 1, 1953, Bob was sworn into the U.S.Army (for almost 6 years), with his high school buddy Vance, who still writes Bob every few months from New Mexico.
.
Lots of stimulating conversations, throughout the afternoon.
.
In addition, a wandering artist, Renata, happened to be sketching in the park, and volunteered to sketch Bob, and then Kathy, while chatting with us.
.
Renata, was an unusually, physically strong person, and upon shaking hands firmly with Bob, began, spontaneously, to arm wrestle with him!
.
Bob's usual habit with arm wrestlers, is, to just hold his own, and not put the other person's arm down on the table, thus ending the arm wrestling in a tie, which Bob did this time, also.
.
But Renata, had a very strong, and determined, arm, and it was obvious to Bob that she had probably beaten quite a few people, including men, at this "sport."
.
We meandered our way home by dark, picking up an extra 4 dozen eggs, from Dorothy, the egg lady, for our breakfast guests this weekend.
.
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Friday, 8-31-07
My, My!
.
Where did August go?
.
We began the morning by packing watermelon, green and yellow summer squashes, large orange, and patio red tomatoes, basil, etc., for our trip northwards to visit Phil and Mary near Wautoma.
.
We enJOYed the visit with Mary and Phil, so much. It was great to see Mary home, and able to walk.
.
Bob got a tour of the grounds, at Phil and Mary's house. We took some zucchini, basil, and other goodies to them, which they appreciated a lot.
.
When we got home, Kathy continued to clean, while the visitor wagons came to Bumpity Road.
.
Therese called, while inching along in the holiday traffic, then arrived soon after that, to come home to Bumpity, with the three angels.
.
We all ate a hearty dinner, and visited, to share our precious blessings.
.
Gary, Dan, Blake, and Stephan pulled in from Libertyville and Chicago, IL. later and came in to JOY'n with everyONE.
.
It was great to see them, and prepare a late night snack treat, plus, the luscious watermelon for them.
.
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.