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OCTOBER 2006: THE ONGOING GIFT, OF FRIENDS SHARING COMMUNITY.
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Sunday, October 1, to
Sunday, October 8, 2006
Bob and Kathy Thompson
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Sunday morning, Phil and Mary joined us for our 10 a.m. "quaker type' meditation and service and then Phil sliced peppers, onions, yellowcrook neck, and zucchinni for our stir fries.
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Along with rice, freshly harvested and baked butternut squash, Kathy's hand-picked salad, etc. :-)
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Bob picked up mom Helen, and her sister, Aunt Eva, who brought a home made pumpkin pie to add for dessert.
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Mom dominated the three-way card games, winning three out of four games.
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Nothing wrong with mom's playing.
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Later, travel club guests, Dave and Lucy, arrived from Montana to spend an evening chatting with us in the Sunrise Room.
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They have hosted over 300 travel club guests (mostly couples), during the past 10 years.
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Lucy and Dave have also traveled to other countries, and all their traveling stories were very interesting.
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What a great variety of stories they had to share about their travel club and other experiences!
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Monday morning omelets were on the table by 7:30 a.m., followed by more chatting.
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Then we added bell peppers and watermelons to the luggage in their car trunk before they left.
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This is the seventh travel club couple that we have interacted with during a 26 day period since September 6th.
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Two (who were our hosts in LaCrosse and Tomah, Wi., that we visited), and five who visited us and stayed overnight here at Bumpity Road, (from Florida, Wisconsin, Tennessee, North Dakota, and Montana).
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What a great group of people!
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Well traveled, warm, informational, inspirational, and........ fun to be
with!
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We invite you to check out the two different travel club websites at: www.affordabletravelclub.net
and:
www.EvergreenClub.com
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Tuesday
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Sean and Sylvia kept in touch via cell phone, leaving The Peace House in Cincinnati, Ohio, around noon, and arriving here at Bumpity Road, after midnight.
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A late night thunderstorm dropped nickel-sized hail, which bouncd around on the patios.
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It did little damage to our patio tomatoes and basil, although part of the crop in nearby areas was destroyed by intensive hail a few months ago.
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Wednesday, Sean followed Bob on the smaller Allis Chalmers Tractor for an hour through the Wisconsin countryside, before leaving it with brother-in-law Henry, for repairs.
We harvested veggies, then chatted with a couple from Louisiana, who are thinking about a possible Travel Club Family Reunion, next year, here at Bumpity Road.
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Bob worked on the big tractor, tilling up parts of various gardens, where all the produce has already been harvested.
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Each of the nine gardening areas, have at least one or more foods, still to be harvested.
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Kathy served eggplant parmesan, Bob made stir-fries, in sufficient quantitiies to guarantee lots of leftovers. :-)
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We went to the Madison Area Technological School for appointments at the Dental Hygiene School.
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For a $25 fee, cleaning, many x-rays, and a dentist's exam, were all included in this big money-saving package.
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We were very impressed with the warmth, openness, and personal sharings, not only of the many students, but the staff of supervisors and the office staff as well.
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Bob E. met us at the Parthenon Restaurant, where the three of us "gyroed" our way through a late lunch.
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Then we went to see the movie: A Prairie Home Companion at the bargain theater and then met Ken A. and Aurora for supper at Perkins on the beltline.
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Lots of sharings with Aurora till late, and we then meandered back to Bumpity Road by midnight.
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Sean and Sylvia arrived home shortly after we did, so we had a chance to share adventures and tentatively plan or suggest a few things for the next few days.
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It is now 1 a.m., and an angel is watching me type this, so........with
an angel watching me, I know that I am in Heaven Now!
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Thursday, Chuck arrived.
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Then Kathy, Sylvia, and Sean went to the Amish Cheese Factory (they love the locally made Gorgonzola Cheese, but they also came back with an awesome Swiss Cheese!).
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Chuck and Bob walked to an Amish neighbor to buy eggs, and when Kathy returned, she went to yet another neighbor's for more eggs.
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We now have 5 dozen eggs, which will probably just get us through the weekend.
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Sylvia and Sean were picking radishes and lettuces in garden #1.
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Bob left for the Portage Farmers' Market and then drove the 20 horse tractor (all repairs completed), home, it took nearly an hour, at about nine miles per hour.
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More homemade tomato-vegetable soup for a late snack and then Kathy did 3 individual Accessing Inner Wisdom Meditations and Scribing for a trio of our current in-resident mentors.
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About 10 p.m. Chuck and Bob went to retrieve the Saturn and bring it back to Bumpity Road.
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Friday, Chuck and Bob unloaded over 200 watermelons from the haywagon onto the floor of the steel barn.
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Chuck began setting up a four person sleeping tent under the trees with the other four of us working in different rooms in the house, in preparation for the many sleep-overs on Saturday night.
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Bob into Portage to meet with Mom Helen, Aunt Eva, and Sister Rose to shoot-it-out with a deck of playing cards.
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Then back to work cleaning, organizing, and cooking.
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Homemade soup, baked potatoes, sauteed onions, eggplant parmesan, melon, and winter squashes.
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Sean and Sylvia doing an even larger batch of home made soup, beginning with a jillion tomatoes of different types.
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Le Roi hooked up a VCR in the Sunrise Room, and Aurora brought her bags into the entertainment room, which has been converted into a bedroom with two twin box springs and matresses.
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The two soup chefs creatively made a gourmet soup, while the other five took turns telling stories and laughing at each other. :-)
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Le Roi out to sleep under the stars.
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Dana and Aurora in the Sunrise Room, and us four, doing different things in the kitchen.
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And now, a beditme snack of baked winter squash!
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Honey, cinnamon, and melted oleo, make this acorn squash a great dessert!
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Saturday's 27 arrivals began arriving in the afternoon, the last one arriving at 10:30 p.m., when about half of us were still around the big camp fire.
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Horace and Lorena made a surprise visit from their home in Louisiana.
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Mom Thompson came out and chatted with people for about six hours.
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Chuck, Glenn and Bob I., slept in the Sunrise Room, and Julia, Carrie, and Joanne had the Sunset Room.
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Carl, Mariah, Duncan, Kathy and Bob were all on the second floor, with Susan in our large tent and Le Roi sleeping under the stars.
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West wing sleepers were also Catherine, Aurora, Peter, Lisa, Sean, Sylvia, and son Gary and Edna along with their five children.
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Many hands prepared many foods for supper, with a long, long, dinner table improvised in the Sunrise Room.
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Lots of laughter and sharings by all.
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Ten willing pairs of hands cleaned up the kitchen, and then most of us went out to sit around the campfire and share individually with our fellow fire-watchers.
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Gary and Edna drove mom home in our old white Caddy, sharing tearful exchanges with each other, before they tucked her in bed.
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Lots of singing and story telling around the campfire, much of it very moving.
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Very spontaneous, ande articulate speakers, all.
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Quite moving.
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And inspirational.
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First time visitors here this weekend were:
Susan, our pontoon boat captain on Lake Mendota and Waubesa around and past the state capital for several hours (our invitation came from Duncan).
Carrie and Julia, who had attended a meeting in Madison with Duncan.
Glenn, who recently met Duncan at an Asian American meeting.
Mariah, whose home we recently visited at Duncan's suggestion.
Sean, from Massachusets, who drove Sylvia (from Colombia, South America), back home, to Bumpity Road.
Peter, from New Hampshire, who drove Lisa here from Pennsylvania.
(Kathy Thompson is Lisa's facilitator for Ministerial Studies at Pathways of Light, and Lisa will be ordained in Kiel, Wi in two weeks.)
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Lots of warm sharings continued in small groups into the wee hours.
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All told, an outstanding example of a community functioning in a very loving, helpful, and caring way.
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Sunday morning early birds were Le Roi, Bob and Kathy, Chuck, Catherine, and several grandchildren popping in for breakfast or the computer.
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Lots of breakfast food was prepared and stockpiled for all.
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Paul, Deb, and daughter Autumn arrived, as did Pam and then Mary M.
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Paul and Deb hosted our 10 a.m. service, (which they had first initiated here, a year ago).
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Lots of very moving comments, and very lively and enthusiastic singing, and a group dance and singing that was an awesome experience. Each of us got to dance with everyone else, and sing to them, all of this happening together.
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Intermittent eating and smaller group sharings followed until early afternoon, with some resting, others taking hikes, and many warm (and sometimes lengthy), goodbyes.
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Down to seven of us staying over tonight.
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Bob baked Yukon Gold Potatoes, and three pans of sauteed veggies, one each of yellow onion, green bell peppers, and just picked zuchinni.
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And chocolate pudding. :-)
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Some are now watching, What The Bleep 2....or ......Down The Rabbit Hole....?
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This has been a fun-filled, stress free, community of individuals, each of them a host, to all the others.
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A wonderful experience of cherishing so many others, who, in turn, are appreciative of each other, as well as loving and kind, to us, also!
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Monday, October 9. to
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Bob and Kathy Thompson
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Monday:
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Seven of us living in the moment, as a family, as a community.
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Leroy and Peter working in, and leveling, a big pile of topsoil dirt.
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Peter and Kathy harvesting 6 biiiiiiiiiiiiiig pails of fall radishes (or was it 7?).
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Peter and Lisa inviting Mom Helen to dinner.
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Bob picking Mom up in Portage and bringing her to Bumpity Road.
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Peter selecting squashes from the steel barn for the homemade pumpkin pies.
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Peter and Lisa, preparing an outstanding meal, and, a gourmet dessert!
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Mom, very appreciative.
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LeRoy, a volunteer, for playing a game of 500 Rummy with Mom.
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LeRoy, getting her favorite woodstove going in the Sunrise Room, to thoroughly warm her.
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Bob pleasing his mom by sitting, and sitting, and sitting, and doing nothing, (except watch the card game).
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Sean singing and playing guitar across the internet to the world.
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Four back-up singers, rollicking with joy!
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Cuzzins Billy and Jerry stopping by to introduce Pew Skunk to fans who had not yet met him in person.
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Pew is an abnormally large skunk.
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Pew is also abdominally large.
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Picture a very large and oversized basketball.
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Pew is "fully loaded" so he tends to command alot of respect.
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Groups get much quieter.
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They don't want to startle Pew.
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Pew eats everything.
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Except hotdogs.
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(Which is absolute proof that Pew is smarter than some people!)
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The two cuzzins shared the feast.
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Yup, yup, yup!
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Best pot roast ever!
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Thank-you, Peter and Lisa!
Best pumpkin pie ever!
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Thank-you, Peter and Lisa.
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LeRoy and Bob in the Sunrise Room and the other five on ACIM Gather with Peter and Lisa hosting a two hour program on the internet with lots of inspiration, enthusiasm, and singing.
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(One listener did ask, "What have you folks been drinking?")
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To which the five responded, "Love, love, love. We're high on love!"
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Later, a nightcap of joyful and humorous, yet moving sharings, in the Sunrise Room, topped off with homemade, heavenly, pumpkin pie!
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And so at last, all the little owlets are done with their joyful hootings and flutter off to their night-time roosts.
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Tuesday:
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Le Roi and Bob picked about fifty bell peppers, the last of the pole beans, and some cucumbers.
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Afterwards,the six of us in the '86 Caddy passed Le Roi, who was bicycling his way back to Wsconsin Dells.
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We six were on our way to Madison's Market Square Theater to see: An Inconvenient Truth, mostly narrated by Al Gore, which we highly recommend seeing.
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Afterwards, Sylvia and Sean, Bob and Kathy, and Peter and Lisa, visited with Paul, Deb, and Deb's daughter, Autumn.
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Then the 9 of us went out to dinner at Laredo's on Madison's East side.
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The Mexican waiters put on sombreros, gave sombreros to us, and then they sang Happpy Birthday (Feliz Cumpleanos), in Spanish.
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10-10-57.
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The birthdate for both Peter and KAThryn!
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Good food, great companions, lots of laughs, and then an hour's drive home in a drizzly rain.
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What a delight it was to arrive home after all that rain!
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Wednesday:
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Bob and Kathy to Alice Wilcox's funeral in Portage, followed by an after-the-burial-ceremony-dinner, at the Blankenhaus Restaurant.
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Bob has know the family for decades and the three chldren and their spouses.
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Lots of chatting with neighbors and old friends.
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The minister used Alice's fishing as the theme for telling her life story, which was done in an interesting and inspirational way.
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During the dinner, the minister, David, came and sat with Kathy and Bob and chatted with us for about an hour.
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A killing frost coming tonight so Peter picked the rest of the tomatoes, including the green ones, and pulled up all the remaining basil and other herb plants, moving everything into the Sunrise Room.
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Lots of herbs growing inside in pots.
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And, lots of herbs hanging up to dry.
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We pulled entire plants up, washed the roots and rinsed the plants, then hung them to dry.
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Lots of green, green, green, in the Sunrise Room.
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During the day, Peter and Lisa at the Miracles Center with Darla and Alden, and Sylvia and Sean into Portage on errands.
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The wood cook stove is warming us in the kitchen and acorn squash is baking in it's oven.
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Many watermelons and winter squashes covered with rugs in the Pole Barn, and all the rest wheeled into the Sunrise Room for easy availability for eating.
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Sean got our computer and printer synchronized to work together again.
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Thank-you, Sean!
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Peter very patiently picked hundreds of cherry tomatoes from the plants around the patio.
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And finally, an 8:30 p.m. harvesting!
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A three member chive team!
Sean holding the spotlight.
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Sylvia holding the big bowl.
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And Bob cutting all the chives at ground level, to bring in before the frost.
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Life is good!
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Hooray!
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Thursday:
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Mr. Frost fatally nipped the tomato, zuchinni, and eggplants, last night.
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But the lettuces survived!
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Today we re-arranged the Sunrise Room to accomodate all the potted plants and herbs.
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Lisa made a fabulous chicken and homemade dumplings, and Peter and Lisa produced three new "squash pies," that were incredibly tasty!
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The five are now watching The Celestine Prophecy, which Bob previously saw, last year, at the Miracle Healing Center.
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Peter and Bob installed new floats, etc., in one of the toilet tanks and Kathy sorted out the many veggies in the fridges, etc.
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We six had a grand, grateful dinner of five star quality!
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An interesting addition to the chicken, dumplings, and perfect pie, were the Yukon Gold potatoes that were baked in the oven of the ancient Monarch Wood Cook Stove.
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And as the night winds down, this peaceful owl is getting ready for his night time, horizontal roost. :-)
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Friday:
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A tasty breakfast by Chef Lisa (and she is a really good cook!), followed by a swarm of house chores, cleaning veggies, washing windows, stacking tomato vines, roasting turkey, and lots of sharing between different constellations of the six of us.
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A mini-community of warm, caring, and shared relationships.
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Cuzzin Billy stopped by to leave turnips and flowering vines for us, staying for coffee and conversation.
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Several off to Accessing Inner Wisdom Meditations and Scribings, several more watching the movie "Jesus," which Peter and Bob watched late last night.
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"Jesus" was quite well done, with an excellent casting for the different roles, including those of Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, a well as Peter, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Judas, and many others.
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Kathy and Lisa packing up for seven days and nights at Pathways Of Light up at Kiel, Wisconsin, for Lisa's final week of training before her ordination.
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At least 4 of us will be leaving here next Friday, a week from today, to join Lisa and Kathy, and the other candidates for ordination.
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Kathy is repeating the week of counselling training with Lisa and others because Kathy had facilitated Lisa's extensive coursework.
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Kathy has proved quite helpful in helping others Access Their Own Inner Wisdom, having done this successfully during the past year with over fifteen different people.
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Peter selecting squashes from the steel barn for the homemade pumpkin pies.
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Peter and Lisa, preparing an outstanding meal, and, a gourmet dessert!
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Mom, very appreciative.
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LeRoy, a volunteer, for playing a game of 500 Rummy with Mom.
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LeRoy, getting her favorite woodstove going in the Sunrise Room, to thoroughly warm her.
Kathy had facilitated Lisa's extensive coursework, and they wanted to finish the training together.
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Kathy has proved quite helpful in helping others Access Their Own Inner Wisdom, having done this successfully during the past year with over fifteen different people.
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Saturday:
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Peter pulling more tomato plants and 7 foot steel tomato posts.
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Sean and Sylvia washing laundry and linen for the extra bedrooms, and also went rollerblading for a few hours.
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Bob working on cleaning pails of radishes, tomatoes, and peppers, a total of about 100 quarts of veggies in different 4 & 5 quart ice-cream pails (with lids).
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Peter did roast turkey breast, and did an excellent green pole beans dish, Bob supplied whole peeled cucumbers in apple cider vinegar, and sliced, munchilicious, looooooooooong icicle radishes. Peter also did three more homemade pumpkin pies!
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The wood cookstove was going all day long, so we roasted acorn squash in the oven to go along with our lunch leftovers.
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Tonight, we four, watched the movie: The Gospel Of John.
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An inspiring film, for Bob, about following the teachings of Jesus in this world, (and accepting the possible consequencs).
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Kathy called and shared her joy about meeting the rest of the facilitating team and all eight ministerial candidates.
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We share their joy and their enthusiasm for the inner work they are doing for seven days.
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Looking forward to seeing you, whenever possible. :-)
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Sunday:
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Ten o'clock service this morning with Sylvia, Sean, Peter, and Bob, with lots of meditative silence, followed eventually, by many warm, interesting, and profound, sharings, by all.
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Dragan Vidovich drove up from Ilinois to explore Bumpity for deer hunting sites, and we did a walkabout with him and he was excited about finding lots of deer track, everywhere!
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His son, Estefan, is a good friend of our grandson Blake, so we met Dragan (Dan) and his wife at Blake's birthday party, and other activities.
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We really did a long walk aroud Bumpity and into the marsh, and through the brush, finding deer trails, and deer tracks, everyplace we went.
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Kathy and Lisa called to share their excitement and enthusaism about the 5 ministers (Kathy is one), on the faciitation team, and also, the 8 candidates for ordination, who have all arrived from different states, from Maine to the state of Washington, truly, from ocean to ocean.
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Mom asked us to stop in and give Eva a ride home this afternoon.
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Our friend Peter, went alone with me for the ride, and took along two big slices of pumpkin pie that he had made, which were appreciated by both mom and Eva.
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Peter had never played SheepsHead before and sat down for one game.
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On the first hand, Peter had both black queens, a total of seven trump, and the ace of clubs.
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A once in a jillion dream hand.
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So......he got six points (in an 11 point game, that is a BIG start!), on his very first hand, against ALL THREE of us other players.
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That realllllllllllllllllllllllly got mom's attention!
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Peter ran away with the game, so, mom wants us back on Tuesday.
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And.....she told Peter to bring a whole pie......not just a couple of
slices! :-)
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Kath is up at Kiel, Wisconsin, helping with ordination training and counselling training, thru next Saturday.
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Chicken pot pie, baked squash pancakes, rice, and OUR EIGHTH PUMPKIN PIE, topped with ice cream, are all calling to Peter and Bob.
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Peter is a great chef!
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Just one delicious gourmet meal after another!
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Peter and Bob watched Bob's all time
favorite movie: Where The River Runs Black. Yay!
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peacefully,
Bob and Kathy Thompson
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October 16 to 22, 2006
(Monday, October 16, 2006 to
Sunday, October 22, 2006:)
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Monday, October16, 2006
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Sylvia and Sean left today, continuing their ongoing spirital journey, for the next 4 days in Madison, Wisconsin.
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Great telephone conversations with Dragan down in Illinois, who is very happy about hunting here.
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This will be the first hunter in many years, here at Bumpity Road, but the extensive deer damage in our gardens this year, encouraged me to consider harvesting some of the animals we have been feeding. :-
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And......we do like venison roasts, venison stew, and venison chili!
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Bob had an interesting session in the Portage Public Library with seven friends, discussing THE TIME MACHINE.
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Carol Thompson joyously phoned from Boston, and we are hoping to see Carol here soon.
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Tuesday, October 17, 2006
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Peter and Bob played 8 games of SheepsHead with Eva and Mom Helen, with Mom turning out to be the top card-slinger in the "shoot-out."
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Peter's pumpkin pie, and Eva's ice cream, flavored our afternoon.
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Taking the back roads, while taking Eva home, we saw Cuzzin' Billy walking to get his mail and stopped to chat with him.
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We two, then watched the movie: HURRICANE, a very well done drama about Ruben Carter's life as a boxer, prisoner convicted of murder, and spiritual mentor.
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Denzel Washington played an outstanding roll, and the entire casting was perfect!
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Wednesday, October 18, 2006
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Peter and Bob spent lots of time this afternoon and evening, wrestling with a series of problems while cleaning out and replacing heating elements in our hot water heater.
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We still don't have hot water, but are going to ask for help tomorrow morning from Cuzzin' Jerry.
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We were very creative in many, many ways.
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We drained 300 gallons of water from a 50 gallon hot water tank!
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Impossible?
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Not really.
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We were Perfectly Creative.
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One trip to Portage and a jillion trips to the barn.
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Reminds me of Pogo saying, "We have met the enemy, and they is us."
:-)
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Thursday, October 19, 2006
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Cuzzin' Jerry stopped by with his electrical testers and found that the heating element that we had just installed, had burned out!
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Thank-you, Jerry!
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Because it was installed brand new, it never occured to us that a brand new element would malfunction.
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That required draining the 50 gallon tank again.
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But now, we have hot water again!
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And it is much hotter, much faster!
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Another example of how Cuzzin' Jerry continues to be a life-saver and good friend for us.
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LeRoi arrived after dark, so we had yet another sampling of Peter's Pumpkin Soup and pumpkin pie.
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Peter and Bob watched two DVD movies from the Portage Library: THE HOURS, and, THE FORGOTTEN (What if you were told that every moment you experienced, and every memory you held dear, never happened)?
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Friday, October 20, 2006
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Peter with a new batch of homemade soup this morning that was deeeeeeeeeeelicious!
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Peter and Le Roi re-organizing furniture and cleaning in the kitchen and Sunrise Room.
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Bob baking a big pan of 10 red and 10 yellow potatoes.
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Le Roi loading a couple of hundred pounds of watermelon.
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Radishes, onions, and cherry tomatoes, also packed in Le Roi's Volvo.
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Then Bob drove to Pathways by way of Mishler's Amish General Store, and, The Amish Cheese Factory.
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We, (Sylvia, Sean, Peter, Le Roi, and Bob), arrived for supper and met the 5 ministers (Lorraine, Myron, Gladie, Sharon, and Kathryn), who had participated in the final week of ordination classes, including, Helping People Access Inner Wisdom.
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The 7 new candidates for ordination, (Lisa, Tina, Larry, Gerry, Carrie, Stephan, and Donna), joined us for supper, which lasted till 7 p.m.
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Then a rehearsal for Saturday's ordination ceremony, which also tested all the lighting, sound, and video camera equipment.
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An impromptu, Dream Interpretration Group, then unfolded for seveal hours, with a half dozen or so of us.
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Lots of profound, and sometimes hilarious, sharings, by all present.
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A very warm and open group of angels, all.
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Saturday, October 21, 2006
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Candiates for ordination, facilitators, and other ministers, chatted over breakfast.
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Kathy and Bob joined the Pathways of Light Advisory Council till noon, lunched with them on Steve's homemade soup.
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It was good to see Robert and Mary, Deb and Paul, Phil and Mary, Eva, Sally.
Lorraine, Myron, Gladie, Sharon, and Kathy, all came together to share ideas and information for the P.O.L. Advisory Council. They talked about their experience with the ministerial candidates, after spending the week with all of them.
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There were many highlights during the ceremony:
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Sean, Sylvia, and Peter, singing together, with Sean's guitar accompaniment.
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The personal speeches from the about to be ordained and annointed ministers, each of which was moving and inspirational.
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And ACIM readings, read by half a dozen ministers, that were most appropriate for the ordination ceremony.
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A wonderful ceremony, followed by a receiving line that allowed everyone to congratulate and interact with each of the new ministers.
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Then off to dinner at the supper club in Charlesburg with several dozen of us in a caravan of cars.
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A great feast that allowed lots of time for sharings and goodbyes.
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Sean drove us home (Sylvia, Kathy, Bob, and Le Roi), with Peter and Lisa spending another night at Pathways.
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It was raining, turning to snow on the way home, so it was really comforting to walk into BumpityHouse, feed the outdoor cats, and relax. It is nice to be home, once again. Thank you God!
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All snuggled up inside, while the weather continued sleeting outside.
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Madison, just south of us, received two inches of snow.
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But we remained warm and snow free.
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Sunday, October 22, 2006
Peter and Lisa arrived from Pathways and Chef Peter began preparing a turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
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In addition to all the usual turkey trimmings, we also had home grown mashed rutabagas, lots of homemade pumpkin pies, blackberry cobbler, ice cream, etc.
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Joining the seven of us for dinner were Darla and Alden, Deb and Paul and Auty, Ellie, Cameron, and Emily, Andy, Cindy, Brenda and Peg Elizabeth, and Susan.
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We all dined in the Sunrise Room with the wood stove (Miss Atlanta), really warming all of us up!
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Afterwards, an impromptu song fest, with many solos, group songs, and Sean and Cameron on guitars.
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A very happy, warm, joyful, twenty of us, sharing and caring, JOYN'ed in laughter and Love.
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Vehicle after vehicle drove down the Bumpity Road with their tail lights "Disappearing Into The Universe." :-)
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Monday, October 23, 2006 to
Tuesday, October 31, 20006.
Bob and Kathy.
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Monday: 10-23-06
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Leftovers, leftovers, yay, yay, yay!
Pumpkin pies throughout the day!
Some with scoops of vanilla ice cream,
and others just smothered in whipping cream!
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Mom Helen came out, (with Bob), to sample the leftover turkey, dressing, gravy, potatoes, rutabagas, pies, etc.
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Mom, Leroy, and Kathy, played a game of 500 Rummy, with Mom snuggled up with her back near the wood stove.
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Later, Sean made recordings of Peter and Sean singing, and Sylvia, Kathy and Lisa JOYn'ed into the joyful sounds.
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Kathy and Le Roi drove Mom home.
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Lisa and Peter were on Pal Talk contributing their sparkling light of Love, about JOY'ning in Love with everyONE!
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Tuesday, 10-24-06
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Much hugging and farewells as Lisa and Peter packed their car for their trip back to Pennsylvania, via a stop at Pathways on the way.
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Le Roi picked vegetables to take back to Lake Delton and made selections from the barn, garden, and refrigerators, including lots and lots of watermelons! :-)
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And we finished the last of Peter's homemade pumpkin (home grown squashes) pies.
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Maybe the last of eleven pies?
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Sean did a CD recording of 16 of Bob's songs, sung by Kathy, Bob, or as a duet.
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The CD title song is: I KNOW JUST WHAT TO DO, and the 17th is: IT'S ONLY A THOUGHT AND A THOUGHT CAN BE CHANGED.
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Each song was briefly introduced, and the entire CD of all 17 is about an hour.
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These songs will eventually be added to our website, perhaps within a week.
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In addition to the 12 songs on the original CD, made by Herb Nelson, we have added, I Know Just What To Do, Ice Cream Angel, Transformation, I Ready Fo' De Mango Juice, and, It's Only a Thought...
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Please feel free to share them with your mailing lists? :-)
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Wednesday, 10-25-06
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Sean working on our CD.
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The four of us also having a great chatting about "peace" in our personal relationships.
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Kathy and Bob packing up for a trip to stay with travel club hosts in Waukesha tonight.
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Bob making grilled cheese sandwiches for all.
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Kathy and Bob drove to Waukesha, Wisconsin, to spend the night with Travel Club Hosts, Art and Helen.
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We chatted several hours sharing stories about our lives.
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This very warm and caring couple, met each other during a month's tour of Australia, discovering that they lived only 15 miles apart in Wisconsin!
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Like us, they have been married two years!
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand......we did sample BumpityRoad Watermelon for a
nightcap!
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Thursday: 10-26-06
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A great breakfast!
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Wonderful company!
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More inspirational stories!
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Thank you, Art and Helen!
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Then off to the Marquette University School of Dentistry, in Milwaukee, for Kathy's first appointment there.
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Then a relaxing two hour drive home, with a few shopping adventures in Portage. :-)
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HIghlighted also by a visit to Mom Helen to chat with Mom and mom's daughter, Rose.
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Kathy and Sylvia helping Chef Roberto with a homemade Turkey-Vegetable-Rice Soup, starting with the turkey leftovers, and boiling the meat off the bones on top of the wood cook stove (a.k.a. Miss Monarch).
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The oven has about 15 Yukon Gold and Norland Red Potatoes baking, along with several varieties of winter squash.
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In addition to turkey, rice, bell peppers, home grown basil, cherry tomatos, yellow onions, a freshly diced beet, and a variety of creatively selected spices and herbs.
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Frequent samplings of the soup are necessary, to insure..... The
Smiling Chef's, Gourmet Stamp of Approval. :-)
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Friday, 10-27-60
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Bob into Portage for a card-playing-shoot-out with Mom Helen, Aunt Eva, and sister Rose.
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Bob was the top "come-from-behind" card-slinger in this shoot-out.
:-)
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Lots of homemade turkey-vegetable-rice soup eaten today, some by Mom and Eva.
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Sylvia, Sean, Kathy, and Bob, all participated on a 2 hour internet sharing on ACIM Gather tonight.
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A combination of songs (Sean, Bob, Kathy, and Sylvia), guitar accompaniment (Sean), discussion, and answering questions.
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Bob kicked off the 7-9 p.m. program with a new song just finished this morning: SWINGING FROM YOUR STAR, a meditative experience in song, inspired by an experience between Bob and a granddaughter, Jaqueline (Jackie O.).
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Paul and Deb, and Lisa and Peter were among the many, who were also on the ACIM Gather internet program, with Deb recording it, to put on our websites. Thank you Deb! :-)
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We finished up the evening with lots of sharing between the four of us, and then Sean recorded, SWINGING FROM YOUR STAR, and added it as #18 to the CD: I KNOW JUST WHAT TO DO.
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Sean also did a very enjoyable late night reading of many of Bob's songs, adding a very helpful critique and appraisal of many of most of them.
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Sean's comments centered around his appreciation of the songs for three reasons:
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1. The delivery of the songs, the tone of the acappella singing, is warm and comforting, friendly and inviting.
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2. The songs are able to effectively touch remembrances in the listener, triggered by the imagery of the words used.
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3. Each song has a good message, (or several messages).
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Words to seventeen of the songs are now indexed at: http://community.webtv.net/thesinginggrandpa
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Saturday, 10-28-06
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Sean and Sylvia made a great breakfast for all.
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Bob got the tent down, and in the barn, also did some mowing and plowing.
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Sylvia working on her CD.
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Sean working on a CD of songs, for Bob and Kathy.
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Two more songs: Lady From The Eastside, and Are You Solidly Set, On Setting Me Free?
added to:
http://community.webtv.net/thesinginggrandpa
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Thank-you, Sylvia, for the encouragement to add two more songs to the CD. :-)
Sean and Bob had a very moving, hilarious, and inspiring 4 hours, recording and sharing!
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Very, vey memorable!
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Our jillion gallons of turkey-rice-veggie soup is getting down to the bottom of the barrel.
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Vanilla ice cream on several kinds of baked winter squashes, was very, very tasty.
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Very, very, very, very delicious!
(We had seconds).
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Four lionesses feeding on the patio tonight, along with six of their cubs (4 of which, look like tiny tigers). :-)
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Sunday, 10-29-06
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Service at 10 a.m. with Mary and Phil, Sean and Sylvia, and Bob and Kathy, followed by warm and hilarious sharings.
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Turkey soup, baked golden squash, and watermelon, for lunch.
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A relaxing Sunday, resting and doing a few household chores.
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Three varieties of winter squash now baking in the oven with red potatoes.
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For late night snacks, or meals tomorrow.
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Cooking, eating, dishes, compost, feeding the pride of lionesses and offspring, chatting, laughing, smiling, snacking, etc.
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On a quiet Sunday evening,
at times with friends, at times alone.
No need to question, look, or roam,
just resting in the Arms of Home.
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Monday: 10-30-06
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Sean, Sylvia, and Kathy, off to the Columbia County Courthouse to get Sylvia and Sean's Wedding Application all filled out, and, priority approval, for doing the wedding ceremony tomorrow, here at Bumpity Road!
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Kathy called from the County Building and said that the Sean needed proof that he had been been in Wisconsin, before today, Monday, when Sean and Sylvia are applying for their marriage license.
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Sean remembered the Federal Express Envelope that Sean had received from Tim on Saturday, just two days ago.
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The discarded envelope was in the burnable trash basket.
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Bob burns trash every day, or two.
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In a few minutes, it would not have existed.
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Bob took Tim's envelope in for them, with the postal date, Sean's name, , and Sean's Wisconsin mailing address, all of which were necessary for granting the marriage license.
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Sean's family has been outstanding in taking the time and effort, to provide Sean with much needed assistance, and support.
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None of this could have happened without them, FOR MANY REASONS.
:-)
Thank-you, family!
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Kathy just called again, and said that everything is complete and that they, three, are on their way to the Amish Cheese Factory, and, The Amish General Store.
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Bob brought a haywagon full of watermelons and squash from the steel barn, down to the house, to store in the bunkbed room.
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Don and Mary joined the four of us for supper pasta, pesto, yellow summer squash, zuchinni, yellow onions, bell peppers, and turnips, all stir fried together and served with rice.
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A great wheat bread, and a spice cake from Don and Mary were great additions.
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Sylvia and Sean's soup started off the meal, a superb creamed vegetable soup.
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A great meal, charming and interesting conversationalists, and a great deal of catching up on the current weeks of our lives.
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Sean did a healing therapy and massage for Kathy that proved very effective and helpful to Kathy.
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Sylvia was doing lots of packing for the trip to New York, to return to her native Cali, Colombia, South America.
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Tuesday: 10-31-06
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Deb and Paul drove up from Madison this morning to serve as witnesses for the wedding, and contributed words and song for the wedding, along with Kathy and Bob.
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Deb's guitar version of: There Is Love, was quite well done (tearfully so).
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Kathy sang: Let Me Remember, and Bob added a few verses from: I Know Just What To Do, and, If You See Her For The First Time.
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We decorated the Sunrise Room with angels on the windows, and yellow smiley face balloons, everywhere!
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Sylvia had been trying to get her airplane reservations extended a few days for several days, with no success.
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After the ceremony, she made one more phone call, and, wonder of wonders, there had just been a cancellation.
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So, her new departure date to South America is next week Tuesday, a week from today, which allows them much more time to get to New York to board her plane.
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After relaxing a bit, and getting the minister (Kathy) and the witnesses (Deb and Paul) to sign all the paperwork, we six boarded the Old '86 White Caddy and headed for our reserved table at The Hitching Post Restaurant in Portage, to celebrate the wedding over dinner.
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We also went through six large bowls of complimentary popcorn before our meals were served, with Bob wallowing in one of his favorite vices!
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Back home to chat, and time for Sean and Sylvia to do a healing therapy with Paul.
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Sean took some video pictures of Sylvia and Kathy outside, that turned out well.
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Sylvia wore her angel wings during the wedding ceremony, and, also into the restaurant.
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The waitress said that Sylvia was the first person to come into the restaurant today, in costume (Halloween, today).
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We did inform the waitress that it was not a costume, that Sylvia, really was an angel!
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The prize for the funniest comment goes to a clerk in the County Building.
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Yesterday, Kathy walked into the County Clerk's Offices with Sean and Sylvia and said, "We want to get a marriage license."
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To which the clerk responded, "For all three of you?" :-)
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It really happened! :-)
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