Fun with the Kansas Kids

Megan, Anna and Julie coloring puzzles that Aunt Andrea sent for them. Then Patrick with his new baby bear. He loves the "Bear Books" and his eyes lit up when I gave him the bear, like he recognized him from the books. He gave him hugs and even kisses. It was so cute. Hardly ever do I hit the bulls eye on gifts for the kids.

Sean had to work this morning and Patrick was napping while the rest of us went to church and brunch at the Country Club. Brunch was delicious, I sampled almost everything except eggs and waffles, which I can make anytime. I had the salad bar, beef brisket, a lovely fried chicken dish with lemon, halabut wrapped in potato slices, twice baked potatoes, stir fry veggies, bacon, and hot apple crisp and chocolate creme brulee.

It was snowing today and windy and cold, so this afternoon we chilled. Paul is reading books to the girls. Resting up from the big drive yesterday.

Trip to Kansas

We left South Bend on Saturday morning at 8 am. It was sunny and cool. Roads and weather was great until we reach central Missouri. From Columbia to west of Kansas City, it was snowing and raining. Still we kept going, hoping to drive out of it before the roads froze. And we made it to the Keenan's by 9:15 pm. This was the first time we made the drive in one day.

It seemed like a good day to drive until we got west of Columbia, MO, and the traffic was awful. We were lucky that no one got in an accident. Figured it must be people going home from Thanksgiving out east. Lots of cars with Colorado plates. On coming traffic was bad also, we were on I 70.

Happy turkey day

Andrea made her usual wonderful turkey, extra yummy browned gravy, stove top, cranberries with little letters carved into it, rolls, Marie's best pies and real mashed potatoes. We ate and ate. We watched football and laughted at the Lions, Mark lost a bet to Paul with a 15 point spread, so he had to wash milkshake off the motor home that was thrown at 7 a.m. and help put water in the motor home.

There was a frenzy of gifts for everyone. Ryan kept up with the wrapping paper. Good job. Here are pics.

Someone is watching me

It is very early and still dark out. I am sitting our dining room, surrounded by windows with the light on. There is no one to see me, the lake is empty. Except the geese are honking like crazed taxi drivers out there. It is slightly creepy. Click, turned off the light. I still can't see them.

Snowy Evening

We had at least 5 inches of wet snow yesterday. Interesting driving, but I am used to plowing through it. Right now I am looking at the lake, it is almost dark. A flock of geese is out front and three swans are gliding past them. So pretty. The fields are white and the trees are black and bare. Yesterday they all had an inch of snow on each branch. Really, the best winter view there is. The pic was from last week.

We are mostly packed and ready to leave on Wednesday. First we have Thanksgiving in South Bend with Andrea, Ryan, Charlie and Julia. Katie and Mark are driving in from Newburg, NY, area. Steff will drive down from Grand Rapids, MI, if it doesn't snow. She doesn't do snow.

We are leaving there on Friday and driving to Manhattan, Kansas, to see Julie, Sean, Megan, Anna and Patrick. Should arrive Saturday pm. Staying till mid week or so, depends on how cold it is. Then on to Texas, with perhaps a quick stop in OK to visit friends.

I am so ready for some Texas sunshine. November is always very gloomy in Michigan, clouds forming over Lake Michigan. Just too much darkness here.

We love Michigan, it is a very beautiful state. But we aren't real thrilled with winter anymore, too depressing. We love our neighbors and living on the lake, but it freezes over soon, and the neighbors are mostly downstate for the winter. No one to play with.

Soon I will have lots of grand kids pics to post again. Can't wait!

Cowboy Quilt for Charlie

The quilt for Charlie is almost done. I still have to set the dye and wash and dry it. I have been working on it off and on, mostly off, for a year. It was the first time I made a pattern like this with "stars." It was fun and it is good to be done. The inner blocks are paisley or bandana prints and the back of the quilt is a beautiful cream and ecru paisley.

Winter Wonderland, I wonder why we are still here

Winter has hit tiny Clare, in the middle of the mitten. We had snow most of yesterday and the temp this morning is 15 degrees, and falling. Not much of the snow stayed, the ground is still warm. Up north a bit they had 11 inches of snow yesterday. Good for the ski places.


Farmer Bob down the road got a deer last night. The Woodys got at least one. A lady on the hill behind us got two. Paul is eating toast in his camo snow pants ready to go out hunting. He hasn't seen a deer yet. Not to worry, he usually gets them later in the season when the Woodys are gone.


I have been quilting the border on Charlie's Cowboy quilt for the last few days, my right arm feels like it will fall off. It looks great so well worth the ouch. It matches my living room very nicely. The red and the blues, not the cowboys and horses. Just have to trim up the edges, make the binding and sew it on. My goal for today.

Opening Day, Bang bang bang.

This is the most gun shots I have ever heard on opening day of deer season. All to the back in the woods and fields. The Woodies neighbors built a new tree blind and maybe they can see better this year.

Our county, Isabella, has the most deer of any county in the state. It is largely agricultural and wood lots. There are 5 or 6 big bucks newly moved in to this area. Bait has been banned in Michigan because a deer on a deer preserve down by Jackson was found with wasting disease. It had been bought out west. Maybe there is less baiting, they are still selling a lot by the roadsides, hard to tell.

We have two apple trees in the clearing behind our garage, there is a nice swale and creek, with fields and woods. Lots of deer. Usually Paul only hunts after the amateurs leave, then he shoots tasty does. Maybe there will be a pic up later.

Mostly Done

Almost everything is done in the new bathroom. We love it. Just a few shelves to put in the closet and some caulking and varnish. That will wait until after we leave. Shane trimmed it out very nicely yesterday with baseboard, etc.

Sunday, Dark and Early

1. After a beautiful sunny week, we are having a rainy, cold and dreary weekend. Fire in the fireplace and soup on the stove weather. Paul and I got so much done outside this week, leaves, flower gardens, packing, he even has the golf cart in the trailer.
   
   On Monday, Diana and I met in Mt. P and shopped and lunched. I made a big start on my Xmas shopping. It was fun, nothing like a girlfriend shopping day. On Friday Shirley and I took a road trip to Canadian Lakes, about an hour drive. She had to go to a cabinet shop. It was a pretty drive with all the lakes and hills and huge houses. We ate lunch at Tullymore Golf Course, between Hamlet and Camelot. Much speculation on the "interesting" names. The restaurant was quite luxe and our sandwiches were good.
   
   Saturday night Al and Joann Roy drove up to the lake, we visited and snacked and drank. They just celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary but we will be gone before their party. So we had our own little celebration. They are fun and we always enjoy going out with them. We drove to Buck's Run Golf Course for dinner, it is near Oil City. We saw lots of deer along the way but they all behaved and stayed off the roads. Ate the spinach dip appetizer, very good, and I had lake perch, everyone else had ribs.
   
   Bathroom pics soon. Shane is moving right along with it. The lights around the mirror are up. He spent a lot of time in the hole this week being technical. I really love the shower. I feel like I am in a Roman Bath.

I just looked out the window and it is snowing, real snow, blowing from the west, not little ice balls. Man. Time to leave the state.

Hate the time change

I can sleep when I want to, get up when I want to, so why is the time change such a trauma? I am awake until midnight and wake up by 5:30 am. The weather is beautiful this week and I am outside a lot, packing the motor home, cleaning out the flower gardens, even polishing furniture. I should be sleeping like a baby. In three weeks we will be in the Central Time Zone, and I can do it all over again. It will be worth it to get out of the cold weather. I love Central time, Jay Leno is on at 10:30. Just seems right.

The vanity is in the new bathroom, fits well. Can't wait to see the lights and mirror up.

Almost finished Charlie's cowboy quilt, doing the border work now.

Shane grouts the tile

I can't believe how nice the bathroom is turning out, Shane cut so many tile and made it all fit and look great. The shower feels bigger than it looks. Putting the vanity in will shrink things a bit, but still a grand improvement over our old tiny bathroom.

A few pics

We had such a fun weekend with the kids, Julia is talking so much more now, she just is so quiet that sometimes you don't catch them. Andrea's chicken pox don't show in the picture, but she was covered. Her eye hurt a lot, like something was in it, we suspect that a spot inside her eye lid scabbed over. Ouch.

Weekend at Grandpa and Grandma's

My camera isn't working well, might be batteries, so I can't download right now. We had a great weekend with lots of hugs and snuggles. And Blues Clue's Costume Party episode. Charlie's favorite. We had beautiful weather to play in the leaves. Andrea, Julia and I had a quick shopping trip to Mt. P too. Started on Xmas shopping.

Halloween

Andrea, Ryan, Charlie and Julia are here for the weekend. The weather is beautiful and they love playing outside. Took some photos, mostly pathetic. Will try for better ones today. I do have several butt shots of the kids. I would post them ( and will if I don't get any better ones) but I think their faces are the cutest parts. Have one of Megan and Anna that Julie took, darling little Hogwarts, since they can smile for the camera now, I have hopes for all of them.