Thurs., 9/24/26, Went to Bill’s doctor appt. with him, went to Bob Evans, picked up ladder from Alec’s, went to Kenzie’s, picked Evan up from Driver’s training, cut down some of my plants, Eli got his braces on,

Blanket we took to Kenzie.  Bill ordered it online.  It turned out so cute!

Rehvyn was so cute.  He would say...everybody sing and then would count to 3 and we would all sing whatever song he picked.  He sure had us laughing.

Rehvyn getting in Papa’s trailer.  

Kenzie took this cute picture of him

He fell asleep after we left.  He sure used up lots of energy when we were there.  He’s the sweetest!

 

Eli got his braces on today.  He sure looks handsome!

I picked Evan up from drivers training today and took him to McDonald to get his favorite McChicken Sandwiches.  He had a free fries deal he used on his phone too.  I had such fun with him.

Cute turtle Vikki found.  There was a set of 3.  She gave me one, Kimmy one and kept one.  They are very cool.  They came in small, medium and large.  The small was plenty big enough for me, so I picked him.  They are hanging them on their fences so big was better for them.

Jack and Evan 2nd and 3rd from the left back row helped prepare meals with their school to serve the community.  So awesome how many meals they prepared.  I loved doing this in Minnesota with our CMA State Coordinators and National Evangelists.  

Evan and Jack in the far left corner 

We got up and got ready to go to Bill’s doctor appointment.  I had made my coffee and set the Keurig to be ready for me to just push the start button.  I came down from upstairs and 

pushed the start button, then went in the bedroom for a minute and came back out and found coffee flowing everywhere on the cupboard.  I didn’t know Bill had pushed the button and the coffee cup was now full.  He didn’t get it and put the top on, so I just assumed it was like I left it.  What a surprise and what a mess.  I started cleaning it up quickly moving everything to get the coffee from underneath stuff.  I’m glad I got up early so I had extra time.  I felt like I burned my hand when I picked up the coffee cup not thinking about it filled to the brim.  When I was all done though there was no burns on my hand.  Praise God.

We went to his doctor appt. at my hip surgeon.  I passed him in the hallway and he told me hi, then we turned into the room the girl was taking us to.  He came in about 15 minutes later and greeted us and checked Bill's hip and asked him questions.  He is always so nice.  He said he had looked at the MRIs Bill had of his neck and back.  He said they looked pretty bad.  He came to the conclusion that he will see him again in 6 months and will let the Neurosurgeon do what he needs to for his back and neck first.  He doesn’t have an appointment with the back surgeon until Dec. 3rd because he is on leave to be with his wife who is on hospice.  Bill has only seen his PA.  I am thankful God is having Bill be able to do everything he’s doing.  It is pretty amazing.  I talked to Kimmy and she was getting Eli to go get his braces on.  She sent me the picture afterwards.  I was happy to get it.

We went to Bob Evan’s and had the Farmer’s Breakfast after his appointment.  Bill asked me if I wanted to go to Kenzie’s today and I told him yes.  He had me call her to see if she would be home.  We decided we would get there at 11.  We were taking a surprise to Kenzie.  

It was a blanket Bill ordered with Kenzie and Rehvyn’s picture on it.  It turned out so cute.

We stopped home and picked up a ladder that Bill is giving Alec and also picked up the 12 foot ladder of Bill’s that Alec had.  Then we went to Kenzie’s.  She called us when we were close to St. Charles to see how much longer we would be.  We got to their house and Bill put the gate that Kenzie wanted us to take to Vikki on the trailer.  It wouldn’t fit in my car the other day.  We went in the house and Rehvyn had the best greeting for us. Kenzie took a video but I can’t move it to my videos.  I will have to figure it out and post it later.  What a sweetheart.  He’s so joyful and happy to see us.  Kenzie made delicious food and made a plate up for all of us.  Meatloaf and string beans.  It was delicious.  Thank you Kenzie.  Rehvyn prayed for our food. 

 

We had fun watching Rehvyn lead us in songs.  He would say everyone sing and count to 3 and we would all start.  We had some good laughs. Then he went out to the kitchen and came back with 5 snack packs of crackers.  He is 2 so he must have thought about each one of us and got a pack out when he did that.  He’s an amazing little guy.  

We headed to Vikki’s after that to drop off the gate.  It was a nice day for a drive.  I talked to Melissa for a while and am going to pick Evan up from drivers training when he calls me.  We dropped it off, then came home.  We read our Bibles.  Then we took a nap.  I looked at 3 week old Havanese puppy pictures after that.  Then I started reading more on my breeder’s website.  Evan called me and was done with driver’s training.  He passed his test and only has two more driving times than will be done and can get his hours in.  I picked him up and asked him if he wanted a Panera drink.  He didn’t.  Then I asked him if he wanted to go to McDonald’s to get food.  He got excited about that, but said a couple of times I didn’t have to, then thanked me when I took him.  He loves the McChicken sandwiches there.  I took him home after that.  I forgot my camera, so used his for a picture and told him to send it to me.  I sure do love him.  He has a fun personality.  

I came home and trimmed down some of my plants with my little trimmer that I love.  

It sure does a nice job and does it quickly.  Happy Kimmy told me about it.  I had a whole Yard Waste container full of the stuff I trimmed.  

I came in and talked to Laicey, then talked to Marie for 45 minutes.  Marie has pneumonia now, but it is small and the doctor thinks she will do good on the antibiotic she is on.  

I talked to Vikki for quite a while, then had to hang up because Kenzie was FaceTiming me.

I love my family!

Wed., 9/23/26, Bill met Wes for coffee, I peeled potatoes & carrots & put a roast in, Bill and I cleaned and organized storage compartments outside the Motorhome, went to Melissa's

My puppy was born 9/5/26 on Bruce’s birthday.  This mom, Lava, had 7 puppies.  3 girls and 4 boys.  One of these puppies will be ours

This is the dad of the puppies

Jack after he carried the big tub of squash I brought for Bruce into the garage

Hailey was making Lemon Chicken for dinner

We made coffee and read our Bibles when we got up.  I saw an email saying my puppy had been born and I would be able to take it home Nov. 6-10 sometime.  I got so excited, answered right away, then called Kimmy to let her know and to send her the text so she could get on the blog from the breeder.  She was so happy for me.  I called Melissa and gave her the good news and the info too.  I had to wait for Vikki to get out of work to let her know.  She called me as soon as she was out and I gave her the info.  I finished reading my Bible, then did my prayer books.  Bill and I did our Billy Graham Devotion.  It was on not just saying Jesus is Lord, but making Him Lord of every part of your life.  It was very good.

Wes called Bill and wanted to meet him for coffee.  Gayla is still at her women’s retreat with her church.  I peeled carrots, potatoes and then put a roast in for tonight.  It smelled so good cooking.  When Bill got home, we cleaned every storage compartment in the outside of the camper out.  I vacuumed and washed each compartment then, we worked on putting stuff back in them in a good order and got rid of some stuff we didn’t need.  Bill put most of the stuff back in them.  Then he power washed the motorcycle and told me to bring my car back and he would wash it for me.  I came inside and read more on my puppy and on some pointers our breeder put on the blog.  Kimmy and Melissa know and are doing most of this stuff she talks about.  I FaceTimed Kenzie

Bill drove my car back to our garage and parked it for me.  I dished up the roast and made gravy.  Then we ate.  It was so good.  We cleared stuff off the table and I put the stuff in the refrigerator.  I went out to the garage and washed my car windows, then loaded the veggies for Bruce in my car.

Melissa called and said she was home, so I could drop off the veggies.  I took a big bag of onions for them to have and also a big container of squash.  When I got there Bruce was putting his car in order for the morning routine.  They have 4 vehicles to work around according to schedules now, which change everyday.  I was carrying the bag of onions to the garage and Wookie was at the door and came running out to greet me.  That was a first.  Melissa came after him and I led him up to where she was.  He has to learn to wait at the door no matter how much he loves greeting me.  Vader was inside waiting for me to greet him.  I told Bruce to have Jack get the squash out of my car and take it to the garage.  I took his picture afterwards.  Bruce was leaving to pick up Evan from Driver’s Training.  Evan had him let him off partway so he could get his walking in.  I didn’t get to see him, but Hailey came downstairs and I got to see her and talk to her.  I got to talk to Jack too.  Kaylin, his friend, won her competition and get to go show her dog in the Westminster Dog Show.  Wow!  That is so cool.  My mom sure would love to see that.  She loved watching those dog shows there.  I hope I can watch and see her on TV.  I left and came home.  It sure gets really dark early now.  I liked it light longer.  

Worked on my blog and now it’s time for bed.

 

Tues., 9/22/26, Garbage Day, picked and washed stuff in the garden, Bill got us lemonades from Panera, talked to Marie and found out she has bronchitis, texted with Lisa J., talked to Vikki, talked to Melissa

Picked the squash, some cucumbers, some tomatoes and Bill dug up the onions and I picked them up.  Harvest day at our place.  Still have beets to harvest and tomatoes are still coming.  Green peppers are doing good and should be big enough to pick on Friday.  The electric fence is gone, so I saw some deer tracks and a nibble on one of the squashes.

That’s the last of the cucumbers.  More tomatoes are getting ready to ripen.

Washed everything, then brought them to the front yard to dry in the sun.  Washed the cart and let it dry in the sun too.

We got up at 8:30.  Bill drank his protein drink and started reading his Bible.  I made us each a coffee.  Then I ate a bowl of Life Cereal with honey.  I brought in all of the refrigerator/freezer stuff and some stuff from the cupboards of the camper in.  After I finished I asked Bill if he took the garbage out.  He forgot to.  He got right up and took it out.  I had went out to put a couple of things from the camper refrigerator in the garbage.  It hadn’t been taken yet then, but by the time he got out there, the neighbors had been picked up but ours was still full.  Bummer.  Good thing they are big containers.  We will have enough room to add next week's garbage.

I put my electric throw on and got warm.  We haven’t turned our heat on yet and the mornings are cool in the 40’s.  I put warm long pants on with a sweatshirt to keep warm too.   I came in and read my Bible and prayer books.  God has been putting Scriptures before me about pleasing Him, not pleasing people.  

Bill cut the grass.  I put worship music on and listened to it for a while.  I called Gayla to see if Wes made it back safely from Tennessee.  He took their motorhome there so his son and his wife can stay in it while they are having their house built.  Then Wes drove back by himself on his motorcycle.  He is 85 and she said he made it there and back safely with no problems.  I was happy to hear that.  She was at a women’s retreat her church was having, but she talked to me quite a while.  She had just gone back to her room, so had time.  I thought her retreat was just for the weekend.  She told me they got a call and have a spot reserved on Iron Mountain for our Color’s Rally in Arkansas.  They will pick up the motorhome on their way there.  She told me what she thought their campsite number was and I think it is pretty close to where we will be camping when there.  I’m happy they are going.  Cindy and Lew told us they are going there too when they were here last night.  

Bill called me to see if I wanted him to pick up a lemonade from Panera for our free drinks.  I told him yes, so he brought one home for me and one for him.  

It was a nice temperature to harvest stuff out of the garden.  We sure have some nice squash and onions.  Beets look pretty good too, but not ready to pull up yet.  

I went to make some pancakes for dinner because Bill picked up a mix at the Amish store and has been wanting me to make some.  Then I saw it took milk and I only have Almond Milk.  I told him I couldn’t make it, but then I thought of using powdered milk to make the milk.  The recipe also needed an egg and 2 tbsp. of oil.  Bill really liked them.  I tried a bite of his and they were good, but I just had a hard boiled egg.  The mix said the amount I used would make 7-10 pancakes.  I only got 4 average sized pancakes out of it.  

I called Marie to see if she wanted me to bring a meal for them.  She was supposed to be having her cataract surgery on her other eye, but has bronchitis, so it will be next week now.  She went to the doctor and got an antibiotic and said it has helped.  I’m praying she is healed quickly.  She said she has lots of food, so doesn’t need anything.  We talked for a while and caught up since I have been gone camping.

I talked to Vikki after that.  I am happy to hear she went to meet her new neighbors right next door and they are really nice.  They are friends with a lot of people she knows from our church and Vikki and Rody's church.  

I got a message from a friend from my Church and she found out that Melissa’s doctor she really liked, is leaving the VA and starting his own practice.  He had to do there in order to be able to start his practice on his own.  I called Marie and told her too.  They were both very happy to hear they will probably be able to get their favorite doctor back.  I am happy for them.

 

Monday, 9/21/22, It was a cool morning and day with a high of 60 degrees, went to Matthew’s for Bill to set up garage opener, walked around the River Place and went in some stores. Bought some popcorn from the popcorn store, on our way home we stopped for ice cream at Woody’s. I had a banana split and Bill had a big ice cream cone dipped in chocolate

Bill and Matthew

Going to the River Place

Eating our popcorn as we walked

My big banana split

Bill’s big ice cream cone in a dish

It was pretty cool out, so I put jogging pants and a warm sweatshirt on.  I made my coffee and sat on my recliner with my electric blanket.  I read my Bible and prayer books.   I talked to Kimmy for a while and caught up on her and her family.  I was happy to talk to her.  Then I went outside and fed the birds.  I started Ruby up and she vacuumed the whole downstairs.  

It was almost 1:30, so Bill called me in to get ready and leave to go to Matthew’s house.  We got there and Tom was home too.  Bill had me get the garage door opener out of the box on our way there.  He got the stepladder and set it and it started working right away on the garage door opener.  It worked great.  Matthew was coming out to the garage, but Bill got it fixed so fast, he didn’t get all the way out.  We went inside and Bill went in to Matthew’s room where Tom was working on the computer.  I visited with Matthew and then he told both of us about his accident, and going into a 10 foot ditch with his Amigo.  He said he called out for God to help him right away.  God was sure there with him.  It was a country road he was on and the ditch had water and lots of mud in it.  Praise God his Amigo didn't land on him.  He was able to scream.  There was a barn on each side of the road and they both came to help him.  They called 911 and got the police and firetruck to come.  He has recovered very well from it and didn’t have any breaks or injuries. We walked through the River Place Mall after that.  We bought two medium bags of regular salted popcorn.  We ate it while we walked.  It was so good.  

We stopped at Woodys for ice cream on the way home.  I got a big banana split and Bill got a large cone dipped in chocolate.  We came home and relaxed, then Lew and Cindy, our area reps from Saginaw came to visit us.  They have been trying to save a chapter that was dying out.  After a year, we are going to let it die and they are going to start another chapter in a different town in the Thumb.   They tried hard to help them. We visited longer, then they left.  We walked outside with them.  Laicey called me after that and I talked to her.  I talked to her nana some.  After that I worked on my blogs.  

9/20/26, Sunday,, Packed up last minute stuff, told Julie, and Phil, Rob and Doug. (Sue was still sleeping) came home, unpacked some stuff, went to Bob and Jan’s 60th wedding anniversary, went to Kenzie’s and took Rehvyn home,

Bob and Jan right after the came in.  I’m sitting in the back.  I got to talk to that girl next to me and encouraged her to start going to church with her little girl and to start reading the Bible together.  She was so nice and said she thought her grandpa, who was a Pentecostal pastor, was having his prayers answered.  Her little girl is 9 and is sitting across from her.  She was a sweet and pretty girl.  

Bob entered after Jan and was so surprised

He walked around and talked to everyone

Jan walked around and talked to people and gave hugs

Jeannie and I...we went to Amazing Grace Church together

Paula, me and Jeannie.  Paula is Bob and Jan’s daughter who was a really good friend of Melissa’s in school.  

Their oldest son, David.  He’s had two strokes but is doing well now

The maid of honor, Jan, Bob, and the Best Man in their wedding

Jan

Their son Greg above and below

David’s daughter is with Greg

Tracy by the window on this side and her brother Mike, by the window with his wife on the other end.  They both came and talked to us a long time.

We got ready and Bill unhooked the electric and the water hose outside.  I packed up last minute things inside and put slide outs in.  Julie and Phil came over to say goodbye to us.  We went out and talked to them for a while.  We went over to tell Doug and Sue goodbye.  Sue was still sleeping, so we went over and told Rob next door to them goodbye.  Then we dumped the tanks and started on our way home.  We listened to most of our church service, then listened to worship.  When we got home, Bill parked us, then connected the power cord.  I brought in a carload of stuff, but decided to unpack the rest tomorrow.  

We got ready and went to Bob and Jan’s 60th Wedding Anniversary.  We saw lots of people we know there.  It was fun talking with everyone and catching up.  We hadn’t seen some people there for 15-20 years.  So fun to catch up.  We sat with Melissa’s favorite teacher in 4th grade, Mrs. Gross’s, husband and daughter.  Mrs Gross passed away a few years ago.  We were happy to hear how peacefully she had passed away and how joyful her day had been before it.  We all loved her.

Her daughter Deanne made Melissa and Kimmy’s wedding cakes and did an amazing job on them.  I told her about Evan looking at Melissa’s wedding pictures and how he loved the beautiful cake and said he wanted a cake like that for his wedding.  That made her happy.  We didn’t get a picture of them.  

We got there a half hour early because it was a surprise party.  Bob and Jan were so surprised when they walked in and saw everybody.  They are a much loved couple.  We hadn’t seen their kids since they were in high school.  They all remembered us and came up to us.  Their cousins came up to us and remembered us too.  

After the party, we came home and I changed and got ready to go to Kenzie’s.  Vikki and Rehvyn came and went with me.  We had fun at Kenzie’s watching Rehvyn and Peyton and Kenzie made delicious chicken with rice and veggies for us.  Then she made us smoothies. Yum!  Thanks Kenzie.  Travis called Kenzie and was going to be home in around 3 hours.  We left and brought Peyton home with us.  She had spent the night with Kenzie.  I was so happy to spend time with Vikki.  She’s been sick and then I was gone camping, so it’s been a while.  I sure needed to be around her and her family.

I fell asleep when I was working on this blog last night, so decided to finish it tonight. 

Sat. 9/19/26, West Branch RFS breakfast, 10 a.m. ride around from St. Helen to Houghton Lake, buffet pizza lunch and salad bar at Puccini’s, visited in camper with Russ, Marsha and Barry, potluck at 6:00,

Prayer before Ride

Bike and Off Road lineup

At Bucinni's

Potluck in the evening

I read my Bible after I got ready.  West Branch put on a breakfast to raise money for RFS.  We all went to eat, then lined the bikes and Off Road vehicles up.  We prayed before leaving.  Then we left for our ride.  Rob did a great job leading us.  Doug was next, then us, and then Rod and Beth.  There weren’t as many up here this year, because of the weather forecast and also some parent’s kids had sports events they had to be at.  It was 49 degrees this morning.  It got up to about 53 when we took off.  We were all dressed in layers to keep warm.  We stopped in Mio at a gas station, but no one needed to use the restroom and no one got snacks.  It was a sooner stop than yesterday.  The sun came out while we were stopped, and stayed out while we rode for about another 20 minutes.  When we got to Roscommon, we turned the corner in town, and there were lots of people sitting along the road.  They were waiting for the parade to start.  Some of the people were waving to us, so we waved back.  Glad we made it through before the parade started.  When we got close to Higgins Lake, it started misting out.  It wasn’t much at all, so we kept riding and didn’t stop to put our rain gear on.  It stopped about 15 minutes later.  None of us were wet so that was good.  We arrived a half hour early at Buccini’s, but they let us go to the back room and brought out water and whatever anyone want to drink with their pizza.  At one, we all got the salad bar, then they brought in lots of different kinds of pizza.  Of course Bill ordered his special no cheese pizza.  We sat across from Jerry and Sandy, and had a nice visit.  Rob and Barry were at our table too, so we talked with them also.  Barry just drove up for today and brought his Off Road vehicle up so he could ride with that group.  We all enjoyed great pizza and fellowship.  Then we took off again to go to back to the campground.  It warmed up to 65 degrees and felt nice out.  I went in the camper and heated up my chili and put it in the crockpot and turned it on low.  Bill wanted to load the motorcycle, so we packed stuff away in the camper that needed moving, put the slide outs in, Bill disconnected the water and the electricity.  I helped guide Bill onto the hitch.  Then he drove the bike up on the trailer and we secured it.  Then we put the slide outs back out, and he plugged things back in.  I put things back in the camper that I had to secure.  I packed everything in my basket carrier Vikki got me.  Then Marsha, Russ and Barry came and talked to us outside and we invited them into our camper because it was misting out.  Julie came and told us that the Pavilion was open for us to use while we ate so that was good.  It quit raining, so we cleaned thing up, then took stuff back to our campers and then sat around the campfire until around 9:30.  Melissa called me and told me how far she had gotten with taking off the wallpaper in her kitchen and dining room.  She only has to do over the refrigerator.  She FaceTimed me to show me.  She did an amazing job. I’m so proud of her and so thankful God gave her good health so she is able to do that.  I’m very happy. 

 

Evan sent the sweetest text to me thanking Papa and I for his prayer month gift.  It is a watch he can wear that he isn’t allergic to.  He also added that he was thankful that we prayed for him. 

Bill and I played 3-13.  I had over 100 and my goal of the game was to get him out of being negative.  I didn’t make it, but he only hat -5 at least.  It was -60.  We played his new dice game and I won 2 out of 3.  Then we played dice and we tied.  

 

 

Friday, 9/18/26, Cool morning 58 degrees, Marsha, Russ, Rich, Kari, and Rob came from the Indian River chapter, we went pre-rides for tomorrow’s ride, sat around visiting outside, went to dinner at Angry Oven, sat around campfire at Phil and Julies,until about 8:30

Kari and Ricky coming for the ride

Marsha and Russ in their new Off Road vehicle.

It must be thrilling from the look on Marsha’s face.  She’s so cute!
They did the Off Road Pre ride along with, Rick and Kari and Bob and Carol

Six of us did the pre ride for tomorrow.  Rob lead us, Sue and Doug are ahead of us, and
Jerry and Brenda were behind us

We road to Rose City, Mia, Luzerne, Roscommon, by Higgins Lake, and to Houghton Lake

It was a cloudy day with a high temp of 65 degrees.

Eating at the Angry Oven...Jerry, Brenda, Bob, Carol, Marsha, Russ, his brother Rick and Kari

Rob, Sue, Doug, Phil, Julie, me and Bill

It was a cool 58 degrees and cloudy when we got up.  We got ready and read our Bibles and did our prayer books.  Marsha, Russ and Rich and Kara came with their Off Road vehicles.  Marsha and Russ came over, and then we went outside to look at their new Off Road they bought.  So happy for them.  We sat at Phil and Julie’s for a while, then at 10 we all left to do the pre-rides for the street bikes and the off road vehicles.  Rob was our leader.  He did a great job.  We stopped in Roscommon to stretch and have a bathroom break.  We bought snacks to eat too because we were hungry.  We finished our ride to Houghton Lake, and stopped at Buccini’s where we will be having pizza tomorrow after we all finish our ride.  We didn’t get anything to eat, because we were going out to eat later.  We came back to the campground and sat around at Julie and Phil’s, then when it was time to eat, we rode the motorcycle to the restaurant.  We went to the Angry Oven, but since we were going to have pizza tomorrow, we didn’t eat their specialty pizza. 

Bill got chicken tenders and I got Mac and cheese.  The restaurant we usually go to on Friday evening when we’re up her closed temporarily.  

We came back and sat around the campfire.  It rained lightly so I put on my raincoat and a hat.  It was mostly just a mist.  It didn’t last long.  We sat around the campfire until 9:30, then came in the camper and Bill and I played 3-13.  I won 3-13, he won on the new dice game and I won regular dice.  I worked on my blog after that.