Wed., 8/4/21, Went to the park, went on 15 mile bike ride, Swam, pulled weeds in the garden, picked stuff from garden

Peyton, Adam, Eli and Isaac

Peyton, Eli, Isaac and Adam on the rail trail

Adam, Peyton, Isaac and Eli by a little water fountain where the trail ended 

Peyton, me and Eli enjoying yummy Ice Cream

Isaac, Adam, Peyton and Eli eating their ice cream

Vikki, Isaac, Eli, Peyton, Adam, me and Kimmy riding on the bike trail

I went to the park by our house and sat in my chair and read my Bible.  It was so peaceful and beautiful.  Kimmy, Eli and Adam, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac joined me after about 30 minutes.  We sat and visited for a little while, then Adam and I went back to my house and he loaded my bike on my car for me.  We went back to the park and then all left to go to the rail trail.  I kind of took them on a long route on the way to the bike trail.  We rode15 miles, and half way stopped for ice cream cones.  It was 10 years ago that, we went to the ice cream place with Charlie and Sue, so I just took us down the road where the trail ended.  It was quite away down the road and we had to ride on grass, than cross a busy street to get to the side walk, then go back across the busy street,(M52).  They have the old trail to the ice cream place from the rail trail blocked off now.  My sweet family was really patient with me today with my leading them on long trips.  I was pretty nervous about Peyton and Isaac riding along the road with us, but they did great.  Next time we know where to get off close to the ice cream place.  That ice cream sure tasted cold and delicious.  We found out a short way to get back on the rail trail though, so were happy about that.  After that we rode back to our cars.  Lots of exercise and family fun.  Jacob had band camp again, so we were missing him.  Kimmy stopped and got all the kids slurpies on the way home.  We ate and then we all swam and cooled off in the pool.  Everybody left after that.  I called Sue to see if she and Charlie want some veggies from the garden.  They did, so Bill is delivering them to Charlie when they go for coffee in the morning.  Bill had X-rays today, so please pray for a good report.  He had been having pain in his neck and arm.  He will be having an MRI soon too.  I talked to Phyllis's, daughter Andrea today and Phyllis is doing better and may come home tomorrow.  

Tues, 8/3/21, Did some more cleaning, Kimmy, Adam and Eli came over, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over, Went to Melissa's, Bill and I went to the Saginaw Fair

Isaac

Adam, Eli and Peyton

Isaac

Hailey and Melissa

Eli and Jack

Jack and Evan

Adam, Max and Peyton

Adam and Max

Kenzie and Travis

Kenzie and Travis with their elephant ear

Got up early.  Took a shower, then cleaned the bathroom, did laundry, and ran the dishwasher.  Went out on the deck to read.  Pulled some weeds, then loaded them in a couple of trash bins and hauled them to the road.  Kimmy, Adam and Eli came, and then Vikki and the kids came.  Adam, Eli and Peyton went swimming.  Isaac forgot his suit, so ended up just jumping in for a short time wearing some small shorts papa had that they tied tight.  We girls sat visiting on the deck while they swam.  We were cool visiting under the gazebo, so didn't go swimming.  Kimmy, Vikki, Bill and I played 3-13.  Bill won, I came in second.  We had fun, even though Bill didn't want us talking or having our phones.  Some things you just can't stop.  We girls and kids went to Melissa & Bruce's to visit.  We sat on the front lawn and had such a nice time.  Hailey came down to visit too, and Max, Jack and Evan stayed outside.  Melissa served popsicles to those who wanted them.  We all left, then, when we got to my house, Kimmy and the Boys left.  Bill and I went to the Saginaw Fair for a flag folding demonstration the Marines were putting on.  They told us it was at 7, but the sign said 6 so it was over.  Kenzie and Travis met us there and walked around with us.  We had so much fun with them. When we left, we all got Cider Slushes.  They are the best.  I haven't been there since 2004, when we went with my mom and dad.  My mom took Kenzie on all the rides because she loved riding and Kenzie wanted to go on the rides.  They had so much fun that day.  It's a great memory.  

Monday, 8/2/21, Did my devotions and reading, cleaned downstairs, went to funeral Bill did

 

Bill doing the funeral for Shelly's brother

 Flag ceremony and folding of the flag

Today I ate 1/4 of the yummy Cinnamon roll

Put worship music on.  Did my reading and devotions.  Bill met Charlie and they went for coffee and then to General Jims so he could pick up a few things for the Veteran's funeral.  I put jelly in the oriole feeders and made more oriole food and filled the feeders.  Cleaned most of the rooms downstairs.  Such a good feeling to have that done.  At four, we went to the funeral home.  Gave our condolences to the family and met those we didn't know.  Bill did a great job and so did the marines that came.   Always very moving.  Jeff and Debbie, James and Diane, Rich and Pat, and Cheryl W. were there.  Bill and I went to Outback afterwards for dinner.  We both got steak dinners.  We love Outback.  We had a super nice waiter   All the staff wore masks.  The Texas Roadhouse down the road is almost done.  It sure went up fast.  Came home, changed and went out to the garden and pulled lots of weeds.  Picked some green peppers and zucchini.  Will pick tomatoes and kale tomorrow. Talked to Melissa, Jack and Evan.  Texted with Adam lots.  

Sunday, 8/1/21, went to church, Kimmy, Jared and the boys came over, Vikki and Peyton came over, Kenzie and Travis came over, went to Hopevale concert at the park

Adam, Peyton, Eli and Jacob

Delicious big cinnamon roll Kimmy, Jared and the boys brought back from the Hilltop for us!  Can't wait to eat it!  Such a great surprise!!!

Hailey

Me, Hailey, Peyton and Vikki at Hopevale's outdoor worship concert in Bay City

Me, Peyton and Hailey

Vikki and Peyton

 Vikki, Hailey and me

Max

 Me

Melissa and Vikki

Max and I

Back row, Jack, Evan, Melissa, Max and Bruce.  Front row, Vikki, Peyton, me and Hailey

Evan and Hailey

Jack and Peyton

 Amazing place to worship together

Max, Evan, Jack, Bruce and Melissa

Vikki

Me and Vikki

Bruce and Melissa

                                            Hailey on the left and her group at Jr. Camp when she was    

a camp counselor

Went to prayer before church, then church.  Great message and worship.  Kimmy called and said they were picking up pizzas (even Bill's kind with no cheese) and heading over to our house.  They got here and we were so happy to see them.  Two weeks seemed like an awful long time.  We got our extra big hugs.  They surprised us and brought us a huge cinnamon roll from the Hilltop.  Can't beat that!  YUM, I can't wait to eat it.  We ate pizza and sure were full afterwards.  Nobody even wanted ice cream or cookies.  Kenzie and Travis came and brought Kimmy's kitten she had watched.  We had a short, but fun visit with them.  Marie and Roy surprised us and stopped in, right when Kenzie was leaving.  They stayed a long time.  Roy sure enjoyed talking with Jared.  It started pouring while they were here.  It stopped and then Marie wanted to look at my new flower garden.  We went out on the deck and it started pouring again.  Marie waited under the gazebo, while I knocked on the sliding glass door so Kimmy would open it.  We both hurried in then.  It lasted a few minutes, then the sun came out.  Marie and Roy left then.  Kimmy, Jared and I walked around looking at the gardens and my flowers.  Everything is ginormous!  They helped pull weeds out of the raspberries which was appreciated.  They had to leave to go pick up their wedding rings which had been fixed.  I picked Hailey up and we went to Coco Loco's for dinner.  After that we went to Vikki's and Rody put a new screen protector on Hailey's phone for her.  Vikki, Peyton, Hailey and I went to Hopevale's Concert in the park.  At first they were playing Christian music, then the worship team came out and did an amazing job leading us in worship songs.  They had a table set up with small water bottles, popcorn, cute water bottles to take home, and sunglasses.  They also had some games set up for people to play, and they had a gaga ball game.  Evan and Jack loved playing that.  Peyton loved playing on the playground.  It was a beautiful evening by the water.  We stopped at Taco Bell and McDonalds on the way home.  Vikki, Hailey, Peyton and I got Frappe's buy one, get 1 free with Vikki's coupon and mine.  Such a fun night for all of us.  Jack made banana nut muffins, and gave Bill and I each one when I stopped at their house.  When Hailey was walking away to go to Ann's for a few minutes, I told her I would be gone when she got back.  She came right back and gave me a big hug.  Before Covid she wasn't a hugger and just gave a stiff hug when asked.  Now she gives great hugs, so that's one good thing that came from Covid. When I got home, Bill had me read over the funeral he worked on when we were gone.  The funeral is for a Vietnam veteran who passed away and his sister goes to our church.  He dad such a good job writing it up.  Very touching!  We talked to her and another sister at church in the morning. 

Sat., 7/31/21, Went to Kimmy's to check on animals, got to talk to Kimmy on the phone while I was there, Went to Melissa's, Unpacked and did laundry

Nice new blacktop on the way to Kimmy's this morning

 Poor Hollyhocks and old double sink.  That pail was in it and I think the water from the storm was so heavy and ground was so wet, it's front legs sank 

Garden has grown lots while we were gone

The corn is tall and has lots of ears on it

Zinnia's are one of my favorites So colorful

We slept in until 8.  After we did our morning reading, we went to Kroger to get gas and get our $1 off 35 gal.  I stopped and got an Ice Capp from Tim Hortons and then and egg McMuffin at McDonalds, then headed to Kimmy's.  I was driving next to Bill.  He was headed to meet Charlie.  I got to Kimmy's and saw the big branch that was down from their tree and lots of small branches all over.  I put the ones around the house in a pile.  The tanks were low on water, so I turned off water at pumps and then reset the circuit.  I noticed the pump in the middle was accidentally pushed down, so no water was going into tank.  I pulled it up and water started flowing.  Fed the chickens, cats and when I went to feed the lambs, the grain feeder was on the floor grain side down.  I cleaned the moldy grain out of the bottom where the grain drops for them to eat and then filled it up again.  I put some grain down in a bucked for the lambs to be eating.  They came up to me and let me pet them.  I'm sure glad I went today.  All the animals looked great today.  Kimmy's plants were doing good, except the Hollyhocks broke off and blew over during the storm.  Her double wash basin sunk in the dirt and it was leaning.  It didn't want to move easy, so I left it for Jared since I didn't want to break it.  I tried calling Kimmy, because Adam texted me and told me when they were heading out.  I was so happy to get to talk to her and tell the rest hi.  They had to put their tent and stuff away in the rain this morning, so will have to set it up to dry when they get home.  We had a nice talk and then she got to where she was going to lose her signal, so we said our goodbyes.  Can't wait to see them all.  I unloaded the camper, did laundry, helped Bill fix the fan chain that broke on the inside of the fan.  It took a while because the tiny brass bracket kept falling out and landing on the floor where it was hard to find.  It was hot while we worked on it because we had to have the electricity off as the fan couldn't be turned off until the chain was fixed.  It was roasting, but we did it.  Good team work!  I took Hailey's clothes and things that were in our camper to her.  I talked to Melissa on my way to see if I could drop the shirts her Aunt Debbie had dropped off.  I washed them for her first.  They are super soft shirts that we all love.  She told me, she told Hailey to tell me to come visit her after I dropped the stuff off.  I already had planned to do that if she was home.  I was so happy to see everybody after a week away.  I picked Souper Cafe sandwiches and soup up for us as it was late by the time we finished working on the fan.  I talked to Vikki.  The kids Tye Dye Shirts turned out so cute!  Did the newsletter for Faith Riders.