June 1, 2024, No raccoon last night, went on Kevin Beemer Memorial Ride, Vikki picked me up so I could leave early, Bill stayed for the drawing, went back to pick up his winnings, tried to watch the K Love Fan Awards but only found short videos.

The peonies I moved 2 years ago are blossoming again this year

My bubbler is sure bubbling good now that Kimmy rubberbanded a rock to it.

Rehvyn loves the suction toy I got for him

He’s always smiling.  I love him so much!

Lots of bikes and bikers showed up for Kevin’s memorial ride

Bill raising the flag

Kevin’s daughter, Jordon,  speaking on behalf of the family.....his son, Kyle is in the dark shirt to Jordon’s right, then on the end are his son Iain and daughter Meredith

Elaine doing the Bike Blessing

Bill, Meredith, me and Iain

Donuts and coffee inside

Bill and I

Kimmy and Jared’s Gazebo with the lights on.  It’s all done and we got rain and nothing leaked Kimmy said.  Yay!

On our ride

I got up early and filled the feeders and put them back up.  No raccoon last night, so everything else was in place.  I put the glass dish bird bath back up too.  That’s another thing the raccoon always knocks off the stand.  Glad it hasn’t broken.  I came in the house and made my coffee and had cereal.  Then I got ready to go to our friend, Kevin's, who passed away at 51 years of age, Memorial Ride.  He was remembered and honored.  He was a great friend and he mentored with Bill to take over being president of the Saginaw Chapter.  He did a great job as president.   There was a great turn out.  We loved getting to see Kevin’s kids and spend time with them.  Meredith and Iain stayed by us and talked for a long time.  

We are making plans to go to Olive Garden together to eat and catch up some more.  Elaine, Don, Cheryl, Mark and Marty and Bill and I were the CMA people there.  Bill and I went on the ride and had fun.  We rode with Don, Elaine, and Jerry.  Other groups were not far ahead that we ran into and visited with.  We ate lunch at the Riverside Cafe in St. Louis.  We all got the appetizer 5 piece chicken tenders, except Don who got a turkey wrap.  We made 3 other stops after that. and hung out at two parks.  

We got back and ate around 5.  The food was good, but the band was way too noisy.  We couldn’t hear each other, so could only talk when the band stopped.  Elaine left on her bike, and I texted Vikki to see what she was doing.  She came and picked me up and took me home.  Bill waited to see if he won the corn hole game he bid on in the silent auction.  I got a phone call after I got home from him saying he won.  I went back in the truck to pick them up.  Iain came and knocked on the passenger side window and motioned for me to put my window down.  I did and he just wanted to tell me goodbye again.  He has always had a special place in my heart.  

I went and got money out of the bank for our niece, Molly Jo’s, graduation party tomorrow up by Traverse City, in Ellsworth.  I’m looking forward to seeing my sister, Brenda and family.  

I talked to Melissa for a while, then Kimmy face timed us to show us their lights hung on their gazebo.  It looks beautiful.  Adam was laying on the swing enjoying the fire.  He was telling us hi.   Jack was spending the night with Eli and Kimmy said they were outside somewhere.

Fri., 5/31/24, another raccoon made a mess, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac, Kimmy, and Eli came over, went to Wild Bird’s Unlimited in Frankenmuth, Max and Bill hung out together and built a table, Bill and I went to Kimmy & Jared’s...their gazebo is finished and is so nice!

Jenny Wren is in the house peeking out

Max and Bill spent the day making this table for when the target practice!  They did a great job!

Work on the roof continued and the gazebo was finished tonight.  

Time to enjoy the gazebo.  Me, Hope and Adam tried the first swing out under it

Our truck just turned into the Cottage Creamery for ice cream.  It was a long line out the door, but it moved fast. Their ice cream is the best, and it’s such a cute place!

Bill with his ice cream cone

Me with my ice cream cone.  He got a bigger size, but mine looks bigger.

Love this picture of Eli relaxing and watching Bo out in the field.  Kimmy was FaceTiming me so I took a picture

Vikki, Peyton, Eli, Kimmy, Isaac and me in Frankenmuth today

I got up at 6:30 and went outside to see if my orioles had food.  Another raccoon had come and made a big mess, knocking down bird feeders, oriole liquid feeders, took apart the flowers in my hummingbird feeder, jelly jar was on the ground.  I will be giving it a good last meal tonight and then off it goes to the boat launch in the morning hopefully.  I decided to take a shower instead of going back to bed.  Went out and ate oatmeal and drank my coffee on the deck.  Watered some plants in my flower garden and around the house.  Vikki, Peyton and Isaac got here.  Peyton told me about her Lauren Daigle Concert and showed me some videos.   She watered my hanging plant in the front of the house.  We visited a few minutes, then Kimmy and Eli got here.  She had picked up Adam from his half day of school and took him home, then headed over.  We all left in Kimmy’s van to go to an Estate Sale by us where we all got some things, then to 7-11 to get slurps for the kids, then to Tim Hortons to get Ice Capps for Kimmy and I and Nacho’s for Vikki, then we finally headed to Frankenmuth to Wild Birds Unlimited.  We saw another Estate Sale sign, so we went to another one in Frankenmuth.  Then we went to the store we all wanted to go to.  Vikki had to go to the bathroom, so we walked across the street to RiverPlace.  Vikki, Kimmy and Eli went to the bathroom and while they did, Peyton and I went into the Funky Skunk Store, which is where Peyton wanted to go.  Not a whole lot we liked in there, so we went back and met the others.  The kids stayed there and went through shops, while we went back to the Bird store.  Kimmy bought a cute bird bath that attaches to her feeder from Wild Birds Unlimited she has at home.  She bought a chickadee for the top of one, and a beautiful bird bath that attaches to it.  Vikki and I both got really nice bird books, and I got a bird house/feeder/etc. hanger that will attach to my deck post.  It is so cute.  The guy unscrewed it and got it down off the wall for me.  I can’t wait to hang it.  We went back and met the kids, then went to Matthew’s.  Uncle Tom was working on cleaning their pool and Matthew was reading a Christian Book on the deck getting a suntan.  We visited for a little while, then left and headed to Home Depot so Kimmy could get her last can of paint for her chairs.  They only had one can left.  All the places in Midland had been out.  We were very thankful.  We stopped so Vikki could pick up her glasses.  They look so cute on her.  She was so happy she could see clearly again and I was very happy for her.  Kimmy dropped us off, then she headed home right away, because Jared was out of work and home.  Vikki left right away too.  Bill showed me the table he and Max built for their shooting practices.  It turned out really nice.  We headed to Kimmy’s right away to help with the roof of the gazebo.  Bill had eaten with Max at Culver’s, so he gave me the other half of his sub that was left over from last night.  I ate it on the way.  Kimmy had made burgers when we got to their house, but we were both too full to eat.  We all started working after everyone was done eating.  It went pretty fast and the roof sections went up easier than I thought they would. They all worked together and  got it finished and even got the light hung inside.  Adam and Hope moved the swings up on the deck and we all carried parts of the bird feeders.  It is so nice and comfy sitting under the gazebo and you can see the bird feeders perfectly.  Kimmy and family are sure going to love sitting under it and enjoying the outside.  I know she will love it as much as I love ours.  We came home and stopped at Cottage Creamery on our way.  Yum!  It was the most delicious ice cream.  My favorite.  We came home, read our Bibles, and  I worked on the blog.  I got over 18,000 steps yesterday and the day before and 13,000 today.  I’m hopefully getting back in shape.