John and Susan Vance

2009 Year in Review - starting with Christmas 2008

2010-01-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

I REALLY need to update my blog - I can't believe it has been a whole year. This is an attempt to give everyone the highlights - it has been a very momentous year! Starting with Christmas 2008 through Christmas 2009!
Evidently, things get published in the order you create them, not in the order you publish them so these are out of cronological order... Oh well, one of these days I will get the technology straight!

Christmas 2008

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Christmas 2008 was one of the best I can ever remember! My mom said it was one of her bests too. First, Kris and Aidan came for a visit before the holidays. Then Ross and Julie came to help us decorate the tree. The celebrations began the weekend before Christmas. Mom, Julie, Ross, Jessie, BJ, Eric and Erin all came. It was so much fun. Mom helped make the pies. On Saturday night, we all went to see the play "A Christmas Story". We laughed a lot. The S. Bend Civic did such a good job. We woke up and opened presents and had a wonderful Christmas dinner. I actually found a Christmas Story ornament to remember the occasion.

We then drove to Washington DC and had Christmas day with Mark and Tom. We had fun going to the newly re-opened American History Museum. It was neat seeing Obama as the soon to be next president. We saw an exhibit on Julia Child and of course, our personal favorite, Rachel Carson

In Wilmington, our neighbors had their Christmas exhibit. It wouldn't be the season without it!

March - NC trip March and May and Iceboating on our pond

2010-01-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

In March John brought the iceboat home and decided to try it on our little pond and it actually worked ok!

A couple of weeks later, we found things to be a lot warmer in Wilmington. Julie came too, which was fun.

In May, we got some loose ends done at the house including getting our fence "done". In so many ways, this was the fence job from .... More than one experience with the Historic Commission... a fence company that was the worst tradesman experience I've ever had. Not only did they NOT finish the job, but they unilaterally raised the price a $1000 and got mad when we actually wanted the fence to be level. It wasn't until October that they actually finished the job. No fun, but it looks good now.

March 2009 - Oh No! Another Birthday and this is the big --0

2010-01-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

Another birthday - but celebrating with family makes it special. Thanks Peggy. A very special moment happened when Julie read me her card. I am soooo blessed!

May 2009 - The BEST Mother's Day EVER and a Visit to Vances

2010-01-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

This mother's day I had the best one ever - I got a gift and card in the mail from Jessie and was warned not to open it until Mother's Day - and guess what the gift was a shirt with the words "gramma 2009" on it. I went screaming into the yard where John and Julie were unloading the car - Guess what - Jessie's pregnant. I read the card so fast, I thought she was saying it was twins - but it was actually a reference to Aidan and the new one being number 2! Isn't that awesome!

Earlier that spring, Bill, Yvonne and Isla came for a visit. Jessie came too and little did we know that Jessie would be expecting a new little one. It was great having all four kids home. I know it was a special time for Marie and Roger. It was great to see Keith too!

June 2009: Trip to California to Visit Kris and the Little Guy

2010-01-02T18:39:00.001-08:00

I treked to California this summer to visit Kris in her new house and see Aidan. I can't believe Kris does this trip with the little guy in tow - it is quite the trek! Aidan is sooo awesome. We spent time in the pool and I played with Aidan. He loves getting into cardboard boxes. Hmmmm, this kind of reminds me of Kris... He has Tommy the Train all over the place. We danced to music and I twirled him around. We both got dizzy. It was fun.

May - Costa Rica

2010-01-02T18:31:00.001-08:00

In May, John and I went to Costa Rica. After getting freaked out from reading all the online blogs, we arrived, rented a car and drove to the less visited Caribbean coast. We stayed in a great hotel, right on the beach. The highlight of the trip was going on a turtle egg laying tour. We drove on an old bus and arrived. No lights allowed. We walked the beach, saw the hatchery and then sat on the beach to wait. The guides located two huge mamma turtles who came to the beach that night to lay their eggs. The group took turns watching. It was awesome. If the eggs are layed too close to shore, they are moved to the hatchery. Later, they let some of the baby turtles go back to the sea. We formed two lines so the babies would stay on course. Only a very few survive.
Later we headed up to the Arenal volcano and spent time at the hot springs. We had our own little cottage. It was really nice. While there, we walked on a kind of catwalk through a rain forest. We also visited a coffee processing place.
It was nice to go, but nice to come home too.

August - the dresses that got away

2010-01-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

We went wedding dress shopping a few times - in South Bend and later in Cincinnati - the second time was the charm - this happened later in the fall but of course no photos from that trip yet! Sorry Ross, it's a secret. We were able to show Kris and Jessie, both of whom could not be there, THE dress via webcam. That was fun! Meanwhile, here are a couple that got away!

August 2009 - Eagle Lake

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We had fun at the lake - as usual. John was the MC fleet captain - here are a couple of photos.

July 4th - Eagle Lake - A BIG Surprise for Julie!

2010-01-02T15:57:00.001-08:00

Julie was in for a big surprise. Ross arranged for both sets of parents to witness the big event. We borrowed a boat from Bill Kremer. The wind was light and we wondered if he could pull it off. After "sailing" for a little while, Ross popped the question, Julie said yes and the wind began to blow! Jen was shocked, in a good way. Eric and Erin came later and we all enjoyed champagne thanks to Jerri and Steve.

July 2009 - Mom's 80th Birthday in Canada

2010-01-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

Brian, Peggy, Lisa and I drove with Mom to Canada to celebrate her 80th birthday. We had a great time talking all the way. Of course, Brian drove and that helped a lot! First we had lunch at Patty's. Then we went to Aunt Rose's nursing home for a carrot cake dessert. We had a really nice visit with Rose who kidded about waiting for us and wearing out her talking watch (she has been blind for over 10 years.). We didn't know it, but it was to be our last visit with Rose because she died just a few days later. Mom was so greatful to have had this time with her sister.
After we left Rose's, we drove back near to where Aunt Lucille lives. We all stayed at a hotel there. Lots of relatives joined us including Mary and her husband, Aunt Theresa, Claudette. We had a wonderful dinner that night and then the next day, we celebrated Mom's birthday. Uncle Alzeor and Peggy also had birthdays. The last photo is something I made for Mom with the six kids. We are SOOO blessed to have her as our Mom. Life hasn't been easy for her - and 2009 was particularly hard with lots of pain and other medical issues to deal with. We were so glad she had a reprieve from all of that was able to enjoy her visit to her homeland.

August 2009 - Smith reunion and an anniversary

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John and I also celebrated our 30th anniversary by eating out at Ruth Chris. It was a fun night.

In August, we celebrated three birthdays - Dad's, Uncle Bob's and Brady (Ross's son). We had a great time. Some relatives came from Sturgis that I wouldn't have recognized if I saw them on the street. Steve, Kelly and their kids came from Va. It was a nice turnout. The kids told stories about all our travels on TWA and how that had such an impact on us and our kids who all love to travel far and wide. We amazed everyone with the stories about going to the airport and not knowing where we were even going to, or, being in high school or college and travelling to Europe with only a $100 and no reservations of any kind. Dad was very moved by it all.

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September 2009 - Baby Shower

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We had a great time celebrating Jessie's baby shower. Julie posted and had a great/silly game where we had to think up the most baby items we could think of. Brought back memories! My mom was able to make it so that made it a special event. Lisa, Peggy, Jen, some of Jessie's girlfriends and Linda came too.

August 2009 - The Big Move to Mineral Lake Drive

2010-01-02T15:03:00.001-08:00

Julie had an exciting summer - In August, she moved to her new house on Mineral Lake Drive in Brownsburg and started a new job at Speedway schools. It took a big honkin' truck to move her stuff (actually it was the only size available)!

October 2009

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In October we went to NC with Cantanzarites. You know you are in the South when you see a sign for deep fried bologna buscuit! During the week we went to hear an awesome musician play at UNCW. The sign is the ethics pledge that all UNCW students sign. Great idea. We also spent time at Ft. Fisher beach and walked through the state park. Checked on our status for a dock rental for future sailboating...Long ways to go.

We also had a great meal out at Aubergines with Mark and Tom. On the way back, we stopped in DC and went sight seeing. Mark, Tom, John and I went to see the Air and Space facility in Maryland - lots of kids dressed up for Halloween. Mark liked the free candy! We also went to Arlington where we saw Ted Kennedy's grave.

November 2009

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November was a fun month. We visited with Marie, Roger, Don, Marilyn, Thimi, her kids, Eric, Erin, Julie and Ross at Pokagon. We got to celebrate Marie's birthday too. We took a nice walk, huddled around the campfire and listened to Roger recite poetry. We talked about having a Vance family reunion there next summer before Julie's wedding.

A couple of weeks later, we went to Marie and Roger's to visit with Bill, Yvonne and Isla. Isla is getting so big! Love the Baby Cool picture! As usual, we over ate at Marie's and then Thanksgiving morning we got up and drove to Julie's where she hosted her first Thanksgiving in her new house. Ross deep fried the turkey and in typical engineer fashion had concocted a pulley system for raising and lowering the bird. See the pix if you don't believe me! Eric and Erin joined us too. Ross had it all planned. The food was excellent!

December 2009 A Very Special Christmas Present

2010-01-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

What a December! Christmas and the arrival of Canaan Jack Murphy!

The weekend before Christmas, we had Erin and Eric, Julie and Ross to our house for our Christmas celebration - of course Jessie and BJ were busy with the little guy and couldn't make it. My mom was also under the weather so it was a smaller than usual. We saw It's a Wonderful Life and Jen and Mike came on Sunday to use the extra tickets. We had a fun, casual dinner. On Monday morning we opened our presents and on Monday afternoon, Ross made spinach/goat cheese stuffed chicken. It was awesome! Next up will be something Italian with the new pasta machine! I continued the tradition Peggy started when she gave me the Pandora present at Jessie's baby shower by giving a bracelet to each of my girls. Kris will get hers when we see each other next. Eric feels like a kid again playing PS3 games. On Tuesday, Peggy came up and Julie, Peggy and I went to St. Joe to look at wedding venues because Jen and Mike just got engaged. So... we will have 2 weddings at least in 2010. As usual, Julie made a great "Santa" but Oliver stole the show!

December 8th was a very big day because that was the day that Canaan Jack Murphy joined us! Jessie had a roller coaster pregnancy - on bed rest since her 22d week - over 10,000 contractions (that has to be a world's record!), and with God's grace, made it to her 39th week! We prayed so hard that Canaan would wait until at least the 30th week and have at least 3-4 pounds on him when we made his entrance. Our little miracle weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces! We were so very thankful! Here are some pictures from Jessie's pregnancy and that wonderful birthday!

On the way to NC, we stopped at Jessie and BJ's so John could meet Canaan. He is such a love! Here is Canaan's Christmas picture. As you can see, John is trying out a beard...not sure about that yet... I think Jessie is a wee bit tired with all the night feedings.

The year ends in NC...

Right now we are in NC - it is COLD down here - just like it is all over the country - they even got snow in Dallas! It's been in the 40's mostly but dipping into the 20's at night. The furnace is having a hard time keeping up! Mark and Tom are in DC with Peggy and Gene so we didn't get a chance to see them. The arts are mostly dormant over the holidays. We did see a very good production of Hair and tried out a new restaurant called Circa 1922. We celebrated John's 55th and coincidentally, the day he officially became eligible for early retirement! Mostly we've been taking it easy, walking 2-3 miles in the downtown. One day we did make it to Wrightsville Beach for a nice walk. Happy New Year (2010) everyone!

First Snow!

2008-11-17T04:46:00.000-08:00

It's our first snow! I know this "pleasure" will wain over the next months, but for now I want to enjoy it! It gets you excited about the possibilities of sledding, skiing, ice boating and skating! Love to all.

A Historic Moment

2008-11-05T15:17:00.001-08:00

November 5, 2008

I awoke yesterday to a sense of hope and of history in the making, knowing that so many played their small part. My sister Lisa, who worked an 8 hour day in a dentist office only to work another 4 hour shift knocking on doors in her conservative Michigan county. My friend Lee who came from Chicago with his friends to knock on doors in another conservative county in Michigan and who worked at a polling precinct on election day. My friends Susan Alexander and her husband Brett who literally worked day and night for months on end for the cause, registering untoll numbers of workers. And the list goes on. Seeing the young people, like Kris, Julie, Eric and my neice Kayla get so excited about this campaign. Having the privilege of hearing Obama speak, twice, once with John and Susan and Brett and once with Kris and my grandson Aidan, adorned in his Obama T-shirt. Memories of being an Obama legal advisor and witnessing an elderly black man come into vote with his grandsons - and having his wife take a picture of his historic vote. Taking food to the workers... manning the phones. Hearing my Mother and Marie and Roger expound so eloquently about this candidate... who says white voters of a certain demographic won't vote for a black man! And of course, thanks to those including Marie and Roger who helped provide the financial support for this campaign.

What an awesome, awesome experience this has been. So many people were engaged in this victory. The great thing is that all the money, time and effort actually paid off! Just the thought of having someone with the capacity to think 6 chess moves ahead of everyone else in the white house is a relief! Now onto the hard part - governing ...

Meanwhile, I think everyone should have some champagne and celebrate this historic moment! We did at the two Obama parties we attended - one at Susan and Brett's house and one at Jill and Jim Meunich's house. Shortly after 11:00, Barack Obama became President Elect Obama. Later John, Julie and I went home and listened to Obama's victory speech in Grant Park, Chicago. The TV stations kept flipping between Chicago, NYC's Time Square, downtown Washington, DC. If felt like New Year's Eve. Any minute the ball would drop. Obama's speech was extroardinary as was the graciousness of McCain's concession speech.

Thanks again to all the volunteers and contributors for all you did to make this day a reality and an unforgetably, historic day.

Yes We Did, Yes We Will, Yes We Can.

A Look Back:

November 4, 2008: Election Day!

Post script: Just got this note from Barack (as did thousands and thousands of others, I am sure...)

Susan --
I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.
We just made history.
And I don't want you to forget how we did it.
You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.
I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.
We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.
But I want to be very clear about one thing...
All of this happened because of you.
Thank you,
Barack

Wilmington with a stop in Cincy on the way back - October 2008

2008-10-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

A tale of a trip is three acts:

Act One: Driving to NC and working on the house. Mark and Tom had a big surprise for us when we arrived - wine, beer, cigars, peanuts, pretzels and flowers! We really appreciated the effort they made to make us feel special. As for the house, this trip we made significant progress. Greg started making the side steps and Jose used his machete to clear all the trees/bushes from the side yard so we can get a fence installed. The fence is another story - Mark helped us get approval through the Historic Commission. What a nightmare... Meanwhile inside, you can see our appliances are installed but we had kinks to work through, like the ice maker didn't work and the sink and dishwasher were not connected and the shower only had hot water... Lots of fun but it seems to be functioning at last. John installed the rest of the door knobs and all the door stops. He also installed the medicine cabinet and modified the brown cabinet so we can fit a sink in it. I generally supervised but my biggest accomplishment was getting some furniture to make the place livable. We now have a couch, chair, ottoman and one bed. We can't get too much because the floors still need a final coat and all the furniture will need to be carried out... and back in again... We should have the fence completed in another couple of weeks. Can't wait to see it!

Act two: Time at the beach. The weather was not so great, but we did get one day at the beach. We saw an old pelican that was almost litterally on its last leg. There were two fishermen fishing on the shore and the pelican went after a fish and got a fish hook caught in its wing - sorry old pelican... John helped to get it out.

Act three: A stop over at Jessie and BJ's. We got to meet Erin (a dead ringer for Minnie Driver!) We all think she is GREAT and a wonderful match for Eric... Jessie made us stuffed peppers and we all hung out and admired Jessie's photographs. Later that evening, Jessie and BJ had to go to a wedding so John, Eric, Erin and I went out to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. Then back to Jessie's to rest up before our drive home on Sunday morning. Dad and I cherish our time together and with family! We are truly blessed!

Smith Reunion! Fall 2008

2008-10-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some pixs from the Smith sibling get together at Brian's. We had an awesome time. Jeff showed us how to make swans out of apples and Brian gave us a tour of Shipshewana - including world famous pretzels and the merry-go-round. Later, we had birthday parties for Tom and Daniel and enjoyed time on the water. We couldn't believe our eyes when Mark and Tom each took the jet ski for a spin! Thanks Brian and Kathy for making a great memory!

Kris' visit

2008-08-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

Kris and Aidan came for a visit and we had a great time. Aidan is a whirlwind! So much energy - can I have some?

We got out and explored Shipshewana (Amish country), went to an Obama rally in Elkart (Evan Bayh was there - alas no VP announcement), took Aidan to the Potowatami zoo. Aidan LOVES trains and the highlight of the zoo trip was a train ride around the zoo. The zoo also has a new butterfly habitat and that was fun too.

The highlight of the visit was a trip to Indy. Jessie, Eric and Julie joined us. We visited the Children's museum (which brought back memories!) - did I mention Aidan likes trains... Later, we talked and laughed at the Embassy suites...

Last October, 2007

2008-08-14T04:33:00.001-07:00

The last time John went with us to NC was last October, 2007. We will be going again this October and so it will have been a year since he's seen all the progress with the house. During that visit, we rented a condo on Carolina Beach. Oliver and John had fun playing in the surf. Here are some photos from that visit.

Visit to Mom's in February, Ellen's graduation in June and then, summer in Wilmington, 2008

2008-08-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry these blogs are out of order --

In February, Peggy and I visited Mom and picked pussy willows. That was a first for me. Lisa came over too. We laughed a lot and savered the moment.

In June, Ellen graduated from high school and we had a great party at Brian and Kathy's lake house. Jessie drove up and it was great to see her and everyone else! Gene showed off the guitar he made.

I spent 5 weeks in Wilmington this summer trying to bring the house to near completion. Both visits entailed side trips to Washington DC for meetings. On the first trip, I drove to NC myself. Julie flew in and helped me drive home. The second trip, she was with me both ways. I have to give a great deal of credit to Mark and Tom who went well beyond the call of duty hosting me for 4 visits this calendar year, not to mention previous visits and all the help with the house.

Some of the highlights of these visits included celebrating Julie's birthday, driving around to the TV show One Tree Hill filming location sites in Wilmington, going to the beach and visiting the Library of Congress.

In terms of the house, progress included finishing woodwork and baseboards, painting all trim and walls, sanding and finishing the heart pine floors, install of kitchen cabinets, install of granite countertops, selecting sink and kitchen faucet, buying and installing kitchen appliances, installation of beadboard in the bathroom, selection of toilet and pedestal sink in that bathroom, buying and installing door knobs and the list goes on. One of the best things was a major clean up outside, including a huge trash load and mowing the "grass", and getting rid of the old clothes line. Here are some photos from the house.

Julie and Ross Visit - Fun at Eagle Lake, July 2, 2008

2008-08-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

We had a nice time with Julie and Ross sailing at Eagle Lake over the 4th of July weekend. Ross played guitar and he and Julie even sang for everyone. It was a weird regatta. Bill Kremer won it by keeping his boat up! John went over on the second to last race and got a DNF.

Obamma Rally- Washington School (April 10th, 2008)

2008-08-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

We snagged some tickets to the Obama rally. We waited in line with Susan Alexander, her husband Brett and some of their friends. We waited forever! Eventually, Barack spoke and he was awesome! Susan and Brett put tons of time into registering new voters. I made some phone calls and served on the Obamma legal team. Before the primary I received training on Indiana's new voter ID law. On the day of the Indiana primary, I observed at a precint near Washington school. My favorite memory was when an elderly black man came in presumably to vote for Barack. His wife took a picture of him voting - with his young grandchildren by his side. It was an emotional moment.

North Carolina Birthday at Mark's ... and at home

2008-08-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

I had a fun birthday at Mark and Tom's. I had to wear a silly hat and got kiddy games. The best part was that Julie and I got to experience one of Mark's fancy dinners in the dining room. Mark made a fabulous center piece from what he could find in the yard. Amazing! As usual, Julie had fun at the beach. Back home, Eric, John, Julie and I went out for dinner.

Catch Up! - May, 2008

2008-08-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

In May, Jessie and BJ came for a visit. It was great to see them! We got to meet Layla, the new puppy. And, we celebrated - Jessie's birthday and Mother's Day. Here are some photos from that weekend.

San Antonio

2008-03-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

We just got back from San Antonio where I attended a professional meeting. It happened that it was the anniversary of the Alamo battle, so there was a re-enactment staged over the weekend. We also visited the historic San Jose Mission (a national park), spent many an hour walking the riverwalk (which was quite pleasant when you got out of the touristy area), went to the Botanical Gardens, and had dinner on an open riverboat while cruising down the river. The Botanical Gardens had series of miniature houses with different landscaping types (traditional - note the flamingos), dessert, etc. It also had some indoor greenhouses which was nice since the weather was not great the day we visited.

John also discovered a microbrewery where he sampled dark beer made from peat-smoked hops - now he needs to figure out where to get those hops so he can recreate this beer at home! We also had breakfast at the Guenther House (highly recommended) and lunch at the Botanical Gardens (also recommended.) Finally, we visited the Japanese Tea Garden (definitely not as nice as the Botanical Gardens.) One interesting fact, the Japanese Tea Garden was renamed the Chinese Tea Garden during WWII but later renamed back to the Japanese Tea Garden. Here are some photos from the trip...

Alamo

Alamo Re-enactment

Dinner on Riverwalk Boat

River Walk Cruising

Botanical Garden Miniature Houses

Botanical Garden Lake

Japanese Tea Garden

Japanese Gardens - renamed Chinese Garden

San Antonio had a big German immigrant population and this has influenced the local music called Tejano - notice the accordian in the band...

Tejano Band

Ice Golf!!

2008-02-12T09:08:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, John, Julie and I played 6 holes of "golf" on Eagle Lake. We used golf clubs or alternatives (Julie used a cane) and tennis balls (thanks to Eric). The event was followed by potluck. We had a great time despite the frigid weather. Julie got the bobble head trophy for best swing and our friend Brian Reedstrom got best outfit!

NC Update

2008-02-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

I just got back from NC - here is the latest upgrades - the cabinets were installed. Tom also found me two vintage stools that will go under the breakfast bar once the counter tops are installed. I am very happy how it all came out. The installer was super! And as always, Mark was a big help. The weather was super (60's and low 70's) during the day. Lots better than Indiana (20'2-30's, snow and freezing rain...) I got to see Julie the night before my flight. She and Oliver are doing well and she has decorated her apartment - it's really cute.

Predictions - New and Old

2008-02-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

Well I was 2 for 9 last year (2006).

By my count, I am 6 for 12 for 2007... I guess I am improving. Sooo what are my predictions for 2008??

1. Kris and Aidan will come for an extended visit this summer
2. We will take another family vacation (maybe in NC??)
3. The NC house will at least be habitable!
4. Eric will get a girlfriend??
5. Dad and I will go sailing in the Caribbean...
6. Julie and Oliver will be sailing girl and dog this summer
7. 2008 will be a less stressful year than 2007!

Finally, I want to say how greatful I am that my Mom survived her accident and is doing so well. I am sooo proud of her! She is a survivor - that's for sure - as we all are. I am very blessed to have all of you in my life, my children, Aidan, my extended family, and of course John - you are all the love of my life! I am so proud of all of you and the incredible way you live your lives.

Happy 2008!!

Let me know if you think of any more....

Fourth Quarter Update - And I'm NOT talking about football!

2008-02-07T05:58:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been awhile since I last blogged so here are the highlights from the last few months:

Jessie came to visit and she, Julie and I went to Jessica's baby shower. It was fun seeing Jessica so joyful about the pending arrival of her new baby (that we now know is a girl!)

Later that month, Julie dressed up Oliver for Halloween and passed out candy at the door.

In November, we saw Jessie and BJ at Vances - Bill had flown over from England for a visit and it was great to see him. The BIG news is that Yvonne and Bill are going to have a baby! Isn't that great! They will make such great parents.

The fourth quarter was a banner month for visits with Jessie and BJ - Jessie went beyond the call of duty having us for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately Eric and Meghan got caught in a snowstorm driving from O'Hare and missed the turkey - but that was a small price to pay since they arrived safely. Other highlights were shopping on Black Friday and playing a marathon of Wii games. We had a great time.

Julie has a new guy - Jason and he came for a visit in November. Ok, how to describe Jason - upbeat, athletic, doesn't take things for granted, willing to pitch in and help, likes to have fun, not afraid to be goofy - and best of all, he and Julie seem to be happy together. He seems to have a lot of the same traits as BJ - in fact these guys got along great at our Colorado trip (see below)! During the visit, Julie and Jason went boarding -Dad even gave it a try. I was the sane one - I walked the trail from St. Joe High to the downtown. It's a great walk - very scenic - along the river.

November and December were VERY eventful months. Jessie and I helped Eric find an apartment in Mt. Lookout, Cincy while he interviewed for a job. Then, it was another trip to Cincy to move him in - it poured the day we moved his furniture in - fortunately we had help at both ends. Then Julie applied for a job with the Zionsville schools and we had to look for an apartment for her and move her stuff down. I am happy to report that both are happy with their jobs and their apartments.

On top of all that, Kris came to visit with Aidan. What a luv!!! Here are a bunch of pixs from that visit. Plus, my Mom came for a doctor visit and bonded with Aidan too! What's not to love!

The Friday after Christmas, Julie, Jason, John and I drive to Colorado. The roads were a little hairy (or rather snowy...) but we got there ok. Jessie and BJ flew into Denver but got stuck overnight when Bertha's Pass was closed... While we waited for them, we went cross country skiing with the Catanzarites. We all had such a great time - on the Winter Park slopes and later in the hot tub. We got to hang out with the Catanzarites while Jessie, BJ, Julie and Jason hung out. BJ and Jason were the real diehards - boarding almost all day, every day for 4 days straight! The weather was great - a little cold the first day but warmer as the week went by. In the evening we had great meals and played games. The ski passes worked out great. We definitely have to do that again! It was fun to have family time with everyone. Next time Kris, Aidan, Ken, Eric and ?? have to come!

NC House - The saga continues....

2007-09-30T07:03:00.001-07:00

I flew down to NC once again and the Caribbean heart pine floors are now in. Here are some pictures of the process. Supposedly, the Caribbean heart pine (unlike domestic heart pine) has the same hardness rating as oak. We'll see... I am happy we chose the heart pine. It really looks good in the house and fits the period. Before the floors were installed, I repainted the dining room and living room ceilings (10 footers!) and all the window frames. Mark bless his heart filled in all the spaces between the 6 front windows and the drywall. This was a BIG job -that's for sure. We also spent time figuring out the doors and arranging for delivery so that Greg can start installing them. After that, it's the bathroom floors (tile already picked out).

We also had a chance to celebrate Tom's birthday with Maine lobsters - his (and just about everyone else's) favorite. Note the time on the clock. We were still having dinner at 11:39 - that's PM folks! After that, it was back to Myrtle Beach and the backlog of work, appointments that I let go while I was gone.

As a last note, Julie and I went to the Junior League sale yesterday. That's always fun - Julie got some clothes for work and a REALLY cute sleevless long dress that would be wonderful for a special summer date.

Pine or Oak???

2007-09-19T15:22:00.000-07:00

Well it's crunch time and we have to decide - pine or oak... This may not seem like a big deal but the pine is historically correct for the area while oak is quite a bit cheaper. What would you do?? Most people know what oak looks like but here are some photos with Caribbean Heart Pine.

I'll keep you posted which wins the head or the heart.

Julie and I are microfianciers!

2007-09-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Julie and I belong to Kiva - an organization that arranges for lots of donors to give small amounts ($25) to microentrepreneurs around the world. Here are our two loan recipients.

Djé Ndri Yolande is a dynamic 44 year old woman. She is married and lives with her family in Port-Bouët, a very populated suburb in the south of Abidjan District. She has 3 children. The 2 elder daughters are in secondary school and the younger boy is in primary school. She believes that her children are her future and invests a lot in their education. Yolande has sold utensils at Port-Bouët market for many years and joined the AE&I Microcredit Program in 2005. She wants to expand her business and diversify her product range by selling high quality steel utensils which will provide her with a better return.

Stella Irabor is the owner of a store in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, where she supplements her husband’s income by selling provisions, food stuffs and drinks to her community.
Stella's business is important to her in ensuring the well-being of her 6 children. With the requested loan of US$ 400, Stella will expand her business and enhance her business operation by adding to her inventory.
Stella has been in business since 1999. She is 51 years old and has been a LAPO member for 5 years.

Wheatland

2007-09-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

We went to Remus Michigan for our yearly trek to the Wheatland music festival. The group keeps getting bigger... The music and dance is traditional but with an international flavor. One of our favorites was the Like Water Drum and Dance group that taught us West African dance. It would make a great aerobic work out - that's for sure! It was great having Jean along - although we felt sorry for her - on her flight from Denver to S. Bend, not only did she have a delay in Denver but then a 7 hour delay in Chicago (for her 15 minute flight to S. Bend...) As usual we were assaulted by wonderful sights and sounds... the weather was great...but aaaahhh that first shower was fabulous! I must say, I didn't miss the portapots!

Jessie and BJ are back from Costa Rica, Peggy is back from Alaska and Kris, Aidan and Ken leave tonight for Thailand. Pray for a safe trip for them and lots of patience given the loooonggg flight!

A Day Off

2007-08-11T04:25:00.000-07:00

John took the day off on Friday so, I am sure, he could spend some time with me before I head of for NC (a break from Honeywell wouldn't have anything to do with it...) We headed downtown S.B to drop off the old Camry for AC repairs and while that was being done had lunch at the Thai restaurant and then went ot he S. B. Regional Museum of Art. They have an exhibit called "Art as real as life" with pieces by Duane Hanson. These full size figures of everyday people (security guard, cleaning lady, guy on lawn mower, lady sunbathing on a beach lounger, etc.) were so real you thought they were looking at you or would get up to breathe...

Later we went to "Blues Friday" at a park by the river in downtown Mishawaka to hear some blues music. Our friend Brian Reedstrom's band was one of two bands performing. Brian has to have heart cath surgery on Monday - so we are concerned for him - prayers are in order...

Have a good weekend everyone!

This and That...

2007-08-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

August 4th weekend: Jessie came to visit!

It was great to see Jessie again!! I think my favorite memory from the weekend was when Julie and Jessie were giggling away taking picture after picture of each other. Jessie has a great camera and is willing to assume awkward angles for just the right pose...

The girls did some retail therapy and we all ended up at the lake on the committee boat to watch John's races. Jessie and her dad did some father-daughter bonding with a fun sail which wasn't that great because of low winds - but special just the same. Eric came by a couple of times and they had weighty discussions about the CUBS - sorry BJ!

Next Monday I go to NC to PAINT - this seems to be my summer avocation. I will drive to Mom's on Sunday and fly out of Detroit on Sunday morning - reversing everything on Saturday.

I will keep you posted on progress. Right now Greg is working on framing out the windows. After that, he will tackle siding repair.

Julie got her hair cut last night! I love it!

Sailing at the Lake - 2007

2007-07-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

We've had a great summer at the Lake - Racing, sailing just for fun, being together with Julie, Frank and Diane, Diane and Bill, Carolyn, Chris May, Brian and Jill, Lloyd and Shelley, Wayne and Annie, Jim and Marilyn, and all the rest of the Eagle Lake family. It is a special place for us. Julie has raced the thistle with Bill Farabaugh. John has raced the MC and on occasion, the thistle with either Bill and Diane or Jim Ablan. Saturdays after the races, you can usually find us at Al Taig's. Friday nights, we're often in Frank and Diane's hot tub. Sundays after the races, there's usually a casual potluck followed by the guys playing music. Sometimes Eric pops up. It is such a blessed break from all the stress.

One night, John and I spent the night and had a wonderful early morning sail - there were no motor boats and the water was like glass. We needed little wind to make the boat move. It was a magical sail.

Recently I was able to watch the races from the committee boat and got some good pictures.

Four Eagle Lake Sailors go the the Diamond Lake Regatta and Get Stoned:

Last weekend, there was an MC regatta at Diamond Lake and the winds were so strong (between 20 and 30 mph) that the Eagle Lake sailors needed crew. I sailed with John, Diane with Bill, Julie with Bill F., and Annie with her dad, Mark. All four sailors did great. Bill F got first overall (lucky for him, Julie loves to win...), Mark got third overall, Bill K got 1st place in the grand master category (over 60) and John got first place in the master category (over 50). Notice the stone trophys... Here are some photos of that regatta.

A Half Year Update

2007-07-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

Update on My Mom:

Well, it's been a long time since my last post so I thought I would get you up to date. First, about my Mom. After leaving the Toledo hospital, Mom came to Holy Cross College's Dejaire House - skilled nursing. She had a fabulous river view. Mom stayed there for two months, spending time with Laurie and Jill, the two therapists and her many friends - Frank, Mary Rita, Bob, Herald... She really livened up the place and contributed to the quality of life of many of the residents. Here favorite activity was Bingo because she won often. The other residents said, oh no, not her again! After the two months ended, Mom went to the assisted living side for another month. Now she is home with some daily help.

We recently learned that Brother Frank passed away last Monday. After spending so much time at HC, it was hard not to get attached to some of the other residents. Frank was one of those. I went to the funeral Mass to represent the Mom. Frank was a model of how to deal with adversity. His stroke left him in a wheel chair with a great deal of difficulty speaking. But despite that, I can still hear him say his favorite word clear as a bell "Wonderful!" Rest in Peace, Frank. You will be missed.

Mid March weekend visit to Chicago:

In mid March, John and I spent the weekend in Chicago - we saw the St. Patrick's Day Parade, went to hear some blues music on Halstead, ate out too much, road the el, saw a play, went to a Second City production, saw our reflection in the "bean" and had a few beers...

Visit to Kris' in California:

In March, I was able to get to California for a meeting and was able to visit Kris, Aidan and Ken. It seems to have become a tradition for me to spend my birthday there. I LOVED being able to feed Aidan and take him for walks to the park. It's amazing to me the instant bond that develops with a grandchild, despite the distant. And you never forget how to feed and change a baby. Here are some photos from that visit.

Aidan wasn't to happy about his corral but it did help to keep him contained. His favorite toy was my birthday balloon. He just giggled and giggled. What a joy!

Visit with Marie, Rod and Bill:

Bill came to visit from England so we went to Illinois to Marie and Rod's house. The guys had a great time drinking some of John's home brew. Marie fed us too much as usual but Oliver was a big hit! In the one picture, he is protecting us from a critter on the other side of the door.

A Get Together at Brian's Without Brian!

Jeff came into town with Emy and Daniel and Brian and Kathy were nice enough to let us meet at their cottage. Here is a picture of all the Mom's (the Friday before Mother's Day).

Painting the NC House:

In mid May, Julie and I drove to Wilmington to paint the interior and on the way down, we were able to visit at Jessie's. We were actually there on Mother's Day so that was a special treat for me. Julie was a trooper painting the ceilings and Brian's tip of using the paint stick was a godsend! We found some time for some fun too. Besides going to Fort Fisher beach, we toured the movie studio and saw some of the sets for One Tree Hill. One location is "Karen's Cafe" which is located in dowtown Wilmington. We saw them shoot there on our last visit but didn't realize it wasn't a real cafe.

Off to See Wicked:

One day Julie and I decided to go to Chicago for the day to see Wicked. Lisa, Kayla, Peggy and Jen had all seen it and raved about how good it was. Julie and I took a chance and entered a drawing for two 1st row tickets for $25 and Julie was lucky enough to win. The play was fantastic and put a whole new spin on the Wizard of Oz. I would recommend it to everyone. While we were waiting for the play to start, Julie and I visited the "bean" and had lunch at a Turkish festival where we got to see whirling dirvishes for the first time.

Update

2007-02-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a long month. My mom was in an accident with a semi-truck and lived to tell the tale. She was airlifted to Toledo, broke her neck (C-5,6,7), had two day-long surgeries and hasn't been able to eat for a month. Finally, she is now back in the "penthouse" floor of the hospital, in rehab. She had a "halo" so she has been calling herself "Queen Eve" but thankfully that has been replaced by a neck brace. She will have 6 hours of therapy a day - PT, OT, and speech) and will probably be in the hospital another 2-3 weeks. A couple of days ago, we got the word that she could finally eat solid food - wahoo! Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes never tasted so good! Mom has been a real inspiration, handling the situation amazingly well. We love her very much. The kids (I have 5 brothers and sisters) made the commitment to be there everyday, and except for a snow storm day, have been able to honor this commitment for the last 4 1/2 weeks! I think this is extraordinary and a tribute to how much we love our mom! Godspeed Mom!

Lately, it has been snowing like crazy. They even closed down Purdue for 2 days. Here is a picture of our mailbox!

Weekends are fun

2007-01-13T22:02:00.000-08:00

We have been having a good time on the weekends lately. Last Saturday, a bunch of us met at Carolyn's and Bill K., John, and Al Taig played guitar. Jill, Brian, Diane, Frank, Diana and I mostly enjoyed the music, talked and ate too much! It was great seeing everyone. On Sunday, we got together with Jim and Jill M., Brenda and Mike and went for a hike in the light snow/rain at Lawless Park. Afterwards we had some of Jill's homemade soup, some great bread, cookies, cheese and crackers.

This weekend on Friday night, we went to Frank and Diana's, had sloopy joes, salad, and homemade french fries (Diana is a great cook), then watched a movie. This afternoon (Saturday) we went to see ice sculptures in Niles and tonight we had dinner at Elias with Lloyd and Shelly.

Next week classes start again. I need to do some prep for my managerial accg class and I am still working on Kris' Christmas gift... I hope to sit in on yoga and pilates classes and skate at ND over the noon hour a few days a week. I resolve to be active!

I signed up at www.flylady.com to get my house more organized. I will let you know if it works...

Hope everyone has a good week! John just wants the lake to freeze so he can finally sail his iceboat!

Christmas and New Year's Update and John's little-est birthday cake!

2007-01-01T05:56:00.000-08:00

Ross came to visit and he and Julie made us blackened salmon to celebrate John's birthday. John had the little-est birthday cake ever - a buckeye candle with a candle.

Jessie and BJ came to visit on the 28th and are just leaving today - January 1, 2007. We had a great visit - we all went bowling (including Julie and Ross). I had a first - my ball went backwards - here you have to see it for yourself

We had another Christmas presents opening session. Jessie will be getting that black coffee table and BJ will be going to a Red's game or two... We also went to Kremer's, Lunker's, played Mindtrap, and had New Year's together after the sailing gang all left.

Predictions for 2007

2006-12-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

Well I was 2 for 9 last year. Here are my predictions for 2007 (with Julie's help):

1. There will be one marriage.
2. Julie will graduate.
3. Eric will get a new job.
4. Jessie and BJ will move in to their new house.
5. The NC house will get done.
6. Julie will win the fleet championship for the second year in a role.
7. John will win a laser race.
8. Oliver will become a sailing dog.
9. There will be an engagement in our extended family.
10. Julie will get a special ed job offer.
11. Dad will start a new hobby.
12. We will take a family vacation.

December 2006

2006-12-26T18:25:00.000-08:00

Finals are done and grades are in.... Julie and Oliver are home for the holidays...

On December 23d, we got together with the Smith side of the family. Kathy and Brian hosted at their cottage and Kathy outdid herself! We had a wonderful dinner together and exchanged gag gifts. I wonder who brought the thong underwear that Brian got???

On the 24th, we drove to Vances and had Christmas at their house. Lower key but still very nice. More food (is this a theme??)

Jessie and BJ are coming on Thursday and will be here until New Years Day. Kris comes on the 4th of January and is bringing Aidan. It will be great to see everyone again.

Happy New Year to everyone!

November 2006

2006-12-26T18:06:00.000-08:00

In November we went to see Rod, Marie, Bill and Yvonne the weekend before Thanksgiving. We celebrated Bill's birthday.

The next weekend, we had Thanksgiving at our house with BJ, Jessie, Eric, and Julie and ate too much as usual...

Colorado:
We left November 30th for a long weekend in Winter Park. Jean picked us up at the airport and we spent the night at their house. The next day we drove to Frank and Diana's condo. On Saturday we went cross country skiing - it had recently snowed and with no wind, the snow stayed on all the tree branches - it was like a winter wonderland. The next day we went downhill skiing - and wonder of wonder - both John and I were able to ski without a lot of pain to our knees - YEAH!! Jean and Dave went with us. Diana was very patient and gave great instruction with the newer skis. The food was fantastic - with Diana - this is the norm! We also had fun seeing Nick and Hannah. We spent one evening at the Shed and had a Tapas evening.

Two other items of note. First, Jessie and BJ are building a house and it is coming along quickly now that things have gotten started. Here is a picture:

And last but not least, I have a new nephew!! Daniel Smith. Here is a picture of the new baby and proud parents: Jeff and Emy.

September and October 2006

2006-12-26T14:29:00.000-08:00

In September, Julie got Oliver - now we have a granddog and a grandson! I must admit, Oliver is pretty darn cute (never thought I'd say that!)

We also went to Wheatland with Wayne and Annie - the music was the best yet!

In October, John and I repeated the road trip to NC. We enjoyed the Fort Fisher beach area and also got to canoe the intercoastal. We checked out boat slips at the state park (3 year wait list...). John, Mark, Tom and I went out to eat at at great restaurant - we can't wait to go there again - the food was fabulous! Another visit with Jessie and BJ on route.

After we got back from our trip to NC, Kris came to visit again with Aidan - he is getting sooo big! He's only about 6 months old and walking along furniture. He has teeth!!

July continued... August 2006

2006-12-26T13:46:00.000-08:00

OK - so I have been terrible in updating our blog - I promise to do better in 2007! Here are some photos and details of our lives since July 19th.

First, Kris and Aidan came to visit the end of July. Here are some photos from that visit. Needless to say, Aidan is the MOST brilliant grandson there is - in these photos, he is a little over 4 months old. He is such a bubbly baby - always good natured.

Meanwhile, my baby (Julie) had her 22d birthday - we celebrated with a meal out.

In August, Julie and I did a road trip to visit Mark and Tom. We haven't made a lot of progress on the house since about May, but hope to get going now that Mark has finished most of the work on 511 Nun Street. We had fun going to the beach, taking the car ferry across to the other side of the river, taking a trolley tour of the historic district, and socializing on Mark and Tom's back porch. We stopped at Jessie and BJ's on the way and Dad's on the way back.

Weekend at Vance's

2006-07-19T05:55:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend at Vance's. Eric surprised Dad with a pair of flip flops that have a bottle owner on the bottom - which will come in handy now that he is in the beer brewing business. Marie cooked up a storm as usual (you have to go into training before visiting!) and we had a lot of laughs with Bobbie, Jean, Keith, Eric, Jessie, Marie and Rod. It was great to see everyone and to have Eric along. And of course, it is always great to see Jessie!

It was VERY hot, so we weren't able to spend as much time outside admiring Marie's garden but we did manage to get outside Sunday morning for a little while.

One highlight was visiting the Crestwicke house. It really seemed different from when Marie and Rod used to live there. We had to leave early on Sunday so Eric could get back for work so John and I went out to the lake for a little while Sunday late afternoon.

Dad's Vacation Week

2006-07-10T05:45:00.000-07:00

Dad always takes the week of July 4th off and we just take it easy and have fun around home. Of course there was the July 4th regatta - Dad sailed the Laser and Julie sailed the Thistle with Bill (but only on Tuesday the 4th because she was in Indy with Ross on Sunday for a car race...). Dad came out somewhere in the middle of the pack but Julie and Bill got first (It's a good thing - Julie hates to lose!) Here is some pics of Julie, Bill and the thistle.

On Wednesday night, Eric, Julie, John and I drove to New Buffalo, took a walk down to Lake Michigan and had dinner at Brewsters - a favorite Italian restaurant of ours.

On Thursday, Dad and I went up to the lake for an overnight. We sailed and dad played guitar. That night we had dinner with Frank, Diane and Nick Catanzarite. Nick had driven in from Colorado with his friend Hannah who is also on the national ski team. Dad cooked salmon on the grill with the new grill pan that Jessie gave him for father's day and Diana cooked up a bunch of vegies from her garden as well as parsley potatoes. Everything tasted sooo good and of course the lake view from their house is fantastic.

Friday morning, we took a great kayaking trip on Christiana Creek (also known as the swamp). We saw deer, a muskrat, turtles, herons and lots of birds. You feel like you are in the middle of nowhere even though you are only 15 minutes from home. It's a great kayaking experience. Here are some pics:

Finally, on Saturday we drove to Michigan for Doug and Lisa's surprise 25th wedding anniversary party. We also got to see Jeff and Emy and give them some baby gifts (Julie had to plug her nose - one was an MSU baby outfit and the other was an MSU mobile that played the MSU fight song!) Mom had a good time seeing every one.

Looking back, it was a great week! I'm sure Dad will take the same week off again next year.

Jessie's visit home

2006-07-10T05:26:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since my last post.

First, Jessie came to visit and we had a great visit. On Friday night, the girls had their toes painted and that was a lot of fun. On Saturday, Eric joined us at the lake and we barbecued on the deck and went for a sail. Then on Sunday, Jessie, Julie and I drove to Adrian for Kayla's graduation party. It was great to see everyone. The hall was filled with lots of people, the food was great and we were all proud of Kayla. It was especially nice that Mom could make it even though she hasn't been feeling well.

In looking back, it was one of the best weekends of the whole year! It was so nice having Jessie home!

Mother's Day Weekend

2006-05-17T06:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was Mother's Day and it turned out to be very nice. On Saturday, Julie and I went to Jen's graduation and were able to celebrate with my Mom, Peggy and Gene, Lisa and Jen's new boyfriend. Later we drove home and Eric came over for dinner with Julie, John and I and that was really nice. Ross came by and surprised Julie and Sunday morning they made me breakfast in bed (Julie's specialty is crepes - yum!). They made so much that Dad got some too. Julie, Kris and my Dad all got me flowers so it smells pretty nice around here! Of course, I talked on the phone with all the kids. It's so nice to be remembered and know you are loved! I am lucky to have such great kids.

John got me a bunch of tomato and basil plants (my request) which will be fun this summer and a Saphire CD. I love him VERY much!

It was also fun to talk with Kris who experienced her first Mother's Day! She is such a loving Mom to Aidan. I am very proud of her.

My Mom was supposed to come to my house for a visit but unfortunately got sick. Maybe later... Feel well, Mom. Love you a whole bunch!!

Julie's Visit

2006-04-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Julie surprised us with a visit home last weekend! That was a blessing. We mostly just hung out, worked out at SMC, watched movies (Anne of Avonlea was super), and went to some open houses. Only three more weeks until Julie is home for the summer! Yeah!

Back Home Again in Indiana!

2006-04-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

I've been gone for almost 3 1/2 weeks, much of it spent at Mark's figuring out things on the NC house (see edited post below, with pictures). I also went to California to see Kris, Ken and my new grandbaby, Aidan John Patrick Willoughby. Kris and Ken are so happy together and I felt totally comfortable at their house - just like being at home with John. The baby is a love, good natured and perfect in every way (I'm not biased!!). The feedings every two hours brought back memories... I was able to schedule a conference in Monterey but that didn't take up a lot of time so mostly I visited with Kris and Aidan. I'm home now and miss everyone a whole bunch! Hopefully, Kris and Aidan will be home to visit sometime this summer.

Our New Little Miracle!!

2006-03-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

I justed wanted to let everyone know about our new little miracle, Aidan John, appropriately born on St. Patrick's Day. He weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and is 20 1/2 inches long. Mother and baby are doing well.

Kris and Ken are soooo happy. It is a joy to share this time with them. I am looking forward to meeting the little guy. I fly to San Jose the day before my birthday and will stay a few days.

John and I are thrilled to be grandparents.

Just call me Gramma Sue (aka Susan/Mom)!

Reflections on Family

2006-03-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

I wrote this as a comment on Jessie's blog and thought I would reproduce it here. My thoughts reflect my love for all my children. I am so blessed.

Dear Jessie,

Thanks for being with us this weekend. Spending time together and celebrating family events like Eric's birthday provides the glue that keeps us connected during the times when we are apart. As you, Eric, Kris and Julie grow into their adult lives and by necessity our time together is lessened, we can take comfort and joy in the love we feel for each other, despite the distance. You should know that I pray for you and BJ everyday, happy in your love and the life you are building together. The wonderful thing is that our hearts are big enough to envelop all our family members. Of course, all relationships take work and constant vigilence and should never be taken for granted. So I am glad we all recognize that we need to take the time to talk on the phone, share our day to day lives, good and bad, make a point to get together and share fun activities and family traditions. I feel so blessed by God knowing that the love we all feel for each other provides the sound foundation to make it all happen. Others may come and go, but thankfully, we can always count on each other for love and support.

I think the hope of every parent of adult children is that first and foremost that your children be happy. And second, that your relationship continues to grow appropriately, in a healthy way, that you continue to feel relevant in each other's lives, that you enjoy each other's company and that you become good friends.

I love you all so much!
Mom

A Birthday Weekend

2006-03-08T19:22:00.000-08:00

Jessie and Julie were home for the weekend and we were able to celebrate Eric's birthday with dinner at Macri's and cake at home afterwards. Here are some pictures. We also celebrated Jen's birthday as well. It's always a blessing to spend time with family!

On Tuesday, Eric turned 29 (and holding) and we got together with his friends Jason and Paul and their wives, Reilly, Michelle and Michelle's mom Kathy. We met at Kay's (formerly Frank's) for some notoriously bad for you, but great tasting hotdogs. John and Eric had the firedog special and later had the heartburn to prove it!

I am including a final shot of Jessie with her Winnie the Pooh bear - a bit the worse for wear after 25 years but with the music box working none the less. Before you know it, we'll have Aidan to play with!

A family update

2006-03-02T05:02:00.001-08:00

Jessie and Julie are coming this weekend. I am sooo glad - we haven't seen each other for a really long time. I think the girls will meet up in Indy and drive the rest of the way together. Kate is having a baby shower.

I just got back from visiting my Mom - went to the doctors with her, had lunch together at a new restaurant in Brooklyn, visited with Lisa, stayed over night, got some tax stuff figured out, worked on the new presciption drug program (what a nightmare!), figured out her finances for the coming year, cut her hair, ordered pizza, had a lot of very good conversation and then drove back to S. Bend. Mom had some good thoughts on letting your kids go. I am still a mother in transition but we both agreed we still need to feel relevant in our adult children's lives. I know that besides the social aspects, that's why my Mom enjoys talking on the phone so much. When her kids call, it makes her feel needed, cared about and loved. Isn't that a nice thing...

Eric is happy with Michelle and busy into the U. Chicago season so he is working a lot. He is beginning to explore tennis jobs in the south. I think he needs to explore this option before switching into insurance or some other area... These jobs may be pretty competitive so we will see.

Jessie and BJ just got back from a cruise and Julie goes on hers in another week or so.

Kris is ready to "hatch" (as Mark says)and can't wait to have Aiden. It could be any time this month... Kris and I talk on the phone almost everyday so she keeps me posted about how things are going. I am so glad that she is so happy. We are all anxious to meet the little guy.

John was able to get in one more iceboat day last weekend. There was "black ice" on the lake which is phenomenal and since these days are so few and far between, John and Bill stayed out as long as they could. John then went to Bill's to have some fun in Bill's music studio. I had visited earlier with Diane. Ben loves his new job.

We talk to Rod and Marie on the phone and things are going well from their end. Unfortunately, Bill and Yvonne's trip did not go as planned because both got very sick so they ended up going back to England sooner than they thought. Bill may come again this summer and we are looking forward to that. Last September, Jean came with us to a musical festival in Remus, Michigan called Wheatland. It was so much fun to spend time with her. The Vances are all a unique bunch - it's a blessing to be part of their family.

Here are a few of my favorite Vance pictures:

Got to go... These days I am working on my sabbatical project and designing a kitchen for the NC house.

Our trip to Antigua and Barbuda

2006-03-02T04:17:00.000-08:00

We recently returned from a trip to Antigua, Barbuda. We went with our friends, Frank and Diana Catanzarite and together we chartered a 40.5 foot Beneteau sailboat. We left out of O'Hare for Antigua on February 13 and returned on the 21st. Fortunately we were able to coordinate our flights so we drove to O'Hare together, shared parking, taxi in Antigua to the marina, etc.

We actually had arranged and paid for the charter before the NC house (see the last post) or we most definitely wouldn't have gone on the trip.

We had a nice time. The weather was not as warm as our last sailing trip to the Grenadines and we had a bit of rain but the scenery was beautiful and we had a couple of nice snorkels. We also went into a little village in Barbuda called Codrington and also heard some steel drums at the top of Shirley Heights in English Harbor that commanded some amazing views.

John and Diana did all of the navigating and John's GPS really came in handy that's for sure. We arrived Monday night, got onto the boat and the next morning Frank and I got provisions at the grocery store (we had brought most of our food from home to save money) while John and Diana got checked out on the boat. We then discussed our itinerary. About noon we finally got underway only to have a problem with the main sheet. We turned around, figured out how to use the cell phone and met the charter operator who was in a little boat. We soon got things fixed and were underway to the N. E. side of Antigua.

Sailing on the north side was tricky because of all the shoals and reefs. We anchored off Bird Island. We took the dinghy to the uninhabited Island and walked up to the top (short walk) and saw some nice views as well as a couple of blow holes. We met a local woman on the beach selling drinks and other trinkets but unfortunately had no money with us. After going back to the boat, we decided to go snorkeling. There were other tour operators bringing boat loads of people to the island and also snorkeling. We were able to avoid most of them while snorkeling, thank goodness.

The next day, we left for Barbuda, a 7 hour sail, most of it in open water with choppy seas. Thank God for bonine (a seasickness medicine). We anchored on the southeast side of the island. Barbuda is a very flat island so you can't see it until you get very close to land. It has beautiful beaches. The Island has only a few inhabitants (former slaves of a man named Codrington) who now own the island jointly. This makes it very difficult legally for developers to buy land so devopment is pretty limited (a nice thing).
We were pretty exhausted after the sail, ate like kings on the boat and went to bed early.

The next day we sailed the southwest side of the island and took the dinghy to shore, portaged it over a sandspit, and then rode it across the lake to Codrington, a local village. We walked around awhile, saw some kids running races at a school, went into a grocery store, and eventually drove the dinghy back to the spit. There we encountered a lobster fisherman who offered to help us portage the boat if we would call the people on the boat the Kelly G to come get their lobsters. We were able to raise them on the radio but they were obviously high end sailors and thought we should go get the lobsters for them - uh don't think so! After that, we sailed back to the southeast side of the island. Weather had gotten tricky with storms all around so that was an adventure.

The next day, we sailed back to Antigua - to Nonsuch Bay and Green Island. Fortunately, the weather and sailing conditions were wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed the 6 hour sail back to Antigua. This location was my favorite of the trip. We were surrounded by little islands. It reminded me a lot of the Tobaggo Keys in the Grenadines.

From this location, we sailed to English Harbor, on the south side of the island. There are several restored historical structures (Lord Nelson once was in charge) so we walked around the harbor for a while. We also saw a row boat that some crazy person actually rowed or planned to row across the ocean! After awhile, we took a taxi to the top of Shirley Heights which had some amazing views of the harbor, had a few drinks (coconut crush), ate some chicken and listened to the steel band. We got another taxi down to the harbor about 7:00pm. All in all, a very nice day.

The next day, we sailed around the southwest corner of Antigua, stopped for lunch, then sailed up to Deep Harbor. The next day was our final day so we sailed back to Jolly Harbor, had our check in with the charter manager, packed up our things, emptied the trash, and took a taxi to the airport. Our flights through San Juan and back to O'Hare were uneventful. We got into O'Hare very late and John drove us back to S. Bend. We didn't get to bed until about 2:00am and poor John and Diana had to work that day.

Recycling in Jolly Harbor

We had a good time and I know John really enjoyed the sailing and navigating. I know John is already looking forward to our next sail, probably with our good friends the Catanzarites but if not, maybe with Bill and Yvonne, Julie, or other interested family members...But that won't be for a couple of years at least - we've got to recover from the NC house!

Our NC House

2006-03-02T03:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I thought it would take 5 weeks of work and we would be done with the remodel of the North Carolina house!! I think I was off base by about 5 months (if not more). Originally we thought we had to replace a couple of sills but that has ballooned into new floor joists and two new studded walls in the dining room. In removing the fireplace framing in the living room to do the floors, we found out the living room and the soon to be dining room originally had 10 foot ceilings.

So that led to tearing out the false ceiling and the original ceiling only to find that the ceiling joists were 4 foot on center instead of 16 inches on center and the roof rafters consisted of 3 inch square boards meeting at the top of the A, again about 4 foot on center, with no ridge board. My engineering husband was amazed (appalled) at this so we've had to almost totally structurally rebuild these two rooms. We are trying to figure out a way to access the attic from these two rooms because it has the most room for storage (a very needed commodity in a 1200 square foot house with no basement and no garage). It would be great if we could use the space as some kind of extra room but I am not sure how practical that would be because of the access issue...

Meanwhile, at $400 a day for the two Daves, not counting materials, this is turning out to be a pretty costly project! Fortunately, they don't work fulltime hours - it's the South afterall - maybe today, maybe tomorrow. But just the same, it will be a tight year financially but I think it will be worth it in the end.

Jessie is coming this weekend so I will post some pictures then.

I've made two trips to NC and will go again in a week or so. Last time, I did some research on the house and found out it was built in 1849 - so it is pre-Civil War. The original builder was a cooper (built barrels) and the family that owned the house the longest (1869-1944) was the Agostini family. Maria Agostini's husband, William Cookman, bought the house, he died, she inherited. At that time married women lost control of any property they owned to their husbands so before Maria would agree to marry Frances Agostini, Frances had to post a $5000 bond to ensure that after the marriage, he would transfer the property to a trust for the sole benefit of Maria, giving her full control over the property. Obviously, Maria was a feisty, smart Irish woman! After we get farther along in the remodel, I will apply for a historical placque to put on the outside of the house. In a way, I feel like a guardian of a small bit of history.

The next steps include more tearing out (dining room, kitchen wall, closet in that room, etc.), framing, putting in a new fireplace, plumbing, electrical, new floors, new kitchen, new gutters, etc. We may run out of money before putting in a second bathroom, centering the front door and putting in a side door in the kitchen, adding a fence to enclose the side yard, adding molding in the rooms, etc. Maybe next year...

I will keep you posted on our continued progress.

Post Edited: March 20, 2006

I've done some more research and learned that Maria and her first husband William and their daughter Agnes lived in the home but that sadly, Maria lost both within two days of each other in 1862. This was at the beginning of a yellow fever epidemic and it is quite possible that they died of this disease. Agnes was 13 at the time. A few years later, Maria married Francis and one can only imagine that Maria felt some confort in becoming a step mother to several of Francis' young children (Francis' wife Josephine had recently died at the age of 39).

Post edited: April 14, 2006

I just returned home after having been gone 3 1/2 weeks. I was at Mark's for two weeks, then went to visit Kris, Ken and Aidan for about another week, then returned to Mark's for two more days, then HOME!!

While I was at Mark's we were able to make several framing decisions. The wall between the dining room and living room was built, as well as the wall between the dining room and kitchen. The kitchen wall was removed and a beam put in place. The ceiling in the kitchen was as much as three inches out of level, so one corner had to be raised. We also moved the doorway to the middle bedroom and framed in a closet and bathroom. Some other work done include the installation and framing in of the fireplace and the flooring of the attic.

Since my return, the Dave's have been at work on the back bedroom, building the closet and taking out the exterior door and framing in the space. They are currently working on the bathroom, rebuilding the closet to accomodate a stack washer and dryer. They will also be moving the doorway over about a foot. It's also possible we may get the new exterior french door in the kitchen.

We are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. There are still some walls that need to be shimmed to make them level. In a couple of weeks, we can begin to think about the electrical and plumbing work. I can't wait to see drywall! But I am getting ahead of myself...

Here are some more photos:

Reflections on New Year's Day

2006-01-01T10:52:00.000-08:00

New Year's Day - a time to remember 2005 and look forward to 2006.

Last year was a time of wonder and change. 2005 ends with our children the most content that we've known them.

Jessie and BJ were married in a beautiful ceremony, surrounded by family and friends. John and I feel so blessed to welcome BJ to our family. We know that he is "the one and only" for her. We couldn't have hand picked a better guy. BJ graduated from pharmacy school after interning in S. Bend and Indy, and both BJ and Jessie have new jobs - Jessie at Xavier University and BJ at Merck. They both love outdoor activities - hiking, snowboarding, etc. Of course, Jessie is learning to be a true Reds and Bengals fan! It's part of the marriage contract!

Kristen moved to San Jose and became engaged to Ken. Another great match. Not to mention the impending birth of the "little guy". We are so happy for them. They both deserve every happiness. Ken likes music, skiing, diving and I know he will fit right in - especially with John! They even have similar personalities (which is to say - quiet but a rock when you need them.) What's not to love! Kristen is the happiest I've ever known her to be. There were some rocky moments with the pregnancy but after prayer from many corners of the world (not counting the nuns at SMC who have a direct line to God), things turned out fine.

Eric had a rough summer - a major car accident and a breakup, but he is now committed to Michelle who we all really like. Michelle brings out the best in Eric - he seems so happy with her. Eric seems likely to stay in S. Bend (Michelle's family is from here too). He continues to teach and coach tennis (S. Bend Racquet Club, Morris Park, University of Chicago and St. Joe Boy's). His big purchase was a Honda S2000, which is a lot of fun, but a bit tricky to drive in the winter!

Julie had a great year at Purdue and found the major for her - Special Education. Her grades have shot up (3.8 this past semester - wow!). She continues to take speech classes just in case and she finds the two disciplines closely related. I know she will make a great spec. ed teacher. She and Ross are still dating. Ross graduated from Purdue last year in mechanical engineering. Over the summer, Julie worked at ECDC and sailed the MC (and more recently John's iceboat). The other big event, sort of, was that Julie turned 21! I am sure it was the first time she had a drink...

As for John and I, we bought a fixer upper in Wilmington, NC, a CRV, and an iceboat! Time to reduce expenditures in anticipation of John's retirement in a few years. In October, we took a trip to Wilmington to finally see the house that we had bought. We liked the historical area and the ocean is less than 10 miles away. I did some research and found out the house dates back to the 1890's which means it will qualify for a 100 year historical placque.

Just before Christmas, I had knee surgery. Julie and John were at the hospital and Julie was a trooper holding my hand during the multiple attempts at IV insertion (Dad had to leave the room). Everyone has been great at making me take it easy, including my Mum who came for Christmas. It was such a blessing to have her over the holiday. It took a minor miracle since she doesn't usually drive long distances in the winter! Ross, Julie, Mom and me played euchre and age won out over beauty.

We are all trying to make an effort to keep in touch more - talking on the phone regularly. Cell phones and unlimited long distance helps.

In 2006, we predict:

1. That Gramma Lake will become a great gramma (again) and Gramma Marie will be a great gramma for the first time.
2. That there will be at least one marriage and possibly one engagement.
3. That BJ and Jessie will move to a different home.
4. That the NC house will get renovated and rented.
5. That we will take a family vacation to NC - maybe in May.
6. That John and I will have a wonderful time sailing in Antigua with our friends the Catanzarites.
7. That John will come in a close second in at least one laser regatta this summer.
8. That Julie will sail regularly this summer, possibly with Ross
9. That we will continue to be blessed with loving family and good friends.

We resolve to eat more healthy, exercise, and continue to enjoy time with family and friends.

Happy New Years!

Susan and John

Christmas Holidays - 2005

2005-12-31T18:14:00.000-08:00

We've had a relaxing holiday. Gramma Lake, Jessie and BJ, Julie, Eric celebrated Christmas with John and me. Earlier, Ross had come to visit Julie for a few days and left us with 50 buckeye candies... Oh the waistline! Jessie loved her skis, BJ- slingbox to watch the Reds, Julie her digital camera and I Pod, Eric - ND tickets, Kris - baby crib and bedding. John's big surprise was his new iceboat. It's red and about 30 years old. It was a bit slow but sped up after the blades were sharpened at Bill's. Julie and Ross had fun iceboating too.

Last night we had several friends from the Sailing Club over for a pre-New Year's Eve party - Kurt, Caroline, Jill and Brian, Frank and Diana, Bill and Diane. Everyone felt relaxed, talked, watched the football game (sort of), played music.

Before Christmas I had knee surgery so I've been hobbling around. John and Julie have been a big help.

We've missed Kris and Ken this holiday season but have talked on the phone a lot. Their big news is that they are officially engaged!

We are doubly blessed with great family and friends. It has been a wonderful couple of weeks. John's only regret is that the weather has warmed and iceboating is out for the moment.

Mark called and his contractor Dave has started on the foundation work on the NC house. Soon, I will be leaving to help coordinate work there. In the meantime, Happy New Year to all.

Susan and John