Crazy February Days

You asked for a blog update of pictures and news. Here it is, Lisl. It will be scattered and disorganized. I have pictures from three different cameras. Here's a slice of our rich and varied life. First, I will give you our list of accomplishments.

                                            List Of Accomplishment

~ Elv got new phones for the two of us. What really happened was that he was having no end of frustration with his phone. Insurance, replacement that still didn't work, bad label for sending phone number two back, phone number three in bad shape on the face, etc.
Besides, the day that Rosie and I reset the store I dropped a lamp on my ancient, beloved and well-known phone. Smashed it to smithereens! Very sad day.
So Elv threw up his hands and we got new phones. Up to date, unknown, NOT beloved, hard to understand, but brand spanking new phones. Mine anyway. He tried to talk me into an I-phone. I'm too old for that many new tricks. Hate new stuff. They promised me this new android would be much like my last phone which being interpreted is supposed to mean that I won't have to learn any new tricks. Wrong!  But Elv really was trying to do me a favor and provide well, so! I'm getting used to a new Galaxy 5. Folks there will be no cell phones in heaven and I'm grateful for that.

~ Went on a date with Amos and Carol in Rice Lake the other Friday evening. Elv and I said to ourselves that we were going to sit in a restaurant with no TV's with our two dear friends, uncle and auntie, and not talk about troubles or burdens or cares. Just relax and visit about the daffodils.  Oh well, it was a nice time but they had burdens and cares to spill about and so we laughed and cried together: daffodils AND difficulties. It was wonderful.
~ Drove Amos and Carol over to Detroit to visit another uncle, Dave, in the Henry Ford hospital. The Henry Ford is located in the middle of miles of rows of apparently repossessed has been upscale homes. I don't know how to describe what I saw. We were grateful that our cousin Bob Ford offered to drive us back and forth to the hospital from his home in Plymouth where we stayed. What will happen to all those communities of abandoned homes? A nurse told us to be sure to stay on campus at the hospital. "It's safe here, but don't go walking anywhere off campus around here." Anybody up for a new mission field experience? Detroit needs you.
~ Very much enjoyed a cousin visit with Janette and Wayne while we were there. Thanks so much.
This mural made of stone pieces stretches along the hall at the west entrance of the Henry Ford hospital. Nicest eagle I've seen in awhile. It stays right there and doesn't eat road kill.

~ We have Clarks house almost ready for them. We've painted and scrubbed and laid new flooring and fixed up washer and dryer hook ups and everything.

     

~ We had the Valentines banquet at Norske Nook. Sixteen couples came from various local churches. Interesting visit time and good food.  And Saturday evening when I walked in from working at Clark's house I found this on the table from my own Valentine. He is the best.

~ Elv and Lance traded machines and are trying an all new plan for working their logging jobs and hoping to make incomes work for both of them. We'll see. I know, most of you didn't need to know that. So forget it. Lisl will be interested though.

~Lance has found a girlfriend at last. The lovely Kristine from Northwoods from Pennsylvania. They seem happy together.  
  

 These two are always together. Everybody is saying, "That sure isn't going to take long, is it?" What are we supposed to say?  They're both old enough to know what they're doing, right? So all you folks out there oohing and aahing or tsk-tsking whichever, go ahead. We are saying, God Bless 'em!

                                       List Of What's Left To Do

~ Take Brad to Driver's Ed for the next 15 school days in Hayward. One hour every day. It'll be a zoo, but we are ready for him to be a driver!
~ Get Clark's moved in to their house this week. And Charlotte hopes the baby stays "in" till they're all moved.
~ Amy says and I agree, we've got messy corners in the stonehouse to get cleaned up. Lotsa trash! Again! What's with that? Spring cleaning coming right up.
~ The children's ministry youth are headed out to Pennsylvania to get all charged up again about their own kid's club here.
~ And pray for our young people and old parents. Love up the babies. Make meals and wash dishes. Listen well, laugh often, and cry with the hurting. And to stop fretting that I didn't have a clue what I was signing up for.