Happy Birthday to James

Birthday wishes go out to James on his 29th. birthday. It seems he had a quiet weekend and attended a concert/performance of Elise's choir last evening. The photo is a favorite, and captures what James does so well:) Also kudos to Elle today and the FDL marching band. They scored 2nd. at competition last night in Waukesha. This is quite a feat because the winning band has 3 times the students. While the winners were awarded 76 points, FDL had 70, which is just great for the 104 member band. Elle left home at 2 PM and returned at midnight. Today they are competing in DePere and should be home by 6. I worked today for a girl who recently had surgery, and I'm pooped out. Tonight I plan to relax and take Steve and Henry for a walk...certainly won't watch the 'low lights' from the Packer game. Jeez:(

Thanks to Aliyah

Thanks to Aliyah for the lovely pictures today. She likes to take random shots around the house:) Yesterday was a little disappointing. I had to take a rain check with Stan, as my ankle still hurts. Also, with all the physical work around the rentals and here, since the flood, I've developed chronic pain in my thumbs (actually where the thumb meets the wrist.) The condition is known as DeQuervain's Tendonitis, and it flares up to the point of extreme pain...the kind that actually wakes me up at night sometimes. I simply have to take a break from the physical stuff for a while. Easier said than done:( I have thumb splints, and that helps quiet the tendons a bit, but they are difficult to wear at work when I am always dealing with people. Oh well, enough of my complaining. The Dr. suggests 6 weeks of inactivity with my hands. Oh, like that's really possible:)

cute pics

Here are some cute pictures from the last few days. We've been getting a lot accomplished over at Eva's rental. The house is starting to look nice. I cut the grass today...a big yard...and sprained my ankle falling into a large hole the previous tenant's dog dug:( So I'm focusing on jobs a little less physical. Tomorrow is another day off, so hopefully I will finish the painting in the rental, and then move on to putting in a new faucet in the kitchen. Always something. I'll be taking a break at noon to lunch with Stan.

Happy 6th. to little Dave

Nephew Dave started school this fall, and is excited about it. He's also anxious for his new little brother who's expected next month:)

Happy Birthday Gretch...

I've always loved this photo of Gretch and I getting ready for my wedding. A very happy 31st. birthday to my lovely niece.

say "cheese"

Elle was happy to end 3+ years of orthodontics today. It's going to take a little while to adjust to sax playing, but she's pumped. Tonight we celebrate with corn on the cob and caramel apples:)

relaxing day

Just a few photos from this afternoon. It turns out we didn't have a competition for the marching band, which originally we thought we did, and so we altered the day. I mailed the pledges for the Walk/Run (Briggs and Al) and then got busy around the house. We cleaned and closed down the pool, and cut the grass. Other than that, we relaxed outside and made a spicy jalapeno dip for tomorrow night's tailgate party:) Before we celebrate tomorrow, we have a concert at the new church, and Eva will debut as the new director of the youth choir.

set in stone

Paul has been working on the 'time capsule' for the new church. It will be behind the cornerstone with the date 2007 engraved on it. Elise and James are on a DVD that will be included, since they were the first wedding at the church site. Paul has promised to include only flattering photos:) How neat. Imagine 500 years from now, people trying to figure out what life was like here at the church when it was new. Really makes you wonder. Such a neat project.

Happy Birthday Vonn:)

A very happy 24th. birthday wish goes out to Vonn, a good friend and fellow dog lover. He's celebrating by going hunting. I know nothing of hunting, but Vonn is very knowledgeable. He's also a great fisherman. Having fished with him for crappie and bluegill, he is an expert there as well. He recently visited and took a picture with Earl and Vala. I will try to get it...it's very cute.

eldorado marsh

I hiked the Eldorado Marsh Trail today for over 2 hours. The weather was beautiful, and I took advantage of a day off. Paul was in Milwaukee for an archdiocese meeting, and Eva was busy all day at Marian, so I headed out alone. I saw just 1 other hiker and 6 bicyclists. It was really beautiful...lots of birds, frogs, insects and wild concord grapes. Tasted a few:)

prayers needed folks

Elise called. Her friend and co-worker A.W., 31 years old with a newborn at home, just found out she has cancer. She is very involved, with the cancer being in the uterus and ovaries. She also just had a stroke from internal bleeding due to a softball sized tumor in the thoracic region. She's in the ER at Vanderbilt University Hospitals, and Elise is on her way there. Let's please remember her in our prayers. Thanks to the Holy Family folks for their kind words and support. I'll update soon.

birthdays

Birthday wishes go out to nephew Erik in Traverse City, on his 17th:) Also remembering Grandma Hilde today, on what would have been her 86th...gone from us now for 6 years:( Love you both.

bell dedication

Thanks to Betty Trent for the photos from the bell dedication. Here's the story from the paper.

The tolling of generations can be heard in three bells settled in the bell tower at Holy Family Catholic Church. Gathered from historic churches no longer in use, the forged, bronze bells will preserve the heritage of the original parishes, said Holy Family Parish Manager Joe Bird. Holy Family's new home at 271 Fourth Street Way came from the consolidation of six parishes and resulted in the closure of three churches in the city of Fond du Lac. Its new bell tower was dedicated during a Sept. 7 church service by Bishop William P. Callahan, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

One of the bells was saved from St. Louis Catholic Church after the building was destroyed by fire in March 2007. Another came from St. Patrick Church when it was sold to developers in 2007. Three more bells were taken from the tower at St. Peter Catholic Church in St. Peter, since they were no longer being used.

Of the three bells from St. Peter, one resides in the new bell tower at Holy Family. "It had a sound closest to matching up with the other two from St. Pat's and St. Louis. The three bells together form a musical B major chord," said Paul Thelen, director of music and liturgy at Holy Family.

The oldest of the bronze bells, forged in 1880, will be displayed on the grounds at St. Peter's. Bird said the names of the original donors are on the bell. Many of the donors are from families that first settled in this area.

The third St. Peter's bell was given to the company that completed the bell project in exchange for services, Bird noted. Chime Master of Ohio restored the old bells, fit them with new, electronic ringers, then brought them back from Ohio and hung them in the church steeple. Cost of the entire project came in around $30,000.

The largest church bell came from St. Patrick. Made in 1883 by the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore, Md., it weighs in at more than 2,000 pounds, Thelen said. The St. Peter's bell mounted in the tower dates back to 1929 and was made by the Stuckstede Company from St. Louis, Mo. The St. Louis bell was forged in 1941 by Meneely Company of Watervliet, N.Y.

Thelen said the gathering of the bells into one tower represents the gathering of church members from different parishes under one roof.

"It furthers our unity as one parish," he said. "It's symbolic that we have pieces from our historic churches here in Fond du Lac all coming together under one parish."

Thanks Elise and James

Thanks to Elise and James for the cute photo taken after a Tune Town practice. That is the group Elise sings with in Nashville.

Elise and Paul

A friend from church gave Paul these photos from a singing gig sometime last year. I'm unsure of the event, but thought they were nice. The last few days have been busy with fixing and painting in the rental. The girls have moved in, and they are being very patient with the work going on around them. Aliyah is joining us after school, and she thinks it's great hanging around with the 'big' girls. Yesterday I spent the day at a mandatory in service on abuse and neglect issues in the workplace, and the presenter was very good. Usually, those things are painfully boring, but this was different and actually interesting. We broke up into groups and discussed real cases. Afterward, Elle made a wonderful broccoli cheese soup for supper. This afternoon it's more work at the rental, and then home for some new york strip steaks...James' favorite:) Every time he visits he has to go to Sebastian's for steak. I can't guarantee ours will be that good, but if the weather holds, they'll be great on the grill.

good news

Elle went to the Dr. today because she had a painful and swollen gland under her left arm. With her medical history, we always worry about changes. She's also complained of a sore throat for several days. It turns out what we thought was a swollen gland was a benign sebaceous cyst, which should disappear on it's own in the next few weeks. If it does not, it can be removed during an office procedure. Her strep culture was negative, so she has nothing more than a cold, and the two were not related. The nurse began by saying..."I have to ask you some lifestyle questions. Do you smoke, drink, take drugs, have sex," etc etc. Jeez. What a world we're living in when many 15 year olds have to answer 'yes.' On a brighter note, I had a nice visit with Stan this morning, and he showed off 2 little kittens hiding in a box in the shed. Mama cat was nearby and very friendly. They were so cute that I was tempted. Just tempted. I know better than to bring another one home:)

51 to 14 victory

Elle's marching band (Fondy) participated in the UW Madison Band Day on Saturday. 4000 high school band kids from the state attended, and played 4 songs at the half time show. The badgers won 51 to 14 and a good time was had by all:) The UW band also performed which was the highlight of the day. The Fondy band kids boarded the bus to Madison at 4:45 AM, and arrived home at 6 PM. Yawn.

hectic few days

We've been busy getting the rental ready for Eva and friends. I have paint in my hair and fingernails, even after a shower. The house is shaping up slowly. We plan an open house in October for everyone to relax and enjoy the efforts of making the place into a home. The girls have all been helpful...they have lots of good ideas on colors and patterns and fabrics. We're getting there. A special 'thank you' tonight to Kathy and Bob, Kylie and Erik for the lovely card and kind words following the loss of McTavish. They are animal lovers, so this means a lot:) Photo today is of Henry and Aliyah in the office, taken while I typed away. Hen slept all day, and is in need of some exercise. The rain is the problem. We haven't been able to walk him. We all are feeling less than 100 percent. Let's hope tomorrow will be better. I heard a Weather Channel announcer say that when the front comes through, it will be clear and cool...like high def. Cool. Hit me with it.

labor day 1998

I found this photo taken on labor day 1998 and thought it was nice. Eva's friend Lucy is on the left holding Moses, followed by Eva holding a kitten Mozart, and a 5 year old Elle with McTavish. The 2 bunnies are Benny and Ginger the lop. Aunty Jo bought Benny for Elise for her 12 birthday, and he lived an amazing 10 years. Ginger was the mascot of Elle's preschool, and of course Moses was 14 when he died. Our animals have always been great companions:)

disappointing

Elle was to march today in the parade with the Fondy marching band. However, after a 2 week camp and a 2 hour rehearsal today, someone forgot to reserve the bus to get them to the parade start. They did not make it. All the students sat in their black woolen uniforms for 40 minutes waiting for the bus. Unfortunate. On a lighter note, Elise called to say that although they were evacuated due to the storm, they made it home safely. She was stung by a jellyfish and stepped on a sting ray (which squiggled away and felt like a chamois.) Other than that, she got a little sunburn. On the Eva front, she's busy this weekend moving in to one of our rentals with 3 other girls from Marian...I think they are nursing students, but one might be an education major. Tomorrow and Wednesday I am taking off to help with painting and cleaning. Paul has to do some drywalling, as the previous renter's son was autistic and kicked a lot of walls. Eva went to the residence early yesterday to help the family move and to clean up. The autistic boy's 3 year old sibling said, "get the hell out of my room." Eva handled it very well. She said, "I am here to help your Mom." To that he said, "Well stand here," pointing her to the corner. Eva went to the corner and waited for Mom. Mom said nothing...just collected the child and moved on. I count my blessings every day.