May 31, 2017 Height of Laziness (still at Landing Point RV Park, CG MO)

The legal limit of laziness:  that's us!

Last week was filled with appointments.  We have now been checked from stem to stern.  We are good to next fall.

There was dental appointments, lab work, eye doctor (more details in a minute), family doctor appointments, and thyroid doctor appointment.

Wednesday Glen and I each saw our eye doctor that check eyes and writes prescriptions for new glasses.
For nearly three weeks prior to that appointment Glen's left eye was red and felt as if there was sand/gravel in eye.  Knowing there was this appointment coming up he just "gritted" it out.  

Well....after examination by three eye doctors the diagnosis is "fever blister" in the eye.  It is quite serious.  Glen is taking an anti-virus pill three times a day.  The eye is somewhat better, but not well.  The vision is blurred.  

Dr. T said yesterday there is concern about the blister leaving scarring on the eye.  He also indicated Glen will be on this medicine long term.  Glen has another appointment next Tuesday.

Quite an unusual, unexpected diagnosis!

In between and after appointments we are enjoying Zade and his baseball team.  

Monday Glen assisted Sarah and Darin with washing the siding on the north end of their house as well as pruning and cleaning the rose bed.  My job was to keep Ashlynn and Zade company.  Tough job!

Yesterday Emily, summer nanny for Ashlynn and Zade, was down in her back.  

We gave her the afternoon off and kept A/Z company.  Ashlynn and I went for a bike ride.  It was the first ride for nearly a year for me.  Can you say "huff and puff"?  

A/Z spent the night with us.  Darin and Sarah both had early morning appointments.  We met Emily at the house about 9:30 this morning.

Other than all of the above, we have been lazy! 

May 23, 2017 Good-Byes and Baseball

Today was filled with mixed feelings!  We visited our dentist, Gary, and Pat, office manager this morning.

Not only have they been our dentist for 40 years, they have been our friends for that long. 

When Trisha and Darin were his patients as children they never knew when he gave them a shot.  He told them to close their eyes and he "put the germs to sleep."  

 They are retiring; just five more work days!  

We are extra happy for their retirement as they are moving to be close to their very special children and grandchildren.  They will enjoy every minute of being retired.

But....
of course we will have to break in a new dentist!!! LOL

Tonight Zade and team played baseball.  Zade is the pitcher for the team.  Tonight he pitched the complete game (four innings), no runs, no walks, one hit.  The pitch total was 58.  I was telling him how much fun it was to watch him play and how proud Poppy and I were of him.  He said "it makes me tired!"

The pitching mound is 75 feet from home base.  That is a LONG way to throw a ball accurately when you are a fourth grader.
Each batter is allowed six walks then take the base; or 3 strikes you are out.  

Zade, before the game

on the mound

May 22 2017. Picnic Sunday

Sunday afternoon was a great time for a picnic here at the RV park.

Darin and family brought the fixings for grilled hot dogs.   There was some bike riding and pitch and catch as well as some artistic expression!!

Zade

Ashlynn

The evening was finished with a couple of games of cards with Darin and the kids.

Sarah's was in the throes of an allergy attack all afternoon!

5-20-2017 Graduation and More (Back in Cape Girardeau MO, Landing Point RV Park)

The family's third high school graduation in a row was celebrated last night.

Landon--2015
Brady--2016

and Natalie 2017.  

One more to go:  Tanner 2018

The weather forecast was iffy-at best, and the ceremonies were moved from the football stadium where there was enough space for all of the audience.

Graduation was in the basketball arena where there definitely was not enough space for everyone as well as not being air conditioned.

Trisha and Jeff were in the area where they could see Natalie in person.  Tanner, Glen, and I were in the overflow area--the Performing Arts Center, which is theater seating and air conditioned.  We watched the ceremony on a big screen.

Screen capture of the Arena, before graduates were seated

Gayla, Natalie now a college freshman, and Glen

Glen and Tanner

Tanner and Gayla

Tanner and Natalie

The skies opened before eleven o'clock with a magnificent lightning and thunder show.  It rained the rest of the night with a total of 5.5 inches of rain.  

We said our goodbyes to Trisha, Jeff, Tanner, and Brady last night.

We left early this morning (Saturday) heading back to Cape Girardeau.  It was sprinkling when we left at 7:40 and then drove in rain for about 3-4 hours.  

Then.....we ran into backed up traffic.  We should have listened to the GPS lady who told us to exit and take a different route due to traffic congestion.  Oh, no, we didn't think she knew what she was talking about.  But she did!!

It took about two hours -plus to go about 20 miles. We finally saw two wrecker trucks (at different locations) hooked up to 18-wheelers.  Can assume it took that long to get the vehicles hooked up.  Who knows.

Next time----listen to GPS lady!

We will be here for a few weeks; at least until after Memorial Day week end.  We are not sure of plans after that.  

5-17-2017 Learning to Like Sushi

Monday night

Trisha and Tanner are becoming sushi fanatics!  Monday night the four of us went to "Fuji's Japanese Restaurant" in Ft. Smith AR.  Taking advice from Trisha and Tanner each of us ordered a different kind of sushi.  Jeff was away, piloting for American Airlines.

Temptation of Fire--complete with flames--mine

Spider Roll:  a new one for Trisha, but she did not like it at all.  Ordered Hollywood Roll as Plan B

Tanner ordered Sunny Roll

Glen ordered Green River, which he really liked.

Trisha is enjoying cooking/preparing dishes.  She likes to prepare "new" dishes.  tonight was "old-fashioned goulash"!  It was an Italian tomato/beef dish with macaroni and cheese.  Delicious.

Today Glen installed a rain barrel for Trisha to catch rain from the gutters.  This water will be used to water plants in the back yard.  What was once old is now new!

We enjoyed lunch with Brady.  Brady has started a summer job at "O'Reilly's Auto Parts".  This is the second summer that he will be working for them.  

May 15, 217 Mother's Day Pictures (May 14) Sebastian County Fairgrounds, Greenwood AR

How can it be a week since I have written?  The days are flying by!

Last Friday, May 12, we left Cape Girardeau, traveling in and out of rain to Greenwood, AR.  This is where our daughter, Trisha, hubby Jeff, Brady and Tanner live.

Brady is home from college, where he attained a 4.0 GPA this semester.  He starts work at O'Reilly's Auto Supply on Sunday.  

Tanner and Trisha are still in school until May 23.  

Sunday was a great Mother's Day.  Trisha chose to prepare dinner.  Jeff's requests included meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans.  It was all delicious.

Here's a few family pictures:

Brady, Gayla, Trisha, Tanner

Brady, Gayla, Tanner

Tanner, Gayla

Gayla, Trisha

I--we--love this family.

Here's Brady with the project truck he has had for about a year.  It has turned into more a project than he anticipated.

Brady with the 1971 Chevrolet pick up.  He has invested lots of hours and $$.

May 8, 2017 From ER to Beauty Shop: Ashlynn

We got that phone call this afternoon.  You know the one that says "mom, we are on our way to the ER.  Ashlynn cut the tip of her finger off!

Yes sir, we will meet you there.

Ashlynn had cut an apple in half, then was cutting into quarters when her left index finger got in the way.  There was enough cut off that Darin put it on ice, and took it to the ER.

Long story short: no stitches, no re-attachment, just clean the wound, cover with gauze and finger guard!

Darin offering soothing words.  She was very brave.

But, all during the ER visit she was worried that she wasn't going to be able to get the 6:15 beauty shop appointment for a haircut.

But, she made it. Girls will be girls.

Major haircut.

All finished!  She looks wonderful.  Love Ashlynn's smile.

We only missed one inning of Zade's first baseball game.  There has been so-o-o much rain, practice sessions have been limited two.

The team is experiencing the first year of player pitch.  Nine (and ten) year olds are challenged to get the ball to the catcher, on the right side of the player.  A good catcher is the key to preventing runners from stealing home on passed balls.  

ZADE (excuse the capitals.  Spell check wants to change it to "Made".) pitched some, but he was needed as catcher and did a great job.  There was no more stealing home after he was catcher.  Final score was Us 7 and Them 8.  

May 7, 2017 Sunday A busy Saturday (Still at Landing Point RV Park, Cape Girardeau MO)

The days before Saturday were "same song, different verse!"

Rain, rain, and more rain.

The neighboring counties, cities, and farms have suffered indescribable damage. Van Buren and Doniphan MO endured record crests, sending buildings, homes, cars down the river.  The Mississippi River crested last night at the sixth record level.

Yesterday morning Ashlynn finished her third/fourth grade volleyball season.

Ashlynn in action.

Zade, Darin, Ashlynn, Sarah

Glen, Zade, Gayla, Ashlynn

After the games we drove to Iberia MO, which is located near Lake of the Ozarks.

My "baby" brother Mark, the youngest of us four Whittle kids, retired after 37 years with the US Postal Service.    His route mirrored the route our grandfather drove as a mail carrier some decades before.  He worked from the Brumley, MO (Population 80?) post office.  He drove over 100 miles daily on a gravel road plus highway miles; totaling over a million miles those 37 years.  Before steel-belted tires came on the market, he sometimes had 4 flats in a day.  He replaced countless brake pads/drums on his right-handed drive Jeep.  He went out of his way to be sure he had happy "customers".  He delivered mail six days a week.

How, you may ask, will he fill his time? ? Don't worry.  He is father to two daughters, grandfather to six, four of whom are sports' stars (the other two are too young).  He farms 300+ acres, cattle and hay; he is a First Responder, a member of various county boards, etc.  

His daughters planned a "surprise" party for him.  He was actually surprised and speechless--which is a first for him!  It was grand being a part of his celebration.

I apologize for the quality, but the look on his face was priceless.  Click to enlarge.

Daughters: Megan and Amy; Mark, wife Becky

Jan, Mark, and Gayla.  Brother Ronnie was unable to join us.  

Becky and Mark

We are looking forward to this next week.  Sunshine is in the forecast!!