Erik is married

Our nephew Erik got married in Finland today.  He met Fieke several years ago and she wasn't able to get a visa for Graham's wedding.  Erik won a Fullbright scholarship and so he is in Europe and they decided to get married there.  May God bless their marriage.  I can hardly wait to meet her.  

Rainy am.  No driving mower for Denny.  We chilled in the am.  Denny went to IG to get a new tire for  the generator trailer,   I went to Caroll to get the Prius serviced.  On the way home Mandy called, she was on her way to the airport to fly and visit Nicole and her baby.  It will be good for her to get a break and spend time with a good friend.  I fixed guacamole and we had a snack in the bunkhouse.  Denny had been struggling with putting in the remaining window boards.  I sanded a little.  We fixed pesto and Denny added spice to the meat for zuppa when the Nakasawa come for supper next week.   Another nice day.   

Home and sanding

I listened to the book around 1am.  Well, guess I didn't sleep that well.   I just did random things this morning.  I did buy plane tickets to B'vill (Oct 19) and back to Omaha (Dec 1).  Lord, guide my decisions.   I texted and set up a time for getting together with Kathy, Susan, and Teresa.  That's a long time in coming.  I planted the 35 daffodils and 10 allium.  Then I started sanding the floor in the bunk house.  Now that's a job!!!  I have 9 boards done on the east side done.  There are a total of 46 boards, so I"m not even 1/5th done.  Time is what I have.  I finished reading All the Light We Cannot See  by Anthony Doerr

                                                       

      

OGT

 Up at 5.  I did the regular things ... clean the kitchen ,,, empty the dishwasher ... take my pills ... make coffee ... and headed to IG for OGT until 11am.  Denny is driving for Larsons this am.  I made a collage for Tessa at the 5 K race.   After I got home I put shelf paper on lower cupboards and listened to the book All the light You Can See.  We had a very welcome family call at 7.  Love visiting with our kids.!! 

Golfing HOT!!

 Up and moving.   I played pickleball before head to BV golf course at 9.  I played bast ball with Nancy and Nonie B, both from Wall Lake.  We didn't all shoot great all the time, but one of us had a good shot when needed.  And we ended up with a 35, 2 under par.  Fine morning.   I stayed at the club house and visited with Nancy R. and 2 from Holstein area until 2.  Then to SOS and Walmart in Storm Lake and Casey's to get gas.  The Olive Branch opened at 4 and Mandy met me there about 5.  T'was fun to shop with her.  I got a set of Tfal pots and pans, She got 2 Ninja Turtle costurmes for Halloween.  At home our airbnbers arrived, Denny came home a little early and we had a good visit.  He is getting to feeling better. 

 

It's a blessing to be with the family of God

 Denny coughed most of the night, deep gut wrenching coughs that shook his entire body ... (AND THE BED).  At 5:30 I said he might sleep better out in the recliner in the living room.  Poor guy.   The lily arrangement from Joyce is opening up ... so pretty.   I went outside later and put together one fresh flower vase for church and auction and one eucalyptus vase.  Wonderful SS class.  We're starting a new book.  Outta your head.  Kathi, me, Lisa, Beth G,.Michelle, Renae, Stephanie, Lia, Heidi, Carrie, Nice bunch.  After church Haiti crew served maid rites and had a auction.  I bought a wandering jew plant.  So nice.  At home Denny was still not feeling well.  I napped and put together flowers for golf tomorrow morning and 2 small bunches for the airbnb that arrives tomorrow.  Zucchini soup for supper and I started to actually read a book All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  

Full day

 Denny left to mow fence lines, ditches, waterway and terraces after Larsons harvest a field.  I went to Mary Kays at 9 for a cup of coffee.  She had made coffee cake yesterday It was yummy.  Beautiful morning sitting on her new porch, drinking coffee and visiting with a sweet friend.  God is good.  Then to Danbury where I got a top and sweater at the Blue Bird.  Jenna was not there:(  In IG I bought some sanding belts for bunk house floor.  Then I worked at OGT from 1-3.  Then I played pickleball with Lynn, Toshi, Sue, Craig and Tim.  At home I fixedbbq meat and baked potatoes for supper.  Denny was really sick when he came home. Pretty much straight to bed.  Poor guy.  Ii plan to go to Pauls memorial gathering next weekend.  Friday I plan to go to an ISU baseball Diamond Darling reunion, stay at Jensens, and leave for Madison early Saturday morning.

Denny back to mowing

 I slept until 7.  Denny left to drive tractor, I went to pickleball in IG.   At home I folded laundry and did 2 loads.  I started to sand some of the floor in the bunk house, but I need more sand paper belts.   Denny came home and has a very bad cold, cough, sore throat.  We went to bed early and listened to the HS football game.  I checked cost of flights for this fall.  Lord, grant us wisdom.   I made a reservation for Diamond Darling ISU baseball meal next Friday.  Then I plan to drive to Madison to visit Nancy and go to Paul's memorial.  

Nice Day

Up and nice slow day at the farm.  Denny fixed TQ sausages for breakfast.  We visited in the warm sun.  The guys tried to casterate a cat.  Got one, but might not have gotten the second.  I tried to pick Joyce's brain on ideas for bunkhouse.   I dug up Sedum and mint for Bransons.  We ate lunch of BT down by the creek, no lettuce.  They headed to North Polk about 1:45.  It was so fun/ relaxing to have Brad and Joyce on the farm.  We napped, then mowed the lawn.  I planted some bulbs by the garden shed, some by the picket fence, and some surprise lilies by the ferns. 

Gail and Bruce came

Fun day!!!  Gail and Bruce also came to the farm the long way around because of the road construction.  UFFDA!!  Denny fixed breakfast on the deck.  We went into IG to play pickleball.  Fun!  At home we fixed wraps for lunch on the coop picnic table.  Gail and Bruce left about 1.  Nap for me.  We toured Ida County with Bransons before AWANA.  After Awana Denny grilled Brats and we had a leisurely meal in the sun room.  

GGGGolf GGGGarden GGGGood friends

I was awake and headed to IG for pickleball until 9.    Then to Schleswig for golf.  I really didn't shoot well, Actually I played with 2 gals from Denison who played at the 2 gal best ball.  I played SO poorly I didn't even feel confident enough to tell them Gail and I won that best ball. with a 32.  UFFDA!!  Too proud, I am.  Because I had taken flowers for door prizes each ladies Monday morning league, I invited any gals who wanted to visit our farm.  About 12 of them came.  Fun to visit with them and the weather was great.  The gals left, I napped and about 4 Bransons made it thru the road construction.  YUCK!   We fixed stuffed porkchops  for supper.  Fun to visit until 11 pm.  They had left Denver about 5 am and drove here.  So good to have them stay.                                   

                                         

Tyler under the weather

 I slept in past 6:30 and when I checked my messages Tyler was sick, so I headed north and got to hold a sweet little boy who is not feeling the best.  Please say a prayer for him.

Home again

Great time camping!  We left the campground, went home and then to church at 10:30.   We met the 4 gals from DM who were having a relaxing girl's weekend at our airbnb.  As I went thru Johnson Hall it was set up for the funeral with fall colors.  I checked with Kathi and then left Denny sitting in the sunroom after I had partially eaten my lunch.  How strange of me to just leave and go pick zinnias.  UFFDA!! We went to church about 1 and I put the flowers together in the area behind the organ while I did one of my favorite things in the world.  I listened to Deb while she was playing piano before the service.  It was just wonderful.  The service for Paul and Maryann was good.   Carol T. rode out to the cemetery with us. Maryann's life was so special to me.  Next to my mom and Anabel she has had the most profound influence on my life.  Maybe starting when Mandy was a baby Maryann babysat for the children of young moms who came to a Stonecroft Bible study in my kitchen.  She would be in the basement while we met for 1-2 hours.  She was a complete blessing.  So kind, So prayerful, So diligent.  Thank you Jesus for her life!!  

Cherokee Trail Run

 I stayed in bed until the sister phone call.  It was wonderful.   After a quick shower (Opps for got soap and towel) so it was a really quick since off, I headed to shelter and starting line.  Fun to watch the races and visit with the crowd.  I met 2 families from Oak Dale who heard Jensen's Nepal talk a their church.  Leah and family stayed for wraps and veggies for lunch.  We took a 2 hour nap and it felt great.  Then sat around a fire after we got done playing adaptive volleyball with no net, just cones and 7 people.  Jason grilled wonderful hamburger and I ate too much for supper.  YUM!!!

Fun day

 I set the alarm and got up to go for an early morning "one-day-late" birthday coffee at Kim's.  T'was fun to visit and catch up on life.   It was rainy and so no pickle ball.  Denny cleaned the house and I put more wallpaper on the bunk house upstairs room divider.  I took Elizabeth "out" for lunch ... we ate at the patio by Godberson's car building.  I took fresh buns and bought sliced meat, Mountain Dew and grapes.  Fun!!! At home Denny was watching guys put in the line for internet, whatever.  

At home ......

First AWANA

 I was awake during the night and realized I had not remembered that Patio Prayer was tomorrow, so I set my alarm for 5:30 and was up and out the door to go to Britanniy's.  

Tuesday September 14 OGT

After OGT I went to Laura's.  I brought lunch from Subway and Susan came for lunch.  Laura had a dentist appointment and I watched Eloise while Susan gave Laura a ride.  After I got home about 12:30 I napped and pulled weeds in the flower garden.  Uffda!!  What a lot of weeds!   The airbnb gals came about 4.   They mistakenly went to bunk house thinking it was where they would stay.  Lots a laughs as I went to show them the real airbnb.  Denny came back from mowing.  

Monday September 13

 I went to town about 7:15 to play pickleball with Dave F. I left there about 9 and drove to Sac City Golf course.  

Thomas train

It was wonderful to sit with Laurie and Alan before we left at 9 for Boone.  Their home is "a family gathering place" as one of Laurie's friends put an accurate description into words.   It was a warm cosy, comfortable place to share a cup of coffee and sweet conversation.   The friend also looked around their new home and said, "He is my God, too."      The home is definitely a blessing.  We met Cooks at the Boone scenic Railway to see Thomas the train.  Fun day!!  We ate lunch at Pizza Ranch and headed home about 2.  I worked on self guided tour for our farm.

ISU lost

 Up and busy!!!!  I made cream cheese and Jelly with the Kitchen Aide mixer.  I made crazy cucumbers.  I took Stangl baby shower flowers to church.