Feels like fall

It has been really cool here the last few days.  Feels an awful lot like fall in the air.  It rained quite a bit today.  I have been back to work now for 2 weeks.  It has been going pretty well considering I wasn’t really ready to go back.  I got a paycheck today for one week so that was rather nice.  Amanda was here last weekend and her and Jenn went for their motorcycle classes.  Was pretty cool both days.  Rained on Saturday.  A friend of Jenns went with them and all 3 passed the course.  Amanda will have to wait to get the endorsement on her license till she gets back here next month.  You have to have your permit 30 days before you can actually get the endorsement.  Jenn should have been able to go down on Tuesday and get hers but forgot to ask her if she did.  Don’t know for sure when Amanda will be coming.  Greg was supposed to be leaving on the 2nd but today she called and said they pushed it back again and he will be leaving sometime between the 10th and 15th  It is great that he will have extra time here but it sure is frustrating for them to prepare for him leaving and then it gets changed again.  Beth, I think his rank is Sgt.  Amanda is now out of the Army.  Her last day was Monday.    She is planning on starting her college classes I think sometime in February.  She will actually be doing it online – I think it was based someplace in California.  They will be needing lots of prayers as they go thru this next year. 

Tom’s first eye surgery is this next Thursday.  Please pray that everything goes well.  Jenn is going to be taking him as we are doing assessment testing at school and I am proctor so I will not be able to get away.  I will hate that but they just don’t have anyone else to do it.  He will have the other one done done the following Thursday.  I will be able to get away for that one.  He will be having it done at the Cataract and Laser Clinic in Fort Wayne which is part of Midwest Eye Consultants where Jenn works.    She pays the bills for all of the offices in the corporation and talks with these people a lot.  She said it will be nice to meet some of them.  I am just glad she will be able to get off to take him.  Not much else new here.  Will let you know anything new on Greg’s deployment date.  Till later.

Update on Greg

Just wanted to let you know that Greg did not leave today.  I talked with Amanda yesterday and she said they have moved it to sometime in September but don’t know the date yet.  They are very frustrated.  This is the third time they have changed it.  The good thing about this is that he will get to spend more time with Cameron before he goes.  Will let you know when we have a more definite date.  She will probably be coming next weekend as she and Jenn had planned to take a motorcycle class to get their endorsement for their license on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (don’t know why but that is something they both want to do).  She will probably leave Cameron with Greg so he can spend the extra time with him and go home on Sunday after the class. She will then come back here in September after Greg leaves.  She is planning on spending a couple of weeks up here.   Ron, you asked about what Greg will be doing.  His last school was to learn to fly the unmaned air vehicles so I guess that is what he will be doing. 

Tom will be having his eye surgery in September.  The first eye will be on September 3rd.  The second one on the 10th.  I don’t know if I will be able to take him to the first one as we will be doing assessment testing the first week and I am the proctor for that.  I might be able to get someone to do that for me.  I just have to wait and talk to Mike when I get back to work.  They usually wait 2-3 weeks before doing the second eye.  Tom’s vision is such that there would be such a difference in the two eyes that they do those a week apart.  Hope everything goes ok.   Mine aren’t bad enough yet for the insurance to pay for it and I sure can’t afford to do it out of pocket.  

It’s back to work on Monday.  That is first staff day – students full day is Tueday.  That’s about all for now.

We’re Home Again!!!

We got home tonight around 7:00.  Ran into a construction area south of Louisville and traffic crawled for about 6 miles.  The construction wasn’t bad enough – along with that a cop had stopped a trucker and I guess everyone had to get a good look.  When we got past that traffic seemed to flow a lot better.  We figured we would have gotten home about an hour earlier if not for that hold up.   We were really glad to be home.  We enjoyed ourselves – especially the walks on the beach.  Tom went to a chiropractor in Ormond Beach on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but it still was not right but did feel some better.  He suffered thru the rest of the week.  He has an appointment in the morning with our chiropractor.   We figure he will be able to get it right since he knows his history and what it takes to help him.  No, Paul, he didn’t put it out on the beach.  He actually put it out before we left for Florida.  He lifted his leg in the shower to wash his foot and somehow popped it out.   Just wish our chiropractor had been able to get it in right before we left.   

Greg will be leaving this Thursday (13th) for Iraq.   Amanda and Cameron will be coming here for a while after he leaves.  Depending on the time of day (which they haven’t told them yet) she may leave on Thursday.  If it is later in the day, she will leave on Friday.   Don’t know how long she is going to stay.     Amanda called last night and said Cameron turned over from his back to his tummy last night but Greg didn’t get to see it.  They are hoping that he will do it again before Thursday so Greg can see it.    Well, that is about all for now.

Back in Florida

Today is the last of many firsts.  The first full year without Mom.  In some ways it seems like it has been a very long time and in other ways it seems like a very short time.  I miss her so much.  But when I do,  I stop to think of how she was and what she has now and it helps. 

We are in Ormond Beach again only in a different resort.  Condo is small but have a beautiful view of the ocean.  We laid out on the beach yesterday for a little bit.  Didn’t want to be out too long and get burned.  Use sunblock but down here the rays are so intense that it doesn’t take much.  Had a little rain yesterday evening.  Sun is out now and the sky looks pretty clear.  Down here they almost always have a 30-40% chance of showers mostly in the evening.  That’s okay as long as we get time outside.  Tom put his back out last Thursday morning and was into the chiropractor twice on Thursday.  He called one down here a little bit ago and hopefully will get in this afternoon.  They are waiting on a fax from our chiropractor with his info from the last 2 visits.  Don’t think we will do too much this week except to relax since I go back to work two weeks from today.  It’s hard to believe the summer can go this fast.   I didn’t get much done at home this summer but that is okay.  We enjoyed our trips a lot more than working at home.     Guess that is about all for now.  Till later

Home for a week

Well, it is nice to have a little bit of a routine.  Saturday we had a cookout  since  Amanda, Greg and Cameron were here.   They had been here on  leave since the 17th.   Amanda’s 10 year class reunion was on the 18th.   Cameron was baptised yesterday.  That was the only Sunday we were going to be home and they were going to be here while they were here and Amanda wanted to have that taken care of before Greg deploys.  We don’t know for sure when he will be leaving.  He doesn’t have a date yet but probably within the next 2-3 weeks.  He has to sign in by midnight tonight.  Hopefully he will find out in the next couple of days when he will be leaving for Iraq.  Amanda is on leave right now and will be separated from the Army on 24th of August.  She will not have to go  back after the leave.  She will be done.  Yippee!!!!  That is one less person I will have to worry about.  Tom and I went out today and played 9 holes of golf.  I hadn’t been out since before my surgery.  I didn’t do too bad.  Hit some really good shots for me but couldn’t putt  worth a darn.     Don’t know what happened as I usually am pretty good at putting.  Just couldn’t seem to get a hand on it today.  I think we will probably try to go out at least once more before we leave for Florida.   We have our appointment tomorrow at the cataract place in Fort Wayne.  I don’t think mine are ready yet for surgery but I guess we will see tomorrow.  Well, that is about all for now.

We’re Home

We arrived home tonight a little after 6.  It has been a long but enjoyable two weeks.  We spent Monday evening and Tuesday at Shirley’s.  We left there yesterday morning around 9:30 PT.  Stopped in Columbia, Missouri last night.  It sure was nice to get home.  The garden has grown and so have the weeds.  I put straw down between the rows so that has helped but will still have to pull some weeds tomorrow.  Have a few tomotoes on but not ripe yet.  Ashley picked a cucumber and 2 zucchini today.  Beans have grown but still don’t see any on.  Maybe they won’t come on until we get back from our next trip.  We leave next Friday for another week in Florida.  At least we have a week to catch up.    Till later.

Lots of visiting

On Friday we headed out to Puebelo to Dave & Mary Jo’s.  As we drove thru Pueblo we decided that is not even close to where we would want to live.  Very dry and not a lot of greeen.  One advantage - not much lawn mowing but that is about it.  We went out to supper with them and then went back to their house to visit.  Spent the night with them.  After taking them out for breakfast, we sat and watched the British Open and visited a little more.  While we were there Dave mentioned that Mark and Arleen (Tom’s nephew and niece that are in the Air Force) stationed in Aurora.  Of course, we couldn’t leave without contacting them.  Tom called and set up for us to see them on Sunday.  We called them when we got into town.  There at some activity with some kids so walked around an outdoor mall for a little bit and had an ice cream.  Mark finally called and they met us by the mall in front of the Target.  They took us to a real nice restaurant and then to their house.  Arleen is an E-9 and Mark is an E-8.  Arleen is the Senior NCO on the base so the house comes with the job.   They are fairly new and really nice.  Four bedroom with 3 full and one half bath.  They have karaoke and so we sang until midnight and then went to bed.  We slept in while they went to church.  We had gotten up and was watching tv when they got home.  Arleen said something about making  breakfast so she made waffles, eggs, bacon along with having watermelon.  I was stuffed by the time we got done eating.  Sure had a good time.  Called Pam & Jim and came here around 3:30.  They offered to let us spend the night which was nice because that way we could visist a little more.  It is nice to see them again.  I know I miss having Jim as our Pastor but they love it out here.  Pam took a friend to have a procedure done and will be getting home soon.  Want to visit a little more with her and of course show them pictures of Cameron that we have on the laptop.  Then will be heading to see Shirley & Dennis.  Been a full week but it is nice to see friends and family.  Later.

Leaving tomorrow

Yesterday we headed out intending to go straight down to Four Corners.  On the way we passed the entrance to Mesa Verdi.  The gal at Chimney Rock that we talked with the other day had mentioned the cliff dwellings there.  We decided we would see what it was like.  We didn’t take the guided tour as there was some climbing involved and I wasn’t sure I would be able to do it.  We did the self-guided.  You drive up and stop at the different areas along the way.  There is one area that you get to go into on the guided one.  That is the Cliff Palace.  I got pictures from the overlook but I think it would have been neat to actualy go into it.  The road up to it is very windy curvy.  I was driving on the way up and didn’t get to look around at all the beautiful scenery.  Tom drove on the way down so I could see everything.  We then headed on to Four Corners.  I was glad we didn’t stay at Mesa Verdi any longer as the Four Corner area closes at 8:00 and we got there around 7:30.  We did get to take our pictures with out hands and feet in all four states.  There was one family that had their little Yorkie stand with all four paws in different states.  We thought it was so cute that Tom took a picture.  It was really hot driving across to that area.  We didn’t see any place where it told the temp.   Pretty wide open and very dry from Cortez to Four Corners.  Today we aren’t doing much.  We did go into Pagosa Springs and look around some of the shops earlier.  Trying to find something for the girls.   Didn’t really find much as it is all so expensive.  Came back here for lunch and thought we might go in a little later when we go get something to eat.   Not much left of our groceries and don’t really want to buy anything now. 

We will be leaving here in the morning and heading to Pueblo to Tom’s brothers.  We are trying to coordinate seeing Pam & Jim (our former pastor) and having a little trouble as we had planned on seeing them on Saturday and they won’t be home.    Tom also wants to see a guy he went to one of the IBM schools with and has kept in touch with.  We had made plans to see him on Sunday so hope we can do a little switching so we get to see everyone.  Well, that’s all for now.

Silverton

We haven’t done a whole lot this week.   Have done a lot of relaxing and reading.   After the long trip here that is really what we needed.  Tom is having trouble with a cough.  Says it is bronchial.  I guess he will be heading to the doctor when we get home if it isn’t any better.   On Monday, we drove over to Chimney Rock which is an archeological site.  We took the self guided tour.  I wished afterward that we had taken the guided one as you don’t get to go into some of the places on the self guided one.  The road up to it felt like we were driving on a washboard.  Sure is hard on the car.  Now it needs a good washing.   After leaving Chimney Rock we drove into Durango (60 miles).  We needed to pick up a few things and that is the  closest WalMart.  Pagosa Springs doesn’t really have much shopping.  We made reservations to take the train from Durango to Silverton yesteray.  It is a narrow-guage railroad that goes up the side of the mountain.   We had taken it years ago when the girls were younger and really enjoyed it.  It was as pretty as I remembered.  Didn’t remember all the soot from the engine.  It is a coal-powered steam engine.  Sure did feel dirty.  You only stay in Silverton a couple of hours but there isn’t really much to see there.  Just a little western town with a lot of restaurants and gift shops.  The train ride is the big draw.  When we got back to Pagosa we stopped at a Mexican restaurant.  Was really good food.  Salsa was a little hot but had lots of good flavor.   We both took showeres when we got back.  Don’t know for sure what we are going to do today.  Would like to drive over to the 4 corners.  I guess it is about 2 hours away.  More later.

Pagosa Springs, Co

Yesterday was a very long and tiring day.  We left Warrenton, MO yesterday morning and drove across Missouri and then Kansas.  I swear Kansas is the longest and most boring state in the country.  I didn’t think we would ever get across.  We stopped in Dodge City and saw Boot Hill.  Really wasn’t all that great as there is no one buried that  I recognized the name of.    One of the banks in Dodge City said it was 108.  It felt like it too.  I don’t know what the humidity was but even if there wasn’t much it was hot!!!  We drove almost 700 miles yesterday as we wanted to make it as far as Colorado.  We only had about 300 miles to go today so took our time.  We stopped at a waterfall today and took a hike back to the falls.  Was really pretty.  I can tell how out of shape I am.  Took us a while to hike back to it.  Got to Pagosa around 5:00 this evening.  Checked in, unloaded the car  and then went to get something to eat.  Stopped at the grocery store to pick up something for breakfast.  Tom and I are both tired tonight.   Not sure what we will do tomorrow.  Maybe just sit here and veg.  Till later.  Linda