A wave to July of 2019 and tomorrow a welcome to August of 2019--where is the summer of 2019 going?

sisters/brother picture frames crafted in 1 inch walnut

Not the best pictures but one can see these pictures have the same frame.  Several years ago I purchased the bottom picture for Terry as a birthday present.  It is a painting by Mary Lee's aunt.  The top picture is special to Terry.  It is the OLD Bloomington Ferry Bridge that crossed the Minnesota river.  When Terry served as a senator in Minnesota she was one of the lead people in getting money for a new bridge which was badly needed.  IF I remember correctly she was the leader or one of the head senators on the transportation committee.  I wanted to show this as I finished the frame of the bridge picture yesterday and it is proof that I got some work done!

Had breakfast with Larry B yesterday and am expecting Travis over this morning at 6:30 as we will drive to the east side of St. Paul to enjoy breakfast at a neighborhood place.  

I have high hopes and expectations of getting work finished on the bottom of the stairs and then it will be onto the threshold upstairs and then the bathroom door.  I have to decide if I want to use the weathered wood I have or go to North Dakota and get some wood that is red.  Terry and I have talked about it but have not decided.  I am open to suggestions!  Often when I think of that door it brings back the memory of when Gail and I stayed with Glorine.  The bedroom door was about 2 or 3 inches short on the top and you could see out.  I asked Glorine "why"?  She said Charlie needed to fix the door and handy work was not his strong point!  I think he then added that he did not make a living with his hands but rather with his mouth!  Not sure I have all the facts correct there but it is a cherished and funny memory.

I figured out why our garden is a forest.  Normal rainfall in July is 3.5" and we have had 6.5" this year.  I guess gardens like rain!

Terry and I ordered a small gift for John Mouw as a thank-you.  It was shipped yesterday.  We hope he likes it as it is something he can use on Saturday or maybe on a Monday.  When it arrives maybe he will send a picture to us!  Hint hint Judi and John!  

I will have breakfast with Travis so nothing here to eat but I am enjoying my FP. One can NEVER trust these neighborhood cafes to have anything but Folgers etc.  For me, that just will NOT do.  Maybe it was not the right thing to do but yesterday, when I met Larry, I brought my own coffee.  I asked the waiter about it and he said it was OK.

Servant Camp is next week and I just can not get memories out of my head about the 30+ years that I did it.  Most memories are "good" as God did so so many wonderful things but "for sure" there are things that linger in a negative way as well.  Perhaps the most memorable is the year we had 400 campers and 100 staff.  We had everything from make-shift showers to tents along side cabins.  Two shifts of meals and the list goes on and on and on.  When I think of the 100s of young people who experienced God during camp it warms my heart.  Oh yes, I do know that not ALL campers had good memories but I would bet a lot of money that NOTHING that one does in a BIG way has memories that are 100% good.  That is the way in my walk with God as well.  For the most part it is good but the times I fail hurt.  One of the funnest memories is of a camper who traveled here from New Orleans.  A car pulled up to the registration table which I was sitting at.  This boy, who was full of energy and VERY excited, jumped out of the car, ran up to the table and said, "My name is Tom and I am a bear!" (Bears were boys going into 3rd grade) The boys name may not have been Tom as it was a long time ago but the rest of the story is true!  I do remember that he had a great time that year.

No, it is 6:25 and Travis should be here soon so will sign off and get ready.  Magnolias cafe here we come and we are hungry.  The FP is gone.

Happy Birthday Elspeth

Elspeth is 6 years old today!  She is so cute, so smart and just an all around great little girl "for sure"! Happy birthday Elspeth from Grandpa and Grandma Terry

Last Monday in July, heading towards August

I am guessing her morning meal will be light

If you feel you are anyone you really need a tattoo !  Notice her shoulder

I feel hungry this morning

young and

old enjoy the cruise

 One worker said they liked the months of September and October as there tended to be no children

Maybe some go to the main dining room too often and stay too long!

As I sat and ate breakfast while trying to get internet I enjoyed people watching on the cruise.  There never was a shortage of interesting subjects.  In no way am I intending to make fun of young, old, over weight or anything.  It was just interesting to observe people as I tried to enjoy breakfast without my FP!

Up before 5 this morning as I could not sleep and I think I woke Terry up so I got up and hoped she could go back to sleep.  

I think I will get on Bentley soon but keep on the sidewalk as the sun is just trying to peek up on the horizon.  

We received .65" of rain yesterday so I will not water the garden today and maybe not tomorrow either.  It looks like our next rain is next Sunday so starting Wednesday it will be watering again.  

I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time in a few days and it helped me make a decision to cut down on my eating today!!!

No with an outside temp of 64, half a FP pot finished and a light breakfast behind me I will put some clothes on and mount Bentley for a while.  My bike rides have been very easy and not all that far so will finish early and be able to get some work done.  

The last few days I have enjoyed just being in my wood shop which means some house projects have not been attended to but what the heck.  I found out yesterday that young people will not be interested in buying the house so who cares.  Well that is a bit overstated BUT for a variety of reasons my energy for house projects has been weak at best this summer.  Change, maybe!

The end of an era

Trailer one is up for sale.  Many more to go!

The auctioneer doing his thing

Trailer by trailer items sold for not a lot

The clearing which goes to the tree line was crowded with equipment

In need of a belt?  Buy the pile for not much!

The biggest item on the sale that day

There have been few, if any, farmers like Dale.  His favorite saying was he never went to work a day in his life as he felt farming was not work.  Yet Father Time has ways to intervene and dictate what happens.  Dale went on to a place better than his farm (not sure he would have admitted that) in February of 2018 and now his beloved farm toys went the way of so so many in the past.  There were bargains to be had, money to be spent, food to enjoy, friendship to take part in and much much more but in the end the Lake Park area lost a farmer that was a "farmer" in every sense of the word.  With sweat on his forehead, dirt in his veins and a smile on his face Dale treated his farm and land as if it were his adult McDonald place house!!!  In addition to his farm he served on the school board, plowed the snowy county roads, bladed the dusty county roads, took home many county fair ribbons and much much more.  Deb will continue on the farm and continue being an important part of Lake Park community but her land and some buildings will be rented out to other Lake Park farmers.  I may have said this yesterday but the transformation of the farm in the last 6 months is truly unbelievable.  I walked the area in picture 4 many times as I went to my tree stand and even last fall the weeds were tall, the old equipment was nestled in weeds and trees to the point that I actually wondered last Thursday if I was in the same place.  Deb, family and friends have done a wonderful job.

NO wood shop yesterday.  Morning things were done and then Terry had an eye appointment early afternoon so that was the day.

I took Ben, Agatha and Veronica out for dinner yesterday.  Faustina and Jude were in Washington D C for a fun trip.  We ate at Chick Fal A and then walked across the parking lot to Target.  I thought they could pick out an item or 2 from the dollar rack as you come into the store.  Well they did not like anything there and I did agree with them.  So Agatha said she knew where there would be some things for kids!  The next thing I knew Veronica and Agatha were looking at glitz handbags and so forth!  My mistake, not theirs!  We finally settled on a package of gum for each!  It was a fun time BUT Grandpa may be losing some of his touch.

I will work on the trim for the stairs today but first I need to get on my bike.  Bentley has not seen any action since Tuesday so he has been more than lonesome.  

On Oahu I did grind a bag of Kona Coffee so I do have an excuse to drink it each morning as one would not want it to get stale!  When that is gone (I have 4 more pounds) I will have to decide on a daily bases if "today" is a holiday worth Kona!  So it is sip a bit more and then on to the bike for the day.  Hey, I am retired so I need not get into my work too soon, right?

Back after a quick trip

A VERY popular watering hole near Judi and Johns

Great pizza but 3 large ones!--John and Judi were too good

I had to put this in as Audrey was hidden at the pizza place

Of course names had to be written on the wall

Not sure if people can open this but it is the audtioneer in action at Deb's sale.

We had a great time at Judi (with an "i" of course) and Johns.  They treated us to pizza Wednesday night and I think it was at their favorite pizza place.  Everyone had to write names on the wall and the 3 large pizzas and drinks were on John.  Then they went to great length to provide FP on Thursday morning and Judi had a great (they tell me) oatmeal dish for breakfast on Thursday.  After I heated my FP up in the microwave I gave it a B+.  Then it was off to the auction.

Items at the auction went for as little as $1 for a pile of license plates to way up in the five figures for one of the tractors.  Deb must have had 6 or so wagons of STUFF that was sold.  I can not imagine how much work went into the sale.  For several years I walked to my tree stand and often counted MANY pieces of old equipment and MANY junk cars.  ALL the cars are gone and all the equipment was lined up for sale as the trees were cleared and the ground was clean.  Amazing what was done in maybe less than 6 months.  I know 100s of hours were put in to clean, clear, stack, fix etc.  I do not know how many people were there but I am guessing a couple hundred or more.

I enjoyed talking to several including the couple who sold the farm to Dale and Deb in 1982.  They thought Dale and Deb were a great couple and were so pleased to know that they took such good care of the farm.

More pictures tomorrow as one can see what a farm auction is like.  I joked with some of the people as they loaded boxes of bolts, screws, wrenches etc into their trucks.  I would say "I suppose those things will get put in your shed and in due time after you die they will be sold at another auction!"  They agreed some of the time!!!  Of course there are good bargains at those sales as well.  I guy was loading a box of about 20 metal discs into his truck.  He said he purchased them for someone else and he said he would have gone up to $50 but got them for $15.  I asked how much they would sell for new and he said they do not even make them any more so if a person needs them the only way to get them is at a sale.

In addition to the fun part of the sale we also were able to connect with some family and friends as well.  Among them Mary/Mark, Luke, Keith S, some of Deb's children, Allen and more.  Keith. has a small shed on a farm he owns and let me know that I am welcome to come and get wood for my barn door upstairs.

We are at 69 this morning with a light rain.  Maybe I can get away with NO garden watering again.  BUT of course it means no bike ride as well.

Terry is scheduled to get her eyes checked this afternoon so it is another trip for the day.

My FP is down to the last sip so will sign off for this morning.

Two days away from home--two days away from home projects!

Does this mean double trouble for the day, good luck, nothing or just that I only needed one egg this morning?

I put the finish on the post and shelf over the last 2 days and then last night attached it.  I need to do some trim work but I am happy with the way it looks.  NOW maybe Terry and I can get back to the habit of putting things on the shelf that need to be taken upstairs!  Maybe we need to cut that habit too, not sure.  I will talk to Terry about it!

We are headed to Lake Park today and then to Deb's auction tomorrow.  To my surprise John, Liam and Audrey will be there too.  We will stay with Judi and John tonight as they live about 5 miles from Deb's farm.  We will head back to St. Paul after the auction tomorrow.

NO project work today BUT I need to water the garden and then mow the lawn this morning.  I picked the raspberries yesterday so they can wait until Friday.  I am sure at that time some will be over ripe but I feel we are over half done with the berries for the season.

I got up at 5:50 this morning to a great weather day.  I should have gotten up 5 minutes early because when I get our newspaper I also pick up the paper for our neighbor and put it in her door.  Judy is very capable of getting her own paper but she is 80 and besides I just can not get the paperboy idea out of my mind!  Why do I say I should have been 5 minutes earlier?  Just as I closed my front door her sprinkler system kicked in.  I got my agility exercises in as I dodged water to get her paper and then into her front door.

Yesterday Terry got her post in for her implant tooth.  Now she has to get it checked in two weeks and then again in 6 weeks and at that time the tooth should be ready to be put in.  My goodness what a person has to go through for one implant is amazing and the cost--be good friends with the banker "for sure"!

I need to get my second grand child note off this morning.  I usually get them off on Monday and Tuesday but missed yesterday.  The note today goes to Faustina.  Two a week means I go through all of them in 6-7 weeks.  

No it is about time to sign off.  It will be a bike ride, water the garden and then clean up the kitchen in that order.  After that it should be dry enough mow.

I just could not resist the urge this morning for Kona coffee.  I had enough in the grinder for one FP pot so I thought what the heck!  NO Irish cream, only Kona.  Tomorrow it will be back to the usual Starbucks which is good as well.  "For sure" it beats, hands down, the instant Folgers Mom used to drink!  My FP has no foam!  The FP is no more so it is bike time.

I was in the dark and it was noon time!

The beautiful bridge across the St. Croix River near Stillwater MN

One of Daves and Tina's potbelly pigs that enjoyed Terry's toe!

Now that is a real pot belly pig

The 20-30 horses Tina trains are just magnificent 

Tina's outdoor arena for training and she has an indoor one as well as many heated stalls

As we headed to Wayne and Norma's the sky was just beautiful.

It was quite a day and even turned better when my head came out of the clouds!

My first clue should have been when Terry insisted she bring a visor.  Why would she need a visor to walk 10 feet from the car to their house?  My second clue should have been the table setting and the meal.  Norma had red bandanas for napkins and the food was ham, beans, potato salad etc.  Then after we had finished eating and talked for a short while Norma told me I needed to move our car!  Why?  I thought is she really trying to get rid of us!!!  Well, unknown to me, Norma and Terry had arranged for us to visit Norma's son Dave and daughter in law Tina.  They have a spread just outside of New Richmond WI which is about 15-20 miles east of St. Paul.  Tina is a world class horse trainer and travels all over the country showing horses. She has a 6 horse trailer with a place to sleep and a tack room as well.  Tina has a few horses of her own but mainly she takes in horses and boards them as she trains them.  Tina mentioned that if a person wants her to board and train their horse it costs in triple figures monthly.  They have a great place with horses, dogs, cats, potbelly pigs and more maybe!  It was so so fun and so so interesting to spend time there.  Her husband Dave said he is not a horse guy.  Rather he works full time off the ranch but does much work in fixing, building etc. on the ranch.  Every time I get up close and personal with those kind of horses I am amazed at how beautiful they are.  It was a very fun day even though I was left in the dark for much of it!!!

As always, it was fun to spend time with Norma and Wayne.  Wayne said he does not golf so much now as his game has kind of gone south!  He does work at the course 3 days a week mowing.  On the days he mows he arrives for work at 4:30!  At their age, Wayne turns 86 in a week and Norma looks like she turns 29 soon, they certainly are a couple that is active and doing so well in their mature stage of life.

I fudged on my "thing to do" this morning.  My Kona is and should be saved for Sunday mornings but I made an exception today.  On our way home yesterday we stopped at Costco and I got some Kirkland Irish cream which I had none of at home.  SO of course it was a must this morning to have my Kona coffee and Irish cream.  In the future it will certainly be saved for Sunday only.

I stopped at the hearing aide center at Costco to get batteries and the lady asked if she could clean my aides.  I said of course.  When I went back to pick them up she pointed out that I had the wrong kind of cones on the end that go into the ear.  No wander I had TWO cones stuck in my ear last winter!  I will have to stop at the center in Naples when I get back, "for sure" as they gave me the wrong ones.  She gave me a pack of correct ones for free and Terry and I were on our way with the things we purchased.  One knows that you NEVER go into Costco and come out empty handed.

Well it is another week and another "short" week for work as we will be gone Wednesday and Thursday to visit Judi and John and take in Deb Binde's auction sale.  Those darn stairs will have to be patience as well as other things.

We have a nice cool 59 degree morning so I think I will fertilize the lawn and then I can put weed killer on tomorrow.  Also I have to see if there is any more garden ready to be picked and I know the raspberries need picking as well SO it is sign off and get to work!  I need not say the FP which was Kona and Irish Cream was the best ever!

Sunday, the beginning of a beautiful weather week

about June 1st

about June 4th

About June 10th after neighbor Bill brought over many plants that he had started from seeds Terry gave him.

July 21st--do NOT notice all the staking up that has NOT been done!

Our hotel in American Samoa

A typical scene in American Samoa with youth all about and MUCH vegetation!

I am set to go for the day.  I had a breakfast of English muffin with fried egg and ham which was delicious BUT the biggest thing was my FP coffee.  Terry encouraged me to buy Kona coffee while in Hawaii so FOUR and a half pounds was packed in my suitcase.  I had my first cup of it this morning. Some might say it is as smooth as a babies behind BUT I can't say that as I am about 39 years removed from any babies behind so I will just say it is outstanding "for sure"!  It is Sunday so I should have some Irish cream for it but we have none so I had to enjoy without it.

I made some progress on the stair project but as anyone could guess it was not enough BUT I am retired and at times "tired" so that is my excuse.

We had about 1.2" of rain yesterday which will keep the lawn and garden in good shape for some time.  Today, close to the end of July, the lawn still looks fairly good.  In fact there are mushrooms growing so I am guessing we have had enough rain.

As I sit at the computer looking out at the street I see one of our neighbors leaving.  I can make money if someone is willing to bet me WHY he just left.  In about 25 minutes he will return with about $10 worth of Starbucks coffee.  Of course I will take my homemade FP ANY day and then I will keep the change!  In fact even as I drink Kona Coffee I will keep the change.  According to Google one can get 23-45 6 oz cups of coffee from a pound.  At that rate I figure I paid about $1.05 per FP cup of coffee.  Lets see, two cups will cost me $2.10 and the neighbor probably paid $3.95 plus tax plus a tip so I am GUESSING he will come home $10.45 poorer so I should put $8.35 in savings this morning.  Oh I forgot he had to spend about $.50 for gas as he drove his Ford F150 to get the coffee so that ups my savings to $8.85!!!

I may have said something about this before but will repeat as my mind is not as sharp as I used to think it was.  Our neighborhood has changed so much.  A house across the street and on the short alley sold last fall.  The people drove a Camry car.  The new owners have TWO BMW cars in the garage!  Another house across the street sold and they drive a BMW and they paid $675,000 for the house!  AND they have two little kids.  Like I said things change.  When I had two little kids we were living in a house that we paid $17,500 for and we had ONE car that was 5 years old and was purchased used for $3800.  Sorry, I don't mean to bore anyone just to acknowledge that I am OLD and yes the only certain thing in life is "change".

Terry and I are going on one of our favorite summer outings today.  You guessed wrong, it is not to Costco!  We usually get together with Norma and Wayne twice a summer.  Once at their place and once here.  I have said before Norma was Terry's legislative aide for some time as Terry served in the Minnesota Senate.  We are about 10 years younger.  They are a delightful couple and fun to spend time with.  We will go to their place today and Norma will have the china out and will serve us a feast.  I am guessing there will be some politics intertwined into the conversation!!!  As far as I know Wayne, at the age of 85, still gets up early.  He goes to the golf course and gets out the many golf carts for the manager and then plays a round for free.  He and his buddies always used to meet up with a neighborhood dog on the back nine and Wayne would, "for sure" have some dog treats in his pocket.  IF Wayne had a successful fall hunting season we will bring home some venison sausage which is VERY VERY good.

AND we will be going past Costco on the way home so will stop and get some things, among them hearing aide batteries.  I have had aids for 7 years now and have never purchased batteries as they came free with the aids but with my Costco aids now I have to buy.  I had to make a choice.  Walgreen has a package of 24 for the surprising low price of $19.99 or my other choice is at Costco where they have a package of 48 for $8.99.  Well I do believe in shopping for the best price so I went on line and found out that Walmart has 24 for $9.94. I have a big decision as to where I should purchase them!  COSTCO "for sure".  I also had to look at the price of aids as I needed new ones.  The first place I purchased aids I paid about $4,500 and they came with free batteries for the life of the aids.  My aids that were purchased at Costco were $2,500 but I need to buy batteries.  I wondered for a nanosecond, given the aids were similar in value, will I spend $2,000 on batteries during the life of the aids.  Buying the Costco aids I can buy batteries for 100 years and still come out ahead!!!

The neighbor just returned with his $10 coffee.

I think this is enough for a Sunday morning.  My Kona FP was actually good to the last drop!

A heavenly temp and breeze this morning.

Two sweet girls in American Samoa, the mother thanked me after I took the picture!

The cost of the whole pig below!

As I wandered around near our hotel in American Samoa I walked into a market and thought about bringing this home.

IF one wonders what people do on a cruise this may answer the question.  I would say not for the active person very often.

Oh my I woke up to low humidity and a temp of 70 which feels heavenly.  The temp in my shop reached 90+ before I locked up early in the afternoon yesterday.  This, today, feels great.

I got some work done yesterday but not a lot.  I did get the holes drilled in the top of the post where I will dowel and glue but that was it.  I also asked advice from Terry about 3 things and her opinion was the same as mind so I will go with that!  I have come to the conclusion that IF I worked as a wood worker for a living I would starve in a short time!

Big decision to make right now.  Do I clean up my mess from breakfast or do I go on a bike ride first?  With the weather looking like it does I think I will do the ride and try to get that in before the rain comes.  What I really want to do is sit on the deck in the cool breeze for a while but I think that will have to wait.  One last sip of FP before I sign off.

Last day of our heat wave

Looking out our baloney from our room

The last part of the rainbow out of our baloney

While at anchor in Maui there were several sail boats to watch

The last night on the ship was Hawaiian food night.  The carving station had a pig to carve!

Wow, here we are at 10:00 AM and the phones shows 84 with a high at mid afternoon of 93.  Not much work will be done in the shop today.

I met Cynthia for breakfast this morning.  We met at a down town cafe that was kind of a "farm to table" place.  I ordered hash browns and eggs with ham.  It came with a small side of lettuce greens which was good.

I did make some progress on the stair post and shelf yesterday.

I know, not much interesting about that BUT it is the anchor that I will attach the post to.  The post will fit right over the 2" thick anchor that is bolted and glued to the bottom step.  MANY more steps in the project but each day some will get done.  The arrow is for old guys to remember which way it fit into the pre-drilled holes that the screws went into.  I know, it may be pathetic but I will use what I have to!

Not much more to say about life.  I did turn on the window AC when I returned from breakfast and maybe it will keep the living room livable as the heat goes on outside.  Not only is it warm but the humidity is high as well.  Let it be known, I am not complaining but just stating facts.

I had my FP before and after breakfast and it is now finished.  I am going to try and get some work done before the temp in the shop reaches the mid 90s which is when I call it a day as the sweat drips onto the wood, the saw and the floor!

Am I old, my foot!!!

This is what I saw as I mounted Bentley this morning and prepared to put the pedal to the street!   Never fear, I turned around and changed but what the heck, should I be concerned?