Hi everyone,

A lot has happened since I last updated the blog.

First, the drought wretched havoc on our lawn this summer.  We did water it enough, but not enough.  So, I had to over seed a section of lawn.  I mowed the grass really short, racked and de-thatched all the debris and almost died in the process as it was so hot.  Next came the seeds and fertilizer.  The sprinklers were set for three times a day watering so all we had to do was wait.  The weeds grew first.  There was one that I couldn't identify which puzzled me, so we let it grow until we could figure out what is was.  It was a watermelon.  Someone had been spitting out watermelon seeds on the grass during the summer.  Unfortunately, the summer was too far spent to get any watermelons from it so out it came.

We went to Utah for my sister Corinne's funeral.  It was a nice funeral.  Corrine planned the funeral and wrote some of the talks.  She had had cancer for five years and knew her time on earth was coming to an end.  Her children all had a part of the program and handled it well.  I did feel sorry for them with the loss of their mother and decided that I will not put may children through that ordeal.  Any suggestions as how to do that?

Katie, Jean, Rebecca, Jake and Barry

 

Gordon, Margaret, Roger, Grandpa, Grandma, Virginia, Barbara, Douglas

After the funeral, we went to the Utah state fair with Barb and Dennis.  The next day we went on a hike with Brice and Breann.  We went to a Brazilian bar-b-que with Brice, Breann, Hannah and Andrew and ate way too much food.

We had to put in a new furnace.  The first cold day when we turned on the furnace nothing happened.  A cold house does not a happy mother make.  So, we have a nice new furnace.  We even had to turn it on this week as we were hit by a hard frost.  I understand that there was snow in Minnesota and Nebraska but only clear and cold here.  All our flowers and tomatoes have been zapped.

I'm almost finished with my last project in the workroom.  I made of desk with a piece of marble that we shipped back with us from India.  It looks good.

Mom is in Maryland this weekend.  She decided to visit her mom and sister as we haven't seen them for awhile and wouldn't be able to see her during this upcoming holidays.  We plan to go to Amber's for Thanksgiving and Utah for Christmas and maybe Japan (or someplace halfway) in the new year.

Thanks all for now.

Love,
Dad