Summer's here ...

Yesterday, Father's Day, was the first day of summer.  Seems like it's been here for a while to me!  I'm not a summer person.  I prefer spring and fall.  Who enjoys sweating?!  Not me!  Today I'll have to be out there sweatin' on the mower.  For the first time in several days it's not raining so we're going to bale hay ...  Wow has our grass grown (maybe I should say weeds).  If it was just the grass it wouldn't look so bad but those pesky weeds grow MUCH faster than the good grass so it's gotta be done.  I really don't mind riding on the mower and now that we have two riders we get done in about 3 hours, including weed whipping (which I do).  That weed whipping is what gets to me; even though I put mucho Deet and Skin-so-Soft on me and say a prayer and do some chanting, I always get chigger bites.  A friend and I were just talking about how you can just walk outside and cut a bouquet and get chigger bites!  Those bugs are relentless!

Anyway ... we have been doing some fun stuff lately amid the sinus infections.  Yes, it's that time of year again for us.  We always seem to get something this time of year and what an awful time to be cooped up inside, blowing your nose and scheduling trips to the dr. so they can tell you to drink more fluids and take antihistamines .....  But I think we've both got it licked for this year and we're off! 

We had lunch with Jeff and Jane last Saturday, in celebration of Father's Day, and ate at the Cheesecake Factory (a first for all of us).  It was pretty good, but the best part was spending some time catching up with the kids.  They are so busy!  And that's good.

So yesterday we enjoyed our left-over cheesecake, which was way too much to eat in one sitting anyway. So yum!

Couple weekends ago we drove to Berne and helped celebrate our sister-in-law Carolyn Foster's 80th birthday.  It was a surprise for her, and Lisa and Kevin did a fine job surprising her (with lots of help from Lori & Steve of course).  Sure was good to see all of Wendell's family together in one place!  Carolyn lives at Swiss Village and it's a wonderful place; that's where the party was.  We like Berne; it's such a neat, tidy little German town.  Along the way we drove through Ridgeville, where we lived for 15 years, and it's always interesting (and sometimes sad) to see what has happened to the house and the town where you used to live ...  It made for a long day because it's about a 4-hour trip up there but it was worth it to see everyone again.  Probably should have stayed over but we wanted to be home to go to church the next day, our pastor's last day before retirement.  Now that was a sad service; I cried!  Very emotional for everyone.  But he and his pastor-spouse are very deserving of their retirement after serving the United Methodist Church for over 20 years.  It was a second career for both of them.  Terry talked several times about attending seminary at age 50 and I admire them both.  Here's to a long and happy retirement Terry & Nikki!

Here's Carolyn (seated) enjoying her special birthday.

Here's Jesse & Syd, Lisa and Steve's kids.  Syd looks just like her Mom!

Here's Josh (Kevin & Lori's oldest) with his lovely family: wife Julie, Jackson, Jordan & Jencee, tryin' out the birthday cake!

Travis (Kevin & Lori's second son) & Lindsay with Ryker.  They're expecting a girl this year!

Here's Kayla (Kevin & Lori's youngest child) with her significant other ...

Here's our niece & nephew, Lisa Foster Arnold and her brother Kevin Foster.  These two, and their spouses, did a great job of putting on a surprise party for their Mom!  Well done you two!

Now you know what's been going on in my life!  Have a blessed week.