Grandma Deb and Meggie's blog...

Wednesday, July 22, 2009
(click on photo to enlarge)

Update on Topsy Turvy...we have more than enough green tomatoes and are waiting for the tomatoes to turn red.

Week 8

Week 8 tomatoes

Week 9

Week 9 tomatoes

Update on the backyard lily...the height of the lily is about the same but the top has changed. The buds seem to have separated due to their growth.

This is what the top looked like a few weeks ago.

This is what the top now looks like.

July flowers around our yard.

Jennifer and the children stopped for an "over-night" on their way to Chicago. It was fun to have the children on my turf!

One of the first things Jennifer did was take a tour of the gardens with her Granny.

The children and I went to the playground at the school. They had a great time running, climbing and going up and down the slides.

Matthew will be six on August 8 and will start kindergarten this Fall.
I can remember when he was a little baby...the memories!

Meggie helped me put our grass bags out for the
"grassman" to pick up...nice gloves Meggie.

Can't come to Grandma's house without having ice cream.

Meggie still has that loose tooth. It is just about ready to come out.

The "gang" and their Granny.

The pirate!

Matthew did not want to have his picture taken.

But, he came around...they all had their tie-die shirts
on that they had made...pretty cute!

A great couple of days. I love having my grandchild come and see me...such fun!

Wednesday, July 9, 2009
(click on photos to enlarge)

The weeks are flying by...soon we will be in winter coats! I had started this blog in June and have had to change the date several times because I have been so busy. So, once again, I will try and update my blog. Since I have not updated in a month the blog is lengthly.

From Jennifer and Chris...on Father's Day Chris, Jennifer and children always visit Chris' Dad in Cumberland...they have a home on the lake. So, all went fishing...Meggie caught the first fish. What a fun experience for the children!

The children went to the Zoo.

Champps...Jill and I were in the Cities on Tuesday and met my children for lunch. Aren't we a cute bunch...especially the litte ones!

Update on Topsy Turvy...IT'S GROWING!!! We are in week #7 and the plants are full of tomatoes...I will be sharing tomatoes with people at work and am sure with the neighborhood. First...week #6 (when you look at week #7 you will see the change even in one week).

Week #6

Week #7

This summer I have had the pleasure of having two of my former students visit me.

Mid June...Kelly and her daughter, Sophia, surprised me with a visit. Kelly worked with me several years during the 90's. She and her husband live in a burb by Kansas City. I was so surprised...a few days earlier I had spoken to someone about Kelly and mentioned how I should contact Kelly...and...it is like she appeared out of nowhere.

Mid June...our neighbors Jim and Kay were in Eau Claire for an overnight and stopped in to see us. Jim and Kay lived across the street from us and in May moved to Racine. We miss them!

End of June...Rebecca, a former student, stopped in Eau Claire on her way to the Cities...Rebecca is originally from Duluth and now lives in Washington. Rebecca was in high school in Duluth when Julie taught in Duluth...such a small world. Rebecca worked for me, as a student, for several years. We had such fun!

Jill and Rebecca

June 30 was Leslie's last day in our office. Due to budget cuts her position was eliminated with last working day of June 30. It was a sad day for all.

This is a picture of Terry (replaced MaryEdna who retired in April), Jill and Leslie. Someone got the smart idea to put the lilies in their mouth. Lillies are from my mother's garden.

Terry, Jill, Leslie

In my last blog I showed a picture of Jill and Andrea's pontoon...dead pontoon. They purchased a new pontoon and asked me to experience with them the delivery of the new pontoon...Blue Lady. I hate being on the water. My feeling is...if I were meant to be on the water I would either have webbed feet or gills. I told them I would "ride along" if I had a life jacket. They accommodated me. Sooooo...I bit the bullet and went along.

My life jacket.

Once we got the life jacket situation taken care of.. Jill and Andrea
proceeded to take the cover off the old/dead pontoon.

The new pontoon is arriving.

Here comes Blue Lady.

Blue Lady has arrived.

Andrea was waiting to be towed in the old pontoon.

The big tow.

Note the cable in his left hand.

Off we went....this is the front of Jill and Andrea's cabin.

The algae on Lake Menonin in Menomonie.

There is a railroad bridge and next to the railroad bridge is I-94 bridge...
with all the trucks and cars passing over the bridge
while we are under the bridge.

As we got closer to the bridge...with all the trucks and cars passing over...
I noticed all these birds flying around.

I looked up and saw swallow nests.
If you look closely you can see the swallows in their nest.

We are now past the bridges... "in the open water" and...

we saw carp jumping out of the water.

We are headed towards this building so they can load the "dead pontoon".

We have arrived.

The dead pontoon is loaded...off they go and off we go, again.

What can I say...oars and life jacket...all I would need to survive????

Checking out the fuel tank...I guess.

A little celebration!

Andrea relaxing.

We have arrived safely back to the cabin!

Now that I have my boating experience over...phew... it was time to start painting my house. I started painting on a Sunday morning and finished painting the following Thursday. I would come home from work and begin painting a 4:30pm and paint until dark (8:30-9:00pm)...then fall into bed.

Before