going to Michigan to find mushrooms

leaving as soon as I can get packed and laundry dry

home sunday or monday hopefully with LOTS of mushrooms

have our cell phones along

This was a special day for me!   It is my birthday and I slept in till 8:30, well, I stayed in bed till then!   Then the beautiful morning beckoned me outside and I started cleaning the flower bed by the shed.   At noon Andy said I should tear myself away from the outside work and we would go for a scooter ride somewhere and eat lunch.   So I got out of my scrubbies and we headed to Dutch Valley for lunch (Chicken salad croissant and raspberry iced tea!  Yummy!)   We took the back way to Dundee and then home.   What a beautiful day for a scooter ride!   Probably 30-35 miles!

I put the scrubbies back on and went out to finish around the shed.   When I came inside at 3:45 there was a loaf of homemade bread, pear butter and chocolate chip cookies from my dear neighbor Ina, who always remembers my birthday!  It was time to go to Berlin and watch Aila graduate from Berlin Center Preschool!   (Jill, the next 13 years are going to go fast!   Hang on and enjoy the ride!)   I was impressed with the attention and quietness of the children during the different activities!   I stopped at Raber's Greenhouse in Berlin and bought some more flowers to plant.   Sometime when they are mature and beautiful I will take some pictures.   The mulch makes them "pop", it looks so nice.   At 8:30 I was inside again.   I really enjoy these kind of days.

Thanks Jill & Joe for inviting me to be a part of this special "Grandparent" activity.   I guess it was really the first one with Aila in "public" and I look forward to many more!   What a nice birthday gift!

Good Evening!   I think it is time to add some new things to the BLOG!   I wanted to post some pictures of my Dad, my siblings and Grandpa and the kids.   So here goes.   It has been over 4 months (Jan 8) since Dad went home to be with his Lord.  Makes me wonder what he is doing!   Praising the Lord and Singing?    Telling Mom everything that has happened in the last 19 years?   Praying for our family that we all join them someday?    We don't know, but we do know they are in a place of no more tears or sorrow.                 Our sympathy to our friend Dorothy.  Her 95 year old mother, Anna Bontrager, also left this earth last Friday night.   Being at the funeral and burial brought sad (yet happy!) memories to my mind.

The picture of Dad by himself was taken at a Shoes For Mongolia fundraiser that Shannon sponsored in Columbus.   The one of us outside was taken in July, 2006 at a Miller Family Reunion.  (Karla, Shirley, Dad, Marlene     Keith, Julie, Ken and Ethel)   I really like that picture and am glad we took it even if we "older" ones had a hard time getting up off the ground!

Dad had banks made of the cherry wood from the Kandel Farm for all the kids and grandkids.

Shannon, Michael and Joe with Grandpa after getting their banks.    The last picture was taken by a longtime friend of Dad's at the funeral lunch.  I am glad we took that one also.

Current Picture

Here is a more current picture of Fish & Chips from Joe & Jill's wedding - We clean up well!   They had a Valentine's Day wedding, Joe doesn't think he will ever forget to get a gift for Jill for Valentine's Day or their anniversary!   Smart kid!    The pictures of us on the header of the Blog are from Christmas, 1980 - 2004 - 1972.   Have we improved with age?

The picture of the family was taken on May 10, 2008.   

We certainly enjoy having the kids all home, even if it is just an overnight stay.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Well, the day is almost over and I didn't get much done but figuring out this page!   Michael will go home to his life and I will lose my  IM with him for awhile!  We will probably be eating some of the 135 mushrooms Andy found today!  Sorry, wish I could share with all of you . . . . NOT!

Wondering what the advantage of a BLOG is over email . . .  we will see if there is one!   Michael thinks my grandchildren may be checking this blog 40 years from now!  Wow!

Shannon runs a half marathon tomorrow in Columbus!   Have fun!

For the MLC - only 147 more sleeps - well, let's say 21 weeks from tonight we will be enjoying the hospitality of Shearer Hill Farm B&B in Vermont!   and then baked apples, maple syrup and ice cream for breakfast!   You know how fast the weeks go!

Need to finish some tasks and then go for my 2 mile walk - it is a beautiful spring evening!   Want to join me?

Will look forward to many comments - Be nice!