ReStore, Camdenton - 3 miles south of square on old Hiway 5

Habitat ReStore volunteers that I work with on Tues from 9-1. 

Jerry and Bob are leaving soon to pickup donated items.

Les, with red bottle, works on the floor, organizes, and cleans donations.

Lon, with hat, is the volunteer store manager

Sandy in red is cashier and Jerry's wife

Bob's wife is a cashier, too and works several days.

Christmas at Kristi's 12/23/10

Alec and the trucks.

Ava unwrapping something.  Looks like a book??  Note the wings??  They started out on Korbyn.

Ayden and Ava.  He can read upside down!!

Ava and Korbyn.  Hey girls, what is in the bag??????

Sam and Korbyn.  Note the stylish knee on Sam's jeans!!  It looks like Korbyn is contemplating the bright yellow duck.

Yes, all my fellow citizens, the queen does have to eat, but I can still give you a wave.

Carol E's knee(s), Korbyn, Shannon, Alec and Ayden taking a bite out of the traditional Christmas fruit.  The room got quiet when the bags were handed out.

Alec and Carol E.  He wasn't allowed to eat any more candy, so he chowed down on raisens and chips.  Kim will have more and better shots than these in the near future, if she hasn't done it already.

Summer 04 revisited

Posed in Grandma Carol's garden

Rachel and Ashley on the boat

Sammi and Kelly get personal

Think about these shots at Christmas as the temperatures plummet and the snows start turning the landscapes white and cold. 

Items to leave OUT of your LUGGAGE

While I was in Maryland with Eric's,Avalon, a friend of Ashleys, graciously gave Carol and I a couple of small Christmas presents, neatly wrapped with appropriate paper and bows.  I chose to open the Potporri but left the other two small items wrapped.  The two small items were placed in my carry on bag with the few clothes and books that I wanted back to the lake.  As I was going thru security at the Philly airport early Fri morn, I noticed that the man on the X-Ray had called over an assistant to look with him.  I thought, "Crap!! I forgot to take out the small bag with liquids under 3 oz each"!!  But NO.  They had noted the small Christmas gifts.  So, I was asked to accompany my bag to a nearby stainless steel counter where it was opened and searched until he got to the two small gifts.  They were candles in glass.  Guess what shows up the same as gel explosives????   You got it!!  Candle WAX!!!  The TSA guy who did the search and find was very nice and even apologetic.  I assured him that it was no problem and I had plenty of time to catch my plane.  I did ask him what would have happened if the luggage had been checked for the underbelly storage.  He said they would have searched those bags, too.

Oh, I made it to the gate in plenty of time.  Loaded on time in the little cabin with 13 rows left and 12 rows right of 2 seats each.  You have to give your "carry on bags" to a guy at the end of the ramp, CAUSE the storage bins are DINKY and won't hold much more than a briefcase.  We sat for 20 minutes being assured that the valve which regulated heat in the back section of the plane would be noted and we would be on our way.  NOT!!  We had to deplane for an hour while the valve was replaced, reboard and get to St Louis an hour and 15 minutes late.  Carol was not a happy LIMO driver, as she had circled the area about 11 times before parking and going to the monitor to see that we were delayed.  One good time for having a cell phone.

Any body got any horror stories of luggage items on airplanes???

Engagement Weekend

Eddie and Lalli on horses at the Marriott Ranch.

Getting ready for the ride.  It's a cinch!!

Found this picture of railroad tracks and liked the composition.  Eyes start at lower right and are carried thru the middle of the picture by the serpentine tracks.

Eddie proposed on this weekend retreat.

Edward and Lalli

I had borrowed Rachel's camera for cheer competition and found a couple of pictures that I cropped and enhanced.  Not too bad?? 

Cheer Part 2

After Sammi's performance, they received a bag of goodies including pencils with feathery ends.  Sam had traded her blue one for the red one in her right hand.  The two girls are "of course" playing a game on a computer while Eric is drinking coffee to stay awake between "sets".  This meet was poorly organized or deliberately slow and lots of "down" time resulted between different age and ability groups.

I think they were watching one of the high energy older teams do some really active and entertaining manuevers.

The groups performed on a raised stage which was just above a head if you were sitting down.  Very poor for watching.  I much prefer a stadium type seating with raised bleachers.  The group on stage is Twister Super Cells which is an all girl group that Rachel works with.  I don't know who the lady is with the Twister shirt, but it was a good photo label!!

Many of the girls had these curls that Sammi is decked out with.  Lots of work and several grimaces from the owner of the hair before this was completed.

Cheer Competition at Baltimore, Dec 11, 2010

OK, so I don't look too excited.  Rachel was showing me how to operate her Nikon Digital and I was evidently pondering something.  Note the neat TWISTERS shirt logo.

Rachel and Jenna.  This was taken at the back of the arena.  There must have been a zillion kids and parents at this thing.  Noise level HIGH!!

Sammi and Kelly just after Sammi perfomed.  They get to view a video immediately after they perform.

Thought I had a picture of Eric, but will have to post it later.

Carol's Eye Tuck Dec 2, 2010

6 hours after

No, I didn't hit her.  Dr. Lyon with Sabates Eye Clinics did an eye lid reduction surgery so she doesn't have to look thru her eyelashes to read or watch TV.  Our only "scare" was when we got home, she occupied the couch for awhile and then got up.  Some bright red blood drops traced her path to the kitchen for more ice to put on the gauze that she had over her eyes to help reduce swelling.  She laid down again and we put more ice on the gauze and the bleeding stopped.  We did call the Dr. and he said we had done the right thing.   She goes back Dec 7 to have the many little stitches removed.

Ron leaves on Saturday for a few days with Eric's in Maryland and will return on the 17th.

24 hours after.

Lunch at Colton's (Sedalia) with Friends

Well, old age has done it again.  Asked Carol 3 times if she had the camera, which she did, but then we FORGOT to take a picture of us with Ray and Virginia from Idaho!!  They make a couple of trips a year to KC, Oklahoma and Colorado to visit children and their offsprings and had been in KC for Thanksgiving.  The "best" fit for a visit was meeting at Coltons Steakhouse in Sedalia on Monday Dec 29.  We talked and ate for 2 hours right by the Christmas tree in the main room at the restaurant and NEVER thought about the camera.  Carol and Virginia did swap a peek at pictures of grandchildren BUT we never thought about one of US. 

Eric and Sara will best remember the trampoline that Ray and Virginia had in their back yard in Merriam.  Ron and Ray worked together at Gulf for several years.  Ray was in the Coal division and Ron in Polymers and Adhesives.  Ray is a volunteer on the ski patrol in Idaho and had a few very interesting stories to relate.

Virginia wants everyone to consider being a "reader" for children in schools who have not had that experience at home.  She is adamant that it will change the life of the child and definitely enhance the life of the reader.

Trudy and Sis

I wondered why the previous post had taken so long to load.  I had forgotten to condense this picture of Carol A and Trudy.  Trudy had flown from Denver to KC on Thursday.  Sis had driven to KC and picked her up.  They came to see "Willard and Joy's" family as a group!!  Yes the wind was whipping up a storm, but the weather was quite nice with only sweaters or light jackets needed to play outside.  This photo looks down the lane to Shooters Club Road.

Thanksgiving Day Outside Stuff

Korby and her "hat" headed for the play ground stuff.  Sis Carol is to the left and Kristi is in the middle.  The dog is Claire and belongs to Erin and Aaron.

Grandpa and Daddy Shannon in the leaves with  son,Alec, and granddaughter, Korbyn.  I like the front shot with that "hat"!!

Ayden on slide with Lee behind him.  Yes, Lee is TOO big to be going down the slide.  His shoe size and his age are the same!!  Ain't that something to kick up your heels about????  Yes, Ashley and Rachel, THAT big!!!

When you get four young kids around the house at one time, you have to have enough "vehicles" to keep them all entertained.    Savana and Alec are walking toward the playground while Claire, the dog, watches intently.  The green thing in the upper right is a "turtle" sandbox turned upside down.

Below is a picture of Trudy and Carol A that I must not have condensed.  You should have seen it before this posting!!

Thanksgiving Dinner Day, Early

Most people take a picture of the Thanksgiving dinner BEFORE people eat.  I'm a little slow, now that I'm much older, so this is what was left and features Kim at the stove putting food away, Erin (in black, bending over) doing "something" and Kristi at the sink cleaning up some of the dinnerware.  Sara, just so you can say you have seen some Thanksgiving turkey (and not goat!!!) the plate on the right front corner held the turkey and ham.  Shannon had moistened it with a wine mixture and deep fried the bird --yummy.  Starting on the left were the dinner rolls with either plum or blackberry jelly, the empty spot had a creamy fruit salad, then sweet potato with sweetened pecans (Pat using a recipe from Rhonda Blecke) , cranberry relish (yes it was Carol E's), gravy in slender "pitcher", two types of stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and I'm sure I fogot something.

This shot is shortly after the arrival of Carol A and Trudy J.  We had just finished our pumpkin or pecan pie with or without cool whip.  Shannon is holding granddaughter Korbyn, Shelby, Gary's back and Trudy's abbreviated profile (sorry).  Her ear is nice!!

Before we gathered for a prayer by Shannon and a very quiet Ayden, Alec was playing with a game and Ava was watching Dora the Explorer.  Sara this is now the family room.  Don't remember if you saw it finished.  I believe at one time it was the garage???

I think Ava was contemplating some lip gloss (lipstick) with advice from greatgrandma Pat.

Visitors to our house.

Walking stick that stayed around our front door for days.  Don't know what they eat, so don't know why "it" was there so long??

Where is Cliff and his shotgun when you need him??

Fall is still here!!

Morning sun on Camp Sabre

Enough said!!  Picture was NOT touched up or computer enhanced!!

More flowers -- They have not been frozen!!

We have several batches of pink mums.  The bugs love them this time of year as not much else is blooming.

The everblooming rose has been fantastic!!  Can you believe that October is almost gone and the roses are still going strong???

The bright purple pink mums are my favorites now.  The darker purples have stopped blooming.

Rock Wall Progress

The light is not good, but I'm almost even with the A/C on backside of house.  Working slowly up the hill.  If you get bored, come join me from 9-noon on a nice morning.  I would enjoy the help!!!

False Freeze Warning Oct 29, 2010

It was forecast to freeze hard last night so I drained all the hoses, including Cliff and Kathy's, and put plants in the green house.  This morn it was 37 with dense fog. 

I like this shot the best, because it shows the true colors of Sabre.  Maybe just a little bit too light.

About 9am the skies were clear and the temps in the mid 40s so I did some more rock work on the drive behind the house.

Habitat Appreciation Dinner

Just returned from the Lake of the Ozarks Habitat for Humanity appreciation dinner.  Corporate sponsors, builders, volunteer builders, ReStore volunteers, and even the recipient of the last home built in Camdenton and her son were present to enjoy a shrimp boil with sausage, small potatoes and sweet corn.  Because it was held in St Anthony's church in north Camdenton, we were able to enjoy a few beers with the meal.  Pink lemonade was available, too.  The ceremonies were short and sweet.  We did lots of talking and sharing of our experiences with Habitat.  Plenty of goodies left over so we will be enjoying a second session on Friday!!

Some one had left a bag of pears by our door sometime during the afternoon.  We highly suspect Gary and Pat??

Twas a wet and rainy night!!

No, it wasn't Halloween, but the JV football game at Versailles was definitely drizzly.  I didn't take my camera for the last game of the season, BUT i was smart enough to have my rain slicker in the car and a hooded sweat shirt.  However, I couldn't figure out why Lee was standing on the sidelines and didn't get to play - had the viruses knocked him down, had he played the tuba at the wrong time, what???  Well as the game ended, they said that was the last Freshman Game of the year!!!  Duhhh.  Every time I've watched in Eldon the JV played first.  The frosh didn't look too good, but Versailles had a kid named Turbin?? that was mentioned A LOT by the announcer.

JV game was close until the last 3 minutes.  Lee played all offense and some defense.  Eldon didn't have many penalties, but Versailles was going backwards faster at times than forwards.  Hey Lee, what was wrong with your shoe in the third quarter??  Were you the one carrying the ball on an end around when the three Tigers were waiting on your side of the line behind your "blockers"??  I think you should practice kicking during the off season.  Eldon definitely needs help in this part of the game.   The only kick the Mustangs tried went about 5 yards!!!  Coach decided to go for it on 4th downs after that.

I was very impressed with the facilities.  I think it was called the Edna Walton Complex.  Must be some Wal-Mart profits involved!!  The track was great, the "green" grass very lush and the stadium was better than Wayne States while I was in high school and college. 

My most fun part of the eve was the hot pretzel with cheese dipping which I got at half time and missed some of the third quarter.  The regular heated chamber was empty, so they had to heat the pretzel in the microwave and then the pretzel broke and then it had to have salt put on it.  Didn't know a simple "Philly" pretzel could be soooo much work.

TTFN

October 15, 2010 Fall is Here

A different view of the flag with the dogwood in its fall colors.

The mums got leggy this year, but they still add lots of color to a garden that needs it at this time of year.

A little closer view.  Can you smell them??

We have had excellent coleus this year.  Bought a flat of mixed foliage in early spring and they have been a delight to fill in the shady areas of the garden.  These are behind the house along the asphalt drive and to the left of the A/C heat exchanger.

This rose is actually redder in real life, but I must have had too much sun on it.  Tried to play with the colors and contrast but to no avail.  It has been a delightful day.  Hope yours has been, too!!