Watertown & Cambridge

Due to all the rain, getting to Watertown was quite a feat. We couldn't go thru Jefferson City and ended up going thru Lake Mills. But eventually we arrived at Jan's home. The next morning we just had to go to some garage sales...that's another event us sisters enjoy doing together. Jan found a gold mine when she came across a garage sale with lots and lots of stamps. She is involved in card stamping BIG TIME and makes these great looking cards.
On Monday, it was the changing of location for Linda again and we all met in Cambridge, WI. We had a great lunch at Tru. They have excellent food.
We enjoyed a chicken pizza along with their house salad...mmmm good. The weather was perfect and we were able to sit outside and just enjoy the food and conversation.
What trip is never complete unless you go shopping. We found some sales and even were able to purchase a birthday gift for our sister Linda...her birthday is in August and she will be back in France. She found a beautiful necklace.
Although my sister Linda was under the weather most of the time we were in Watertown, Jan and I did manage to take a long walk one day and on another day we took a bike ride. Sunday Linda was able to attend church where Darryl was speaking and then our gracious host and hostess took us out for lunch at Settler's Bay. Don't they make a great looking couple! Just want to thank them for all the fun we had and for all the meals that Jan prepared. On Monday Linda was almost back to normal and did enjoy the day in Cambridge. If you get the chance..take a nice drive to Cambridge, you'll enjoy it just as much as we did.

The Sisters

It was off to Brodhead, WI to making the changing of the guard...that is the changing of location for my sister, Linda who is here from France. Linda had been staying with Louise and now was on her way to Jan's home in Watertown, WI. We all met in Brodhead.
If any of you have sisters, you know that they can get into alot of trouble. I decided that we needed a picture of us monkeys..hear no evil, see no evil and differently speak no evil...hummm look who is just standing there smiling.
One cannot go to Brodhead and not stop by the Bent & Dent store. Linda looks like she may have found a bargain.
In Brodhead we spotted a strawberry patch. Now this was not on the program for the day. Jan was in a skirt and I was wearing white capris...but you know sisters..they will do just about anything for one another. It was Jan for whom WE were picking the strawberries for. But since I was going to stay with her, I knew that I would benefit from this.
Yes, between the two of us we had 10 quarts of strawberries! And for supper we did have strawberry smoothies.

All in all we had a great day in Brodhead! Thanks to Tammy, who was able to join us and take the pictures of us monkeys! (Megan was also with us.) Poor Tammy, she probably worries about her strange Aunts, let alone her strange mother. Just kidding Louise.

Riverside Park - Watertown, WI

On June 15, l996 the family attended the wedding of Michelle Sturgill and Gary Beard...yes I know that was 12 years ago. The wonderful reception took place at Riverside Park in Watertown, WI. The pictures below show what damage the overrunned Rock River has done to this beautiful park. Many of you were at the wedding and will remember the little bridge above.
Can you believe what you are seeing?
The play area is dry and children can use the swings, etc.

If you look close, you will see the bridge in the background and see how high the water got.

I will post more about the sisters adventures, but I just wanted Michelle and others to see what Riverside Park looks like right now. When my sister Jan came down, she was not able to go thru Jefferson City...they were really hit hard with all the rain that we have had.

Give Me a Break - HA

I'll be gone from the 19 of June till the 24rd. So you can just skip my blog till then...that is if you have been visiting and not making comment. I know you're out in Tennesse Land somewhere.

Happy Father's Day!

Yesterday, June 13, 2008 I think we were all sadden by the death of Tim Russert. Leaving behind a wife and son, Luke who has just graduated from Boston College. Luke will deeply miss his father this Sunday as the nation celebrates Father's Day.
We are all complex people, created by God. Like the stars in the sky, no one is exactely alike! My father Wayne George Rehfeldt was so unique in so many ways. It hard to believe that this year when I was visiting my mother, Agnes on May 21 she said, "Do you know what happened 70 years ago?" "You got married?" was my replied. (My father was only 18 years old and mother was 20 years old.) As the conversation went on I made the statement that we so often make: "Does it seem just like yesterday?" "Yes!" was my mother's answer.
After I was born, my father had to join the Army. And to honor my father, I love the saying, "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." The following are excerpts from letters my father wrote to his mother. October 8, 1944 "I've missed Agnes and the kids (There were 4 of us at that time..8 more to come). I have the most wonderfullest wife in the whole world and love her with all my heart." On December 30, 1944 " I thank God that I married her when I did. I always have and always will think she is one of the best women that God has ever created and she deserves a much better man than I am." Need I say more?
My father was a roofer by trade. The home we lived in on Sherman was build by my father. Most of my brothers and sisters lived there till they either got married or moved out. Later on in life when we would be in the car with my dad and driving around on West State Street, he would point out several homes and say, "I put the roof on that house."
When we think of fathers, we also think of events that they play a major part in...like walking their daughter(s) down the aisle to get married. It's bittersweet for me because Ann-Marie's dad was not able to do this. My father taught us to be honest. He worked hard and as a result we are all not afraid to work hard too. He was a conversationalist...and as you read some of his letters, he was good at expressing himself. He loved all twelve of his children. In a letter to me he said. "If I could I would wear my heart on my sleeve." And he was talking about how much he loved his whole family.

That brings me to another famous father, Robert Lawrence Trotter, Ann-Marie's father.
It's been said and I know it's true. "Whenever you think of Bob, you think also of Juliet and Ann-Marie." The above picture is Bob with Ann-Marie's back to us in Knoxville, TN.This picture above was at my sister Kathy's home one Christmas when Ann-Marie was in college. He passed away when she was a Junior at Moody. So when she graduated from Moody his presence was deeply missed.
This is perhaps Bob's last birthday with us when we lived in Machesney Park. I must add that my father was at Bob's graduation from Moody.

If your father is alive, pick up that phone and wish him a "Happy Father's Day" I could look up into the heavens and say "Happy Father's Day Dad!" but I really don't know if he would hear me and if my thoughts on this matter are correct. But I can say in prayer. "Heavenly Father thank you for the dad you gave me here on this earth." That circle of dads in heaven has certainly grown in number ..but to me my dad, Wayne and Ann-Marie's dad, Bob are, is where we are looking forward to going to some day.

Strawberry Picking - Grandkid 2008

Tradtions! Strawberry picking has been an event that Gary and I enjoy doing every summer. And for the last several years or so, it has included our grandkids Brigitte and Andrew. On June 10 we drove to Bryon to pickup the grandkids. Their parents Dave and Camille live in Dixon and with gas prices being ridiculous we usually met them halfway. The next morning, June 11 while waiting for Grandpa (Gary), Brigitte age 6 and Andrew who will be 11 in August, went outside to blow bubbles.
I had found these new type of bubbles...pop-up bubbles. To get the bubbles out of the bottle, all you have to do is gently squeeze the middle of the bottle and the bubble wand come up and all the kids had to do was blow thru the wand....Loads of bubbles just pour out..very large ones and also very small ones.
We were not even sure if we would be able to pick strawberries this time. When we phoned the Hazeltine Farm we got a recording that said due to so much rain, picking strawberries would come later this year. But we went ahead and got the grandkids anyway. The evening before we were scheduled to go I phoned one more time and to my surprise there was a recorded message saying that tomorrow they would be open for the first time. "Thank you Lord!", was my response. While driving in WI we finally got near the farm only to read a sign: CLOSED!
"How could this be?" was my response. Well there were a few cars out by the berry patch so we drove in anyway. Here again I see the hand of our heavenly Father...One customer had not finished the two rows that they usually assign to each party. So she told us that we could start there. And to our surprise she added, "When you are done with these two rows, you may go anywhere in this patch." We had the whole place to ourselves. FUN! FUN! FUN! Andrew always win when it comes to who will fill their basket first. Usually Brigitte picks all her own. But this year she started something new...taking a few from her Grandpa and Grandma basket to fill her basket. (Not fair Brigitte)
Since the weather had been bad for the great big berries, it took us longer to gather them. I think the picture of Brigitte above tells the whole story.

I must also add that the owners made the comment that they had never seen two kids work so hard at picking berries. (Of course they were not aware of little Brigitte's method.) But I know for a fact, they both are hard workers. Always wanting to help us with anything we are doing.
We did end up with four full baskets but the owners said they won't as full as perhaps they should have been and gave us a discount on our purchase. Again...thank you Lord for blessings untold.
As always when we have the grandkid, we must has a visit to the Dairyhaus in Rockton. Grandpa and Andrew enjoyed their banana splits.
While Brigitte and I enjoyed a chocolate chip ice cream cone. I think after a hard day picking strawberries, it was a great way to end the evening.
As always the time flies by and on Thursday, it was time for our halfway trip. We were thankful to have them for a few days and safely return them to their parents...perhaps they were tired but we trust they enjoyed their time with Grandpa and Grandma.

Never, Never, Give-Up

You may be thinking that I will have a story relating to Winston Churchill. SORRY to disappoint you....well maybe not eveyone. This year some robbin has been trying to build a nest in the corner of our deck that has a very nice outside light. However, we (both Gary & I) did not want this to take place. First of all it would involve alot of bird traffic. And as we all know what comes with alot of bird traffic. You know...that white stuff. Got the picture? Would you truly believe that Gary has gone out FOUR TIMES and took the starting nest down! Yes FOUR TIMES!!!!
One morning while I'm eating breakfast, low and behold outside the patio doors on the railing of our deck is Mrs. Robin with the making of nest materials in her beck. I rush to look at the outside light...sure enough a new nest has the makings of nest number 5.
Can't you just hear Mrs. Robin say, "Never, Never Give Up!"
Well as of this posting the nest is still in place and last time I looked, the nest is getting packed down with all kinds of materials...plastic, grass clippings, twigs etc. I'll let you know if this nest makes it or not. I'm not going to say anything more to Gary. I'm the one ready to give up.

Retirement Celebration! Jack Traum

As in all of life, you will make many friends, but in that number of friends, some will be a true blue friend and they are few and far between. Going back over 25 years or so, Jack and Annette Traum fall into that list of true blue friends. We were so close back then that Ann-Marie called them Aunt Annette and Uncle Jack...even to this day. Bob and I were given the title of Aunt Juliet and Uncle Bob to their three children...Ed, Jeannette and Mike. Well Jack Traum finally reitred from Ingersoll.
It was a suprise party and when the time got near for them to arrive, Ed, their son went around to all the tables to let us all know and yell out "SURPRISE!".
According to Ed, Annette had done all the planning and did a great job of keeping it a secret from Jack.

Need I say more, Jack was totally SURPRISE!
What a great couple they make. They will be taking a wonderful crusie to Alaska in July! Enjoy your retirement Jack and we all know that you will keep yourself busy will all the Honey-Do-List from Annette.

Congratulations to Melissa

Saturday was such a great time to celebrate the graduation of my neice Melissa's from high school. At 6'0" she has held such a great record in basketball that she has a 4 year scholarship to Augustana College. Way to go Melissa! My brother, Bruce who is her father is very proud of her accomplishments.
We all, of course, enjoy this cake. If you find time you can go to the news article and read all about you cousin Melissa. http://www.morrisdailyherald.com/
Then of course as her Aunt, I must add that she is a very beautiful girl.
To help explain the video below, Landen is Amanda's little boy. Autumn is my brother, Dave's

granddaughter (Jason & Jennifer's little girl.) And what a way to end the day with Gary and brother Dave going for a spin in that sporty car.

Video of Melissa's Graduation

A Walk With Mom

On Wednesday I usually pick up my mother's laundry. When Linda and I arrived, she told us that we must see this beautiful pink flowering bush outside. After we chatted for awhile, we took a nice stroll around the court outside. Although none of us knew the name of this bush, it indeed is beautiful.
Here Linda pointed out one of the buds.
Mom was right, it truly is a beautiful bush.
There were purple miniature irises and these huge purple and pink irises.

As we ended our garden walk, we took a picture of the frog that Mom had at her old apartment and Dave was able to put it in this garden when Mom moved to River Bluff. This year he made the flag to go along with it.

It was probably a 20 minute walk...thanks Mom we did enjoy the walk and seeing the pink flowering bush.