God brought us Titus William on September 5th at 11:33pm, his due date! All are doing well. 8lb.4oz. 19.5 inches. Details at CC.

The ulta sound tech also had a little trouble finding the ovary but when she did …. all is fine! I hate knowing that you always have to have these false alarms checked out or else I’d be tempted to let it go.

Our trip to see Kevin was great. All of our flights went smoothly. Kevin took us on an uphill hike, 8 miles round trip, one day. The next, we drove an hour along the Blue Ridge Parkway to a winery where we ate lunch and then went on a tour and wine tasting. Last of the big drinkers … Dave and I shared our 5 free wine tastings while Kevin paid to sample 10. Dave drove home. That would have been enough of a day for me but I think Kevin wanted to tire us out and be sure we had a good time so we went to a movie… Henry Poole Was Here and then to an Irish Pub for dinner.

All of you are usually up to date on the news so I’m sure you know about Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin’s 17 year old daughter being pregnant. We have a developement, here at Pike, because of that breaking news. Channel 13 is in our parking lot finding teens and their parents to interview about their opions on teen pregnancy. I’m not sure if or when it will be on TV but I plan to watch the news tonight. I keep saying my job is anything but boring!!!

We heard from John. He starts his new job tomorrow and is staying with a family. He wrote that he was very pleased with humanity and he would tell us more later.
My job continues to be the source of conversation. One of my bosses made an insulting racist comment but appeared to be unaware that she had faux pawed. No details on our public site but I will tell all at the next CC that I will be at(I won’t be at Barb’s since that is the day of my surgery)
We did our usual Saturday morning sales. I spent $3 but Kara was the big winner. She found an electric lawn mower for $20, designer shoes for $3 dollars, the most darling baby girl’s Cubs’ outfit for a friend. and then stopped at Lowe’s in Carmel and got clearance threshholds for $1. She had just finished tearing up the carpet in her hallway and had raw rug edges leading into the bedrooms.

The titles I was thinking of … Heaven here on Earth , Good Deal, or who is the authority on ovarian cysts? (wasn’t that you Kate).

I had intended to try a place called Foot Finessee, which is in the plaza where Cord Camera is, for a long time now. After going to the doctor for a the annual pap test where she couldn’t find my right ovary, I decided that today would be the day for the massage!

It is operated by a Chinese family I gather, lights are dim, they discourage talking (maybe because it would be too hard to understand each other but I think it works well), and music is soft.

The foot massage starts with oil to the forehead and a temple massage, scalp, neck shoulders, arms, (all the time your feet are soaking in hot water), then feet, calves. You then turn over and they do a great job on your upper and lower back, shoulders , a quick trip over your butt and then down the back of your legs.

They can be rather firm which I liked but if you tend to be tender you might ask for them to be gentle. All I know is I could have avoided PT if I had gone here! My shoulder and neck were hurting from yard work this past week when I went in and the pain was gone when I came out.

I always wondered why Sue went home after her massages and took a nap … now I know. I did eat a leisurely lunch and then slept for 1 1/2 hours.

The massage lasted for 1 hour and was only $25!! I don’t know how long they will keep the price low. Of course if everyone tips as generously as I did maybe they won’t feel as if they need to raise prices.

So anyway … I am scheduled for an ultrasound on September 15th. Maybe by then the ovary will appear. She did feel a sac about the size of softball … so till then… I’ll just figure this is just another nuisance scare … that my body has a mind of its own and just wanted some attention!

Well, I’m off again. I found out Amy is moving Sat. and so since I volunteered to paint, I’ll have to do it on Friday. I’ll leave tonight and drive a few hours, then meet her at the end of the school day tomorrow so I can meet her kids. She had a good first day in 3rd grade–only 14 showed, there are 17 on her roster. I’ll stay the weekend and drive back Tuesday, probably. No action on the baby front! (due Sep 5).

After all of you left I finished cleaning up and then watched Olympic Beach Volleyball until 12:30 AM. Boy an I tired today. It was really exciting. USA beat Brazil in three sets. I remembered thilngs I forgot to tell you last night. One, On Tuesdat night, we had State Senater Mike Delp use our community room for a town meeting. He had 34 people and he wouldn’t leave at 9:00 when the library closed! We reminded him 5 minutes before we closed and 5 minutes after we closed. He kept putting his hand up for 5 or 10 minutes moreWe can’t let people, using the community room, close up so we had to stay. Security had to also stay.We don’t get paid overtime so we tried, as politely as we could, to get them to leave. They finally did at 9:20. When we told the manager she said we did what we could and there isn’t anything else to do when someone, especially a senator , etc, is using the room. Lindsay and I have to make up the time buy leaving 20 minutes early ( like today). I really could have come in 20 minutes later Wednesday morning but I rather leave early today. Also When Maureen was talking about her Dad’s all purpose chair and using it for the bathroom I wanted to mention we got our bedroom bathroom bathtub resurpaced and instead of pitting a matt down they put a bar and the strips in the bathtub. I really like it.

Bear poop sightings that is. My brother regularly has black bears at his place in the woods - he has 40 acres of towering pines and hardwoods, intersected by 2 different rivers, and his land is surrounded by several hundred acres of the same. But during our family weekend they politely stayed away during the daylight hours and only visited at night. Small comfort. He also has seen cougars, gray wolves, porcupines, and lots of deer, but none of them came around either. So the closest I came to anything wild and dangerous was the poop. Thank goodness. Had a great time, lots of hiking, some trail riding, campfires, booya making, drank sangria, played bingo and lawn games etc etc.

On Monday we took my brother’s boat down to Pine City, an hour south of his place, to where we lived during my school years. We had a pontoon then, and used to take it out every day all summer long. So on Monday we took a very nostalgic boat trip out onto Cross Lake, past our lakeshore house and then back again onto the Snake River up to Lake Pokegama and back. I hadn’t seen the likes of those waters since 1969, the year I left Pine City for Minneapolis. Before we left town we stopped at Glor’s, my best friend since age 7, and said hello. It is especially cool to go to her house as it is the same house I lived in when we moved from our lake house into town. I have been in it several times through the years, but my folks and brother hadn’t since they sold it in 1970. A long trip down memory lane that day!!! Then on Tuesday I flew home, out of the little Duluth airport to the cities and on to Indy.

Now I am back here, and trying to regain my stride!

Friday night, when we brought Josh back to the house, I watched the Bee movie with him. I was able to get four children’s DVDs from Pike, for FREE! SAturday we went bowling at Woodland. Elliott went with us but it was just Josh and we bowling. Matt met us there but he didn’t stay very long. I wad free game passes from the SRP! They have bumpers and a metal ramp to help little ones bowl. Josh seemed to enjoy it. He bowled three games. I only had energy for two. Sat. evening we met MAtt and the Loggan boys at the Indian
s game. It felt funny actually sitting with Matt at the game. Will Loggan (he is about 8 years old) sat next to Josh. They enjoyed the game and watching the Zooper Stars perform. A Zooper Star dog was doing the Limbo. When it got real low he lost his head. Josh and Will loved it and pulled their shirts over their heads so they also looked like the lost their heads. Sunday we went to see Wall-e at Keresote. Josh was great. We had no problem until we met Nancy and Eddie at Lafayette. Josh fell asleep in the car. When we woke him he was very grumpy and kept hitting his Mom. Finally he calmed down. I’m working tonight and it’s My ANNIVERSAY!! Elliott and I will just have to celebrate Wednesday night.

I’m thrilled , with Matt’s new Job, Matt will be able to go with Josh and me, Saturday, bowling. I don’t think Elliott will go ( he is going with us to the baseball game) but Matt emailed to say since he is now off Saturday he will hang with Josh and me befor the game. I thought Josh might like to go bowling and we have free game coupons from the SRP. Elliott and I will pick Josh up, tomorrow night, in Lqafayette, around 8:00 I hope I can continue to watch some of the Olympics while Josh is with us. I really enjoy watching them. I was happy Blake beat Fedder in Tennis. I felt bad for the women’s Olympic team even though they got the silver MEDAL!

I am really enjoying the olmpics but boy am I tired going to work after I stayed up till midnight!! Tonight I am enjoying the swimming and gymnastics. I just saw Phelps win his third gold metal and Coughlin win her first Gold. Bobby watched the field hocky since the is a young woman, from IU, on the team. Josh is coming this weekend. I’m thinking of taking him bumper bowling, besides going to the baseball game( with the Zooper Stars. Bobby said the Zooper Stars are on the show America has Talent. I haven’t seen them yet but Bobby said they made it to the second round. He worked with three of the Zooper Stars on that show!

Dave and I were enjoying our lunch in the gazebo this past Saturday when we noticed a teenager standing looking into our neighbors garage. The garage was open and both cars were parked. Not wanting to jump to any conclusions, Dave waited until the boy entered the garage before casually wandering over to ask if he needed help. The boy came out of the garage carrying our neighbors bicycle. When he saw Dave, he put it down and ran down the drive to join his 2 friends who already had bikes (where they got theirs I do not know).

I asked our neighbor later if he had been actually looking for an excuse to get a new bike and should we have let the boy steal his bike.

You may have also heard on tv or read in the paper about the man who was shot by police in the Denny’s parking lot about 1 week ago. Turns out … he lives 2 doors down from me.

Dave gets back from Kalamazoo tonight. Saturday we plan to go to Warsaw to see my niece and her husband. My sister will also be there. On Monday Dave and I both will go to Kalamazoo.

If anyone sees Barb (Carol Faye) tell her on my bike ride this am I clocked the mileage in her neighborhood. She said she walks it … if she goes around the block and walks every court including the one that heads out to Ditch, it is 1.5 miles. I knocked on her door, there was a blue car in the drive with a bike rack on it but no one answered the door.

I also stopped at Sue’s house … 2 cars in the drive and no one answered.

I’m confused which week we decided. Next week I would have to have CC on Wednesday, August 13th. The following week is Riley so I could have it on Thursday August 21st. Maureen, did you say you would be gone next week? All of you let me know which day is best. We had an Anniversary dinner, at O’Charleys, for my In-laws. It was their 61st Wedding Anniversary. Matt and Cory were with us. Matt talked about his new job and Jen coming in this weekend. They are goinig to one of Matt’s seven weddings that he is invited in the next two months. He will be in two of the weddings.

Went to school yesterday where the custodian had a rolled up rug at the entrance. Blinded from the sun and carrying a bag I was unware of the rug until I was hurtling to the ground. Damages appear to be minor: rug burn on my knee and a sore left shoulder. I was shook up but relieved nothing worse had happened. We leave this evening.

Today Matthew, Davie, Delaney, Ella and I drove over to King’s Island - it was a very hot and humid day, so lots and lots of pop and water was consumed! We got there about noon, and went straight to the children’s ride area - the girls both went on the first several rides, then it quickly became “The Quest” to find more roller coasters that Ella was tall enought to ride! She wanted to go on the huge wooden coaster - no dice. Then a steel coaster - nope, too short. And on it went, one after the other she was not tall enough. And the tears came!! Normally it would take fast talking to get a child on alot of the rides, but not Ella. (Delaney, yes - she is still very cautious at age 9.) Ella has only just turned five mind you, and she can’t get enough of speed and motion! We did manage to go on quite a few rides that were wild enough for her, but when the rest of us were totally done for after 6 hours of walking around in the heat and humidity Ella wanted to keep on riding! She sure takes after her Uncle Matthew, who would go ride coasters every day of the week if he could!

Barb and I had a great trip to Munster. It was so much nicer, for both of us, to go together. The trip sure goes fast when you have someone to talk to. Barb got together with her Mom and Sister to help plan her Mom’s 80th birthday celebration. I really enjoyed going to my nephew’s 5 year old birthday party and visiting with friends and family. I talked with my cousin Linda and she decided to come, tonight, to visit until tomorrow . Elliott, Neil, Dora, cousin Linda and I are going to Library night at the Indian’s game. It will be one of the last times, before Matt switched jobs, that we get free tickets. While I was in Munster Elliott went to the baseball game yesterday afternoon. He sat in the press box with Matt. I hope all of you had a good weekend and I’ll see you Wednesday.

Webmaster’s error - I told him Wednesday July 30 but he put Thursday July 30 on the website. I’ll tell him to change it.

I’m Maureen ( not really, it’s Carol Fay) and inviting anyone who would like to meet, for dinner, at Chili’s, Trader’s point, at 6:00 today. There are four of us going already, Barb is one. Then we are going to see Mama Mia ( either 7:10 or 7:40) at Keresotes, if you just want to meet for the movie. You can either answer me on our website or leave me a message on my home phone. I think all of us have each other’s home phone Numbers.

After only 7 years, the motor on our dishwasher is failing. We can probably use it for another year before it burns out… the squeak will just get louder and louder. I am so disappointed in the quality of goods “now a days”! A new motor costs about the same as a dishwasher so …. anyone have recommendations? Ours is a Kenmore elite which apparently should have lasted longer!

Elliott took the computer to the shop on Michigan. The Modem was acting up! I’m emailing from work. Kate, Barb did buy the tote. Jen bought the place matts, for her Mom, and a purse for her. I’ll get the monet to you this weekend. We picked Jen up, from the airport, at 10:45 PM. She came here from covering the All Star game in New York. She stayed at our house until Matt came home from covering the AAA All Star game in Louisville. He didn’t get here until 2:30 AM! Jen and I had a very informative talk but I’m wiped out today. It’s hard staying up that late. Barb and I went to the RCA Tennis last night! We enjoyed it but the second MAtch was cancelled. The Russian player got hurt in practice so he had to with draw from the Match. BArb and I got free tickets for today. I gave mine to Jen. She plays tennis and enjoys watching. I hope to have some good news about Matt, tonight, I don’t want to jinx it so I’ll let you know, tomorrow