End of the Summer Musings

I have been neglecting my blog the last few months, except for writing about convention, so thought I would do some catching up for August and the first part of September!

August, of course, is my favorite month of the year because of conventions. We went full-time to Freedom and Newry. The memory of those days is so special to me. At Freedom, I felt like I was coming down with a cold, and was a little feverish and had chills on Thursday, but I never did come down with anything! We ended up sitting in the back with Leigh, Jill, and the kiddoes, which was rather nice. I prefer sitting up front, but when I didn't feel too great, I didn't want to be conspicuous!

The 5th of August, which was Wednesday before Freedom began, would have been my mother's 100th birthday! She died at age 86. She was 43 when I was born, and often people thought she was my grandmother! She was a good mother and tried to teach me many things, including how to be nice and not say outrageous things! The most important memories are her example in reading her Bible and writing letters. I always thought she had beautiful penmanship. From her I learned to love to bake. She let me mess up the kitchen to bake things and would clean up after me. Cleaning up for me was a mistake, and she should have taught me to clean up after myself! Sometimes I wish I had been a better daughter to her.

When we got home from Freedom convention, I went to check the garden, and there was no longer any question in my mind that my beautiful tomato plants were afflicted with the virus. It eventually spread to all of them. The potato plants seemed to die off earlier, too, and the sunflowers that grew tall are now hanging their heads. The garden that I planted that grew and thrived through June and July has ended in disappointment and without much in the line of harvest. We have potatoes yet to dig, which I think are all right. We had enough zucchini to get sick of it, and we have lots of green peppers, too. I haven't heard the "ping" of a canning jar this summer!

On the Sunday before Newry convention, we had a hymnsing here. Four workers came from Newry, Delmar Stockwell, Audrey Fuller, Gordon Eady, and Martin Cobb. We had a wonderful evening with about 30 people or so.

Between conventions, I mixed up cookie dough and put it in the freezer. On Monday and Tuesday before Newry, I baked cookies big-time and enjoyed every minute of it! Ken and Ross were both off all that week, and Ken had said he would help me, but he had lawn mower trouble and ended up going to Frogtown for that. So he pretty much stayed out of my hair! Ross helped a little bit one afternoon, but he was busy getting ready for his move to State College. I do love to bake cookies, although I don't think I have baked any since!!

After conventions were over, my first few day seemed rather strange! Ross had his first day of classes on Monday, so of course, he was gone, and we were adjusting to the empty nest again. With the garden being a disappointment, there was little to do there. So, what was I supposed to do with myself? I finally decided to start on a quilt which is a gift. It seemed strange to be doing that in August!!

Ken's mother, Martha, turned 95 on Saturday, August 29. Wow! On Sunday afternoon we had an open house here for her with cake and ice cream. I think we had about 30 folks in.

Over Labor Day weekend, we went to Roy and DeAnn's. We left on Saturday morning. DeAnn and I went shopping at the Hershey outlets and Ken and Roy went to a tractor show. Sunday we went to meeting at Dick Clites' and stayed for potluck and the afternoon. Since we were on our way home, we actually stayed until about 6 o'clock. Dick made hand-cranked ice-cream for us! His son Ron and Steph and their family were there, and Sue and Mark and their family. It was nice to get better acquainted with them. It was special to go visit Sally's grave, which is on their property. It will soon be a year since she died of cancer.

Labor Day Monday dawned a very gray day! The folks who take care of the picnic at Cook Forest went and got a pavilion, and it was a good thing because it rained just about the whole time we were there! But we had a nice time anyways. Lots of good food and company! Some new ones this year were Dave and Mary Bolt from Newry, and their daughters Heather and Anna, and Marie Boring and her daughter Amber, and Earle, David, and Jennifer Walker.

Tuesday night began my tax course at H&R Block. Gene Patterson is the teacher and there are seven of us students. Six are women and one is a man. We have a very thick textbook/workbook. It seems a little overwhelming to me at this point, but I am sure it will come together better as I go on.

Today Anna and I went to a baby shower in Johnsonburg for Carrie Lindberg Marcheski. She got a lot on lovely baby things! Since they have chosen not to know whether it is a boy or a girl, a lot of it was green and yellow.

Yikes! That brings me up to the present! I wonder if I forgot anything? No pictures, sorry. I need to get something that puts up pictures easier than what I have.