Celebrating Max's Birthday

Today after church, we picked up Mama Jo and took her to Frankfort to visit awhile with Gr Mary. We returned Mama Jo to Milner Assisted Living then headed to Lafayette with Gr Mary to celebrate Max's 64th birthday. This is a picture of the gatherees. The only one you will not recognize is Gavin's girlfriend, Veronica. She is presently living in Orange Co. California with her parents but will soon leave for school in Vegas to teach Yoga. Once the 9 weeks are completed for her training, she will return to New York to be near Gavin. Gavin says he is doing well and he loves New York.

Weekend Wanderings

We left for western Illinois right after work Friday evening. We had a myriad of reasons to go: Mark was to fly in an airshow at Scott AFB, Deke wanted to finish the bookcases, and we wanted to see our newest granddaughter again (don't care about her parents). We had a wonderful time and all was accomplished.

On our way to church a week ago Sunday morning

Standing in front of a T-6 on the tarmac of Scott AFB right before the show began

Standing in front of Deke's old plane, the C-141. It has been relegated to the graveyard but they resurrected this one to put on static display for all those old poops who want to reminisce about old times. Actually, when we got home last night, Deke checked his old log book and found that he had actually flown this bird at some time in his career. (Pilots write down tail #'s)


Standing beside his old trainer plane, the T-38. It's still the most beautiful plane in the whole fleet even after over 40 years of service. Deke got the outstanding T-38 pilot award at his graduation ceremony 38 years ago for flying this plane. He said he got to where he could "feel" the plane under him. He was especially good at landing the plane. Kissed it on. This plane was flown in from Missouri by a Captain who was cuter than Tom Cruise! His wife had driven the 4 hours to be with him over the weekend. He is a "Stealth" pilot who flies this little number when he's not flying the invisible aircraft. Really interesting talking with him.




I couldn't resist showing you this one. This is a Boeing "Dream Lifter." I tried to capture the humongous size of this monster but I didn't do it justice (but Lori did -- click here to see her post). You definitely had to be there to believe it. It carries cargo (mostly parts) of airplanes, tanks, etc. It's absolutely beautiful.

Mark taxiing to main runway for the airshow

Mark flew co-pilot (Lt Colonel outranked him) in the airshow to demonstrate the base's 3 main aircraft stationed there. This is the C-21 Mark flies. It's main mission is to move VIP's around the world. The pilots fly generals, congressmen, and any important support personnel. This plane, however, is not befitting Nancy Pelosi. She demanded, and got, the C-40 which is a large, super-appointed aircraft (Boeing 737- seats up to 111 passengers) stationed at Scott. Mark's best buddy flies that plane and has flown Pelosi many times to San Francisco. In fact she flies home from DC every weekend. We understand the plane is gorgeous inside. Next time we're at Mark and Lori's, we need to ask Alex to give us a tour of the plane.

Little Claire. Ever the lady with her pink rosette.

Claire with Grandpa

Finally. Finished. A happy and relieved carpenter.

A little close-up detail

The doors were made in the barn here at home and fitted perfectly!

A good-bye picture before starting back to Indiana

Going a Little Batty 2

The bat was not rabid.

Going a Little Batty

At approximately 2:30 this morning, Deke and I both awakened to a strange noise in our bedroom. We heard a whisper come in our partially opened door then proceeded to make noise somewhere outside the little window on the east side. I got up to investigate thinking it was the same sound we've heard for years on our roof. But as I was heading into the bathroom, I saw a shadow cross in front of me-flitting back and forth. Instantly I closed the door. By that time Deke was up and reached his hand inside the door to turn on the light. He went to get something so I peeked inside only to see a bat alighting on the rim of the tub! A BAT! Yikes! Filthy dirty things. Rabies.

We plan our strategy. Can't just walk in there and try to kill the thing. OK, let's look up "How to Kill a Bat" on the internet. Hmmm. You're not supposed to kill the bat because the bat is our friend and kills lots of insects. Who cares if it bites us as we both coexist in the bathroom! Another site suggested getting into the closed off room and opening the window so it could fly out. Great. How do I know the thing has flown out? How do I know the thing won't enter my house like it did before? How do I know the thing doesn't have rabies if I don't capture it and take it to the authorities for testing? And if it does have rabies, there's a great possibility that the whole colony has the virus! I'M NOT GOING IN THERE! If we only had a net. We do have a net-an old fishing net hanging up in the barn. Deke retrieves the thing and we form a firm strategy. He'll cover himself completely, get inside the room, throw the net over the thing, cover it with a plastic bucket, slide the lid underneath and voila we have a bat!

All goes well on the first two counts. He covers himself completely and goes inside the bathroom. No bat. Where is the bat? He has to be in there, I say. He certainly didn't come out this way. Just on a whim Deke throws the net over the top of the cabinet near the shower. YES! I bring a stepladder and now we see The little bugger for the first time. He squeals and bares his teeth fighting to get out of the net. Deke throws the plastic bucket over him and maneuvers the lid underneath. Success! We carry it to the garage and deposit it on the floor sealing the bucket.







We crawl back into bed around 3:30 but dream the whole rest of the night of house sounds and bat wings.

Fortunately, Deke doesn't have to report to work before noon. We both taught classes last night for our Family Night Live series, and Deke is teaching Men's Fraternity tonight so he is taking a half day off. We awakened around 8:30 and headed straight to the garage. Deke lifted the lid and we found our night invader immovable and non-responsive. DOA. Kicked the bucket. A goner. Caput. Croaked. Bit the bullet.



So now we'll take him to the health dept for testing and if it's rabies, we are going to have to find out how this little guy got in our house. The website said to not do anything until after Nov 10th when they migrate to warmer climes. Two months.

So that's our story and we're not going to change it. It's a mystery that needs solving and we may end up calling in the professionals before it's all said and done. But in the meantime, we're going a little batty.

Labor Day

I am feeling better today but still have a very congested chest and runny nose. I may go see my favorite Nurse Practitioner tomorrow if things haven't improved by then. I start teaching an 8-week course this Wednesday so need to be at my best by that time.

This morning we got up fairly early and headed to Frankfort to take Grandma Mary out for breakfast. I didn't think to get my camera out to take a picture of all of us at "Hoops" restaurant so you will just have to imagine 3 people sitting in a booth eating eggs, bacon, and pancakes.

After helping Grandma with some computer stuff we stopped in to see Mama Jo in Rossville. She was in the main lounge surrounded by Russ and Carole and Barb and Mike. We had been there for just a short while when Steve Mills walked in. He had been out on his Harley and stopped by on his way home. It was good seeing him and it was sweet that he would take the time to stop in to see Mom.

Mom browsing a photo album I took to her earlier last week

This evening Deke has been happy in the barn assembling a router table for his new router. He is completing Mark and Lori's cabinet doors so of course he had to buy a new router and bits to do the job properly.

Can you say, "ka-ching, ka-ching"

H1N1?

I'm sick. Don't know what it is but whatever it is, stinks. I would take a pic of myself and post it but I don't want the little kiddies crying and screaming and running to Mom saying, "There's a horrible ugly witch on the computer!" or something like that.

On Monday I woke with a scratchy throat and it has gone downhill since. For the past 2 days I've run a temp of 100.6 but in the evenings it spikes somewhat. I sound like a frog, I feel like a druggie (at least I think I feel like a druggie), I look like the pits, I move like a snail, I cough like a smoker, and I can't do more than shower and get dressed most days. It's probably H1N1 but I don't have the strength to get to a Dr to tell me it's so. OR it's the nastiest cold I've had in years. Either way, it stinks.