July 27, 2016

Wednesday

I fed the kids oatmeal with blueberries for breakfast. Carol came up with the kids and I showed her how to do English Paper Piecing and she made her first hexagon and started her quilt. We all went swimming.

Meanwhile, the band (and Angelica and Jake) left Ohio heading to Iowa, a two day drive. Our friend, Deb, sent them on their way with bags of fun stuff and they had a blast. Mikki and Randy also stopped to see them before they left.

Later in the day things turned sour. At home in Big Pine, Garrett did something dumb and Bobby kicked him out. Joe had a seizure in the van while the kids were driving, the repairs on Randy's RV were going to take more than a few days, and Ben and Emma got in a fight.

We decided with Garrett that he is going to take classes at FKCC to get his GED and he is going to cut back his hours at work. 

July 26, 2016

Tuesday

I took the kids for a walk and we went swimming. I did a little school with Callie and Charlie dos Spanish and Latin on the computer. I tried to get Violet to take a nap about two o'clock but that didn't work. She did fall asleep at 5 and woke at 7:30, when Grandpa Tom got home from work. He took Callie and Violet for a walk in the wagon. I snoozed while they were gone, then met them at the end of the road with Charlie just in time for the sunset. I practiced fiddle with Charlie today too. 

July 25, 2016

Monday

Today we got to sleep in. I got to just sit in a rocking chair and enjoy the view. Mikki and Randy came over and the boys were shooting clay pigeons. Kurt never shot before and he hit five in a row! Great job Kurt!

After relaxing, I did laundry and started packing. I packed Charlie's stuff, and my stuff, and some food, and before I knew it, it was time to leave. We all went to Rainbow Hills Winery, which was close by and were treated again to supper. It was a beautiful place and another wonderful meal. 

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but our hostess at the house had stocked the fridge for us, and almost everywhere we ate we were given more food. I think I gained 10 pounds the first part of the trip and 10 more this weekend. I'll have to start walking twice a day!

After we ate and visited for a while it was time for us to get on the road. Here we split up; Tom, Charlie, Callie, Violet, and I going to NY, and everyone else will be going on to Iowa, Nashville, and then we will meet them in Virginia before we all head back to the Keys.

Mikki and Randy were supposed to leave today but had RV trouble and stayed to get it fixed. The band has another day to relax in Coshocton and they will leave Wednesday for Iowa.

July 24, 2016

Sunday

We went to church this morning and the boys led worship. Deb brought us donuts, juice, and milk, but we didn't have time to enjoy them till after church. 

We went back to the house and relaxed for a few hours, then headed out to play at Bruce and Deb's anniversary party. It was a great time. The food was delicious, the company was the best, and it was fun. I was very tired by the end of the night. 

July 23, 2016

Saturday

Mikki picked me up and showed me the horse farm where she used to live. It was so pretty. We met Deb at a quilt shop in Coshocton, where I bought fabric for the next part of my quilt. We also enjoyed some iced coffee and tea. After that we stopped at the radio station and then went to lunch. Then Mikki took me home so everyone could get ready for our concert at the fairgrounds. 

The high temperature today was 95. It was hot! Very hot! The concert was fun, Callie and Jake were cute, and Ben looked swag in his red pants.

July 22, 2016

Friday

Violet came home with Tom and I last night. She stayed up till 2 AM. Sweet baby Violet. 

I told the boys we were leaving at 8 AM so we might leave at 9, but we didn't leave till 11. They are very bad bunnies when it comes to packing and departure times. That is one thing that makes me grumpy because I try very hard to be on time. 

Anyways, we drove to Coshocton, OH where we stayed in an awesome house that sleeps 40 people. Luckily for me, there were only 18 of us. We were surrounded by hay fields and pasture. I loved it!

We had a little time to make ourselves at home and then went to another house just down the hill a little where our awesome friends had arranged a picnic supper. It was wonderful. The kids raced around in Flintstone cars and played frisbee by the pond. There was a pretty cow, and Ben and Jake got in a little tractor accident. 

July 21, 2016

Thursday

I spent the day packing for Charlie and I. I packed some food also. I tried to straighten up my room. Late in the afternoon, Kurt, Charlie, and I went to Anita's. Tom met us there and watched the kids so Anita, Angelica, and I could walk/run in a 5k in Orchard Park. Charlie and Jake did not get along all evening.

July 17, 2016

Sunday

We drove back from our gig. We left about 11 AM and went to see our friends the Kestersons. We arrived there around 4 o'clock. Angelica joined us with the kids. The grown-ups visited and the kids swam. We ate and there was a jam. Even Charlie played his fiddle. 

I worked on my quilt block while we drove and while we were there. Here it is by Christine's hollyhocks, which are one of my favorite flowers. 

July 16, 2016

Saturday

We got up early, that's 6 AM for me, and headed out to play at the wedding of my cousin's son. We stopped at Tom's sister, Anita's house to pick up TJ and Jake. We didn't have enough seats so we had to leave Charlie there. It took about 4 1/2 hours to get there. My mom and dad went too but drove separately.

The wedding was at Glimmerglass State Park on one of the Fingerlakes, at a place called Hyde Hall. It was very pretty up there on the hill. Everyone had a great time. Afterwards we went to our rooms at Bayside Inn and Marina. Tom and I shared a room with my mom and dad. The boys were in another room and slept three in each bed. I was exhausted and went straight to bed.

July 15, 2016

Friday

The days are speeding by. Tuesday evening we went out to Sunset Bay to visit Tom's cousin Peggy. Kurt, Clementine, and Charlie went with us. They swam in Lake Erie and made a fire on the beach. Wednesday Carol came up and the kids swam. We got pizza and wings from Brunner's for supper. 

Dad and I picked berries almost every day. I made more jam and mom made more pies. I practiced fiddle. Friday I went out to eat with Stacey in East Aurora. We ate too much and then took a walk afterwards. We would have walked longer but Tom was in a hurry to stop by the Violanti's house, where TJ and Angelica were having Violet's ears looked at. They are both infected. We didn't get home till midnight.

This morning I went with mom and Kurt to take Clementine to the airport. We went to Spot Coffee afterwards and then to Anita's house where mom dropped us off. We hung out outside and talked while I sewed on my quilt. We had pizza and salad for supper at Anita's, then Tom and I went shopping for dress pants for Tom and Charlie. We also stopped at Lowes and Home Depot before we came home. We ate some raspberry pie and Ed showed us some new songs they wrote. Then we packed for tomorrow's gig in Cooperstown, NY. 

July 11, 2016

Monday

Today was our anniversary, 30 years. Tom and Joe went to work with Terry. I think they are siding a house. I did my usual stuff. I practiced fiddle. Charlie practiced too. I spent some time reading. Mom, Kurt, Clementine, and I went to Hamburg for some groceries. We bought supplies to make more raspberry pies. Then we stopped at Charlap's for ice cream. 

Dad was done picking berries by the time we got back. I went swimming. Tom and Joe came home. We had leftover soup and salad for supper. Tom worked on grandpa's truck and I sat out there in a lawn chair for a while. Then we walked to the corner and watched the sun set. You can see a little bit of Lake Erie.

We stayed up late watching TV.