Heating Up early

The heat is on.....we in the midwest normally expect this kind of "microwave" heat in early August but this tops all time records for temps in So Ill for this part of June/July. So needless to say not many outdoor activities with the exception to an occasional round of golf. Like really....when was the last time fireworks have needed to be cancelled? (I guess for fear of them igniting w/o matches) Stephen, Abbey and the kids are gearing up for a trip east for some visit time with Kelly and Ben in our nations capital. This is a driving trip so hopefully Jax and Layla read the directions correctly. Janet and I are planning a fall trip out there as well. We really have found new activities....Janet is still in the service of people business by driving a transit vehicle for the Monroe / Randolph county transit. I have found that an extra couple of rounds of golf requires plenty of rest and preparation. So thus afternoon naps have become a prescribed must. Watering the garden is very hard when it is this hot. I'm sure when this summer heat let's up we'll be able to take it a little easier. Go figure. I hope all is good for everyone.

Spring time off

For the first time in let's just say "a long time"...I have no coaching responsibilities, no worries about rain/cold weather and I have to say life is still good. I really have learned that stuff happens away from just school related activities. Golfing this spring has been fun..the weather has been perfect. Janet is getting her sub days to keep her in the education world. Surprising she is getting more calls to substitute teach at Lincoln Jr. High then at Sparta High School, a place where she taught for over 32 years. Must not have as many subs needed at the High School. She really enjoys the challenge.
Another joy took place in our nations capital as we visited Kelly & Ben. Katie's name was drawn for tickets to the White House Easter Egg roll and she graciously gave them to Abbey & Stephen and the twins Jaxon & Layla.
Kelly & Ben were very good host as always....and we certainly enjoyed our time together.

Back home

Janet and I enjoyed our first Florida winter month. It was nice to have had different groups of family members to come visit at various times to help with the "homesickness" that came with missing the growth and development of the grandkids.
We were very well received into the retirement family in Destin. The weather this year, as with in the Sparta area, was unseasonably warm. We only had three unplayable days due to weather.
Unbeknown to us during the time away, Stephen our son in law, provided us with one of the most beautiful surprises having installed a hard wood floor for us in our house. One of the most thoughtful gestures that we both just love. So we can't wait till next year to see what he will do.....just joking the bar may be set a little high there Stephen. We do appreciate the tremendous project.
Getting back in the routine with Jax & Layla have been a double joy. They have now officially put a stake in being humanized. They are growing so fast and developing such neat personality traits it makes every day like opening a window and smelling the fresh smell of the spring flowers....let us all slow things down and take every day in like that.

Snow Bird Specials

Just when you thought retirement couldn't get any better.....you go ahead and go to Florida for the winter and you quickly realize that this schedule is one that we can easily adapt to. Being away from new grand babies has it's toll however modern communication of daily seeing and communicating with them makes that bearable. We have been playing golf somewhere almost daily and getting into the routine of the daily specials everywhere. Having friends around really helps.
Tom and Jan Seals along with Greg Jones and Tom Tolliver certainly gives Destin a Sparta feel.
We have family starting to make the journey down so the outlet shopping mall will certainly see an increase in sales while the pace of day will most certainly pick up. So looking forward to the visits.

Boston / DC visit

Boston for the first time. If you have never visited this city (my first time) here are some observations.  I found the people to be very friendly and very helpful. We stayed in the Beacon Hill area of the city only several steps from the Bowdoin Metro station which is on the Blue line of the very simple to use transit system.  Boston is truly a very walkable city.  70% of the current Boston has been filled in to accumulate more land mass.....so yes you can walk a huge portion of the self contained city. 
We flew into Logan International airport which is located on the eastern side of the city.  There is a free shuttle that will take you to the metro system. From there on the blue line we were only 10 minutes from the apartment that we had rented. Janet deserves the props here as she located and researched the area. Being the historian that she is, was very helpful to me as I really took a  break from the history classes between the years 1966-1974. Oh well sorry Mrs. Luthy, Mr. Adams, Mr. P. Finley, Mr. Frazier it's not your fault. "My bad"
So yes I may have found the lunch at the "Cheers" bar more interesting than "Bunker Hill"......again my bad. The history did come to life and even for me started to make sense as to the actual events that took place and how it all took shape. I totally enjoyed the experience and recommend to others.  Jaxon and Layla heads up we will take this in when you are about in the fifth grade.
Another visit to DC just reaffirmed my reasoning for staying in Southern Illinois as even at this time of year the traffic and crowds were just overwhelming.  Don't think you can just run out to Wal-Mart or Aldi's for some late night milk for the next morning's breakfast. Good trip but yes it's sure good to be home.

Wedding weekend

What a weekend....we were blessed with a perfect weather weekend for an outdoor October 15th wedding. We can't say how touched we were by the effort shown by many in making the extended travel arrangements to share with Kelly and Ben on this occasion. It was incredible. Fun was had by all as the wedding took place in our yard. A place that in itself holds so many memory making events such as the playing catch and golf nonstop in the yard. By the way the "alter was pretty close to hole #2". One inside story as to how the father of the bride maintained his composure as to not breaking down into tears was to keep looking down at the ground and reminding myself that I would need to weed whip soon. A subtle change of all the memories of playing in that yard certainly helped me get through the moment. By the way at Abbey's wedding I just made sure the evening wedding had low lights....just a helpful suggestion for those of you that will soon be taking the most precious people down the isle on that wedding day. To all of the people that came...I thank you for helping us make the day so special for all. It truly was a special day one that only will add to the special memories of our yard at 610. A special thanks to our immediate family that really helped pull this off.... Stephen Miles heads the atta-boy list from making the covering on the patio to setting up the lighting and just about everything in-between. Abbey really needs to be a wedding planner while everyone knows Janet can do proms/homecomings/and now weddings. Jo and Mallory certainly deserve an atta-girl. Katie G did enough worrying for all of us yet took care of whatever business that needed done. Me, I was the self appointed supervisor that was in that capacity but no one else knew it. Kelly Coop took outstanding pictures while Pastor Scott Henley performed a beautiful ceremony...."absolutely" as a quote taken from the recent bride Kelly.