Don't Ever Say, "I Don't Care. Just pick something out."

So here's the story. We're expecting our friend, Hugh Johnson, in this weekend and he'll being camping out with us for the next 11 months. We decided to rearrange some rooms and moved the office from the front bedroom to the basement. Harry wanted to paint the front bedroom and I agreed. As he was coming home from another appointment, he called to ask if I wanted him to pick out paint at Menards while he was there. I said sure. He said he wanted to do yellow and I only made the comment, "Don't pick anything out too bright - anything else is fine." And the very wrong statement, "I Don't Care." Here is the beginning of the paint job. Let me say only that the photo does not give you the actual brightness of the yellow hue.

Brittney's Birthday

I guess I forgot I hadn't posted pics of Brittney's 3oth birthday celebration at our place a week ago.

Garage Nearing Completion & Brittney's Family Visits

Highlights of the week - interior wiring for the garage, garage doors, and guttering were installed. All that's left to do is insulation, interior walls, ceiling, hookup the lighting and run the electrical to the main source. Crews worked in intense heat this week but moved right along.

Brittney, her mom Kathy and sister Lindsey visiting from Utah joined us for lunch yesterday. I guess we should call it supper since we're on the late church schedule and don't eat until 5 or so these days.

Lindsey has her learner's permit, so she practiced parallel parking with the golf cart and plastic drums as delimiters. She got really good at it.

A BUSY WEEK!

The Three Rivers Festival

Cousins, Cousins, Cousins!

Wyatt helping with the shed clean out - to the very end.

The start of the day

A hard-working young man

The End of Day 1 Garage Building

Dick's boys have been here for a week and Harry will make the return trip tomorrow with them. Amy's came last evening and stayed through this afternoon. I made a trip to Mom's yesterday and Harry & the boys managed to clean the shed (really needed doing). George's paid a visit last evening, so we had a good family visit with cousins (some cousins, once-removed) everywhere. In the midst of all this, the builders arrived to start on the garage. They're an Amish group and they did an amazing 1-day job and have the garage framed in. They have a little boy about 6 or 7 who works hard with them until about the middle of the afternoon or maybe until there are things he can't do. I was amazed at how the lad held up - carrying lumber and tools and being a right-hand to the carpenters. Amy's, Harry & the boys went to the Three Rivers Festival Midway this afternoon and I got a little nap in, then finished the lunch cleanup in time to start supper. I'd forgotten what a full-time job it is having kids around.

Putnam Reunion

H.O., John & the boys attended the Putnam Reunion yesterday. Some photos from that event as well as the first ride for the boys in the golf cart. They're all good drivers (pretty much...). Only ran into 2 small trees.

Southern Visitors

Light Sabers With Uncle Pat

Cracker Barrel Breakfast

Uncles Nate & Pat with the Boys

An All-Night Drive & Still Looking Good!

Getting Ready to Load Up for the Trip North

Our 3 nephews are visiting from Atlanta for a week (Eli, Jared & Wyatt). Harry & Pat made a halfway trip to pick up the boys yesterday in Franklin, KY. Cousin Nate made the trip with Dick & Kathy. John came from Rochester late last night and the 5 "Boys" are off to a Putnam reunion in Michigan today. Last eve after a pizza supper (all boys like pizza, don't they?), Harry and the boys gathered for the watching of "The Hobbit".

Celebrating the 4th

It was a full day in celebration of the Fourth of July starting with a ward breakfast, then the Pine Valley kids' parade. After lunch we went to Kendallville to help a beekeeper who has a broken leg with her hives, then canoeing with George's at Bixler Lake. The evening consisted of our annual fireworks here at the house accompanied by rootbeer floats. Of the sparklers, let us just say, "They ain't what they used to be." In all a busy, fun day.

Summer! Summer!

Lots going on of late. First, Levi's 8th birthday, then baptism on June 25. Amber & the kids came and Nolan stayed behind to spend the week with us. We had a pizza party at our house after the baptism. Glad for some time with Anna's parents - good friends.

Nolan had some new experiences with Grandpa this week - helping a sister in the Ward move, dressing up in a bee suit and looking into one of Harry's beehives, going kayaking on Bixler Lake in Kendallville, going to a local horse ranch and collecting a trailer full of composted horse manure for the gardens/trees.

Celebrated the start of a new garage. When you live in the country you either have lots of junk sitting outside, or you put up a building. We've tired of the junk outside option. Yesterday and today the footers and garage floor cement were completed. We're also adding a small sidewalk out front to get from the parking spot to the house sidewalk.