The Event ~ Saturday Nite Live!

Tim and I are not party animals ~ never were and never will be.  But we still enjoy a good time, especially if it is with friends!  We have always enjoyed socializing in the home ~ ours or others ~ an activity that is not as prevalent today as it was in earlier generations.  I guess we can blame tv and technology.  But when we do get together with friends, it makes for eventful memories and fun times.

Visiting with friends on a Saturday nite is about as alive as we get.  Throw in a mix of "Hand and Foot" cards, and it get's really lively!  Saturday nite we enjoyed dinner and cards with Sharon and Dick Rahmig and Jacque and Rick Kaufman, with the Rahmigs hosting.   Us three couples have become our little own card club in the last couple years, and it's been fun. 

Kaufman's have been friends of ours from the 1970's when we lived in Bayard and attended the same church.  When our kids were little, we visited quite often.  Through the years, we kind of lost touch, except for the annual Christmas card. So it has been special to renew that friendship and fellowship once again.  

Sharon Rahmig has been our auction clerk for at least the last ten years, and we have developed a very close, dear friendship.

We need to make sure we continue to foster our fellowship with friends in the years to come.  Friends are the one possession you can enjoy in heaven and should not be cast aside lightly.  Eventful Friends are a blessing!

The Event ~ Visit with a Dear College Friend!

While in Lincoln for several days, Tim and I travelled two and a half hours into Iowa to visit my dear, dear friend from college who has never lost touch in the last 40 years ~ Betty Stewart and her husband, Tom.  Betty and I were part of the inseparable seven during our college days.  (See Reunions blog 6/9/10).  In the last 40 years we have seen each other five times.  Each time it's like time has stood still and we pick up where we left off.  We are as comfortable with each other today as we were when 19 and in college. 

Tim and Tom have enjoyed visiting and talking farm toys.  Put two farmers together and there is never a shortage of conversation.  Put two dear  life friends together and there is never enough time to catch up.  I treasure our long time friendship ~ we've shared alot of joys and sorrows and prayers together. 

It will be a joy to continue to share as we grow old together in heart and spirit, even though we are miles apart. 

Coincidentally, Betty's daughter is my grandson Jakob's teacher at school! 

Visiting with dear friends and keeping in touch through the years is an event I treasure!

The Event ~ The Piano Recital

It's been a long time since I attended a piano recital.  I remember going to my own piano recitals in the late 50's, early 60's.  I took lessons for at least six years, but I  was never musically inclined and it was always a difficult endeavor for me. 

My three kids took organ/piano lessons and we enjoyed their recitals many years ago.  Last Sunday, 1/25/11, I had the opportunity to attend the first piano recital of my first four grandchildren.  It was a small event consisting of a dozen + young students and lasted all of twenty minutes.  Each student played two songs, starting with the youngest child and advancing to the oldest and more advanced students.  It was a pleasure and delight to watch and listen to all the children - not just my own grandkids.  The simple little starter songs brought back memories.  The kids did great and I was really proud to hear and see how much Jakob, Josh, Jon and Mattie had learned on the keyboard in the very short time they have been taking lessons.  I see some natural talent and some struggle between the four of them.  No matter how long they stick with it, any piano training is basic and a stepping stone for music involvement as they mature. 

Their first piano recital was a memorable event.  I'm glad I was able to attend!

The Event ~ Construction Zone

Owning a home can mean living in a virtual construction zone for life.  Tim and I have lived in four houses in the 40 years we have been married.  Every one of them required construction and/or repair work of some sort at some point in time.  Always upon moving into the house or prior to moving in, and then ongoing projects thereafter. 

Currently, we have been living in "construction zone" mode for about the last four months.  It started with the roofing of our house in September.  Then on to residing of our house in October, due to summer hail storms.  Cash took on that project.   We took that opportunity to insulate as well.  I also learned how to replace window screens myself instead of paying $40 for a "professional" to do the five minute job.   We still have to get the windows re-wrapped when the weather warms. 

Cash tore out the back door entry floor and replaced it with tile, and went on to sand and paint the front door red (which still needs a few more coats of red paint when the weather warms.)  Then it was on to replacing the kitchen sink.  Yep, we threw out the kitchen sink!  I beat up the old sink so badly, we couldn't stand to look at it anymore.  Now I have a nice new gleaming sink which I am taking great effort to take care of and keep it clean.

Then the steel roofers showed up and replaced the hay shed and the shop roofs with bright shiny new red roofs, again as a result of the severe summer hail storms.  The red roofs certainly add pizzaz to the farm.  Tim and Cash still have to replace the small barn roof, which they decided to do themselves and pocket the labor profit themselves. 

Currently, the bathroom in the basement is completed gutted.  What started out to be a minor patch job of a couple moisture soft spots in the walls near the shower quickly snowballed into a major renovation that now includes the installation of new flooring in the bathroom, hallways,  and one bedroom; the removal of our red desk area in the basement foyer; a new bathroom sink, a nice round glass shower, moving the sink plumbing from east to west wall and moving the softener and distiller plumbing from west to east wall; adding  a vent fan and a new light in the ceiling.    

This project was NOT my idea.  Only the patch job was on my honey-do list.  But it will be a pleasant improvement when finished.  Thank you!

In the past week Tim, Cash and I have become very familiar with the local super Menard's store which we hardly ever stepped foot in before.  But we quickly discovered they are far less expensive than the other remodel supply stores in town.  And the service has been quite good, too.  Surprise, surprise! 

Again when the weather warms, I have a gallon of paint waiting to be rolled on the cement foundation of the house.  I guess that is my project to look forward to. 

It's amazing how we can live in our own "dirt" without really seeing the disgusting stuff until we really get down and into it.  When we get this project done, it's going to be nice, and make our main upstairs bathroom look disgusting!    Alas, where does it ever end?

The Event ~ The Dinner Guest

Last nite a very special dinner was hosted for some very special dinner guests.  By now anyone who has followed Eventful Friends knows that events happening around the dinner table with guests is always a special occasion for me.  The dinner table is an eventful place!

But last nite, WE were the guests! Tim and I.  Yes, we were invited to dinner last night to Annie's apartment where she and Cash prepared dinner for us.  I think this could be considered their first dinner party as a couple!   Even though Annie's apartment is small and cozy and the table is a table for two (or one),  the four of us gathered around her table for kabobs, spinach salad and chips, margaritas, and vanilla yogurt topped with fresh blackberries. 

They had just returned that afternoon from nearly three weeks in Grand Junction for the Christmas season, in which time they did a whole lot of wedding preparation and planning.  Annie and Cash eagerly shared with us all their plans and alot of pictures from their time in Grand Junction.  It was a fun evening of sharing.  The food was delicious, the company wonderful!

I am excited about Annie joining our family.  Their engagement should have been an eventful entry in my book already.  Annie and Cash were engaged last July in Alaska on an iceberg off the Alaska coast.  The wedding date is set for June 11, 2011 after she graduates from University of Nebraska Medical Center, Scottsbluff campus as a dental hygenist.  Those will be eventful days ~ both graduation day and the wedding day.        





Welcome to the family, Annie, and thank you for your warm and loving hospitality and a delicious meal last night.

The Event ~ Happy New Year 2011

Out with the old ~ in with the new.  Welcome 2011!

We spent January 1, 2011 with cousins sharing a German meal at George and Ann Liakos house.  Connie, Rich, Richie, Linda, Lyle, Kelsey, Katie, Andrew, Grandma, Grandpa and Tom gathered together.  We shared chicken noodle soup and butterballs, kadova and glace, blackberry dumplings, garlic sausage and rye bread, and apple and cherry dinna kucken. 

We hosted the same event last January 1 at our house, and the cousins all thought it merited a repeat this year.  Maybe a new tradition is born!  I remember thirty years ago or so I tried to do the same thing with cousins on New Year's Day.  I did it two or three years in a row, and it never got any further than that.  It is always a fun time to gather with extended family.  We just don't do it often enough. 

We all played some Blockus and Rumikub games most of the afternoon.  At 6 pm we finished off all the leftovers before heading home.  An eventful way to start the new year with friends and family.  Happy New Year 2011. 

The Event ~ Christmas in Sonoma

Christmas 2010 was the perfect opportunity to fly to California and spend Christmas with Alexis.  It was kind of almost a last minute decision ~ about three weeks prior to Christmas.  When Alexis called and invited us to come spend Christmas with her, we didn't hesitate to say YES! 

We flew out of Denver at 6 pm on Thursday, December 23 arriving in San Francisco at 8 p.m.  It's about 1 1/2 hours to her house in Sonoma from the SF airport.  Friday we went out shopping for a bit of last minute gift buying.  It was festive and fun shopping with Alexis.  We were going to eat out, but ended up grabbing yummy franks in a food booth at the outdoor plaza.  Once back at the house, we wrapped gifts, played some scrabble, and Alexis looked on line for church options for Christmas Eve.

We found a 7 pm service about a mile from her house at a Presbyterian church.  It was a beautiful setting with the fog rolling through the hills amidst the white steeple of the church and the eerie moss clinging to tree boughs hanging low.   And then surprise!  We were greeted by the people and animals of Bethlehem as the three kings kept a tight rein on their camel, the shepherds were keeping watch over the flock of sheep, and the calves guarding the baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph in the stable.  The place was bustling with people just like we can imagine the streets of Bethlehem when there was no room in the inn. 

During the service we were treated to a truly beautiful flute solo by a gentlemen playing a variety of renditions of "Silent Night".  A fantastic solo.  It was a real treat.  I have never heard a flutist quite so eloquent and mezmorizing as that performance.    We shared in Christmas Eve communion and a short message by an interesting and laid back pastor that made his congregation and guests feel at ease and welcome with a sense of humor.  The message reminded us again that as we put 2010 behind us, we can look forward to the future with hope and peace when God is involved in our lives.    It was special to share Christmas Eve service with Alexis. 

Following church we went home and all pitched in to make a good dinner of minute steak, macorni and cheese, and wine, followed by another board game.  Christmas morning we opened gifts and just spent the day hanging out together.  We didn't get around to eating out at a nice restaurant as Alexis thought we would.   Christmas day we made chicken noodle soup and butterballs. 

Sunday we had a brunch lunch with guests Lee and Kasey, cousins on the Gallwas side.  Alexis made great crepes with strawberries and whipped cream, and Lee brought  an egg/spinach casserole. It was fun to visit, walk around the Sonoma Square and just hang out.  Alexis taught me a little about hoola hooping, which I hope to get into as good waist exercise!

Adding to the fun was Kuma ~ Alexis'  new poodle dog.    Already spoiled, the dog knows he's so darn cute.   Kuma really enjoyed his special Christmas gifts, and opening his own gifts was as much fun as the surprise inside!

We took Kuma  for a walk around the dog park on Friday morning and then to the town square on Sunday afternoon.  We discovered that there are no strangers when a cute dog is in your company, as many people stopped to chat and visit about Kuma!  A good way to make new friends!

Alexis doesn't get tv channels, so it was especially nice not to have our quality time usurped by the big black box.  Tim actually read a whole book in the quiet time that we had there. 

Alexis has a beautiful vintage character house that is warm, cozy and friendly ~ a fun place to hang out or curl up.  We had a very, very beautiful Christmas together ~ we reconnected, and shared memorable family fellowship!    Thank you, Alexis for Christmas 2010.   It was an eventful family Christmas!