In Keeping With My Annual Tradition, Happy First Day of Fall!

 

I hope you're enjoying a beautiful day!

Horseback Riding with Grace...

I got Grace a gift certificate to take her horseback riding for her birthday.  We had a wonderful day together and it made me realize that once each grandchild turns 5, I won't be buying them gifts anymore.  I want to give them a day with grandma doing something fun together, just the 2 of us.

We got up to Garden Valley and as soon as we got on the horses, it started raining.  But it was so beautiful and wonderful that neither of us minded.  In fact, I think we both really enjoyed riding in the rain.

We stopped at the old Youren house - you know how I love old buildings!

Can you tell I was soaked?

After riding, we drove up to the old Charters Mansion.  It's now deserted but I hear they're going to turn it into a restaurant.  It's owned by Don Weilmunster - big surprise!

 



Too Close For Comfort...

Thursday night we had 3 storms roll through our area that brought lots of lightning, thunder and rain.  All came with "severe storm" alerts on the tv and cell phones.  The first two went slightly west of us so we escaped the 6 inches of hail, flash floods, and high winds.  I did sit on the porch and watch the storms roll past wishing they had hit us as well - who doesn't love a good storm?

As we were alerted to the third storm, I stepped outside to see Elmer working on getting the chicken coop upright as it had been blown over by the one high gust of wind we had gotten with the second storm.  With the wraparound porch, you can't see sky until you get to the end so I started walking toward the back porch to check his progress on the coop.

I looked up at the sky and couldn't believe what I was seeing.  Black and grey clouds were moving to the north east faster than I have ever seen clouds move.  It scared me!  Elmer was up at the chicken coop trying to upright it with the buggy.  He had it running and couldn't really hear what I was saying as I started yelling at him, "Get inside!  Look at those clouds!"

He gave me the "I can't hear what you're saying so quit yelling at me" look.  So, I yelled louder.  "Turn around and look at those clouds!  Can't you see them?  Get inside!"

He gave me the look again and yelled, "JUST A MINUTE!"  Obviously annoyed that I was yelling at him.

About 2 seconds later, I watched as a lightning bolt hit in the draw just up behind him and at the same time as the lighting hear a HUGE crack.  No thunder, just the lightning and the crack.

Well, I've never seen Elmer move so fast!  His shoulders went up, his head ducked and he jumped in the buggy and headed to the house.  He got out so fast he didn't even shut the buggy door.  I then told him how close that lightning bolt had come to hitting him and scolded him for not listening to me.  While he said the experience made his butt pucker, he was very upset that when the chicken coop blew over the 2 eggs inside broke.

Living in Garden Valley, we had several experiences where lightning hit "too close" and we're all very respectful of what can happen.  I think now, Elmer may have found that same respect!

 

Awwwww, Elmer You Shouldn't Have!

I haven't been feeling too well.  Nothing serious just sinus, a nose I can't breathe through, fever, body aches, etc.

 

Mom went to the store the other day to get some saline for my nose and walked in with this, "because you're sick."

 

How sweet was that?

 

About an hour later, Elmer came home and said almost the exact same thing, "because you're sick" and handed me this... 

 

Now there is a story behind this.  I was sick and the flies were really annoying me and making me cranky.  I asked him to get me a bug bomb at the store because I wanted to kill every last one of them.  Thoughtful as he is, he called from the store and asked if I wanted fly strips too. 

 

"No, they're nasty, they get caught in your hair if you walk too close.  (I speak from experience.)  So, he came home with bug bombs, strips and the swatter.

 



Elmer and I have been married almost 26 years, and have been together off and on for almost 40.  Holy crap, that's a long time.  So, I knew this was NOT his handwriting. 

 

"Did it come this way?"  Really, what company would inscribe a fly swatter with "I love you?"

 

"No, I had the lady at the store write it!"

 

Oh Elmer, you shouldn't have!



Like Finding Long Lost Family...

The last week of July, we had some visitors.  Kevin and his family found me via Facebook.  He was restoring an old Fish and Game truck in honor of dad and Conley and wanted the family's permission to do so.  We began talking and discovered that he has 2 boys  - I have 2 boys.  His oldest boy's name is Jake and his youngest, Adam.  My oldest boys name is Jake and my youngest Adam.  They are from Missouri, dad's family was from Missouri.  He loves the Denver Broncos - I love the Denver Broncos.  Needless to say, we discovered we had a lot in common and so in July, they came to visit.  What a wonderful family.

 

 Practicing with the guns...

 

We spent 2 nights in Grandjean and took a side trip to Stanley...

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin's boys are awesome.  They had so much fun with our Adam and they are the most polite kids I've ever met. 

 

Kevin's wife Megan and our Lorry.  Megan is such a sweetheart.

 

 

 A friend Ival hasn't seen in years offered to take us all on a raft trip down the Payette.  Thanks so much Kent, we all had a great time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the crew...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin, Megan, Jake and Adam, thanks so much for spending your vacation with us instead of the Denver Broncos!  We sure do miss you!