Len's CD "Time" can be ordered: $10.00 + $2.25 shipping
January 29, 2012
You're not going to believe this, but I wrote a whole journal entry, and lost it! :( Oh well, get over it, get by it...carry on. The second graders at Bemidji elementary's motto is: You get what you get, and you don't have a fit.
Same old story workkamping...work...work...work. Still having a great time 'for the most part'. :) Len's still getting the lion's share of the back breaking work. Not good.
Remember the FedEx shipment? I thought it was Mr. Schwartz's utility pliers, but it wasn't. The pliers came in the mail the next day. I contacted FedEx when I thought the pliers were missing, and then I had to contact them that I had no idea what was in the package! I had to place a claim, and then they get in touch with the shipper. I'm so curious. Sure hope I hear something tomorrow. :) I kind of like a mystery, and I especially like surprises! Let's just hope it's a pleasant one! :)
We did our weekly shopping Monday. I had to buy work pants, and ended up with work shorts. Then the next day I read the handbook, and shorts are prohibited...it doesn't look like the bosses have read the handbook! At least I've not been reprimanded! I didn't tell Len, he'd have a stroke!!! :) Shhhhh!!! ;)
We got groceries, got our hair cut, and I got my nails done. Then we went to JC Penney's and I found a bedspread, and shams in a pattern that matched the color of our carpeting. We've got this off blue/green carpeting. It's pretty, but hard to find things that coordinate.
We had to get the tires rotated, needed propane on board, and fuel. It was a pretty expensive trip. It all had to be done, so no sense complaining! :)
We had a fashion show at North Lake Estates Thursday. It was a lot of fun. www.BoutiqueOnWheels.com Jeanine and Dana did a wonderful job. My job for the day was to be the go-fer. Sherry from Sherry's Hideout catered the luncheon. It was delicious, and she invited Len and I down today for her lunch buffet. Loved it!
Neighbor Gary came over with a package of fresh fish. It was soooo good. He and Pat are such sweet people. We're lucky to have them, I feel like if we needed anything they'd be right there. Just hope we never have to find out! :)
My sister-in-law Joyce is still in the hospital. She broke her hip January 7th. She's fallen, she has two infections, and she fell (2 falls) and hit the back of her head, but didn't do any damage to the hip. Thank God! They've done a scan of her head, and now they've xrayed her stomach, because she has painful cramps. My poor brother, Skip is sooo depressed. He sounds a little better today when I talked to him. I guess he's missed taking some of his meds, so that might be a problem too. Who knows? Keep them in your prayers. Growing old is not for sissies! For sure!
Take care. Thank you for stopping by. Drop us an email to let us know that you did, OK? God bless you. Love ya, loi
January 22, 2012
Pretty much workkamping...work...work...work. I'm loving it for the most part, and Len could use a little less work! He gets the lion's share of the maintenance. I don't know how long this will be considered a 'good idea'. :)
Funny thing happened Thursday. I woke up, because I heard two really loud knocks. It didn't wake Len, so I knew it was in a dream! I usually get up between 5 and 5:30. I glanced at the clock and it read 5:17. That's my birthday, how curious is that? :)
I'm finally below 120#! I've worked for 20 years to achieve that! Yahoo! Yahooie!
I ordered a utility pliers shipped via FedEx. It was delivered, but I didn't get it! Remember when I told you guys that we played at Windjammer? Remember the glo-rings that I bought for Peggy and I? Well, I had problems getting mine to 'glo'. I borrowed Mr. Schwartz's utility pliers to bend the glo ring thingie. It broke and made a mess, so I took the pliers to clean it off with a kleenex. I swear I brought them back to him, but he didn't have them at the end of the evening! HE STILL DOESN'T HAVE THEM!!! I am so frustrated! Oh well. It is what it is.
Today was an awesome day. We left Alva, and attended worship at Redeemer in Sun City Center. I loved Pastor Stiller's spin on Jonah's storm.
Len and I had dinner at Outback in Brandon, did some Sam's shopping.
Granddaughter Sarah called about a wonderful book that she couldn't put down last night: "Heaven is for Real" by: Todd Burpo. Several people have told me I should read it, but today I was convinced. You know grandchildren can be sooo convincing! Anyway, I read the book today. Yep! The whole book! It was over-the-top AWESOME, and if you haven't read it...you need to! :)
It's been a wonderful day. I feel terrific, and am looking forward to this week. Take care, and thank you so much for visiting our journal. God bless you. Be in touch, OK? Let us know that you were here at: lenandlois40@hotmail.com
Love ya, loi
January 16, 2012
We played at Windjammer in Naples on the 9th. Could not believe the great crowd, and how they danced! Always extra-special to be with our friend Peggy too. I bought glo-rings for her and I. Hers turned out really glowy, but mine didn't work at all! Guess you get what you pay for! :) Anyway it was fun. We have to walk about a block to our campsite and that's always a little spooky at 11 PM! Yikes!!
We attended worship at one of our favorite churches, Lamb of God, Ft. Myers. Worship lasted two hours, that was a little distracting to say the least. The sermon was inspiring, and the Baptism was beautiful! I've never quite seen anything like it. The little boy was probably 4, and he was just adorable. :) We sang some neat songs. I sent the music to our musician friend in Iowa, Peggy.
Joyce's surgery came out the best as could be expected. The break was in the ball, the ball was replaced, and she is on the mend. They sent it to the lab, but the Dr. said he didn't detect any cancer. Is that an answer to prayer, or what? :)
We worked a new job Friday the 13th, Tampa South in Ruskin. Way too much fun! AND we're going back in March, and will book for 2012-2013. It is so good to get new jobs that work out.
We worked at Hide A Way in Ruskin Saturday the 14th. We've been going there for several years. It was a hoot to wear my 5" high heels. :) I think they were waiting for me to hit the floor! I danced a very fast waltz, and did some line dancing. Always enjoy that job anyway. We've made some very special friends there over the years.
We worshipped at Calvary in Apollo Beach yesterday. I guess we're just lucky. Another 2 hour service! However, it was worth it! Great sermon on Gideon in Judges, and how God uses the 'least' to do His work. A stewardship sermon that placed dependence on God. :) The church was packed to the rafters! WOW! I can see why too! :)
January 8, 2012
Attended worship at Lamb of God in Ft. Myers today. Always a good experience! Pastor Fohs had a great message about being an 'adult Christian'. His messages always challenge my brains about what I think I know! :)
Sister-in-law Joyce fell and broke her hip! Yeah! The hip with the cancer!! They did surgery today, and I'm waiting on a call to see how it came out. I hate being so many miles away. I hate it that I can't be with Niece Terry. She's such an awesome kid. Please keep my family in your prayers.
Len and I worked this weekend at the KOA in St. Petersburg, and Windjammer in Naples. Both jobs we've been going to for years. It's always a great deal of fun to party with old friends.
We've been enjoying our workkamping experience here at North Lake. Tomorrow we have a 4-hour day. I like the physical labor, and I know that Len does too. However, it's pretty disconnected as to the when and the where. We're so structured that not knowing exactly what we're doing on any given day is a stretch! :) We'll get over it. Especially since we like the people we work for, and the people we work with.
Thank you for stopping by. Email us, and let us know that you did stop, and say "Hi", OK? God bless you. Love ya, loi
January 2, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR! GOD BLESS YOU WITH GOOD HEALTH AND MUCH HAPPINESS!
Our New Year's Eve party was over-the-top! We worked at Morningside RV Resort at Dade City. It was a new job. The great thing is...they are interested in hiring us back. How cool is that?
I've spent what seems like thousands of hours on the phone with Verizon. I just hate the new technology, because it's obsolete yesterday! Duh! That's OK...I'm online again, and it seems like things are going to be good. Yahoo!
We visited Resurrection Lutheran Church in Avon Park New Year's Day. They have an awesome tradition. They gave us a votive candle to bring back to our home congregation to promote world peace in Jesus' name. :)
After worship we met friends Kenny and Carolyn for lunch. It seems like forever since we've spent time with them. They returned our gift from Herman and Louise. I can hardly wait to let H and L know that K and C enjoyed their book. :)
Thank you for visiting our site. Please let us know that you did at:
lenandlois40@hotmail.com
God bless you. Love ya, loi
December 27, 2011
I had a mole biopsied, and it came back benign. Thanks God!
I am sooo lucky to be married to Len. He helped me to complete the North Lake RV Estates January calendar. I would never been able to do it myself. He is amazing!
I spent hours filling online forms for Len and I applying to Sun Communities. I'm not all that computer savvy, so it was a stretch. I'd rather do physical labor than mental any day! I fell into bed and slept like a baby!!! The process worked. We're employees!
Yahoo!! Len's been cleaning pool furniture, and fences. Sun lost our housekkeeper, so I've been cleaning rooms. I have to say I like it. I like working by myself, and it's lots less stressful than learning computer!! I'd like to learn the office, but it's not a big deal.. I'm content to just get it done. I trust that God knows what I need at this point in my life. :)
I wore my red platform 5" spikes at our job at Big Tree RV Resort Saturday the 17th. I keep hoping I don't fall and break an ankle, leg, or hip!! They are more comfortable than the 3" stillettos I've worn forever, but my feet still swell after 2 hours. Now, that's not very glamorous is it? Sorry! :) We had a super night.
Our friend Ron told me that his wife, Mary, had a pair just like mine in her closet with garters, a whip, and handcuffs!!! He is such a witty guy! That's just a small reason that we love him so much! Mary gave me a beautiful bracelet that she made. Where in the world do you find friends like this??? We are soooo blessed.
I've been having huge problems with my internet provider! Hopefully, things will be 'fixed' Friday. Just now I'm accessing the internet on North Lake's courtesy Wifi. It's not secure, but I'm not doing anything that needs to be secure! :)
We had a wonderful Christmas Eve party here at North Lake, and an awesome Christmas dinner. However, it doesn't replace Christmas with family. We can't tell you how much we miss that. Someday!!! We exchanged gifts. Len gave me a beautiful necklace. Now I HAVE to buy myself a basic black dress to show it off! :)
Hope that you had a great Christmas. May God bless you as you close out 2011, and look forward to 2012. As in: Happy New Year.
Do let us know that you visited our site. Email us at: lenandlois40@hotmail.com
Love ya, loi
December 14, 2011
Finished our Christmas letter. Yikes! I am sooo late this year! Now I've got to get them addressed, and in the mail! I've cut way back and still can't keep up with my Christmas plans. What's wrong with that picture?
North Lake Estates has been sold to Sun Communities, so we're back doing the applications process. It should be a better deal for Len and I. We worked Sunday for Morgan, and tomorrow we go in for Sun. Go figure! I guess we're just lucky!
The weather has been over-the-top beautiful. We've been cooling down to the 60's in the evening. Nice sleeping weather! We sure like it!
Thanks to all of you that are in touch. It makes us happy to have such faithful friends. We're hoping that your Christmas will be merry, and that your New Year will bring blessings of happiness and peace.
God bless each of you. Love ya, loi
December 5, 2011
If you're on our email address book, and have been receiving obnoxious emails from us. We've been hacked!!! I've spent most of the weekend working on repairing my system. I've changed my password twice, run my scan three times, and restored my computer to an earlier date twice. Hopefully, that has fixed it. If not, and you get anymore from us let us know, OK?
We interviewed and signed all the documents for our first workkamping experience at North Lake Estates. I will be working in the office, and Len will be working in maintenance. We don't have the Len and Lois work that we've had in the past, and we're thinking that we will save a ton of money by working for our RV lot. We are really looking forward to working with Chris and Cindy.
We worked at Lettuce Lake RV Resort in Ft. Ogden Tuesday the 29th. We've been going there for years. We finally learned Squaws Along the Yukon for them, they were really surprised and appreciative.
It seems like everybody is so happy this season. It's easy to do this job when people come with a great attitude.
Recreation Plantation at Lady Lake called us to do a cancellation. We were so hoping that we'd get the work back. As it turns out, they booked us for New Year's Eve 2012! We couldn't be happier. They have a wonderful rec hall with a huge dance floor, it will be fun.
Niece Terry and Hubby Dave are the proud parents of a rescue boy Beagle named Winchester. Before Dave had the papers signed Terry named Winchester...Buddy. I love it! Now they have 3 kids! Trouble the cat, Princess the little girl dog, and now Buddy. Can't wait to get back to Superior!
The first Sunday in December Christmas comes to our house. Up goes the tree with decorations from Christmas' past. Poor little table tree sagging under the weight of 50 years of accumulation. Every now and again I think I'm going to pitch all that and just do something updated. Not! It's special to open the miniature ornaments Len's Mom gave us years ago, and the hand made ornaments Granddaughter Lindsey gave to us. Then there's the ornaments Granddaughter Sarah won at the Mad Hatter's Luncheon when she was a little girl. The Hummel Sand Dollar ornament from Lenny's family. (How have I ever been able to keep that all these years without getting broken?!) Home made ornaments from Niece Susan, and friend Velma. Precious Ukrainian doll from missionary friends JoDee and Larry. Nevermind, the angels, my collection of snowmen, and the poor little tree groans yet again!
I'm working on our Christmas letter. I'm usually finished, and it's in the mail by now. Oh well! :)
Thank you to each of you that keep in touch. Email us at lenandlois40@hotmail.com
God bless you. Love ya, loi
November 27, 2011
Tonight we're at 'home', North Lake Estates, Lakeport. It was nice driving in the park. Now I feel like I'm in Florida, and ready to go to work.
You're not going to believe this, but apparently when my dentist adjusted my partial he messed up...it was just way too tight. Len and I fooled with it, and it's less tight, and the pain is gone! I'll keep you posted if it comes back. Right now I'm a very happy camper. :) Thank you for your prayers.
We ate Thanksgiving dinner at Leisure Days RV Resort, Zephyrhills. We've been going there for years. What a sweet bunch of people. We've been so blessed to have such great friends. It's sooo fun to have dinner, take a nap, and go back to the rec hall for dessert and dance. I can't remember who started that tradition, but it works for us.
Friday after Thanksgiving we've been going to Country Aire Village, Zephyrhills. Just a short drive across town. I stressed because we weren't going to get electricity for our motor home, and we were 'nervey' about running the generator. As it turned out we were given a lot with electricity. That was good. However, at CAV the lots are soooo tight that we had to jockey around to get parked! Yikes! Always something to stress about! :)
We worked at Big Tree in Arcadia last night. It was such fun. It's been a while since we've worked 3 nights in a row. Both Len and I are a little stiff today! :) You don't suppose our age is catching up to us, do you? :)
We attended worship this morning at Big Tree Campground Ministry. We love Pastor Clay, he spoke on the Holy Spirit...God is with us! Great message.
Thank you for stopping by. Do let us know that you did by emailing us at: lenandlois40@hotmail.com
God bless you. Love ya, loi
Novembeer 20, 2011
I have been trying to access our website journal! Tonight is the first time I've been able to get in!! Yikes! We've been very busy, so I haven't called customer service. You know that as soon as you dial the number you are committed to an hour! :( Well, here I am! Couldn't be happier!!
Lots has happened. As you know, we waited on Sister-in-law Joyce's scan results to start out for Florida. The Doctor was very happy with the results. The chemo is containing the cancer! Thank you for your prayers!!!
However, Joyce is losing weight, so far about 45#. Not good! To add insult to injury, they had to have their precious little rescue dog, Ginger, put to sleep. As if that household has not had it's share of sorrow!!! Ginger was abused as a puppy. One of her eyes had been poked out! She has been one little spoiled baby these last 6 years! That is one special blessing to hold to in our time of sadness.
Our future Grandson-in-law Ryan, starred in the play "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"! (www.PalosVillagePlayers.com) He played McMurphy, and it was awesome to see him walk from Ryan into McMurphy. It was truly a metamorphosis!!!! Super performance! We had dinner out with Granddaughter Lindsey on our way to the play. What a great time we had.
We have had a wild two weeks. We are in Georgia visiting our son Lenny, and his family. Enjoyed dinner at Granddaughter Bailey's home Saturday evening. Watched a movie with our great grandchildren...you can't imagine how sweet that was! :)
Had lunch with our Grandson Ethan Saturday. It's been two years since we've had time with him. How fun it was to catch up with his life. He keeps a blog of his adventures, so we actually know where he's been and what he's been up to! How cool is that?
Have had some problems with the motor home. Kind of scary, because of the cost involved. We didn't take into consideration when we got into this business in 1982 that there would be no equity at the end. What were we thinking? Oh well. It's been a super run, and we've made a living! God has taken care of us for the last 30/50 years, I think that he can get us to the grave, don't you? :)
My right bottom molar is giving me fits! I have no idea why I didn't check it out with our dentist Monday before we left town! DUMMY!!! I'm afraid where this is taking us. Yikes! Keep me in your prayers, because God knows I'm just as afraid of dentists, as I am of the dark! NOT GOOD!!!!
Do be in touch. Let us know that you stopped by. For those of you who check in with us on a regular basis we thank you! For those of you who have first visited our website be in touch, OK?
God bless you. Love ya, loi
November 8, 2011
When I woke up this morning I was sooo stoked! Last night Lance returned home from Taxi's Road Rally 2011 in Los Angeles. We talked about his experiences, and enjoyed hearing all of the things he was able to accomplish. I had left the computer on all night, because we were expecting storms. I checked the email, and discovered that one of Len's songs had been sold to an independent horror film! Yikes! Remember I said, "Sold!" That's ALWAYS a good thing. Right?
We've had a busy week. We worked at Evenglow in Pontiac. The parking was a night mare to say the least! I am always amazed at the reception we get with the residents at the nursing homes. Those people are sooo appreciative of our presence. I wish that I could convey to everyone how important it is to show your face. A visit to a resident is just one of the easiest ways to serve God!
Tomorrow we have to take the motor home in to the garage. We go to Red's in Ottawa. There was a time when I thought that if anything happened to Len I would stay on the road. I no longer harbor that thought. The work he does to maintain this vehicle is just way too much for me to wrap my brains around! Today he was out bucket washing the mess we made going to Pontiac in the rain! He said that it even smelled when he washed it off. We drove over the highway down by the landfill! Yikes!
Our grandson Ethan let us know that he had a safe trip from Washington home today. That was heart warming to say the least.
Take care, and know that we appreciate your input. God bless you. Love ya, loi
November 1, 2011
11-1-11 Is that cool, or what? :)
We spent the weekend with Son Lance and his family. How fun to spend time with the grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They are our life!! We even had trick or treaters! The Lion AND Dorothy. It was a hoot!
Ella is just a year, and I didn't want to scare her. We tried to be careful, and when she needed a diaper change I took her into the bedroom. I grabbed her dress and hid her face, and pulled it down! She just squealed with laughter! You can bet that warmed my heart and soul! What a little peanut. She is a clone of her Mom, her Grampa, and her Great Grampa Len. Way too funny.
We worked at three nursing homes this last week. It is always soooo rewarding to spend time with residents. I have to say I am amazed at the response to music. The toe-tapping, the singing along, and the dreamy smiles for the songs that they recognize. It's over-the-top awesome to hear them sing "You Are My Sunshine".
Len and I bought a new 4G internet access card, and it is wonderful! It isn't always fast if we're out of the range of the tower. However, we do have access irregardless, or at least I haven't run into no access! That is a good thing!!
Our Saturday night at the Belvidere Moose was really fun. We had 10 people drive over 80 miles to see us! How awsome is that? We were worried that we weren't going to have the job in 2012, because of some issues with the Administrator. As it turns out, everything is good to go! Whew!! Glad I listened to that little voice inside that said, "Stand your ground!" :)
Our friend Paul came with his trumpet Saturday night. I could have listened to him for hours!! He is such a nice man!
I started our book! I have been asked dozens of times to write our story, I have started it at least a dozen times...now I am committed! The words pour out through my fingers, and I am truly amazed at the sheer number of memories Len and I share. Don't expect to hear that it's finished anytime soon. I've got tons of journals and calendars that I have to research. Do you notice that I'm excited?
My sister-in-law was scheduled for her chemo treatment yesterday. The Dr. thought she'd lost too much weight. She did not receive the chemo, but he gave her a fluid drip. He want her to go on steroids to give her back her appetite. Her next scan is November 10, and she will see her Dr. the 14th. We will hold off heading south until we get the results. Do keep us in your prayers.
Thanks for stopping by. Please email us at: lenandlois40@hotmail.com We'd appreciate knowing that you stopped by. Thanks to all of you that regularly stop in, and stay in touch. It means a great deal.
God bless you. Love ya, loi
October 23, 2011
We met friends Fran and Louise for breakfast. You would not believe how beautiful their granddaughter Macy is! I'm not kidding!! She is just over-the-top adorable, and she is sooo well-behaved. I ordered a sandwich with fresh vegetables, and when the veggies came to the table she asked if she could have one of the cucumbers! Talk about a hoot! I loved it!
Niece Michelle stopped by to visit. It was extra special to have her all to ourselves. Usually we hook up with her at my brother's.
We had a wonderful crowd at the Moose in Belvidere. Can hardly wait to go back Saturday night. They have a super dance floor, and a great bunch of people who like to dance. We had four folks drive 80 miles to see us. It's been a long time since we've had a job in their area, so it was very special to see them again.
I'd planned to meet my cousins for brunch in Oregon, IL, but most of them were not able to make it. We decided to make a plan in the Spring. We drove directly to Amboy and worked at the nursing home. It was fun, because so many of the residents sang along with us. They love those old songs. :)
We walked to worship this morning. It was an awesome sunshiney, crisp, autumn day! WOW! Unfortunately, we just happened to arrive on the day that Trinity has their picnic! Oh well! It was a nice walk, and when we got home we checked out a Baptist worship service on TV. The message was really good, and I actually loved the minister, because he didn't have 90 carat diamond rings, and a Rolex watch! I am soooo jaded! Think?
Thanks so much for stopping by. Please let us know that you did.
God bless you. Love ya, loi
lenandlois40@hotmail.com
October 18, 2011
Well, we left Superior as planned. Didn't get out as early as we thought, so as a consequence we didn't get down the road as far as we thought! However, we made a stop to visit friends. That's always extra nice.
On the fifth of October I always pause to remember my brother Myron. He fell asleep at the wheel and lost his life. He was 19, and my BEST friend. I still miss him!
We did the Fall yard work at my brother Skip's. How fun for us to dig in the dirt. How lucky we are that he LET'S us dig in his dirt! :)
I added the I and the B to some sidewalk graffiti.. Now it reads Buick! :)
We finished our dates at Dreamland Supper Club. They have AWESOME food, and their staff is the BEST!! We've just had a wonderful summer. Twenty of my classmates showed up, and we really had a blast talking over old times. It's so much fun for me to perform for our friends, and we have added a ton. I'm so happy to have the internet to stay in touch. Many of you email us regularly. In that way, we keep up with your lives. It's pretty neat stuff! :)
Tuesday, October 10th I finally started our book. I was surprised how fast the words came! Yikes! Soooo many memories! I'm guessing it's going to take a good long time to finish, but I'm passionate about it. It will get done...
Made a visit to the funeral home with my niece and sister-in-law. The funeral plans for her and my brother are coming together. A good job done, at least now we can focus on the day-to-day life we live! After we were done they took me to Red Lobster. I had Susan's favorite lunch, and we remembered her, and all the good times we've had. It turned out to be a very special day.
The furnace died! Len had it repaired at Bullyan RV in Duluth, MN. They do a good job. You can believe that we are very happy to have a furnace!! This morning it was 34 degrees. Thanks to Niece Terry and her husband Dave for the space heater that we used. I don't think we would have gotten along without it.
Sunday, the 16th we spent at my brother's eating dinner, shooting the bull, and saying our goodbyes. I think that worked out really good, because we were both tired after a long day. I didn't want him to start his day Monday feeling bad about watching us roll down the highway.
Hope this finds each and every one of you enjoying good health and a measure of the peace that only God can give.
Be in touch, OK? Love ya, loi
October 4, 2011
I've been enjoying washing clothes and hanging out. I will hate to see that come to an end. We plan on leaving Superior the 17th. That is going to be a sad day for me.
I really don't want to leave my family with their health issues. It's been an awesome summer helping with lawn, garden and housekeeping. I don't want to leave the fishing. Nevermind, we didn't catch anything worth keeping! Still, it was fun, and relaxing.
On September 21 I wrote in my journal that I'd cleaned up my email. Right now I have 2 full pages that I need to deal with! :( Yikes!!! I hate leaving people hanging. I appreciate so much the love and friendship that our email box holds! Thanks so much for all of you that send us your messages. Don't be discouraged if I'm slow in answering.
We visited "The Twine Man". Yep! "The Twine Man"! Check him out on the internet. The Twine Man Lake Nebagamon, WI. Our sister-in-law Carol took us out to see the twine ball, and The Twine Man showed up! We had a blast.
While with Carol.,we had lunch. First time I'd ever had Cous Cous, and Balsamic Vinegar. Tasty! I scanned all of the pictures Len wanted to save from his Mom and Dad's pix. It was an emotional day for us. Today I emailed a couple of the pictures to his sister. She is beautiful, she is 80, and when she was 16 she was AMAZING!!!! To be truthful...SHE IS STILL AMAZING!!!!
We took Skip and Joyce for a ride to see the leaves turning Friday the 29th, and stopped at Rapids Riverside for Fish Fry. We had a super day. One of those treasures to be remembered down the road.
We gave blood the 27th! Yahoo! That's one of those VERY IMPORTANT bucket list things for me! I wish that every body in this country who can give blood would give blood.
We had dinner with friends from the 1960's. Amazing that the time has flown by so fast. You might like to know that we gorged ourselves! We enjoyed some out of this world conversation with the other guests, and just generally relaxed in the home of some extra special friends. God is GOOD!
Oct. 2nd we saw the funniest thing! We walk/run in the morning. This morning we were walking, and we saw a pick up truck and automobile parked up the street. A police car drove by us, slowly passed the truck and car. I asked Len what he thought was going on, and he said they must have a flat tire. I said that I thought it looked like they were loading an animal. Sure enough, they were loading a dead deer onto the back of the pick up truck! Not just "they"..."they" were two young husky women! There was one little boy observing all this, by the way! :) Keep in mind that a police car had to slow down to get around this! As we walked by, Len mentioned that shooting a deer in a residential area might be a no-no. The one young woman without a tag on her back, without a tag on the deer told us that her neighbor had given her permission to shoot the deer!!!! We laughed so hard. We were thinking of Mr Rogers..."Won't you be my neighbor?" I wouldn't believe that it happened if I didn't walk/run by the pool of blood on the asphalt every day since. How funny is that?
We have applied and been accepted for a workkamper position at Northlake RV Resort at Moore Haven, FL for the winter of 2011-2012. We're excited about it. Wish us luck!
Thank you for checking in with us. Be sure to email us at: lenandlois40@hotmail.com
Love you. loi
September 18, 2011
Today is Lance's 47th birthday! Yikes! He's our 'baby'! Where did THAT time go?
We worked at Dreamland Supper Club Thursday the 15th. It was a packed house! Dan even put an extra table on the dance floor. It was a great time. Friday we went to North Branch to perform at Len's cousin Eva's health care facility The Villages. We forgot some of our equipment! It was a VERY stressful situation, but we made it, thanks to the Activities Department, and their awesome help!
We met Len's cousins for dinner at Denny's after we finished at The Villages. How fun to catch up on their lives.
Saturday we played at McNamara's. It was such a blast. Wall to wall young people, and they were loud and FUN!!! Our friends Ted and Evie were with us. Ted used to play drums in Len's band years ago. He is an awesome comedian, and was the life of the party, Saturday night was no exception!! :)
Today we went to worship and have been vegging all day! I LOVE IT!!! I wanted to go to a new quilting class offered at Church, but just slept through it! :( However, I've been pretty tired these days, and guess I really needed the down time.
Thanks for stopping by. Please let us know that you did. Our email address is: lenandlois40@hotmail.com We will look forward to hearing from you.
God bless you. Love ya, loi
September 14, 2011
We finished up my brother's garage door. It looks beautiful! Well...almost finished. I do have to touch-up some black trim. :) Oh well...
Saturday the 10th we played at our campground for a Block Party. It was a 'full house', and lots of fun to strut our stuff to our neighbors! The weather was stellar!! Could not have been better if we'd ordered it ourselves. :) Right after the party we went out to the race track to watch Nephew Todd race. He took 5th in the feature! That doesn't sound very impressive until you see the huge number of cars and the demolition in 40 laps! He's a very good/smart driver! There were some spectacular accidents, and the tempers were running high! :( That scares the puddin' out of me!
Sunday we went to worship, and after we went out to Nephew Troy's for some fishing, and good food. We had some great food, but we didn't catch any fish. Not a problem, we didn't have to clean them. That seems to be a good thing in my brain! :)
Monday we met Nephew Leroy for lunch at Subway. This summer has been an awesome year to connect with our extended family. I've been enjoying coffee with Niece Terry. She lives just across the street from our campground. An hour in the morning with her makes my whole day! She is just way too sweet!!!
We had our hair cut. We've found the perfect place...Kwik Cuts. I love it when I get a haircut that I don't have to wait for it to grow out to look good!
We went out to Peace Lutheran Church in Poplar for their Harvest Dinner tonight. Delicious as usual! But then, we know the cook! It was fun to 'hook up' with old friends and neighbors. We stopped by my brother's to cover the tomato plants...they're calling for frost tonight! Yikes!
Thanks so much for stopping by. Be in touch, OK?
God bless you. Love ya, loi
September 5, 2011
My sister-in-law fell and broke 3 ribs! Can you believe it? I'm dreading the next chemo treatment! She's been sooo nauseous after each one. As it turns out the chemo that she's been taking is not working according to the scan, so they've changed. The one she's taking now gives her splitting headaches. Today she felt pretty good after her chemo Monday. She is the world's best cook! Today she made what she called a Hillbilly Dinner. Ham and beans, fried potatoes, cucumbers, and sliced tomatoes. I am STILL FULL!!!! What a happy day. Len and I worked with my brother to finish up the garage door. We've been working on that for a couple of weeks. The bottom rotted out from the ice and snow. We repaired that, and it's looking good. We just need to paint it, hopefully, tomorrow. :)
The 16th Len and I took my brother to the Doctor for his regular visit. It was really nice to meet Doctor Martinelli. Really nice Guy. I can see why Skip trusts him!
Our oldest Son Lenny turned 49! He's 11 years older than me now, just in case you were wondering! :)
Len has been repairing the paint damage on our motor home. He has absolutely done an amazing job. I am VERY impressed!!! Lots of work, but it's been soooo worth it.
We went to the races to see Nephew Todd race. He did OK, but not great! He was in an accident that scared the pants off us, but no big deal.
Great Grandson Trevin turned 2! Where did that time go? He's such a little sweetheart! Checked out the photos on Gramma Jacki's Facebook page to catch up with Great Granddaughter Ella getting her big girl shoes. It was just way too sweet!
Spent the evening of the 22nd in the ER with Joyce! I sure wish they would have told us they were just monitoring her. As it turned out everything was A-OK! Thank God!!!
We were charged by a stupid pit bull the 24th on our morning run. Scared the pants off me! I think Len was pretty scared too! That is the second time for that particular dog! We bought new pepper sprays, and have since found out where it lives, so we've cut our run short so as not to run into it again! So much for Animal Control in Superior!!!
:(
We've done some awesome jobs. We are soooo blessed to have such good friends that support us in our work.
We've been fishing a lot more this year than ever! However, we haven't brought much home. Doesn't even matter, because we didn't have to clean them! How good is that?
Sorry that I haven't been current with this journal. I get tired at the end of the day, and today is no exception! Take care of one another. Thanks so much for stopping by.
God bless you. Be in touch, OK? Love ya, loi
August 13, 2011
Busy with Vacation Bible School first week in August. We did a wonderful curriculum "Hometown Nazareth Where Jesus was a Kid". (I'm a floater. I can't commit myself to anything while we're in Superior.) I had a great time!
We ran up to Canal Park, Duluth, MN for a Black Cow. For those of you who have no idea what a Black Cow is...it is a root beer float! That would be 50's talk! :) We enjoyed our Wednesday. We watched the kids dive off 'The Crib'. It was fun to just sit on a bench and enjoy the view. We took off Wednesday the 10th to Park Point, so I could photograph the sail boats. As it turned out they were too far out to get a good shot. That was OK, because we loved our DATE anyway! We stopped at Grandma's for a Raspberry Smoothie. MMMMMMMM Mine had rum in it, but I had a designated driver! How good is that?
The stock market freaked me this last week, so I bailed! I'm in a 3% deal now, and I'm comfortable. I'm just so sick and tired of the posturing in Washington DC. I'm thinking term limits are part of the answer. Those people are sooooo looking for a big money career at the expense of the tax payers. Never mind, that the citizens of this country pay the bills. :(
We went to a Memorial at the Log Cabin Tavern just outside of Superior. It was neat to catch up with old friends from days gone by. So nice to see my brother visiting.
We played at the Choo Choo, and my brother came to be with us. It was just outstanding to play and sing with him in the audience. I can hardly believe it! Thanks to Nephew Dave for getting the scooter in the building. Would you believe that there is no handicapped accessible entry? Yikes!
We played at Dreamland Supper Club Thursday the 11th. I really worried. Dreamland was THE prom destination in the 50's, and to this day it is a top notch choice for dinner reservations! Shouldn't have worried, we had a great crowd, and Dan booked us for every Thursday starting August 25th. I'm really excited!
Last night my sister-in-law fell and broke some ribs!!! :( Just exactly what she DIDN'T need! She has another week off, and then she gets chemo again. The chemo has made her soooo sick for a week each time! I can't believe this is happening! Can you imagine what she will go through? :( The new info is that she will have her last chemo a week from Monday. They will do a scan and possibly radiation. Keep her in your prayers, OK?
We went out tonight to dinner with Brother Skip and Joyce. Joyce's brother Ralph brought garden fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from his garden in IL. Niece and Nephew Terry and Dave bought chicken, and we enjoyed a delicious meal. Sooo good to spend time with family. I'm loving our summer, but it is going way too fast!
Thanks for stopping by. Let us know you visited our website. Email us at: lenandlois40@hotmail.com
God bless you. Love you, loi
August 1, 2011
July 19th Len helped a good friend work on his roof. Nevermind, it was the hottest day of the year! The Guys did good. We've been soooo blessed to have such great friends. It's an honor to be able to reciprocate! :) God is GOOD!
Len and I drove out to Wisconsin Point. My family spent many fun hours out there. I was surprised that Len had not driven out to the lighthouse...ever! We even found a great fishing hole. Can hardly wait to check it out. :)
We ran out to Billings Park to check out the fishing pier. It is really nice, and we did go out and give it a go. However, we got skunked, but that's okay. There is nothing quite like fishing for relaxing. :) Know what I mean?
Sunday the 24th we worked at Choo Choo. When we took our break I looked out the window, and there was my brother scooting down the sidewalk. I ran after him yelling his name. It took me a block to get his attention! The look on his face when he finally turned around and saw me was PRICELESS!!! Skip has COPD. He has a scooter that he gets around in with his oxygen. Choo Choo is less that 3 blocks from his house. I knew that he was going to come up and listen from outside. I am sooo glad that I caught up with him. :)
On the 25th we gave blood. I love doing that. Once I was told that my blood can be transfused to newborn babies. I don't know if it's true, but I do know that hearing that has inspired me to give blood regularly. I've been told that 90% of the population requires blood at some point in their life, and that 10% give blood. I'm very happy to be one of the 10%. :)
July 27th we went fishing with our old friend Milt on Lake Nebagamon. We had a wonderful time sharing memories, and fish stories. It was the PERFECT day! Overcast, breezy, and warm. :) When we were done we were treated to a chicken alfredo dish that Gloria had prepared, and after dinner Milt showed us how to filet fish. It was a hoot! Milt had NEVER fileted any fish that small! He is an awesome friend, and teacher! :)
Thursday we went to North Branch to meet Len's cousins at Denny's. After lunch we performed at The Villages. Len's cousin Eva is a resident there. We had a wonderful day. Would you believe that the administrator is a former girl scout in my troop in the 60's? How funny is that?
Friday we met friends at the Lake Nebagamon Auditorium to see Sh-Boom. Sh-Boom is a local 50's group that does a fantastic job complete with poodle skirts and all the raz ma taz that makes the 50's so much fun. We loved it!!!
It's been an amazing summer. I'm going to hate to see it come to an end.
Be in touch, OK? lenandlois40@hotmail.com
Thanks. Love ya, loi
July 18, 2011
OK...you're not going to believe this, BUT...I forgot that it was a browser problem!!! DUH!! We've been very busy. That's no excuse, but wait until you read, OK?
The weekend of the 24th my sister-in-law had a family reunion. It was soooo awesome. She told her brothers and sister that she was terminal at the playpark. When they were kids she was responsible for taking them to the park. She even took soda crackers like she did in the old days! Can you believe it? Pretty emotional.
July 1st Len and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. We spent the night on a Coleman mattress in Wild River Sports in Trego, WI. That's where the honeymoon suite was in 1961. Fred Mayer (85) allowed us to stay over night at Wild River Sports. We had a blast. We listened to old CD's of our kids piano practice, and looked at pictures of days gone by. All of a sudden we were interrupted by the noise of sand hitting the plate glass windows! There was a heck of a storm going on!!! The power went out, and we pulled up a couple of chairs to watch the tourist traffic going north, and the storm, and I unplugged our computer. We were in the dark to toast our 50 years, and 50 years to come!! At 3:15 the power came on along with the showroom lights, the water fountain refrigeration, and the AC!!! Needless to say, we had a laundry problem!! :)
Actually, it was a very dangerous storm that took the life of an 11 year old girl...not pleasant! There was a lot of forest damage, and campground damage is the area.
July 8th and 9th we walked Relay for Life in Superior. It was a very nasty weekend. VERY COLD!!! We couldn't even light the luminaries, because the wind was too strong. Then in the morning we had a thunderstorm that trashed the luminaries!! Not a great Relay, but we went over our goal! How awesome is that? Len and I raised $250, and we didn't even try!!! Next year I'm going to make an effort to get 'er done!!! (Look out!) We have so much cancer in our families that it borders on pathetic!!
Saturday the 16th Len, sister in law Carol, and I drove to St. Paul to visit our sister in law Arlean (yes...that is spelled correctly!). We took Arlean to lunch at Olive Garden. Why did I not remember that Olive Garden was PRICEY???? Duh! We had a great time anyway! :)
We played at McNamara's Sunday the 17th. It was a great time. We have some awesome friends. Bev brought me 3 pots of Forget Me Nots. I planted them in Joyce's garden today. :)
Today we had lunch with my 1960 classmates at Grizzley's in Superior. Had a great visit with classmate Ron. Time flies when you're having fun.
Tomorrow we are postponing giving blood, because it is so unGodly hot!
Hope this finds you healthy and happy. Please be in touch @ lenandlois40@hotmail.com Love you!!!!!! loi
June 22, 2011
I am soooo sorry that I haven't been able to update you. I just figured out that because I started using a new browser I wasn't allowed in our website. Yikes!!
Anyway, here I am...FINALLY!!! Still cold, rainy and windy. Yep. Northern WI Spring! The little garden we planted is striving to not succumb to root rot! You wouldn't believe the lake that we call my brother's yard! Hopefully, the weather will straighten up. We're planning a Thompson Family Reunion this weekend!
We've been to our Grand Nephew Tanner's ball game. Boy, it's fun to be back in the bleachers snapping pictures, and yakking with our nieces and nephews and their friends..
Went to Grand Nephew Justin's graduation party. Ditto on the snapping pictures and yakking! It was a super beautiful day. I took a baked rhubarb dessert that everybody raved about. I was glad that I'd printed a few recipes, and had them in the car. :) Sometimes I can just be soooo smart! (And other times? Oh well!)
The 17th Sister-in-law Joyce, Niece Terry, Friend Georgia and I went to Applebee's for lunch. I had the Signature Sirloin Steak. It was absolutely delicious, and I'm looking forward to going back again! :) SOON!!!
I've been working on Memory/Honor Relay for Life bags. Hopefully, today I will finish that project up, so they will be ready to turn in Sunday. Len and I have been walking Relay for three years, and raising money for American Cancer Society. If you'd like to sponsor us please send your check made out to The American Cancer Society to: Len and Lois Gehl, 3132 E. 5th St. #4, Superior, WI 54880.
We are walking in Honor of: Len's Sister Audrey, and my Sister-in-law Joyce. We are walking in Memory of: Joyce's sister Gerry, Joyce's brothers Jack and Tom, Joyce's daughter (my niece) Sue, Len's brother Jerry, Len's Dad Fred, my Dad Andy, AND our friends: Darwin, Barb's sister, Betty, and Wendell. It's all pretty emotional, and a very good cause. If we could ONLY STAMP OUT CANCER!!
We had the BEST time!!! Our friends Bev and Dick invited us to a little get-together at their cabin before work last Sunday. We never do stuff like that on a work day, but Bev and Dick have been sooo supportive we just couldn't say 'no'. Anyway, we get over there and 16 or so friends start singing Happy Anniversary. How cute is that? Then I noticed the 50th napkins, and then I noticed the Happy 50th Anniversary Len and Lois cake!!! We were soooooooo surprised. An anniversary party complete with cards and gifts. Can you believe how thoughtful our friends are? Over the top fun!!! We are humbled!
We played at the Choo Choo in Superior Saturday. We were really nervous about it, because it is a bar and grill deal. The young people that were there at first kind of pooh poohed us, but after we were done they were very complimentary. We're going back Sunday the 10th of July. I'm so hoping that this turns into a 'regular' job. We sure need it. Due to the economy and our age the jobs are beginning to dwindle. Oh well. God has taken care of us for the last 30 years. I think He can handle the next 30. :)
Thanks so much for stopping by. Do let us know that you visited our website. Our email address is: lenandlois40@hotmail.com
God bless you. Love ya, loi
June 6, 2011
13 days...just a little better. It's been cold, rainy and pretty much northern WI Spring. Exactly what I expected. No surprises. We have had 3 really nice days back to back now. How good is that? :)
Len and I planted a small garden at my brother's. Hopefully, we'll get some tomatoes, peppers, leaf lettuce, squash and cukes. The soil is really wet, so I'm concerned that the roots will rot, but so far the plants look really healthy.
Have been playing Cribbage with my Brother Skip and Joyce, and 10,000 with Niece Terry. Have gone out to eat to look for 'Len and Lois' work. That's been fun.
We did an 80th birthday party for Rosie in Pine City, MN the 29th. What a wonderful party! What a wonderful family! Hopefully, that will turn out to be a job soon.
We attended the Memorial Day Service at Hawthorne where Len's parents, and Brother Jerry are buried, along with several friends. It was a rainy morning, so the service was held in the Town Hall. It cleared up by noon for the Honor Guard ceremony at the cemetery. Taps always brings the tears, and I jump 7 times at the 21 Gun Salute! What a dork!
Our Granddaughter Bailey called to let Gramma know that I'd written her maiden name on her birthday check. We both had a good laugh about that. Bailey has been married two years!! I'm losing it! :)
We attended our Grand Nephew Josh's graduation party in Eveleth, MN. Always special to spend time with family. It was the perfect day to drive and enjoy the scenery. MN is a beautiful state with so many lakes and picturesque swamps.
We had a wonderful time at McNamara's yesterday. Not a great crowd, but a great time! Sometimes a small bunch of people that love you are just the BEST!!!
I've been reading The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M Campbell II. It makes so much sense to me, but I haven't decided to become a vegetarian...yet.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Please drop us an email to let us know. God bless you. Love ya, loi
May 24, 2011
WOW! 22 days, and I had been doing so good, at least, there for a while! :)
Lots has happened since I've updated you. For those of you in our email address box you've received a spam email from us! I am sooo sorry. I sincerely hope that you deleted it when it reached you. I have to wait another 24 hours to be able to use it, so I haven't been able to alert anyone. :( All of a sudden last night the emails came in from eFax, and out by the dozens. I was told that I should have hit the off button on my computer. How could I have known? Duh!
Had many fun visits with our Granddaughters and Son Lance. We celebrated birthdays and Mother's Day. You might say we were spoiled rotten! :)
Since the 2nd we've both had physicals and have seen the dentist. We're good for another 100,000 miles. My dentist tells me that my front teeth are loose. Yikes! I have no idea where we're going with that.
Len bought me roses for Mother's Day and my birthday. We even went out to eat, and then we both ate too much. Guess that's okay once in awhile, isn't it? :) We went to our favorite place Shamrock in South Superior. We shared a pizza 1/2 sausage for Len and 1/2 pepperoni for me. Delicious!!! It was amazing to wake up in the morning with that same pain in the roof of my mouth! Just like the old days! I'm such a hog that I can't wait for it to cool. Oh well! Suffer!! :) I didn't die when I was 68! How cool is that? :)
May 8th was our first job back in WI. We love McNamara's. We had a lot of fun with our friends. It was good to get 'settled' at Nemadji Campground in Superior. Fun to be back with our friends and neighbors. :)
We've been helping at my brother's moving furniture, pulling up carpeting, and scraping the floor. I love being here to spend time with him and his family.
My sister-in-law has had bladder cancer surgery, and today they did the surgery to put in the port. She is scheduled for a colonoscopy, and when they get the results of that, they will schedule chemotherapy. Keep her in your prayers, her name is Joyce. She also has lung cancer and hip cancer!!! Yikes! They don't seem to know yet if the cancers are connected in any way. We will see how that turns out.
Our Pastor at Zion Lutheran looks wonderful. He had gastric surgery early in the year, and nearly lost his life! I love his sermons. This last week he addressed the end of the world prediction. He did an awesome job!
I'm back to hanging out clothes. I love that fresh smell, and the crispness of the sheets and towels. My little girl nose is soooo happy. :) It's like following in my Mother's footsteps, only better! I don't have to scrub on a wash board!
Along with Hotmail being hijacked, our phones will not work in this area. We upgraded in February. The only thing different in the last five years is the new phones. I will be soooo happy to be back to calling without garble, and lost calls. Have to wait until Thursday...oh well.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Be in touch, so we know that you visited, OK? Take care of yourself. God bless you. Love ya, loi
May 2, 2011
The 26th we played at Asta Care in Pontiac. How fun. I think that every single resident was down for the entertainment! We filled our tank with fuel. Pretty hard to swallow the cost of fuel in the light of the obscene oil profits! Yikes!
The 28th we walked out on the prairie in Gilman. It was sooo windy it was like walking up hill all the way!!! We did Prairie Village/Faith Place in Danforth. How precious that job is to our hearts. Dear friends that have supported us over the years are residents. Sometimes our work just satisfies our souls!
Friday we worked at Kickapoo Landing @ Kickapoo State Park. We had an absolute blast! My legs and hips hurt from dancing on the grass! Sooo much fun! We seldom do an outdoor show, but this is just over the top fun. Our friend John is such a great sport. We always know that we can count on him for support. :) When I put my head on the pillow I was down for the count!
Saturday we had a delicious breakfast at Kickapoo Landing. :) Drove to Aroma Park Boat Club for Miller's 60th Anniversary. What a nice party. When we got there we were by ourselves, so we went looking for mushrooms and found 8! :)
