Another day

Whoops I put my pictures in backwards this morning. But I set my alarm to wake us up early and that just throws off all my timing. Oh well I'll just have to go with the flow.

I went to Sedg to pick up mom and dad yesterday and their van wouldn't start again. So Phil, gotta love him, went with me to jump it and still wouldn't start. So I called and Barb ran there van up to me (I really love there hook up system). Any ways Phil finally got the van going and took it in and put switch on it so when it just sets for a few days it can't pull any power and run the battery down. Sounds easier for Becki and I than having to jump it all the time. Thanks Phil.


Took mom and dad to meet Uncle Doug and Ruby at Cracker Barrel for lunch. They hadn't
seen each other since I don't know when. Uncle Noel could not be there he is in Andover in a Care Home right now, but we had lunch with him and Sandy about 6 months ago, still missed him. The lunch went well and it was good to see them together. Of course, mom cried when we said good by.

This is not the best picture of Ivy but it shows what she is

doing. Playing the chimes in her school musical. She is so

serious when she does these things. I need to tell her to RELAX

SMILE and look like she is enjoying it. She does a

really good job.

Ivy, Ramie and Audrey were selected to be in the musical

HONK this season. They begin there practices March 11 and

the play is April 17th.

The older girls Ramie and Aud had a fund raiser at church to make money for there mission trip to SD this summer. It was a desert auction and Ivy joined in the fun and dressed up as Minne Mouse and won 3th place. They raised over $4000.00. And I gained 10 pounds.

Phil and I took Brennan and Asa out for there birthday dinners last night (forgot my camera) had a good time.

I have been having pains in my eye so went to the eye dr yesterday (Patty insisted). I have either the beginning of dry eyes or Az caused dry eyes. haha I have rough spots on my left eye so I'm now one of the older generation - I have drops to put in my eye YUCK. Keeping an eye on it. Dr said to call him and he'd find a dr in the city we were in to see me if I needed it (helps to have worked for him for years).

Taking Phil in today to get a Stress Treadmil test he has been short of breath and no energy. His blood work came back and it isn't all that good so we are going on "change of life" eating spree and get his blood flowing. Tune in later for reults on the the treadmill. He is worried about him having to walk on the treadmill he says he can't walk very long because he is a "fat boy". Cambree also going in today for her tear duct surgery I'll explain all they do when I know myself but keep her in your prayers.

doctor appts

This is our last week home. Well we call our RV home and that can be whereever we are parked but home to me is parked in Michelle's driveway.

We all went out to eat after church and had a great time. Spent about 2 hours there OK it was a little long for the kids but all in all they did great.

Phil went to the dr this morning and his blood pressure was a little high, and has been for a while, and his energy level has'nt been real good and he's been having shortness of breath so I took my note pad in and told the dr everything I thought needed to be looked at. His blood sugars are good, A1C 6.6, now we are waiting for the blood work to come back. Thinking his thyroid might be messed up causing some of this. The dr referred him to a cardio to get a valium stress treadmill test. So Thurs he will go in get an IV of med and get under a camera for 22 min to see how his heart does at rest. Then he'll get more meds and get on a treadmill to stress his heart and then under the camera again for 22 mins to see how his heart does under stress. He had a treadmill test in 2002 but nothing like this. When I told Phil it'd take 2-3 hours he said he could'nt walk on a treadmill for two hours!! So tune in for the rest of the story when we get results. Pray for good results.

Cambree also goes in Thurs for tear duct surgery. She's had it before and it didn't work so they are going in for more intense surgery. So pray for Cambree.

Tues we will go to Ivy's school for Ivy's program they are all so much fun. I think the best thing about it is the smile on their face and the way their eyes light up when they see the family there to watch them.

The weather is going to be pretty nice for the next couple of days and then it will get colder, we need moisture here but I hope it comes in the form of rain only.

A young man

Tuesday evening we went to Wellington, ks for the Wellington Farmers Coop stock holders meeting where they were to mention Phil's dad. Virginina, Phils mom, wrote a letter to the board and told them how the Coop got it's start. Back in 1947 when Ralph came down with Polio and while laying in bed he thought that the farmers around the area needed a Coop. Ralph talked with another farmer and they got 5 other men to invest $100.00 each and they built an elevator. Ralph is the only one of the seven men still living.

The thing that impressed me most about the night was when we were leaving, on our way out to the car a young man, early 20's, came up to Ralph and said "I just want to shake your hand and say Thank you for giving me a job". It brought tears to my eyes. He was so sincere and thankful it was just so awesome. I don't know how much Ralph took in or how much it meant to him but I was impressed with that young man. That made my whole evening.

We have had two appointments to get our taxes figured and the agent has called an cancelled so we are going Monday. What do they say third time is a charm. I don't know why I'm so anxious to get it done they will just take our refund anyway. BUT that is another story!

We are on a count down now. Our last week at home. We have to be at work March 2 in Junction City, Ks. We neither one are looking forward to it. We have enjoyed our time off and our time in Az. We should be happy we have a great job because of the condition of our world I certainly don't want to be a Wal-mart greeter so we continue on.

home sweet home

We left Az Saturday afternoon so we could get home and help with Phils mom and dad. His mom was taken to the hospital early Sat. morn. We drove thru snow in the higher elevations and then rain and wind thru most of NM. No this isn't really snow but it sure looks like it. Read on.

We did take a couple hours and go thru the White Sands State Park in NM. It was great.

You aren't suppose to take any thing out of the Park but
Phil had to empty his shoes somewhere. He actually said

that the sand was comfortable to walk on in his shoe. So we are sorry but we had to empty the shoes. It was really wonderful to see the white sand everywhere and kids were sleding down the dunes on discs.

Here Phil is trying to get a yucka plant for Michells house. No he really wasn't just kidding Michelle, but, he did enjoy climbing up the sand dune. The sand is really really fine. We are still finding it in the RV and truck.

Phil's mom got out of the hospital a couple days ago and is doing fine. She tires easy and they hired a full time lady to come in and help with Ralph. And Barb, Phils sister, is really a big help to them. She comes over after she gets off work and then again at night to help put him to bed. Phil goes over during the day and we have taken over a couple of meals.

For Valentines Day I went to Sedg to the Dance they have. I picked up Ervin and Wilma, my dad's brother, Becki suggested that they would enjoy it too--and they did. A good time was had by all listening to the live band playing alot of oldies that mom and dad sang along with. Greg and his family was there and Terry and Barb brought up Ella and Ava.

Ella and Ava started off the dancing, it looks like

maybe Ava watches her dad dancing way to often. They were fun to watch and the older people really enjoyed them. Terry is sitting in the back ground.

We are glad to be home to see everyone (except the girls took the kids to KC Great Wolf Lodge for a couple of days.) What is that? We hadn't planned on being home this early so they hadn't planned on us.

We miss the relaxed and warm weather of Az, the lunches and long talks with Linda and Johnny, the cookouts and pot lucks at the RV Park, church and brunch with Esther and Bev and the kids and grandkids of Linda and Johnnys. We really had a great time there and looking forward to returing next year.

vacation is to fast coming to an end

Got our first work orders by email today since middle of December. We will go back on the road for work March 2nd. We need to but, by gosh not sure we want to.

Made dr appts for us for 2 weeks from now. Phil hasn't been feeling real well so he is going in for a top to bottom check up. We have been walking alot here and I almost have Phil trained not to stop and talk to everyone we see. The word here is almost.

Went to the biggest Gem and Fossil show in the US yesterday. There are 46 different locations set up around Tucson. I guess you have to be into that kind of thing to see much use in it. There were people here from several different countries with rocks of all shapes and sizes. HSN comes here first and gets what they want for there TV show and then it's open to the public. Had an impession of a palm tree and several fish on a slab about 8' x 12' and selling for $50,000. Why?

Phil went to a hamburger feed here at the park and I went to lunch with cousin Linda at my Aunt Esther's place today. She has a super nice apt. She lives in independent living and has a resturant style dining area. Really a nice, friendly place and she is happy there too. She has macular degeneration of both eyes has lost vision in one eye and now getting shots in the other eye to help prevent it getting worse. Pray it works. I had such a good day especially when she told me she was so happy because got double today. When I asked what she meant said she got to see Dorothy (my mom) and Marilyn. In other words I reminded her of my mom.

It was 85 today and be that tomorrow and then the rain will move in an it will get down to high 50's for the week end. Going to miss that!!

Las Vegas and Hoover Dam

When we walked out of the hotel room (thank you Kathy) we saw this stripped van. You heard of going to Vegas and loosing your shirt-- I think this guy lost more than his shirt.

We wanted to get to Vegas at night to see the lights. We saw the glow from Vegas 50 miles out.

People were standing around this wall and then we saw fountains of water shooting up and music. It was the best thing I saw in Vegas.

Saw lots of lights but nothing that made us want to stay and see more than the "strip". Vegas only gets 3% of there electricity from Hoover, Vegas was only a small train stop back then.

Donnie and Marie were here at the Flamingo.

We stopped at the last casino we came to to eat breakfast only. Phil said he works to hard for his money he'd rather put his $ down the gas tank instead of a table.

Here is the new bridge they are building over Hoover Dam. Now scheduled to be done in 2010.

They are building from both directions hoping to meet in the middle.

You can see, top middle, a cable this cable brings

the supplies in to build the bridge.

Phil went down into the power plant. These are 8 of the 17 turbines. Weighing 600 tons each, 30' tall, see the golf cart going by. They take one out every 35 years to rebuild. One turbine can produce enough electricity to run 1/2 of Wichita.


The little turbine on the floor on the left of this picture produces the entire electricity for the dam itself.

This is just a model of how they built the dam 75 years ago. Never used rebar in it, they built it like lego blocks.

I hope you can read this sign it is interesting infor on the finished dam.

Couldn't get the whole dam in one picture so this is as good as it gets.

Hope you enjoyed our vacation within our vacation. We enjoyed sharing it with you.

Phil got sick on the way back to Tucson, no it wasn't my driving, so we rested up Sunday and he is feeling alot better. Nice to get back to warm weather again.

Thanks for your comments they encourage us to write, OK now if I don't get any more comments I'll know it's time to quit.