Visitors and Visits

Our most constant and numerous visitors are the hummingbirds. Michael fills their sugar water feeder daily! It is very difficult to photograph the half a dozen or so flitting about at one time. Perhaps you can see a couple in this pic.

Sunday, somewhat tired, we decided to take one of our gift cards and eat out. We enjoyed the nearby Brittish cuisine at Payne's Restaurant. The more recent Garfield statue there reminded me of the years when Elijah and I followed the Grant County Garfield tour on his January birthday trip. 

Mid afternoon, Stephan called and invited us to join them at Ivanhoe's. We never pass up an opportunity to be with our kids! 

Nor can we pass up Ivanhoe's strawberry shortcake!

The funny thing was that we were scheduled to meet with our home group for ice cream that evening at the newly remodeled Cammack Station! We definitely exceeded our calorie intake that day!

Between these outings we were still preparing to welcome guests. The "Ship Room" was rather empty after Moriah moved out so Michael purchased a couple pieces of furniture and spent hours assembling them. 

Three arrived Monday mid afternoon. A kind friend of the Eichers drove them all the way from Chicago and then immediately turned around and headed back home.

Joanna Vasudevan, Enoch and Asha Eicher

The Eicher siblings are Andi Eicher's children and grandchildren of our dear friends, Ray and Christa, and now fourth generation Taylor alums. Asha and her friend Joanna are returning juniors. It is Enoch's first year and first time in America.

They caught on rather quickly to Splendor, our favorite game, and it became a nightly ritual with Enoch.

The girls could move into their dorm earlier because of roles and responsibilities on campus. They were happy to have Enoch along to haul their luggage.

Enoch offered to cook for us. He came prepared with all the necessary Indian spices. So we were introduced to pav bhaji, a spicy vegetable mash that you scoop up with rolls fried in butter. 

Thursday we were invited to dinner with the Pawley family. They are on furlough from Cambodia. The two older boys are entering Taylor University, their dad Eric's alma mater. Joe, the oldest has been on the robotics team. MeeSun prepared food from her homeland, Korea. They will be leaving two sons behind, and Tom the youngest will be on his own. Who do you think is feeling the separation the most?

Friday evening was the popular House Hunters, a very well organized event where the women of the church travel in groups to homes on their assigned route and have a contest to see and find out certain things at each place. 

The house that stood out for me was where Argentine artifacts were displayed on the walls: a cow hide mate surrounded by pictures of gauchos and a boleadora, a type of throwing weapon used to entangle the legs of cattle or game.

Boleadora

Felix Aguilar VI, the homeowner, comes from a long line of important Argentines. His great great great grandfathers' portrait hangs over the mantel. Two framed documents from 1954 certify that the then president, Juan Domingo Perón, assigned him as Argentine consul in Chicago with jurisdiction over twelve mid western states, and that President Dwight D. Eisenhower recognized him as such.

Saturday I introduced Enoch to two special places. At the Helping Hand store he purchased a couple good jackets for colder weather.

And at Ivanhoe's he had a sandwich and a sundae, and the obligatory photo by Garfield.

Those are the highlights of our week, but not the end of visits and visitors. Come back next week for more.

 

Transitions

This week I was made aware of a these lovely pink lilies popping up everywhere, Lycoris squamigera, rightfully referred to as Surprise Lily or Resurrection Lily, also naked ladies ;-).

All of our family young ones are in school now. Sam and Kristie's boys in Greenfield system, where she works as an ABA (Applied Behavior Analyst), began in July. Karen started a new teaching job, 8th grade English in Alexandria, on  August 4, one day before her birthday.

July 29: Elijah (11), Zion (6), Jude (3)

Rebecca enjoys riding the school bus this year.

August 10: Rebecca (2)

A good article appeared in the Chronicle Tribune a couple days later. Surprise, Rebecca on the front page!

Students, staff, smiles return to Eastbrook

She also started ballet lessons. Piano has not begun just yet because her teacher just had a baby! 

Wednesday we did meet little Reuben and delivered a meal and gift. 

Thursday was Moriah's final move, the last items out of her room here and all into her own apartment in Indianapolis. Her job at Allison Transmissions begins Monday the 16th.

Friday I took Leah for her long delayed hernia surgery. And, surprise!, the surgeon found a second hidden one nearby. The double repair was successful, no mesh needed. Leah is glad to have that over, but she's dealing with the pain now.

Saturday, the 14th, was Rebecca's 7th birthday. Matt and Kayla are wonderful party hosts. The occasion has become an annual ALL family gathering with cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents, several great grandmas, even one 91 year-old great great grandparent!

As life moves on from one season to another, through many transitions and changes, both good and bad, joyful and painful, I am reminded that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Heb. 13:8)

Friends, highlights of Week #32

Cousin Karin says her flowers are not as plentiful anymore. I appreciate each bouquet. I think they make great blog post  openers.

A humorous God-appointment happened Sunday. We had wanted to get together with a couple who had last invited us over for food and games. I suggested to Michael that Sundays after church were easier to schedule than to try to find an open evening throughout the week. And we certainly had an abundance of food, Michael's specials--bread, gazpacho, ice cream and my zucchini brownies.

So, he looked up the name of the friend to text. It wasn't till someone else responded with, "Sorry, we are on our way back from Colorado," that he realized he'd sent the invite to a group, his hiking buddies! We had no idea how large the party would become. However, it was perfect, a fun time with friends.

Monday, we met with more friends, old friends (well, about our age) from long ago. In fact, Fred was the best man at our wedding.

Instead of coming to Upland, they met us at Stephan's place where Mike was working so they could see the progress on the house. When I took Karen for a tour of the whole property, we admired Stephan's storybook bench. 

Tuesday, I took sis-in-law Diane for a little outing to a nearby coffee shop. The art displayed is quite unique.

Wednesday, Michael went camping with his hiking buddies to Shades State Park, a beautiful restful time. 

Meanwhile, I was very focused on writing a new chapter. Until now I'd been able to work on previously written pieces. I knew they would run out sometime, and that day came sooner than I anticipated. My self-imposed twice-a-month deadlines will keep me busy from now on.

Even so, I took off Thursday afternoon and put in a couple hours helping to paint the mural. It was a great break. I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with the other painters as I worked my way across the lower part giving a second coat or cleaning up the edges of the dark green waves of grass.

I try to maintain my walking goals, always noticing new things along the way. 

Both dead?

A writer friend called some time ago for comments about my visit with two grandsons to Minnetrista's Bob Ross Exhibit. She quoted me in her article and gave me a copy of the magazine!

I was able to send chapter 12 to my translator to work on over the weekend, which is when he has time. Whew! So grateful to meet that deadline! 

Here is a teaser. Come back August 15 to My Argentina to find out what these few photos are about.

I certainly would love to hear about the highlights of your week!

Another full week - #31

Karin's Sunday bouquet 7/18/21

Our hydrangeas have finally made their pompous appearance.

If we're low on bread, Michael bakes more on Sunday afternoon or evening. He enjoys trying new recipes. This one has olives and tomatoes. However, he's very sparing about how much he consumes. 

Monday afternoon, Michael, Leah and I went to the Switch Up in Van Buren to finish painting the last little characters on the climbing wall. The center logo, Sarah will paint.

Then we went to Stephan's dinner and admired his timber framing progress. Notice the live edge above what is going to be the door to the under-the-stairs-pantry.

On the way home we stopped to buy several more dozens of corn, which we then had to stay up till midnight to process and freeze.

And we came home through Matthews to make sure the mural-painting team had everything they needed to begin the daunting project. Unfortunately they had rented the wrong lift, one only safe for indoor use on smooth floors.

The next day they had obtained an all-terrain boom lift. This was the progress a couple days later.

The mural features the best of Matthews and promises to be a stunning addition to the small town.

This is the same building complex where the East Central Indiana Robotics team is housed.

Michael went backpacking again with a few of the UCC Hikers and sent me this photo.
I was glad for him that he got away from the many responsibilities that weigh him down right now. 

That afternoon, Rebecca and I went with my friend Petey and her granddaughter to an event at Minnetrista very popular among little girls - 

Faeries, Sprites, and Lights.

Unfortunately, the insects were on a rampage and feasted on Rebecca. The miserable itchy welts shortened our experience.

Throughout the week, I spent long hours on a better conclusion to chapter 11, scheduled to publish August 1.
Saturday was especially frustrating because of trying to wrap things up for the deadline and running into so many technological issues.
And Michael was gone all day on his weekly bicycle ride with the Muncie group.
Add to that, we had planned a birthday celebration for Skye's 24th that evening.

Fortunately, I had spent all day Friday preparing for the event. 

"All's well that ends well," is that a saying? [Just looked it up. Oops! It is a Shakespeare play!]
Anyway everything ended superbly. The party was so much fun--Kalani doing all the motions to Wiggle songs with all of us joining in the motions; the birthday meal and Krazy Koch song (looks like Destiny enjoyed the family tradition!); and the guys going wild over the tools Michael had so much fun buying for Skye.

Oh, and the chapter conclusion was acceptable, and Locusts published as scheduled!

And now to wrap up this weekly photo journal -  the surprise blooms of the week that come with memories.  

Years ago, at the wedding of our dear friends' daughter, each guest received a small packet of bulbs.