building a sand castle

Sure wish...

I was pulling myself off the beach right now to go eat some seafood...

Hey, Where Is Everybody?

We're back from a week at Myrtle Beach, and I will have to say I'm kind of bummed to be home. We had a great time, hanging out with 16 of my immediate family members. With all those kids running around, and drunk adults, things seem pretty quiet around our house today. Too much laundry to do, and unpacking. We spent 1 day in Charleston, and one night at the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Minor League baseball game, but other than that we hung out at the house on the beach or at the Pier. I brought home a Hermit crab and I named him Pawley, from Pawley's Island.

John has to start band camp tomorrow. I've had all summer including this vacation to be around him everyday. I'm going to miss him at the farm. Plus, this first week he has evening practice too, so I'll be doubly lonely. =( One good thing is that we are getting satellite tv tomorrow and a dvr thing, so I'm sure I can entertain myself with lots of tv stations and shows we haven't watched in 2 years.

More pictures to come...

We're back from the beach.

5 Wednesdays and 5 Out of Town Visitors

In between all the work on the floors, we have seen lots of out of town friends. In fact, this is the first Wednesday in 5 weeks that we have not hosted someone.

On the first week Mike came to town and he and John went to a Cardinals game, and then Mike spent the night and guest conducted the Muny Band on Thursday night before heading back to Columbia. He did a terrific job, and he got a good plug in for Mizzou. I think it was the first time I had ever been directed by Mike.

The next week we met John's cousin Rick Smith and his wife and four children at Kriegers for dinner while they were vacationing in St. Louis from Toledo, Ohio. It was a very nice visit, I first met them at the funeral we went to in Ohio in April, so it was very nice to get to know John's family better.

The week after that, my cousin Heather, and her son Gabriel came in from Florida and we had dinner at her mom's house and we had a great visit. Gabriel is running everywhere, babbling, and saying a few words. I'm sure he's mastered the entire language and moved on to French or Spanish by now. He seems to be very active, and intelligent, and keeping Heather, who is again pregnant, very tired I'm sure. Whew!

The fourth week brought a friend from far, far away. Marnie's mom, Annette came from California to visit her boyfriend's son's family in Branson and made a special trip to see me and meet John in St. Louis. The weather was perfect (so far away from this smeltering heat today) and we sat outside at McGurks and had a delightful evening. The next day they came to the farm and then to the winery and I showed them all around. So good to see her, she is so sweet to me.

Then, last Wednesday, Seth came to visit from Kansas City and practice and perform with the Muny Band his trombone solo, Bride of the Waves. It was a fantastic song; the band could barely keep up with him. Everyone in Ste. Genevieve was surely impressed.

So, here we sit, kind of lonely and our house seems kind of empty tonight. Anyone want to come over?

Heather and Gabriel

Marnie's mom Annette, and I at McGurks

Seth playing his trombone solo at the Muny Band Concert in Ste. Gen

John's sister, Melissa, and her husband, Brant, and their son, Will, came for a visit a little while back. It was very nice to see them and meet Will for the first time. He is such a charming little guy. I think he looks like John's mom, and I also think John looks like his mom, so in a way, Will looks like John. What do you think?

Another Prize

I won another prize on the Martha Stewart radio. I won a cookbook called Boy Eats World. The author, David Lawrence signed it, "To Elaine, Eat the World!" What does that mean exactly?

Solve Our Household Debate

Which is a better Wang Chung song?
Everybody Have Fun Tonight or Dance Hall Days?

I sewed that skirt.

I Have Good Taste Because:

the queen on the movie the Princess Diaries uses our china pattern.

Map

I added a map at the bottom of this page to see where people live who look at this blog. Should be interesting. Check it out.

These are the People In My Neighborhood #2

I think there should be a minimum IQ level to be able to use the self checkout lanes at the grocery store.