Summer Olypmics 2012

Having kids who are 10 and 12 to watch the summer Olympics with certainly brings back memories.  Specifically, the 1972 and 1976 Olympics.  I was 7, and then 11 - and I remember Olga Corbet and Nadia Comanici.  I was too young to register anything about the scariness of the Munich games.

We spent both summers back in Washington Iowa at the United Presbyterian Home visiting my Grandparents.  Reverend W Bruce Gillis and Kathryn McCrery Gillis.  They lived in a cottage on the grounds, we would pull the trailer up to the side of the house, Grandpa had a zip line, a hammock, you could ride your bikes all over - even to go see the billy goats. . . It was great.  I remember complaining alot.  (Hot, humid, bugs) And looking at photo albums and visiting all day long. 

I think more usually it was Lawrence Welk, but it was very memorable to have the Olympics to experience together as a family.  that's why it's so annoying when the girls don't really want to watch, or are texting during the opening ceremony!!!! 

Of course I do have a bonus in that the girls dig swimming, so we get to pay attention to that too. 

   When was Marc Spitz?  That was later, I was older - but that's another memory.  And I was very happy to see that Rowan Atkins was still funny.  He hasn't got the way of Chevy Chase and Tim Conway.  The Black Adder still has it!

Persian Plum

Persian Plum - My first bed sized quilt!  YIKES!!

 Double Pinwheel

 Ohio Star

 Quartered Star

London Roads

Persian Plum, Block #1

Whoa there Colleen O!  Pace yourself!
Block one, done.
Now.
Where'd that enourmous "to do" list go?

July 4, 2012

This year there were no fireworks.  Is that what gave it that just another day feel?  No.  I guess it was my lack of planning anything special.  And the kids are getting to the age where they would rather go hang out with their friends if we don't have something we are supposed to do.  So, my own fault that I feel disappointment in how the day went.

My apologies uncelebrated July 4, 2012.  I do not think we did you justice this year.

We did
* Parade - Park Views 3rd annual little kids bike parade.(I bet it was the last year, as they are not to cool to decorate their bikes,  but were too cool to parade.)
* I got to have coffee with the ladies - for a very short while, but it definitely counted!
* I spent half of the day with my mom.  That was all good.

Then I guess I wanted a family time evening, but I spent it on the couch by myself.  I'm afraid I have to become a tour guide/ hostess to keep everyone entertained enough to stick around, and I just didn't have the energy.

which brings me to today.

Quite the jam packed day coming up.  A early morning decorating task, Cousin Lisa, daughter Sarah and her husband Dave should be coming for a casual visit this morning / afternoon. Nana coming as well.  Errands to do that I'm going to have to move, dog grooming and a girls night out movie.

So, I'd best get planning.

"Oh man, I think I sat on a Payday!" - Cheech? or was it Chong?

How do I know how to do this?  I have a vague memory of trying to save a Cheech and Chong tape in my youth - or did we just take it apart to see what made it tick?  In any event - I saved the day!  The 1974 tape (as predicted) broke and I got to use my SKILLS.  Fixed and saved for . . . . we'll, probably just for me. But Aunties Fran and Jan, Unk Bob will certainly give it a listen at least once.

One More Time... but much LOUDER!

Grr - can't find an old picture to match - so here's one of Dad singing.

I'm re-recording 2 cassette tapes made in 1973, 1974 by WB Gillis Jr and Unk Bob Gillis - sent to Rob Chaz Schroeder.  Bobbi Balek (Schroeder) found them while going through her dad's things, and sent them back to mom (Roberta Gillis (Schepar)) - who I just heard signing  something like the "I'm my own grandpa song".  I wish the audio was better, but it's a labor of love.  It wasn't very good to begin with (no reflection on the musicians) - and half the fun is hearing the laughter/ conversations going on in the background.  Stirring up memories.  OK - sshhh - 45 minutes to go.  I hope they do Irene Goodnight again.  That seems to be the one everybody knows the words too!

Purging, Purging, Purging! Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Hello! Look - I have a blog!
So spring break is almost over, I've almost finished my utility room purge (which was 1/10 of my to do list, but - I'm only human, and that's just gonna have to be good enough).

The kids had a blast playing with friends and neighbors, I spent time with friends and family - it was a wonderful break!

I feel tanned, rested and ready to start back to work tomorrow.
Spring break.
I highly recommend it.

(OK, I am secretly hoping for a somehow someway snow day tomorrow - I even washed my car in an attempt to trigger one!)

Touching Stories

Just a do-over kind of weekend

Date night gone wrong- thinking YAY - we can stay home this snowy night and watch a movie - we started with Midnight in Paris. Quickly, I started thinking - "ugh, this seems just like a Woody Allen movie. . . Oh, even worse! It IS a Woody Allen movie!" (I used to like them - but kinda like Chevy Chase suddenly not being funny anymore - Woody is suddenly terribly dated.) So then we switch to Contagion - which was just a bit of a downer (good, but not in a date night way). And then I fell asleep on the couch only to awake when it was time to pick up the kids so I can go to bed for real.

This is after Kevin's Birthday on Friday when we decided because it was the first night of swim team we should skip going out for Mexican food; this year we are going to take swim team more seriously! Well, I missed the last minute email saying it was cancelled. By the time we got home it was too late to do anything but say "Happy Birthday!"

Thank goodness we have a backup plan for Sunday! - Granny is going to take us to the Melting Pot for Kevin's birthday. Only I screwed up and didn't make the reservations early enough so we either have to go at 3 - or 8.

Now none of these things are the end of the world. It is just that added to my ongoing problem with the new home-to-work computer connection that - you guessed it - decided not to work this weekend, pretty much all of my plans backfired of fizzled out.

If offered a DO OVER - I would take it.