Monday August 30, 1999
Where did the Summer go? It seemed to just get started and
suddenly it is the end of August. Why does Summer fly and
Winter drag? I can remember when it seemed December lasted
for an eternity, while summer at Uncle Ralph's flew, just
like here at the cabin. Oh well, we have to accept the fact
another Summer is nearly gone.
We missed the Air and Water Show in Chicago a week ago. In
fact we miss it every year. Jamie called on his cellular
phone while he was watching it. We could hear the jets
screaming overhead while we talked. Maybe next year, we can
miss it again! Jamie told us he will be here this weekend
to celebrate Jenny and David's birthdays.
Monday was gardening day. After I repackaged those &##%@
light fixtures, I decapitated the long post which was next
to the retaining wall which David S and I built. (I've
wanted to use the word decapitate ever since I heard it in a
"I Love A Mystery" radio program years ago. The man who
hired Doc and Reggie had been threatened with decapitation.
I had to look it up. It was not too pleasant to discover
its meaning.) The wall looks better now.
Next I removed another two wheelbarrows full of thatch from
the side of the lawn next to the driveway. The grass has
never grown thick there like the rest of the lawn. I then
planted some seed. Hopefully it will grow and fill in the
bare spots. I had to hurry to finish watering the area
before the forecasted rain arrived since, if I did not
water, it definitely would not rain. After I watered it,
the rain came during the night.
Tuesday morning was foggy. In fact it was foggy over the
Lake for the next several days. The combination of warm
Lake water and cool nights resulted in various thickness of
fog.
Emily and Shawn returned from Turkey Run about four. They
had a pleasant time. They took a canoe ride down the Sugar
Creek with the girls. Sarah leaned back to enjoy the ride
and promptly went to sleep.
In addition to the canoe ride, they went on several hikes.
The trails have changed a lot since we used to go there.
There is now only one easy trail. The rest are all harder.
They have allowed the trails to grow wild. The girls
enjoyed the indoor swimming pool too. Jenny said "It was
too cold for Daddy".
After a nice barbecue supper with home fries, prepared by
the author, Shawn started to work on the task list I had
prepared; no use letting him sit and relax while on
vacation. The first item was to lubricate the front door
latch which had been sticking.
We visited Grandma on Wednesday. Again, we arrived early in
order to take her to breakfast. We dropped Aldona off at
Wards and then went to Johnnie's Around The Clock.
As we were waiting for our orders to be delivered to the
table, I noticed Grandma looking at me very intently. I
asked her, "Have you decided to keep me?" She started to
laugh and said "I haven't made up my mind yet!"
Since it had started to drizzle by the time we were on our
way home, we did not stop to see Uncle Donald. Toni called
from Grandma's and she had a nice chat with both Donald and
Irene.
When we arrived home in Monticello, we saw Shawn working in
the garage. He had removed the interior front door, the one
which always bangs when it is closed, and was removing the
glass panes. They were held by wood strips, not putty.
When the door closed, the glass rattled in the door. He
applied putty to each pane and rehung the door. Now when
the door closes, it makes a "door closing sound", not a
rattle. He was so pleased with the results, he did the
other door too. We are pleased too! When I asked Shawn
what caused him to think of applying putty to the windows,
he said it was a suggestion Norm made on "This Old House".
Thanks Shawn for a job well done. Long live PBS!
Friday he went to work on the window between the porch and
the dining room. We keep the window open to allow air
circulation between the new porch and the furnace. The top,
which was nailed in place, now lowers and raises. In the
summer, the top can be lowered to keep cool air on the porch
and in the winter, both can be raised to allow the cool air
to circulate.
While Shawn was busy there, I finally finished attaching the
trim to the bedroom windows. After I finished, Shawn
installed the quarter round. He replaced the one I tried to
fit in the bathroom. His looks very professional; mine,
well we won't say what it looked like.
After supper, Jenny and I played some baseball. I found if
I threw the ball over her head, she would swing at it. I
kept doing it until she stopped. I hope she remembers the
drill next year when they start to pitch the softball to
her.
The Summer task list is nearly clear. The only remaining
major task is to remodel the bathroom. Shawn has now added
another task. He has some Pergo left from when he did his
kitchen and intends to bring it here to install in this
kitchen. It would really look good there.
After breakfast, Emily and Shawn packed their van and headed
home. Shawn had a few things he wanted to do there. While
here, he spent his entire vacation working. I hope he found
it relaxing.
We drove to Lafayette after lunch. I returned the two bad
lights and replaced them with the "cheap" ones. As soon as
I plugged them into the wall socket, they immediately lit;
so much for the "superior" ones.
When Cam had not arrived by nine o-clock, I decided the best
way to attract him was to go to bed. Sure enough! I no
sooner hit the pillow than there was a sound at the front
door. Cam, Billy and Ron had arrived. It is like magic! I
go to bed and company arrives.
Cam was tired from his journey and went immediately to bed.
He travels in the same manner as Sarah used to travel. He
brings his own bed. It is more comfortable than any we can
provide. Billy, on the other hand, hopped onto the couch on
the porch and he went right to sleep.
After the boys were settled, there was again noise at the
front (back) and Karen arrived to spend the weekend. We sat
and visited for awhile. Ron explained to us about the golf
tournament in which Liz was playing. She was the only woman
in the tournament and had to play from the men's tees, which
added to her handicap. She played in the second flight.
Her handicap knocked her out of the championship flight,
which was a good thing because the leader of the flight was
a scratch golfer; whatever that means.
When you are fourteen months old, Cartoon Network is more
interesting than watching Daddy slalom. Cam stayed in the
cabin with Toni and Billy while I took Karen and Ron out for
an early morning ski run on Saturday. Ron's stamina is not
what it used to be. He made two short runs, started puffing
and got in the boat to watch Karen.
It was her first run for the year. She did real well until
she had to quit because the boot was cutting into her foot.
If she had gone further, it would have broken the skin.
We all went to the Beach for lunch. Karen's friend joined
us. Her company was having a picnic outing and she brought
a POP pass for Cam and Billy. After lunch, we took the boys
on a few rides. Cam's favorite was the merry-Go-Round. He
let me ride with him the first time and his Daddy the next
time. Cam rode in the cars and the small Tilt-A-Whirl with
Billy.
It was very hot and humid. After a short while, Toni headed
towards the air-conditioned comfort of the boardwalk shop.
When we looked for her after the boys were finished riding,
she was gone. We looked all over and finally, on Billy's
suggestion, looked for her in the Sky Room. That is where
we found her, eating a strawberry sundae. Cam arrived just
in time to take a few bites of whipped cream.
Since Cam and Ron intended to visit Grandma on their way
home, they wanted to leave the Park by two o'clock. We all
went to the parking lot where we said our good-byes and
headed home. To our surprise, Cam arrived a few minutes
later. He missed us already and wanted to say good-bye one
more time.
Chrys and her friends, the Karl Franz and David Bengsten
families, were here when we arrived. They had come just a
few minutes earlier. They set up three tents on Jerry's
lot, put on their suits and were soon swimming in the Lake.
Dana arrived a little later. Her boat was back from the
shop. They had replaced the steering cable. The labor to
install it was equal to nearly four times the cost of the
part. Mike and Scott were with her as well as her boys.
Everyone was gone when we returned from Mass. I settled
down to watch the Bears blow another lead. If the cubs
played seven inning games and the Bears played only the
first two quarters, then Chicago teams would have a chance
to win a few more games.
Sunday morning, we found that Chrys and her friends had
eaten at Angler's and then went to the Beach. They stayed
until it closed. Consequently, the children all slept late.
While they were sleeping, I took the two fathers and one
mother for a boat ride. Everyone was awake when we
returned.
After they packed their tents, I took the children to the
Beach while the parents drove. Everyone, except Chrys, was
able to have a ride. Earlier, Karen had taken Toni along
when she went out for breakfast. On her return, she dropped
Toni off at the Beach where she awaited our arrival. Toni
said watching Karen eat breakfast made her hungry.
After lunch, Toni came back to the cabin with me in the
boat. As I started to lift the boat out of the water, one
of the cables snapped and the boat fell back into the water.
No-one was hurt.
With Karen's help, I tried to get the boat rack out of the
water into the boat house. We weren't able to get it done.
I marched over to Jerry's house and asked Marge if he could
come out to play and she said okay. With his assistance,
the rack was soon back into the boat house.
After a few calls, I was able to find some five-sixteenths
steel cable to replace the rusted cables from the lift.
Luckily, Ace Hardware was out of cable because when I called
True Value, I was given a price per foot of fifty-five cents
versus the Ace price of a dollar forty-nine. Since I needed
thirty-two feet, it was a significant savings. I will
install it later today after we return from Crown Point
where we will visit Grandma.
The Cranes play their first football game this Saturday.
Consequently, we will celebrate Jenny and David's birthdays
on Sunday. Cake and ice cream will be served in addition to
a luncheon menu which is dependent on the Tuesday sale
brochure from Sanders or Krogers. Send an E-Mail and let us
know if you can make it. We hope to see you here this
Sunday.
Love,
D A D
September
2 B David Scott Crane 1985 Monda
5 B Donald Vagnone 1931 Satur
5 P Jenny and David's Birthday Party at the Lake
6 B Jennifer Nicole Repking 1992 Sunda
20 B David Todd Crane 1958 Satur
30 B Lynn Vagnone Hodak 1960 Frida
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