A day for herself...

It's birthday time for Jennifer (Korkowski) Majhess (#42) today so hopefully she'll be a bit pampered during the day.  Maybe breakfast in bed...or better yet, breakfast at a nice restaurant?  Have a great birthday, Jen!

Pass the corn on the cob, please!

Looks like between the two little cousins, Isaac Oxentenko and Ellie Majhess, one cob of corn would be plenty between the two of them!  The tooth fairy is mighty busy in these two households.

Joe Mauer is moving to 1st, so....

Joe Mauer is moving into that first base position, so the catcher's job may be open eventually, and Evan Oxentenko (Shawn & Amy Korkowski Oxentenko) is improving his form during his summer baseball.  If he's not fishing, then he's busy playing baseball and is actually quite good at that as well.  And, nothing beats wearing all black on a day when it's near 100 degrees in the shade!

And, then there was a parade in 'downtown' Millerville!

Now, when was the last time there was a parade in Millerville....years???  This could be the start of something big!  No shortage of places to sit and watch either.  Here are some of the more memorable parade entries....

Two grand marshals...Ruth Roers and Regina Klimek

More than 1 lb. of butter!

A train in Millerville?

Hope they've retired this particular truck

How cute is that?

Waiting for the candy to be thrown

Just steps away from a drink after the parade!

It was "butter days" after all

You can't have "butter days" without having something to do with butter, and indeed they did...a butter sculpting contest.  Pictured are some of the entries and contestants, one of whom is none other than the priest himself.  If you think you may have talent in this arena, start practicing for next year's competition!

Choose your words wisely....



Want a little chocolate with that sundae?

Today's birthday girl, Lila Murray (Ray & Melissa Korkowski Murray) turns 3 today; and this picture of her eating a sundae is just too cute to not pass along.  Looks like she enjoyed eating (and decorating her face)...happy birthday, Lila...and ask for some chocolate for your birthday!

Who knew?

Contrary to popular belief, there ARE fish in North Dakota!  While on vacation visiting the Oxentenko family, Evan Oxentenko caught his first northern while fishing on Brush Lake near Mercer ND.  As many of you know from seeing Evan with a fishing pole in his hands for hours on end, this catch was very exciting...and you can tell that by just looking at the big smile on his face.  No details given on weight but to Evan, it won't make any difference!



Two by two again...

Another day of two birthdays to celebrate....Hailey Evenson (Tom & Jody Korkowski Evenson) turns 8, while Benton Stadsvold (Cory & Jennae Korkowski Stadsvold) turns 10.  Happy birthday, kids...enjoy your special day!

Hailey Evenson

Benton Stadsvold

Role reversal

When your kids get quiet for too long, and then you hear giggling, you just know they're up to something...good or bad!  That was the case the other day when Joseph & Ellie Majhess came out of mom & dad's room, Joseph in "mom's" clothes and Ellie in "dad's."  Both Joe and Jen were shocked to see the resemblance to their Nana with her spiky hair!  What do you think....see the similarity??

Millerville's Butter Days

For those of you who missed the big weekend celebration in Millerville, you really did miss it!!  Millerville has not seen the likes of this type of increased population in many, many years.  The church dinner/bazaar today was a good example....they prepared dinner for 800 people, thinking that would be more than enough food....but they had to stop selling tickets when they realized they had run out of chicken.  The food was delicious with ham, oven baked chicken, mashed taters, homemade dressing, gravy, corn, and sauerkraut; your choice of homemade pie was the dessert...and all for $8/each.  When we came out of the hall from the first seating, the line for those waiting to get in stretched on forever!  An added bonus this year was live music near the ball field with lots of picnic tables and benches for sitting as long as you liked to listen to the music and to catch up with friends and family.  God was smiling down on this little town as the temperatures were in the mid 70s with lots of sunshine and a gentle breeze....life is good! 

And, thanks to Christella for snapping lots of pictures during the weekend, one of which I just had to put on right now (and more will follow in the days to come).  You should definitely know these people....retired they are not!!



Double the fun...

Another set of birthdays for today....Nate Zuidema (#38) and Avery Morrissey (Kellen & Felicia Peterson Morrissey) who turns 3.  Wishing you both the best of birthdays on this warm summer weekend...happy birthday!



Home, sweet home...for Kyle!

Brenda (Magnuson) Dupont didn't spend her birthday yesterday in any ho-hum way....nope, son Kyle added a bit of excitement for mom.   Seems he was jumping on a trampoline with some bigger kids, landed wrong, and wound up with broken bones in his foot.  (They were playing "last man down".....Kyle lost!)  So, yesterday, on mom's birthday, Kyle had surgery to fix the damage before going home today.  But, Kyle wasn't really anxious to go back home.  Why?  Well, here's what his thoughts were....." " get to stay in bed and watch TV all day, food and drinks are served, they have that pain remover stuff, and I don't even have to get up to pee. Why wouldn't I want to stay?".  Oh boy, Brenda....you've got your work cut out for you...and Kyle, listen to your mom and dad!



Ah, the sound and memories!

Thanks for honoring our mother so specially on her 93rd birthday, with her picture and the beautifully sung, amazing Grace.  I was very touched. Thank you.  I enjoy the blog so much.  I go to it like a daily dose of family that I need.  It is such a delight to see the extended family too and their lives unfolding right in front of our eyes.  How fortunate we are!   Sister Cordy

Something to ponder.....

The following is short and sweet, but packs a lot of punch in what it has to say.  Just think on it for awhile......

Five things you can never recover:

• The stone...................after the throw.         
• The word......................after it's said.
• The occasion..........after it's missed.     
• The time..................after it's passed.
• The person...........after they've gone.

Powerful!

Thank you for that beautiful song.  Mom is smiling!   Theresa

A fitting song on this day.....

On this day, when the woman who was the matriarch of the family would have been 93 years old, it seems only fitting to pay tribute with the following song, sung by four of the best tenors you've ever heard (Il Divo).  They've been favorites of mine for a long time, and when Christella sent it my way some months ago, I've held onto it for just this day.  Grace would have been very proud to hear it sung like this....lasts approximately four minutes.

http://www.clarrissegill.com/videoclips/amazing_grace.php

A few more than six candles on these cakes!

Although the birthdays over the past several days were for those who were 6 y/o, today's celebrants definitely have more than six candles to blow out.....Paul Korkowski (#43) and Brenda (Magnuson) Dupont (#39) will have to do a whole lot of blowing to get the flames to die down.  Happy birthday to you both!

Paul Korkowski

Brenda Dupont



Another birthday....

Another birthday cake with six candles on it...today the birthday boy is Jack Murray (Ray & Melissa Korkowski Murray) who turns 6.  Looks like another hot day unless you'll be playing in the water...happy birthday, Jack!

This picture says it all....

Yes, it's really been THAT hot!  No other words necessary...thanks, Donna.



The ultimate in garage sales....

As much as garage and estate sales are a favorite free-time activity, I obviously have not been paying much attention when St. Stephen's has their annual rummage sale.  Sure, I've seen the notice in the bulletin, but have never attended it nor contributed to it...until last evening.  We had some larger items in the garage that needed to go, so we decided to do our part in making sure they had some items to sell.  Well, not to worry!  My mouth actually hung open as we walked into the school gymnasium to see what was going on....thousands and thousands and thousands of items, all being carefully organized by true volunteers in a non-air conditioned space (and it was 95 degrees outside).  Can you even imagine sorting thru this to start with (and they do check for stains, rips, etc.) and then grouping similar items together?  So, if you're looking for anything at all, run on over to the church this weekend and start digging!  Oh, and by the way, all the larger items such as furniture, tools, etc. are in the garages next door. 



A hot time in the old town...this weekend!

If you're looking for something to do this weekend, look no further than the hometown of Millerville for "Millerville Butter Days" (that butter known far and wide it seems!)  The festivities start on Friday, July 22, at 6 PM with a bean bag tournament, followed by food and refreshments sponsored by the community club and then a street dance at 8:30 with Nasty Habit performing.  Saturday will be a men's slow pitch softball tournament, a parade at 2 PM, and other games, contests, etc.  The pork chop feed is from 4-7 PM by the Douglas County Pork Producers.  Finally, on Sunday, Seven Dolors Church has their bazaar/dinner starting at 11 AM.   You're sure to see a lot of familiar faces if you do any or all of the things listed above...see you there!



It could be worse...we could be ears of corn in this heat and humidity!



Back to some birthdays again...

It's been another long stretch without any birthdays, but we're back in business today with a birthday for Kelsey Stadsvold (Cory & Jennae Korkowski Stadsvold) who turns 6.  You might have to play inside today though as the heat might be a bit much for outside activity...happy birthday, Kelsey!

Ready for some fishing!

'Open' house on Maple Lake

Derald & Theresa Krentz had an unanticipated 'open house' at their lake home after last weekend's storm.  There were just a multitude of trees down in their neighborhood, and unfortunately, a very large tree on their property toppled over and clipped the corner of the house, resulting in a new roof line!  So, along with a yard that looks like a war zone, and work needing to be done to the house, there was no shortage of things to be done this past weekend.  Cliff and I stopped by over the weekend to find the whole family pitching in with cleanup and doing a bit of sandbagging to reinforce the shoreline.  Docks needed to be shortened, lifts brought in, and of course, cutting of downed trees and stacking of wood.  It's not exactly the way you want to spend a hot weekend at the lake!

Our little 'secret'....

Some time ago, I read on another blog (a reader of our own blog!) about his sister stopping at the Fisher's Club for walleye on the way back from Alexandria.  Being the ever-inquisitive person on the hunt for good food, I did some research and came up with the right place...Fisher's Club in Avon Minnesota.  Yes, Avon Minnesota!  Being they are only open from Thursday to Sunday nights at 5 PM, it coincided perfectly with our Thursday night journey to Lake Osakis last week.  Now, if you should just drive by, you probably won't stop.  On the outside, it looks like something from the 1940s that's still standing...low roof line, wooden slats for walls, etc.  But, the cars in the parking lot should give you the clue that maybe, just maybe, you should stop!  Inside, think of a combination of the old Lakeside Ballroom in Glenwood, or the current Clarissa Ballroom, or Chet's "Chicken Shack" before it spruced itself up...maybe a combination of all three.  We're not talking fancy, folks...but it's nice and clean, and the staff is exceptional.  Being a bit hesitant about fish in general, I ordered the 'lunch' portion.  BIG mistake...I should have ordered the full dinner (like Cliff did).  That walleye is to-die-for....delicate cornmeal batter, not at all greasy, and so good.  The made-from-scratch potato salad is equally as good, and I could have eaten a big old bucket of that too. 

What makes it all the more interesting...it's co-owned by none other than Garrison Keillor, and just has that same folksy atmosphere he projects in his productions.  The menu is right out of the 1940s-1950s with an appetizer plate of BBQ meatballs, celery sticks, etc. just like you used to get at the old time supper clubs.  And, they have sunfish chips as an appetizer...now, where do you ever find these???

So, here's the link to check out the directions, the menu, and their hours....but try to keep it under your hat.....we don't want TOO many people to know about this little gem!  And, oh by the way, no "dressing up" is necessary!  www.fishersclub.com

Which face do we want to wear today?

Kids love to pose for pictures, and during the Two Inlets weekend, this threesome asked to 'submit' their normal, goofy and mad faces for you....

"Normal"....Hailey Evenson, Lexi Dupont & Natalie Zuidema

How about "goofy"?

Does "mad" make YOU smile???

Salmon on the menu?

Recently, Norb & Donna Korkowski took a little road trip to Lake Michigan to try their hand at some salmon fishing which did indeed yield some good eatin'.  Nothing like grilled salmon for dinner.....(had some last night in fact!)

The boats are all ready and waiting

Looking good, Norb!

Um, isn't Donna's fish bigger???

All in a day's work

It's "official"...

The radio announcer just proclaimed Osakis as the 'winner' in the rainfall category.....6-3/4" so far today (and more to come????)

Too late to build an ark?

Okay, now all this rain is getting serious!!  So far, 4-1/2" as of an hour ago, and it's been raining hard for the last half hour.  Had planned on going into Alexandria for breakfast and groceries, but Hwy. 27 just outside of Osakis was under water with cars lined up trying to get thru.  Hwy. 3 just outside our drive is gushing water, but we watched a couple other cars very slowly creep thru so we did manage to get as far as the Osakis cafe and called it good for the day.





Water pouring over Hwy. 3.  Water, water everywhere!  Now we hear there's a flash flood warning for our neck of the woods....

This is a neighbor's about six lots down.  You can see the road in the foreground with water covering the entire lot; lake starts where the trees are mid photo.  And, it's for sale!!  Better not bring any potential buyers today.

Water filling the ditch just before our driveway



The last of the information on The Villages...

WEATHER
Temperatures for The Villages - by The Weather Channel

Average High Temp for Jan - 68.   Average low 48   Mean 57

Average High Temp for Feb - 71   Average low 49   Mean 59

Average High Temp for Mar - 76  Average low 52   Mean 64

Temperatures For Fort Myers - by The Weather Channel (for the folks who think Fort Myers is a lot warmer)

Average High Temp for Jan - 74    Average Low 54  Mean 64    Avg high 6 degrees warmer.

Average High Temp for Feb -75    Average Low 54   Mean 65    Avg high 4 degrees warmer. 

Average High Temp for Mar- 78   Average Low 58   Mean 68    Avg high 2 degrees warmer. 

GOLF CARTS
80% of resident trips are inside The Villages by golf carts

45,000+ golf carts operating on 87 miles of trails

$360 million+ in carts (avg $8,500 ea) as of 2010

Over 100 restaurants accessible by golf cart
OTHER INTERESTING INFORMATION
A Veterans Clinic completed in 2010

A Hospice Center

The Villages Hospital with 200 beds

Permits have been approved for a second Villages Hospital on 60 acres of land adjacent to Brownwood Town Square!!
Opening in the fall of 2011  The Moffitt Cancer Center with 51,668 sq feet of health care!  First floor-radiation therapy managed by Moffitt and chemotherapy operated by The Village Hospital with second and third floors for private medical office space.
Promise Hospital with 40 beds for acute care.
Freedom Pointe at The Villages is a Continuing Care Retirement Community with 240 independent living condominiums. It offers Exceptional Independent Living,    Personalized Assisted Living, Alzheimer's and Dementia Care and Skilled Nursing Care (72 beds) options for seniors.

A new Assisted Living facility will be complete within 12 months.

The Village Lifelong Learning College with 98% of courses taught by residents.  
3 Charter Schools for elementary / middle / and high school with 2000 students.
The Villages prints a newspaper every day called The Daily Sun and owns a radio and TV station.

The Villages run a shuttle service daily to Orlando International Airport with 5 trips leaving/ arriving from Spanish Springs and 5 leaving/arriving from Sumter Landing.

The developer listens to Village residents and consequently the resident survey for 2010 had a 97% satisfaction rating!!

There are 40+ roundabouts
FUTURE OF THE VILLAGES SOUTH OF 466A 

• 4 new Championship Country Clubs with 27 holes each.
• 6 new Executive courses.
• A new Town Square
• A new Villages Hospital
• More restaurants and retail space.
• The first "village" south of Rt 466A has already started selling homes.
• A new softball complex will be announced along with a new bowling center.

Now, aren't you impressed with retirement living?  It is indeed the good life!

More on The Villages

As promised, here is additional information on The Villages...this tells you there is no excuse for "there's nothing to do"!
RECREATION
9 Regional Recreation Centers - 14 Village Recreation Centers -  39 Neighborhood Centers for a total of 62 Recreation Centers!!!
13 parks which includes 4 dog parks / 2 Fitness Trails / 2 Walking Trails / 1 Children’s playground 
A polo field with grandstand seating for 1000 with 30,000 spectators a year watching Polo.
A Golf Academy featuring club fittings and instruction
4 fitness centers
100 tennis courts / 6 paddle tennis courts / 100 pickleball courts / 1 sand volleyball court /
62 swimming pools / 115 shuffle board courts / 115 bocce courts / 85 horseshoe pits / 1 lawn bowling area 
2 bowling centers with 32 lanes each (a third is in the planning stages) - 12 fishing lakes inside The Villages
1800 sq. ft. woodworking shop
1 archery range 
3 libraries 
GOLF
513 golf holes
29 - 9 Hole Executive courses - 261 holes  (6 more courses scheduled to open within 18 months)
8 - 27 Hole Championship Courses - 216 holes (4 more 27 hole courses scheduled to open wothin 18 months) 
2- 18 Hole Championship Courses -  36 holes
There are 10 Country Clubs within The Villages complete with food and beverage service.  All residents are automatic members of all the clubs with no yearly dues.  Green fees vary depending on the time of the year. Green fees in the fall (10/15/2010 to 12/31/2010) range from $21 to $62 depending on whether you are a resident, a guest or fall somewhere in between. Resident green fees effective  01/01/11 to 04/30/11 range from $24 - $77.  Fees effective 5/1/11 to 10/14/11 range from $16 - $43.00.  Cart rentals are available for all golf at $10.00.
Golf on all of the 9 hole Executive courses is FREE for all residents.  Many of the Executive courses have one or two par four holes. 
Championship Rounds in 2010 -- 717,124
Executive Rounds in 2010—1,657,367
In 2010 there were 2,374,491 Golf Rounds played in The Villages!!
9,000 tee times a day
Open tee times are available every day!!!
Estimated 5.5 MILLION golf balls LOST in 2010!!!
WANT TO GO FISHING???
There are 165,643 acres of fresh water lakes within 40 minutes or less of the Villages.
The Gulf of Mexico is a 50 minute drive and the Atlantic Ocean is less than 2 hours
TENNIS
There are 74+ tennis courts, many hard surfaced, at the various recreation facilities throughout the Villages. The majority of these are free for all residents. Court times and leagues are posted weekly in the Recreation Guide in our Daily sun newspaper.
Lopez Country Club has four hydrated clay courts which are available for league play as well as open times. 
The main tennis facility is at Glenview Country Club where there is a pro shop and six hydrated clay courts. Tennis rates for these facilities vary depending on the season and residency. There is a priority membership with country club pool privileges available to residents. This type of membership is the least expensive for the experienced tennis player who wants to play on clay twice or more a week.
OTHER ENTERTAINMENT
There are two "Town Squares" with free entertainment every night from 5 - 9.  A third Town Square in the southern portion of The Villages  being developed and scheduled for completion within 18 months. 
1,700+ clubs and activities.
9 softball fields (a new complex is planned South of 466A)
10,000 softball games per year
502 teams, adding 11 per year
16 Movie Screens /4,700 seats
Come back tomorrow for the remainder re: weather facts for The Villages and other interesting bits & pieces!

Bait those hooks....

No fish story here...this is the real deal!   Caleb Peterson was recently pictured in the Vacationer magazine with the following details..."Caleb Peterson of Alexandria was the senior division winner with this 1-pound, 11-ounce crappie caught June 11 on Lake Miltona.  Peterson was fishing with a leech in seven feet of water."   So, seek and ye shall find, people!



Some interesting facts and figures...

With Ron & Faye Magnuson living much of the time in their new home in The Villages, Florida, a wonderland where baby boomers can play to their hearts' content, they sent the following information which gives you a better idea of what it's all about. 

BRIEF HISTORY
Harold Schwartz purchased the Orange Blossom Garden manufactured home park in the early 70's.  In 1983 he convinced his son H. Gary Morse to join him to help build and run his enterprise consisting of 783 residents who enjoyed an active lifestyle.  The Villages concept was born!!
MORSE FAMILY
The Morse family lives on 2,754 acres - 4.3 square miles off CR 466 in the heart of The Villages.
LAND
The Villages covers 26,000 acres - 32 square miles in three counties - Marion, Lake, and Sumter.
Highway 301 (West) to CR 25 (East) is 8.5 miles..
Highway 42 (North) to Highway 44 (South) is 15 miles
EMPLOYMENT
192 folks work directly for The Villages. 12,000+ work in The Villages.  Employees who work in The Villages may send their children to the Charter Schools which were started by the developer.  There is always a wating list of children wanting to attend the Charter Schools.
HOMES
The highest month for home sales was 400.  Home sales in 2010 averaged 200 a month.
Villages as of 2011: 67 "Villages" -  Projected by 2015: 72 "Villages"
Total homes in 2010: 42,000.  Total projected home in 2016: 55,805.
In 2010, 2000 homes were built and 4,074 folks moved to The Villages.
In 2010 the average monthly building permits (new homes & additions) issued was 250.
Home prices in The Villages range from $120,000 to $1,800,000.
Existing homes range from 700 - 4000 sq.feet
Average Home Price for 2010:  $220,000.
2010 was the sixth consecutive year of no property tax increases in Sumter County
POPULATION
Pop in 1992: 11,000  -  Pop in 2000: 21,000  -  Pop in 2006: 60,000
Pop in 2010: 80,000  -  Projected Population in 2016:  105,000
Population in Lake Co in 2010:   293,500             Projected for 2016:     328,400   +12%
Population in Marion Co. in 2010:  330,600          Projected for 2016:     360,700   +10%
Population in Sumter Co. In 2010:   99,400          Projected for 2016:     119,100   +20%
BUILDING 
100,000 yards of material are being moved every day - 6 days a week to keep up with expansion
2.4 million sq feet of retail space.  The plan is for 2.7 million sq feet
In 2010 the average retail vacancy rate in The Villages was 3%.  Orlando-13%   Tampa-12%   US-10.9%
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Six Fire-Rescue Stations with response time of 3:56 (Three min. 56 sec.)
2% of Fire/EMS calls are for fire.  78% of calls are medical emergencies
20% of calls are miscellaneous
There are five urgent care facilities in The Villages
Five house fires in 2009

The picture below shows the good times to be had when visiting The Villages!

L.to rt:  Ron Magnuson, Derald Krentz, Sr. Cordy, Theresa Krentz, and Faye Magnuson

Come back tomorrow for more information.....

Funny but true!

Thanks to Devyn for submitting this fable which is more truth than fiction!

GOD SAID: "Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.."
ST. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures.. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.
GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.
GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.
GOD:
These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
ST. FRANCIS:
You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:
What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.
ST. FRANCIS:
You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
GOD:
No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?
ST. FRANCIS:
After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves..
GOD:
And where do they get this mulch?
ST. FRANCIS:
They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.
GOD:
Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
ST. CATHERINE:
'Dumb and Dumber', Lord.. It's a story about....

GOD:
Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis

We're baaaacccccckkkkkk!

It's been 12 days of 'fun in the sun', either at Lake Osakis or our week at Agate Lake Resort near Nisswa, and we could not have had better weather....the week at the resort gave us temperatures in the mid 80s, no humidity, and the only rain was long after the fireworks on the 4th of July and was gone by the next morning.  There was fishing (and more fishing!), tubing behind the pontoon, swimming, and of course, 'happy hour' for the adults with lots of good eating. 

Shawn, Evan & Amy Oxentenko

Abby, Amy & Isaac Oxentenko

The only bummer was that grandpa Cliff, in his ever energetic approach to things, wound up in the ER the night before we left after falling off a stepladder while trying to cut some branches off a tree.  Now, I ask you, who gets on a stepladder on the grass with a saw in hand and sandals on the feet????   Two and a half hours in the ER and 10 stitches in his right heel later, he was banned from all water activity for the week. 

This picture of Abby, Isaac and Evan Oxentenko (on Isaac's 7th birthday) pretty much sums up the fun we had.   Now, back to reality....and much better internet service!