Life continues!

Dear Family and Friends,                                    Sunday 18 October 2020 

Monday was a quiet unstructured day. Adam's family was here and the children had fun playing on the swings and zip line. In the afternoon we all went to Hickory Park and had fun with all the play equipment. We returned home and started dinner preparations; we had invited the four missionaries to dinner and were serving breakfast burritos. Two of them were brand new; all were energetic and enthusiastic about their missions.

Tuesday morning we went out to breakfast; then Adam's family finished their packing and headed off to Jonathan's for the remainder of their time. The house gets quiet real quick when family leaves!

I spent time the next couple of days using the now operable tractor to beat the pasture grass into submission. With a new (and tight) drag link, the steering is much more secure and it steers better. I also attacked the unfinished deck, removing and replacing the planks. Here all of the remaining old planks have been removed:

The installation process is a laborious task; I drag the 12 planks from the barn where they are stored under cover the 100 feet to the deck, measure and cut them one by one, drill pilot holes and then screw them into the joists. Unfortunately, I do not have enough screws (only available at Menards - a 90 minute one way drive), so I only put in enough to secure the boards for now. I spent Saturday afternoon ripping out the rest of the old boards, but did not finish installing all the new boards. After several hours on my knees my brain does not function well enough for me to make the correct changes in the angle of cut that is required; so it was time for me to stop for the day. Besides, who is keeping track of my progress anyway?

Thursday was the big family event day. With Adam's family in town, it was suggested we go to Silver Dollar City. Savannah knew that Thursday's were one-half off price days so we were able to get tickets at a greatly reduced price. Only Rebecca was not present, although her family was represented by Callie. We had 36 family members join us by 10 am for a fun filled day. Even Matthew joined us complete with a casted broken foot and crutches:

Cute to see Adam squeeze into the kiddie ride with his girls:

Ethan giving a tired Rachel some hugs:

Masks were required; so I spent a lot of time munching so that I could get some relief. The crowds were not so dense, but when many of the rides only accommodated 1/3 to 1/2 of their capacity, there were some longer waits for the more popular rides. I have learned that we have some pretty aggressive party animals in the family - of all ages. I left by 6 pm; others were still there after 8 pm.

If 'Fall' refers to the number of leaves falling from the trees, then it is here. The maples, which are the most representative of beautiful fall colors, are brilliant but fast losing their leaves. For such a beautiful time of year, it passes much too quickly for me to thoroughly enjoy.

Today was church of one; even though it is just me, it can still be a spiritual experience and I relish those peaceful and quiet times. 

Hope all are healthy and safe!