Whew....you finally made it to the parlour...with only a few bites and scratches to show for your perilous journey. Take a rest and read the family news.
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Family News
DAD & MOM:
Another year, another anniversary....celebrated as is our custom, with Mike and Jean Nevitt, whose wedding anniversary is close to ours as to the day but not as many years. We went with Mike and Jean, and Jean's two sisters, Virginia and Catherine, to Mr. G's Roadhouse which now has a dinner theater. We saw and enjoyed Forever Plaid, a weak plot carrying a concert of old nostalgic popular songs. The M.C. came around and asked what anniversaries or birthdays members of the audience were celebrating. We got special mention for having been married the longest...58 years (that's 21,189 days!)Early in the month we attended the Glidden Drive Association Summer dinner at the Stone Harbor Resort with Mike and Jean, their daughter Carol and her husband John, and also Doug and Jean. It was fun; we know so many of the "drive people" now. Doug and Carol found a lot to talk about after not having seen one another for many years. Mid month we had dinner at the Nevitts; Virginia, Catherine, Carol and John were there also. I missed much of what was said because I'd forgotten to bring my hearing aids along.
Doug and Jean stayed with us the first weekend of the month although they spent much time at their house working alongside Bob, Jean's brother, who's doing the renovation. One evening we had dinner at our house for the five of us, including Bob. Doug and Jean rearranged our computer setup, moving all the computer furniture from the northwest wall of the loft to the southwest wall; purpose to prevent the big square southeastern window from reflecting on the monitor screen.
Maureen and Jim visited us for four days mid month. Jim took photos and Maureen helped Margaret and me with our computer problems. Maureen gave us a lovely collage Anniversary card which we're planning to frame and hang (in full size it looks much better than the scan).
At the Friends board meeting, I was given this following cartoon in appreciation of my work. I think it captures "the real me". It was also used in this month's newsletter.
We had heavy rain and winds early in the month and the round windows leaked. Later in the month two carpenters came (finally) and replaced six windows in the house. Much remains to be done but we hope that what has been done will stop our leakage problems. We haven't had the kind of rain since then that would test it.
Matt called. He has hopes that he, Zerrin and Shawna can make it to Murphysboro and the Chicago area for Thanksgiving. It would be nice to see them again.
We're recommending Space Cowboys, enjoyable but not particularly memorable.
Fall is here. Michigan Street in Sturgeon Bay is already lined with colorful maple trees. However the peak of color here should be early in October. The end of the year is not far off.
Let's all get out and vote!!!
DOUG & JEAN:
I continue to provide architectural services to Living Word Christian Center. They have become an important on going client. The week of the 10th they had a Faith Conference at their church that ran the entire week. Each night they had a different speaker/ minister. Jean and I went on Tuesday night, 9.12. 5000 people attended that evening spilling out into additional rooms outside the church proper. Like the service that we attended in April, it was energetic and lively.On September 9, Jean's brother Dick and his ex wife (they are divorced but seeing each other) spent the night at our house on their way out to New Hampshire to see friends. Then the following Saturday, the 16th, they stopped on their return to Iowa with fresh lobsters that we had for dinner that night.
The 17th we had an early pot luck dinner party at our house. The weather was beautiful and we sat outside visiting until about 10 or so.
On September 22, Jean came downtown after work and we went over and walked around on north Michigan Avenue. The plantings along the street were beautiful and the boulevard crowded with people.
It turned out to be the day that the new Nordstrom's store was opening so we walked over to what is called North Bridge (this because Nordstrom's sits off of Michigan Avenue to the west and is reached by a curving interior stored 'bridge'.
When we reached the store it was packed with people, so many you could hardly see the merchandise. It turned out that we enter the store right behind Oprah Winfrey who was there with her 'people' including a bodyguard who wore one of those ear microphones that you see secret service agents using. I first noticed her because she ran into Bob Greene of the Tribune and they were talking. She immediately attracted a rapidly growing throng of people as she stood at a makeup counter looking at merchandise. We decided to leave due to the crowds everywhere.
We decided to have dinner at the Blackhawk Lodge, a restaurant on Huron off Michigan, decorated in a north woods motif. Dinner was good. Trout and salmon. We sat on an enclosed porch as the rain poured down and darkness fell.
Fall rapidly approaches and the skunk is back in the yard looking for food.
This month, like last, ends with Jean and I going back to Door County to see how the house construction is coming.
JIM & MAUREEN:
The chaos of the library's summer reading program is over for another year. Things have quieted down considerably in September. And that's why I took some vacation time this month.Trevor and his roommate, Cat, came into West Chicago the night of 9/8. The next day we all drove to Ikea so we could do some shopping before driving back into the city. We got to see their new apartment for the first time. It's in a very nice older building in a good neighborhood. Trevor has more room now and a roommate to help pay half the rent. Jim and I took them to lunch before heading home.
The first week of my vacation was mostly spent shopping and doing things around the house that needed being done. We also took a couple trips into the city...once for shopping and another to enjoy the day at the Field Museum. Neither of us had been to the museum in years and focused all our time on the dinosaurs and ancient Egyptians.
On Sunday 9/17 we drove up to Door County with Vader. Vader loves it there and will play outside all day if you let him. I was able to help Mom and Dad with a few computer-related problems. Jim spent a couple afternoons taking pictures and I tagged along with my rediscovered hobby of knitting.
Jim continues with photography in his spare time and I spent several enjoyable hours this month working on the Halloween web site.
Neill got a new cell phone and number. For those interested it is: 630.697.CUBS (2827).
RACHEL:
In my last web news, I was teaching summer school at Florida Air Academy. Now it's progress report time, a quarter of the way through the first semester of school. I'm enjoying my second year of teaching, and I am even taking a class of my own. This year I teach Algebra 2 and Advanced Placement Physics. AP Physics is challenging, but the class is small and very motivated.I had a great time at the end of summer. In mid-July, I bought a new car. It's a 2001 Saturn, 3-door coupe. It's small and sporty, and I really enjoy driving it. My friend Debbie had to drive it home for me, but I quickly learned to drive stick that weekend. Unfortunately, I only live 2 miles from work, so it doesn't get very many miles. I'll have to take a long trip this summer or during spring break.
In August, I took a trip to Germany. I spent a few days in Dusseldorf visiting a friend who taught with me last year. I then met up with Thorsten, a friend from Florida Tech that I have known for 5 years. We took an overnight train to Slovenia and stayed with Sean and Lora for 5 days. We really enjoyed our time there. We visited Lora's dad and stepmom in Novo Mesto, went kayaking and rafting, hiked up to a castle at Lake Bled, took a tour of POPTV, and saw the city of Ljubljana. It was very beautiful, and we had a good time visiting with Sean, Lora, and Floyd. The train ride through Austria and along the Rhine in Germany was gorgeous. I would like to spend more time there some day.
When we returned to Bonn, we relaxed for a day before driving over to Amsterdam. On the off chance that Mark would be in the country and at home, I gave him a call. We were lucky to get a hold of him and walked the few blocks to his apartment. It was neat to see his studio and many of his pieces. He then took us out to a nice lunch at a little café near a canal. I wish we could have spent more time visiting, but Thorsten and I were on a tight schedule and anxious to see the sights of Amsterdam. We ended up going to the Van Gogh Museum and decided to pass on the Anne Frank house after seeing the line of people waiting wrap around down the street. We went on a boat trip through the canals and learned some interesting history about the city of Amsterdam and the architecture.
We spent my last few days at Thorsten's parents house in Bonn. We walked 509 stairs to the top of the Cathedral in Cologne and drove to a quaint little village called Cochem along the Moselle River Valley to see a castle. I was lucky to get an inexpensive flight through Priceline.Com, and I would love to spend more time traveling through Europe.
For those of you who have been following the Olympics, I'm celebrating Cameroon's nail-biting win over Spain for the Gold. I taped the game for a student of mine from Yaounde, the capital city where I stayed for a week at the Peace Corps head-quarters. The Peace Corps compound is right across the street from the national soccer arena, and we watched a couple of games from afar.
If anybody has any neat Halloween costume ideas, send them my way. Two other teachers and I are trying to come up with a unique theme to dress alike. I hope every one is well.
MOVIE SOUND BYTE
HORROR TRIVIA
