Brrrr - what a day for a Boat Show!

We parked the car a couple blocks from the Trade & Convention Center to get free parking for the Boat Show and what a cold & windy walk it was! You coulda' believed we were in the Windy City up there with you, Jeff & Sara!

Once inside, the summer sights we enjoyed warmed our very souls and made us more anxious for the good ole' summertime!

Yes, I found my dream "retirement home" - a nice little Carver - that you see here (45 ft.) for $550,000, their boat show special price!

And as we wandered around, we found a nice Master Craft ski boat for Amy (that picture we sent her on the camera phone) and a Malibu Wakester for Ryan. Don't you love the colors!?

This is another cabin cruiser that would be very adequate - made by Meridian, that seemed more spacious inside, even though it wasn't as long as the Carver.

I could get along with just this Meridian 34 footer I discovered tonight - and it's only $250,000!

This is another very acceptable alternative, though not quite as classy as a yacht. It would do in a pinch though and was VERY nice inside too.

This driver's seat on a nice cabin cruiser fit Randy very well I thought.

Sunday Walk on the Greenway

Generally we walk on our street an hour a day, but this morning we had to stop by school for Randy to start recording a movie at 9, so we decided to go on to the Greenway for our walk. We figured there wouldn't be much "traffic" on it at 9 on Sunday morning - compared to Sabbath afternoons that is. We avoid it then generally since you can't keep walking due to all the folks you see who you know who you stop to chat with!

We were surprised at all the people who we shared the Greenway with this morning, but we didn't know any of the folks we saw.

I was glad it was cold so my hat could hide my "before shower" wild hairdo. It was LOTS cooler today then yesterday (it got way up to about 32), so we enjoyed being bundled up.

And so did Sugar, this cute little Shitzu we met both coming and going. Cute, eh! Such a stylish coat.
Randy is sending a picture we took to Amy on his camera/phone. It's where she and Jeremy used to study in nice weather.

What timing - a train went over us as we got to the bridge.

Back to the car 70 min. later a lot warmer than when we started and with lots of good pictures to share. Hope you enjoyed them. (I figured I'd better take a picture of the car while it's still clean since it had a bath Friday before the cold weather hit today - good timing I'd say. No, it's not dented on the back right door, it's just a reflection on the waxed finish.)

Biking with Breetzke's

Sabbath we had Terri & Brian over for vegetable fajitas, Spanish rice, grapefruit pie, etc., and then we headed right out for the River Walk along the TN River with our bikes on our racks. It was about 60 degrees so not bad for the 18 mile ride.

Terri & Brian rode their tandem - cool, eh! We were sorry they had to turn back before we made it to the Walnut Street Bridge since he was on call and had left his phone in their car. But it was fun trying to keep up with them while it lasted.

I'll always wonder if he left the phone in the car on purpose :) I noticed how happy Terri was to get off the bike seat when we took the break here where they turned around - about 2/3 of the way to our destination. We enjoyed the break from the bike seats a few minutes before they headed back.

When we got back to the car, it was just after sunset. We counted 18 great blue herons along the water's edge - they're the dark dots you see here on the rocks down along the river.

Friday Evening Favorites

For a four-day work week, it sure seemed like a long one to us. But we survived and enjoyed Friday evening at home even more, with Jaclyn & Ryan over.

After our waffle supper, we relaxed around the Christmas tree. (I knew they'd want to see it one more time!) They tried to figure out a feature for us on Randy's new phone - it has them stumped too. But Randy is really enjoying it nevertheless - especially the portable video and picture taking ability. And all he says he wanted was a BAR PHONE. Yea, right! It's called the "clam shell" by Verizon. Check it out.

Ryan tried out Randy's new electric guitar that he got for Christmas. He approves.

Jaclyn printed out the lyrics and chords to a favorite song of mine that they then played and sang "Go Light Your World." It was lovely. Now Randy can learn it too.

Look at all the left-over waffles we had. Sorry more of you couldn't have joined us. Two weekends from now we look forward to a bigger crowd - the birthday weekend when Ryan will be home. (These aren't just ANY waffles - we call them "Cancun" waffles since that's where we learned to enjoy them with crushed pineapple, coconut, and walnuts in the batter that we whip up from scratch. They're super filling and mighty tasty.) Some have asked for the recipe so here it is:

"Cancun" Waffles

4 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. white flour
1/2 c. sugar (can use less)
2 T. baking powder
2 tsp. salt (we use 1)
1/4 c. oil (or less)
5 c. water
2 to 3 c. chopped walnuts
14 oz. bag shredded coconut (or half a bag)
2 20-oz. cans crushed pineapple

Enjoy!

When it Rains it Pours in Mt. Vernon!

This weekend we journeyed up to see Ryan in Mt. Vernon as soon as our classes ended Friday. Since it rained literally ALL weekend, we didn't get many outdoor shots. We enjoyed watching MVA's Varsity basketball team play in Mt. Gilead Sat. night. Sunday we spent the afternoon shopping in Newark. This was Mon. morning as Ryan was about to head to school for his 7:30 a.m. class.

We visited a couple of Ryan's classes before we had to head for home. Here's Ryan in his office talking to a couple of his workers.

It was really fun sitting in on Ryan's college health class Monday morning. He didn't seem rattled at all having us in his class. And we were the model students of course, speaking up at all the right times. The kids were rather amused with some of Randy's contributions. Notice the website Ryan has written on the white board that Randy told them about.

One of Ryan's eight health class students was missing Monday morning. They were a very attentive group who responded readily to his questions.

Notice the typical winter sky in Mt. Vernon, according to Ryan. The Ad building where Ryan had just taught his health class is behind him up the hill. The old gym is on the left where I had PE "a few years back" as a student. It's now Maintenance.

The girls' dorm is behind us in this picture - we're heading back thru the rain to the gym for Faculty Family meeting, and then his next class.

Ryan meets every day for about 10 min. with his "faculty family" for devotional time and prayer. Two of the guys were missing Monday.

Ryan stretching with his Soph. PE class after interval training, sprinting and walking around the gym 4 times before the floor hockey game began.

His Sophomore PE class has 26 students total - a few were not in the picture

Ryan dropping the puck as the boys' game began. MVA's gym has three full-size basketball courts. And it's very cold this time of year - with no insulation. It was another enjoyable walk down memory lane for me - I graduated in this very gym in 1970. Who ever would have guessed why I'd be back there some 37 years later.

Ankars Away with Jo-Anne & Friends

Jo-Anne and Janet drop in from Toronto to visit Connie a few days. . .

and so did Margaret from Washington!

I convinced them to come see ME too and so we met at Ankar's Thurs. evening, Connie's favorite Chattanooga restaurant, for a felafel and onion rings.

Randy sported his new jacket that Ryan got him for Christmas to make our Canadian friends feel right at home!

More Picts. from Visit with Amy

Guesstures with Jerry at the New Year's Eve Party

Another angle to get them to guess that word before the card drops! I hadn't played Guesstures since a long ago birthday party of Amy's.

We walked through the quaint little town of North East Saturday night - ya' never know what you'll find in a small touristy town.

A table for two in North East

at Fair Hill Sabbath afternoon

Amy & Jeremy at the Olive Garden last Monday - the meal was worth the 45 min. wait!

New Year's Weekend with Amy in MD

Sabbath morning Amy and Jeremy helped lead out with song service. Amy also played the piano for the Cradle Roll's 13th Sabbath performance in the adult Sabbath School at the Blythedale church. They sounded as good as they looked too. (Randy used his camera phone for this shot from a distance.)











We went for a hike Sabbath afternoon at Fair Hill with Coxes. We were hoofin' it to keep up with Amy going up and down the hills.





I love this covered bridge. Some of our best pictures of Ryan and Amy are with her piggyback - and this is another winner. Good thing she had a BIG brother.





New Year's Eve we opened gifts at Coxes. Amy got Ryan some Cal Ripkin books that were a HIT - Cal was born in that area .

Then we four went to Elk Neck State Park and hiked out to Turkey Point, a favorite spot of mine to visit when we're there. It's hard to beat this backdrop. It's along Chesapeake Bay and most scenic, even on a gray, cold day.

Coxes hosted a New Year's Eve party at their house. About 30 were there. We were fed like royalty and played lots of games too. Here we are trying to beat Amy at Dutch Blitz. Fat chance of that happening often. . .

Ukranian Manners was a hit too - so simple, yet such a hoot! Thank you, Carrie, for that one.

Guesstures took up a lot of the evening with several trying out their acting talent (for some reason the picture refuses to be posted).

Monday we went with Amy & Jeremy to a mall in Delaware and ended the afternoon at the new Olive Garden there (and that picture won't post either). The time together went too fast.

Thanks again, Tim & Karen & Caleb, for sharing your home with us. . .


and Sammy too! He was a great walking partner for us.

We had to head back to school Tuesday and dropped Ryan off at Baltimore airport. He flew to Detroit where he'd left his car when we went on up to AuSable. Amy was going in for her 5th chemotherapy later the same day. Keep her in your prayers. We're hoping her next one on Jan. 16 will be her last.