Milton's Proton Therapy Graduation

We went to Knoxville with Ruthie n Milt Wed. for his last proton therapy treatment.  This is the nice waiting area. 

Milton gave cards he wrote and gifts Ruthie made (glass plates with neat fabric prints glued to the back) to the staff before his last treatment.

Receiving his "diploma" on completion of the 39 proton therapy treatments for his prostate cancer.

The delicious lunch spread Ruthie put on for the staff, family and other patients there Wednesday.  She made Nutabella spread and egg salad sandwiches, fruit salad, mandarin orange cake and energy bites that were the biggest hit of all - the cake disappeared pretty fast too, however!

Milton had two of the staff who were special to him for various reasons help him pull the bell.

Another staff member who was especially encouraging when he thought he had Lyme's disease from a tick bite.

When we were about to leave - from the Provision Proton Therapy Center.  It's been in operation for three years.

The paparazzi taking pictures of the bell ringing and speech Milton gave.  Two of Milton's brother came, Howard and Gail, and his sister Marg, along with their spouses.

Randy and I were able to go back and see the gantry that the table moved into when Milton was on it where the pencil point protons were directed with a laser beam.  The table has a form that was made especially for Milton to lay on each time that helped him be in the correct position.  X-rays were done each time to be sure.

Milton opening the bag from Hazel on behalf of the Sonshine Quilting Ministry of the Collegedale Community SDA church.  I was so happy she chose to give Milton the quilt I recently finished as a comfort quilt!

The tag Hazel sewed onto the back of the quilt.

A quilt made for a tall man - little did I know this would be the man who got the quilt when I started it this winter.  His first very own quilt.

Keeping the new Retiree Busy

Chatting with Clukeys after they generously unloaded two pick-ups of sweet-gum wood from their yard on Fathers Day morning.  I made an orange julius for their refreshment.

We attended the Southern Union Onward and Forward Convention for SDA workers and retirees 55 and up from June 22-24.

Fords were here for the meetings and we enjoyed having them around to catch up with.

We woke up to the sound of this coat rack coming out of the wall early on Fathers' Day morning - so after Randy got some tougher hardware to hold it up, he had the "pleasure" of fixing that problem.

Splitting the wood from Clukeys Sunday morning, June 25.  Then on Tues. morning we stacked it all on the pallets.  We were so thankful for a break in our sultry summer weather to get the wood taken care of.  

As I write this blog post, he's trying to get our ailing weed eater going with a new carburetor he ordered and got in the mail.  I'm past ready to be through "weed eating" all bent over with the hedge trimmers!  He said the other day after fixing the coat rack that he's ready for the days when he can be less productive in his retirement.  ;)  I told him not to slow down yet - there's still PLENTY to do.

Claire & Easton's June Travels and Fun

 I probably have these pictures out of chronological order - I can't keep up with where they are when - with Ryan traveling so much on SVA recruiting trips.  It's just nice that the family can go along and enjoy the sites with him.  Now they are in Avon Park, FL visiting Carrie's family for a few days.

Playing in the pool in their back yard

Playing in the cool candle sprinkler from Aunt Anne

Even Ryan got into it!

Best Buds enjoying a Braves @ Nationals game together in DC

at Fenway Park (on a New England Conf. recruiting trip) - Carrie is a Red Sox fan in case anybody doesn't know. . .

Taken on their tour of Fenway Park

Easton at Wachusett Dam in MA somewhere

Feeding the pigeons in the Boston Commons - graham crackers??? How generous!

in the Boston Public Gardens or Commons area - I love Love LOVE this picture!

Enjoying a playground at VA regional campmeeting I think

Recruiting for SVA at Camp Hope Tree  - Campmeeting

At Camp Hope Tree (in Virginia) Campmeeting 

Ryan, Claire n Easton in front of the NY Stock Exchange

My little ham

A true walking tour of Boston, or is this NY City in the Bronx?

Amy & Jeremy's AJ

Pictures taken March 2017

We just learned tonight that AJ passed away Tuesday of this week.  I can't begin to imagine how difficult this was and will be for them for a long time.  He was like a child to them and they are hurting.  It brought tears to our eyes to hear this sad news.  He was the kind of dog everybody would wish for - so well behaved, friendly, and playful, yet fiercely loyal and protective. They did such a great job of training him.  Please join us in praying for Amy and Jeremy.

I like Milton's comment, "Pain is never so deep as the pain from the loss of a friend....."  He was that and more.

I don't know if they determined what was wrong with him.  We learned he was struggling last Sunday when Amy asked us to pray for him.  They had taken him a couple of times the week before to the vet when he quit eating and drinking and wasn't getting up much.  At first the vet suggested it could be a tumor in his throat but that was ruled out.

May 2016 at Claytor Lake, our Mothers' Day weekend camping 

Pictures below from Claytor Lake, November 2015

Can't Stop the Trimmer Guy

Randy added to the pile of forsythias by trimming down the side of our property where it was growing out over the yard.  The red birdhouse is now out of the woods where I can see the birds more easily!

My favorite tree in the front yard got trimmed too.

Now that's a pile of brush!

You can see the piles of brush all over the ground.  The Rose of Sharon tree got trimmed back seriously too - it's about half that big now.

I love what he did to the butterfly bush.  It used to be a combination of that and another ugly volunteer shrub and now it looks so contained and cute!

Then he got the pole saw out and trimmed up high out back along the fence.  We have wisteria vines taking over back there.

Those blasted wisteria vines - he really dislikes them.  They kill trees.

He used the trailer on the lawn mower to drag it all out to the road to add to the pile. You can almost see the trailer!  He cut down the fig tree that hasn't produced any figs for us in all the years it's been there.  Why mow and trim around it when it's a dud!

This morning they came by to pick up the pile - so thankful for that monthly service here in Collegedale!