Merry Christmas!

KAR, JMR,RMR, MCW, LCW & SPW at a
Christmas Tree festival on Thanksgiving weekend


SPW set out Christmas decorations...


LCW decorated the tree


MCW and Leo opening presents on Christmas Eve


Christmas Day at KAR/JMR's house

Got film developed ...

* FINALLY got some old film developed (35mm)

* Two October birthday boys (RMR & MCW) above

* KAR & JMR visited over Thanksgiving (will get pictures eventually).

Friday - but not payday ...

* Visited WT & DT in Oran on Saturday and Sunday (saw WT get his award for Vietnam service).
* LC is cleaning & shopping today for KAR & HMR visit on Thanksgiving
* Met with MC's teachers on Wednesday night. Need two more meetings.
* LH is still in Texas - some sort of bad news there about her daughter.

Not many updates lately ...

* Accompanied LCW to St. Louis for her training lst weekend
* Will be traveling to Oran, MO this weekend
* LCW, RMR, & I still working as per usual
* MCW had low grade in Biology first quarter ...
* LCW watching LH & JH's dogs for a few days

Time does fly ...

Since I last wrote, Dear Reader:
* RMR & MCW had their birthdays
* Halloween came and went without notice
* RMR is working full-time at Walgreens Pharmacy

LCW & I travel to St. Louis tonight for her conference tomorrow.

Good news!

* RMR Is officially employed at Walgreens!
* ALso I picked up my developed photo CD (from August)

Still alive & kicking ...

* LCW & I visited New Salem and a winery last weekend.
* My boss & his boss both changed jobs this month so we'll see how this shakes out
* LCW still working 4 days a week at Dr D's but not printing for the church anymore
* RMR is still on the hiring list for the new Walgreens as a technician
* MCW is still doing Lu-Hi-Lite - LCW & I have NOT met with school officials yet this year
* JMW has had some behavioral issues (including an unscheduled trip to KC)
* Cheap toy camera still has disappointing performance (bad photos and dead batteries)
* As the close of the season approaches, KC is struggling with Chicago for last place in their division (24 games out)
* Have been over-eating and under-exercising as usual but I have resumed treadmilling this week.

Walkin' in Memphis ...

* Visited LC's brother in Oran last Saturday and Sunday
* LC, MC, & I drove down to Memphis on Friday and saw Mud Island, Beale Street, and the original Corky's BBQ. LC was visiting an Autism teacher.
* RMR *MIGHT* have a job as a Walgreen's technician.
* It has cooled down to highs in the 70's this week - nice.

Labor day weekend ...

* LC & I finally took a walk in Washington Park yester day - the photo above shows the low water level - poor fish and ducks!

Hump day again ...

* Hot today (97) but cooler tomorrow (85)
* Still plugging away at RFID
* Bad news on Compass Module - customer want PV tests results (which we don't have) AND sales volume is low
* Ate pizza for lunch

Last Monday in August ...

* Guess WT will get award in November rather than September ... this might change our travel plans.
* NEW BOSS today (ABC) - my old boss (RAH) just became a PRINCIPAL ENGINEER today (while he was on vacation in the Ozarks). Hope all goes well.
* Hope prevented overdrawing my checking account with a timely deposit after lunch today (we'll see ...)

Friday night blahs ...

* Big storm in Chicago yesterday (high winds, flooding, lightning).
* KAR & JMR had slow traffic and slight flooding in basement.
* Emailed JMG this week (in response to her email) ...
* Yesterday I got a Visual BASIC program working with Microsoft Visual BASIC Express. Today I got the program working with Microsoft Excel Visual BASIC.

* And lastly ... they found one of the culprits responsible for bringing down the I-55 bridge near Minneapolis (below) ...

More of the same ...

* Put together this pretty picture of my RFID sensing distance problem to send to TI FAE.

* There was an earth quake in Peru last night and one of LC's colleague

(Matt 24:7 - For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places)

* It should hit the upper 90's again today but rain is coming Saturday to cool things down. Actually it is raining tocay (and cooler).

* Ate lunch with LC at Carlie Parkers.

My current nemesis ...

'Nuff said!

State Fair today ...

* Worked on RFID this week - developing and testing a tuning network - results are not spectacular.
* LC & I talked on the porch and in the bedroom this am.
* LC looked at my blog and found some typos.
* Plan to stuff bulletins and see the State Fair today (photos may follow).

(Posted on Monday am)

... After annoying MC all Saturday at the fair by taking photos with my toy camera, the photos were lost because the battery went dead. Must be a moral there somewhere.

...Went to church on Sunday, called Mom, and saw new Bourne movie (it was good). LC and I shopped and cooked ribs after dark. It was 100 degrees on Sunday.

Family Visit ...

* KAR & JMR visited us along with WT & DT. RMR was out of town at a wedding. Photo's are below.

KAR, JMR, LCW, DT, and WT by the Washington Park lagoon.

See the ducks in the background?

KAR & JMR settijng up for time delay family portrait on Sunday pm.

... More ducks ...

Photogenic JMR in the back yard.

WT in the back yard.

A toy balsa helicopter that I built this week (propeller is driven by sunlight)

The end.

Quick update ...

* PC called two days ago - might make it to Springfield on Saturday when KA & J are in along with WT & DT.
* RM will be at wedding in Missouri this weekend.
* Yesterday Dr. Edelson (head of D.A.N.) vistited Dr. D's and met with LC & examined PC. GREAT NEWS! He said that he saw no evidence of autism with MCW!

On camping and squirrels ...

LC, MC, & I visited the white squirrels at the city park in Olney, IL this weekend.

(See the white dot in the middle.)

The welded bookworm at the Olney public library.

LC at the Olney public library.

Sunday breakfast at the camp site in Red Hills state park.

* After Sunday's hot game of miniature golf, LC buying snow cones ...

... and MC slurping them.

* And finally, LC winging us back home after a fun-filled weekend.

* Other notes:

- MC built the camp fire but stepped in ooze up to his knees coming to temm me about it ...

- We the "THE SIMPSONS" movie at an old theater in Olne.

Past the hump again ...

* LC found out yesterday that that a recent grad (and a former TLS student) will be teaching at TLS next year. The boy's family is prominent in the parish and he just graduated form a local secular college with a degree in psychology. LC is a little insulted because he has no Lutheran teaching credentials (i.e. he didn't go to a River Forest college). When she applied to a similar position a few years ago, she was told that she needed Lutheran teaching credentials to get the job. She has long suspected that the school principal (and his wife and cronies) dislike her and this event makes her feel that her suspicions are correct.
* LC is also have problems with the church secretary. The secretary only notifies her at the last minute when printing needs to be done. Evidently the secretary left a voice-mail regarding printing the monthly newsletter which Lila did not discover until it was too late to respond.
* LC & Dr. D may address a group of low-income women regarding autism next month.
* A prominent autism specialist may interview LC (and MC) next week to observe his progress. LC & Dr. D are excited.
* May camp this weekend in Olney, IL (first and only time this year).
* No pix today.

After the party ...

* LC's birthday was a success - she got printer and notebook PC (see photo's) from gift from HF in KC plus her first paycheck.

* Went to church on Sunday am (LC had a birthday corsage)

* LC got calls from her sisters and brother on Sunday.

* LC bought more plants from Walmart.

* We also bought a gift for a neighbor boy (turning one)

Whole lotta shakin' ...

* Am vibrating six hourmeters here at work (this is the second week 0f this) to force a plastic bobbin to wear out. Since yesterday meters are dwelling at 125 Hz (resonance) at 10 G's. (Photo is below)

* LC's birthday is Sunday - I need to get her a new printer/scanner.

* LC took us out to dinner on her first paycheck on Monday.

Squirrel feeding frenzy ...

* LC & I saw the new Harry Potter movie (Phoenix) one night
* We visited LH/JH on Friday night. RM & MC swam in the pool while LH cooked burgers for us & I toured their new campling trailer.
* Bulletins on Saturday, as usual.
* At Knights Action Park on Saturday afternoon LC, RM, MC, & I swam and rode go-carts and we visited with our old neighbors.
* We four & CP played Killer Bunnies Saturday night.
* LC & I puttered in the yard on Sunday and missed church while MC slept in. LC hand fed one of the our squirrels (photos). A lot of squirrel feeding happened this weekend.
* I stained & lacquered bathroom baseboards over Saturday and Sunday & weeded the patio while LC watered, weeded her beds and "limed" some bare spots under the trees in the back yard.
* GS Jr. cut the grass (weeds) in the back yard next door - finally.
* LC will file file incorporation papers tomorrow for the soon-to-open Starfish Academy pre-school for autistic kids.
* LC & I ate lunch at Appleby's today.

It's HOT!!!

* We've played Killer Bunnies about every day since Father's day.
* We all REALLY miss the pool.
* Saturday, I stuffed bulletins on Saturday for LC then we went to the "Taste of Downtown festival (photo). Saw someone in a Kangaroo outfit at the festival. They looked sweltering in the outfit.
* Sunday: Finally went to church again (after two or so weeks off). Attended an open-house at the Small's to celebrate their daughter's graduation (from home-school) where we met "Anthony" (photo) who is one of two step-grandsons of Marlene, a one-time neighbor.
* Today, LC started second paid week at Dr. D's today. I dropped MC to Dr. D's at lunch as requested for an H-bot session and to have an eye-irritation checked

Pictures
...Two days ago at Washington park
* Back to work in Thursday & Friday
* Walked last night -VERY hot & humid - had to walk slow due to panting
* Carl Battles last day at HH - had luncheon at TopCats

After the Fourth ...

* Replaced the gate post in the west fence on Tuesday
* Cleaned the basement a little
* LC & I went out for breakfast and shopped yesterday (Wednesday)
* Stopped by Dr D's (Dr D seemed depressed)
* Took RMR, MC, & I to see "Transformers" while LC watched "Ratatouie"
* LC & I walked a lap at Washington Park again (very hot & muggy) & fed popcorn to the ducks.
* We four played Killer Bunnies till 11:00 or so - then set off some of RMR's fireworks.
* Cleaned up the firework mess this am
* Cleaned RAH's (my boss) post hole digger after a two year engagement leaning against my garage wall.

Vacation day two ...

Stumbled on this BEAUTIFUL scene (above)

* Fixed north fence posts yesterday - will work on north gatepost today
* Mexican lunch with LC
* Young GS (now 16) DROVE up to see MC for a few hours and stayed for dinner
* C (RM's friend) came by and all four played Killer Bunnies
* Siren test just went off (10:00 am on the first Tues in July)
* Rented and watched "Invincible" movie - kind of a maudlin guy flick.
* Grilled brats-n-dogs
* Walked & fed ducks with LC

Starting July ...

* LC bought lunch at Lone Star.
* I bought tennis shoes & sandals.
* LC & I bought glider & RMR assembled it on porch
* Called Mom - DJ & N are back from Italy & RJ is back in Austin.
* Walked in the park with LC last night & fed ducks
* Played Killer Bunnies.

* Picture: New family portrait of us driving in the van
* Photo: Backyard since the pool burst. (Note one our many squirrels above the liner)
* Photo: Graffiti paint on garage to the north.(black paint is old ,,, gray paint is new)
* Photo: Neighbor showing garage to police

Last work day in June ...

* LC has a NEW JOB as Dr. D's receptionist. Instead of being volunteer help, she'll now be on the payroll. Dr. D's last receptionist turned in her time last night.
* LC & I scrapped a little last night while printing the TLC newsletter but we have talked things out a little and are friends again.
* Signed up for Monday and Tuesday off next week (to make a 5 day weekend through the 4th of July).

...

* Oops - still in the doghouse when I brought lunch.

Another hump-day ...

* Worked on ECR/O's at work all day (slow, boring work)
* LCW, MCW, & RMR played Killer Bunnies game while I BBQ'd last night (in a light rain)
* Dr. D may lose some donated equipment that MCW uses. Donor is miffed and wants equipment back.
* Promised to get milk for MCW in the am ... but forgot (LIAR! LIAR!)
* Moved ~100 photos from Yahoo Photo (which is shutting down) to Flickr. Lost all my comments on the photos.

Photo's from Christmas ...

* Played Killer Bunnies game (Father's Day present) last night
* Scanned some old photo's from last Christmas - (in B&W)
* KC is 1.5 games behind White Sox - GO ROYALS!

2007 Halftime coming up ...

* DJ & N still in Italy (back this week)
* RJ at Mom's in KC
* LC, MC, & I visited Mom & RJ along with JMG & husband on Sat, Sun and Mon.
* LC's KILLER BUNNYZ game came in yesterday - may play tonight.

Evening walks ...

* MC got grades from LU Hi last week. He passed.
* Had a "wardrobe failure" with my favorite jeans today - but no one saw.
* Picked up suit from cleaners for wedding tomorrow.
* Electric door locks have now failed on my beater (along with speedometer & gas gauge).
* MC back on chelation this week
* LC & I have been taking evening walks several nights this week. We fed the ducks one night (see photos below).