Baby shower ...

Lila, Mark, Ryan and I visited Kevin and Janet over the weekend to attend a co-ed baby shower for Janet, Kevin and "Kaylee" that was arranged by Janet's aunt. Here are some photo's:


Mother of Janet's friend "Katy", Janet's Mom and Janet.



Lila, Steve, Janet's paternal grandfather and grandmother, Janet's Dad.



Game time


More game time

Janet and Kevin, the expectant couple

Some of the loot

Showers can be boring to little ones

AND HERE's a (phone) video ....

Kevin's Accident!

Last night Kevin had a near-head-on collision with an oncoming car while turning south on Sanders from Dundee in Deerfield, IL (near Chicago). Kevin initially thought he was all right but spent the evening in Luther Memorial hospital getting an MNR for a bad headache and nausea. He was home after midnight. His car was totalled. Two other people were slightly injured in the other car. Lila was, of course, quite upset until she had the whole story.

Agony and Ecstasy

* Ecstasy:

• Mark is 18!
• He's a Senior!
• His Senior pictures look Great!

* Agony:

• The Dow (and my 401K) is down by at least 30% over the last two months!
• HONEYWELL S&C laid off 200+ ... but only one in Springfield!
• McCain and Sarah Palin were REJECTED by the voters! (I very much LIKE Sarah!)
• Some campaign insider low-lifes are stabbing Sarah in the back using the MSM!

Fall fell ...

The above picture is not our tree(s) (I copped it off of the web)...but our sugar maple in the front is starting to look a little like this. I blew leaves off of the porch and driveway but more leaves have fallen now. Lila just told me on the phone that the city is back working on our neighbors' sidewalks. I sent a card to my brother for his 60th birthday. I called Mom on Sunday afternoon. She is well. I fell off of my "reduced-portions" diet this weekend but am (hopefully) back on it today. Great Depression II has still yet to arrive ... but we are waiting. Election news grinds on. I'll probably vote for the losers. KU, K-State, KC, and NY Jets (Brett Favre) all lost football games this weekend... BUT... St. Louis, and Chicago teams won. Ryan, Lila, Mark & I watched "American Carol" on Friday and then played Clue and strange card game on Saturday night.

Covered Bridge Festival Trip

* Great weekend - we camped with Jim and Linda in Indiana and attended the Covered Bridge Festival.
* We also drove by a windfarm (http://www.windaction.org/news/8577).
* Lila got to see a wildlife refuge on the Kankakee River that her dad helped found.
* Mark stayed home an came down with a bit of a cold.
* Lila got to shop at the Jewel supermarket in Normal and bought some Avanti sandwiches to take home.

Phone pix ...

* I just bought a cable to download pix & vids from my cell phone.



Here is LCW at Washington Park this summer.








Here is a video of LCW feeding the ducks at the park.



I

Good news / Bad news ...

I owe Anne some pictures so I made this collage of 2008 family pictures.

Tueday evening, Lila, Mark and I had dinner at Jim and Linda Hill's house. Their son Adam has just graduated with a masters in history and may start a PhD and Indiana U. Adam and his wife have a brand new baby. Her daughter Meghan is teaching high school drop-outs in Texas and her husband is a teacher. The younger son, Nathan, is in college.

When I got home from work on Tuesday the neighbor lady called me over to her porch and told me that her (80+ year-old) husband, Chet, had died in his bed very early Wednesday morning. Her family was at the house.

: Today's Rant
Last night the president said that the gov't has to spend $700B to buy up failed mortgage businesses to stave off another Great Depression. SO much for the rugged-capitalist Republican party. Socialism marches on.
(Rant Off)

It's September ...

Good morning to all. I haven't logged an entry for over a month. Well, now summer is over. MCW is evidently coping in school while LCW works at Doctor's office and I work at Honeywell. I called AMR two weeks ago and I promised to send her family pictures (but haven't done it yet). Kit-Cat in the basement, has been using the dirt under the house for kitty litter and now I need to stop this and clean it up. The racoon family in the attic appears to be gone but I still need to patch two holes in the roof. The reminents of Hurricane Ike came through about ten days ago.

LCW plans to go to California in October with Doctor for a conference. LCW is also extremely pleased with MCW's recent Senior photo portraits.

Monday, Monday, It's just that day ...

It was a quiet week in Lake Woebegone, ...

* Saw "Wierd Al Yankovitch" at the State Fair with LCW, & MCW, ... (LCW saw Mike Hulman at Ethnic Village, and we also saw Cliff Krueger w/ his Dad). We had to wait 30-45 minutes for the bus!
* Mowed and weeded the yard. Fixed an AC rattle by loosening up a nut on the top grill.
* Worked at HH for ~2 hrs on Saturday.
* Called AMR's phones to no avail to wish Happy Birthday. Bought a card to send tonight.
* May eat at the Fairgrounds again tonight.
* Need to pay bills.
* MCW returns to Lu High for Senior year next Monday.
* LCW has been taking pictures with her new camera. I'll post some if I can get her to send them to me.
* LCW and I walked in the part last night then had Sno-Biz's.

Ciao,

-SPW

Another Springfield Hump Day ...

* KAR and JMR came down from Des Plaines last Friday for the weekend. Here they are ar Darcy's Pub.
*

Saturday again ...

* Saw "Mama Mia" last night with LCW & we ate at Lone Star. LCW loved the movie and has been playing sound track all day.
* Worked at HH for 2.5 hours this am
* Cut the grass & weeded a little
* Taking MCW & LCW to "Panda" movie in a few minutes

Lila's Birthday ...

* A picture is worth a thousand words ...

LCW's Bday

* LCW turns 55 today ... we'll probably eat out somewhere (maybe I should get a cake). She had a night out with the girls from her work last night (movie, dinner, and presents)
* Paid of the first mortgage on Saturday (...wheee...)
* Called HFW on Sunday, CG is still with her and DJW is in Denver. RJH may come in this summer to see her. JMG seems to be coping.
* I captured an MP4 of LCW feeding several hundred ducks at Washington Park Sunday night. Weather was a steam bath.
* KAR is coming to town around the first. Maybe I can talk PCW into dropping by.
* Surviving at work but struggling to stay productive (sigh).

More on yesterday's fire ...

Here is an excerpt from the papaer that LCW send to me today:

Springfield man suffers life-threatening injuries in fire
By Staff reports STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER Posted Jul 12, 2008 @ 04:29 PM

An elderly man suffered life-threatening injuries after a blaze consumed several items inside his duplex in the 300 block of South Glenwood Avenue on Saturday afternoon.Fire investigators had not determined the man’s identity immediately after pulling him out of the building, but noted a neighbor identified him as being in his 60s, according to deputy division chief Bob Reside. The victim was taken to Memorial Medical Center’s burn unit after sustaining second- and third-degree burns to his torso and inhaling a large amount of superheated air.Firefighters arrived at the South Glenwood Avenue duplex about 2:04 p.m. and discovered smoke coming from a second floor front window. When the firefighters took a hose line up the rear stairs to combat the fire they discovered the victim and carried him outside to paramedics.Investigators believe the fire began in the victim’s front room when objects inside the apartment began to burn, although a specific cause of the fire has yet to be determined. The structure itself was not heavily damaged from the flames and smoke, and damage was contained to the second floor.The victim was the lone occupant of the apartment, firefighters said.

Excitement ...

* Had a little excitement yesterday. The house on the east die of the alley behind our house caught on fire. I don't think that there was much damage, though.

TGIF again ...

* Ate dinner with the Hills at DARCY's PINT last night & walked with LCW in Washington Park & fed ducks.
* 2Q08 looks bad at work ... we'll see what happens in July.
* Got a weather radio last night for Father's Day.
* Tax rebate cancelled 2007 taxes due with $70 left over (from $1200 rebate). Wheeeeee!
* MCW might help LH spread moss today.

Long time ...

Recent events:
* KC for Mom's bday over Memorial Day Weekend
* Arnold Kochman died (funeral this am)
* 2007 taxes paid with tax rebate

Running out of April ...

* Windstar needed a new transmission ($2200) and now is awaiting a new rear axle strut ($700).
* MCW is driving (Driver's Ed) this am
* Mowed first time in 2008 yesterday
* RMR is doing ok living with Chris
* Called Mom yesterday
* Screwed down dash cover and door trim on Lumina on Saturday

Finally ... a post!

* Two new grand-nephews added to the family: Eddie Jet W. (to Matt) and Jonas Jacob W. (to Jake) See photos
.

* Engineering Department headcount reduced from 16 to 14 this week (CCM & SS).
* Janitor at work ("Jerry") hit a drunk on 11th St (whle DUI) then drove off and is now in jail.
* LCW attends four day Autism conference New Jersey this week.

St. Patricks Day (weekend) ...

* Heard from PCW this week ... he's fine and is still in training as dialysis technician
* St. Patrick's Day is Monday & Easter is in 8 days
* Flu has run its course at work and home
* Nice weather for last two days
* SPW will attend Mom's birthday bash over Memeorial Day weekend
* SPW working on airport lamps for last two weeks

Leap Day ...

* Was sick two days this week. Need a healthier diet.

* Slaving away at work to measure/calculate Maintenance Meter life and to extend same.

A bluster day

* Just called HFW:
- MW's baby in Tulsa is getting better (heart is healing and jaw surgery is pending)
- DJW has flu today
- JMW' granddaughter Amanda is due any time
- KC has 2" of new snow

Post-Valentine's Day Post

* Got card, flowers, candy for LCW & ate at Olive Garder (w/ MCW)
* Spending this week stuggling to explain battery failures on two old proto MMeters
* Very blah today.

Alberta clipper ...

* High yesterday was 45 F or so ... it's 9 F this am.
* AMW and RJH both called yesterday
* Fixed counter lights in kitchen
* Helped LCW take down Chrismas Tree ar Dr. D's office.
* Forgot to attend Ash Wednesday service.
* Ate breakfast at greasy spoon after church.
* Watched UNDERDOG DVD

Feb stuff

* 11" of snow last Friday - MCW had snow day and I took a vacation day from work. Very slushy this morning.
* Animal in the attic this weekend (squirrel? cat, racoon?). Bought cage at Big R and found hole in roof.
* DJW mentioned possible fishing trip this year.
* PCW training for medical job.
* MCW had good grade card and has started drivers ed.
* RMR is getting short hours at Walgreens.
* Leo sleeping in bedroom for last week or so.
* No recent pix.

Into the new year ...

* LCW's back is out since yesterday.
* I fell over a ladder in the garage this morning in the dark - no permanent damage.
* Will visit HFW in KC this weekend. DJW & N will be occupied with baby shower for their DIL.
* Neighbors to the north are moving to apartment(s). Sounds like (un-married) splitsville. He's selling house back to previous owner.
* LCW has hung up a squirrel bungee corn feeder from the south oak in the back yard. It's fun watching the squirrels bounce up and down.
* Daughter of neighbors to the south may move back into their empty house. RMR was interested in renting the house.
* RMR may have fewer work hours for a while.
* Christmas decorations are down and away for another year.
* Heard from HFW that PCW has a new (and better paying) hospital job since he graduated from ISU in December. He hasn't called me yet.
* JMW is in Florida to visit her son this week.