The Mole People in St. Louis

This article just appeared in the St. Louis paper about a house on The Hill which was in pristine 1950's condition. Click here to read the article and see the photos, then use that back arrow to come back. My husband who is not a St. Louis native could not believe that people would live in their basement just to keep the main floor of the house in pristine condition.

Actually, I know of several families who did just that. You had to take your shoes off at the door, walk on a plastic runner to get to the basement not even pausing to sit on the plastic enshrouded furniture. These were people who lived through the Depression and truly valued their "nice" furniture. But, there were other reasons why people in St. Louis lived in the basements.

I reminded my husband that even his family had a living room, kitchen and bathroom in the basement as did many people in the 1950's. People weren't scared of nuclear bombs or tornadoes so much as it was so hot in St. Louis, the basement was a cool place to cook and eat. My family didn't have a kitchen in the basement but we did spend most of our Summer day-light hours down there (or at the pool). I remember ironing clothes and watching the Soaps on TV in the cool of the basement.

Later, when people started getting air conditioners, they still used the downstairs as more of a party room. I am currently writing this from my basement which has several rooms and a bath.

By finishing the basement, we've enlarged our "living space" by 25-50%. Our "finished basement" was originally built for our children to entertain, but now, it's my "office" and the play room for the grandchildren.

I know there are many areas of the country that don't have basements and other areas where they wouldn't think of "finishing" the basement. I think, in St. Louis, it is a remnant of our hot summers, more than the Depression era thinking which led to the house featured in the newspaper being almost a museum piece.

My office---green tubs are my genealogy, file cabinets teaching materials.

Critters in Winter

There are two things I enjoy doing in the winter---putting together a jig-saw puzzle and watching the birds and critters outside my sunroom window.
My favorites are the bright red cardinals that give some color to a winter day.
The doves settle for the dropped seed from the feeders.
These sparrows were in my bushes one c-o-l-d winter sunrise.
The wrens are so cute and perky.
The squirrels are quite comical---this one is trying to get into the suet feeder.
This one is perched on the bird feeder trying to figure out how to get to the seed.
Finally, I gave up and put some food out for the squirrels so they'd stay out of the feeders.

I was quite surprised to see this hawk/falcon sitting outside my kitchen window having lunch one day on one of my doves I suspect. I guess the birds are "sitting ducks" for the hawk.

Speaking of ducks, even more surprising was seeing about 8 ducks in all one day (one females and five males above---the others had just taken off)
But, now they've paired up, are chasing the squirrels off and eating their food. . . .there is justice in God's world.

Happy Birthday Miss Libby!

Libby, where are you?
giggle-giggle
Libby, where are you?
giggle-giggle
There you are! We just wanted to wish you a happy birthday!

Roman's Baptism

Romans 15: 13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

We went to Kansas City last weekend for Roman's Baptism and the celebration of his first anniversary of being adopted and a United States citizen. I volunteered to make a jello mold of the United States. I had blue jello, but thought I'd buy the rest of the fixings in KC. But, we got snowed in on Saturday, so I only had the blue jello.
Unfortunately, trying to unmold it, Florida seceded, then Maine---Texas got messed up and the whole Union fell apart! Rachel tried to do her Lincoln-best and put it all together again. Then, we headed up north to Platte Woods Methodist Church.

Clockwise from right: Brett, Davis, Rachel, Libby, Eli Warren, Larry, Tawny, Eli, Sophia, Pete, Roman

We met the Warrens and all of the Lewises including Larry at the church. We took up 4 pews with neighbors, too.

Roman and Jason, Leah and Eli, Libby and Rachel; March 1, 2009

Roman was so handsome with his new outfit!
Very uncharacteristically, Roman was subdued during the baptism until. . .
it was time for the water!
After the baptism, he was off to "Sunday School" followed by church do-nuts. Then, we all headed to the Platte County YMCA for a party! Isn't he handsome?
My jello mold was quite the conversation piece---Todd and Jason both thought it looked great until they found out it was supposed to be a jello mold---they thought I'd carved it!

Roman was in his glory between his two grandfathers!
Rebecca had a delicious buffet set up for friends, family and neighbors.
After lunch the kids could go to the play area at the Y and run some energy off. Here's Roman with his cousin Davis.
Roman Daniel Lewis, we are so proud of all of your accomplishments this year---your baptism was the perfect way to celebrate your first anniversary!

Daniel 6: 26-27 ". . . For he is the living God, enduring forever. His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his communion has no end. He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth; for he has saved Daniel from the power of the lions."

Snow in Kansas City

I worked most of last week and didn't check the weather after Monday. . . I should have known a Monday prediction wasn't much good for the weekend. We had 70 degree weather last week, so I was a little surprised Dave was packing his heavy parka and boots, but, then, on Monday, the prediction was for St. Louis to get snow on Saturday---I thought he wanted to have them on our return trip. We weren't going to be in St. Louis for the weekend but Kansas City (we don't usually get the same weather patterns--they go northeast, so the systems are 50-100 miles north of St. Louis)

Friday, we headed to Kansas City to visit our daughters. Saturday morning, we woke up to SNOW in Kansas City---my Monday forecast showed Kansas City would get none. It snowed all day on Saturday. Finally, it stopped late in the afternoon. We bundled up the kids and went outside. Since I didn't have any shoes remotely like boots, I was the photographer and car sweeper (using a broom to brush off the snow)---that's Rachel below demonstrating.
Rachel and the boys managed most of the shoveling. . .
while Libby. . .
looked very stylish, dry, warm and ready for Spring!