Roman's Visit Day One

Roman came to visit us for a few days without his parents. We went to the church rummage sale. And, then, he rode our tricycle (my Aunt Mary said it had once belonged to her daughters).
He got a little crazy with it and it got dirty.
So, he had to wash it, of course.
One thing led to another, and he was washing the doors, the rear lights on the cars, and the steps into the house.
After his nap, we headed to Valley Park's Whittle Shortline Railroad, conveniently located across the street from a train track in the old Frisco Hotel.
I like the part that says "The company is the result of a hobby gone terribly wrong."
Although they sell wooden trains of all kinds (Brio, Thomas and their own line), the children can come in and play on about 4 train boards for free. If you don't buy anything, they do have a jar for donations. I like the old station benches for parents and grandparents to sit in.
I do have a train table that I bought for the grandchildren, so had to buy one car (like the red one on its side in the foreground) in honor of my dad, grandfather and great grandfather who worked for the Mo-Pac Railroad.
But, soon it was time to go. We had to pick up Grandpa so we could eat at "old Madonna's".
After a nutritious dinner of chicken nuggets, apple slices, chocolate milk, he got to play on their indoor playground!

Donna Hates Facebook

My pledge sister Donna and I go to church together. Every August we work at the church rummage sale together. Her specialty is the boutique---where we take items of value or small items like jewelry. She's very good at researching the prices for antiques and collectibles. I took this photo and she had a fit---I thought she looked so cute, relaxed and happy talking to someone. This was not posed . . .
But, she threw a fit and said I'd better not put her photo on Facebook. I'd been trying to get her on Facebook and thought I'd put her photo up for our sorority sisters to see. But, no! OK, so, I'm doing a blog instead.
Now, seriously, Donna, don't you wish I'd just put the first photo on Facebook? :-)

DELTA LOVE!

Retired 3 years Ago

Although we retired three years ago, we still have some of the flotsam and jetsam of the occasion. Dave got this huge plaque from his department that could have been a quarter of the size (it's on a dining room chair to show the size). Instead we shuffle it from pile to pile and Dave has decided to "recycle" it. I tried to think of what I could do with this other than collect dust and even thought I'd use it as a cutting board but thought that might be a little disrespectful and possibly toxic.
He also got this nice photo with well wishes from everyone he worked with.
Some were people he hadn't worked with for over 30 years like Bruno Lohmueller---it was a nice gesture that we'll probably hold on to for awhile
I also got a nice photo with signatures in primary colors from the staff at Mary Emily Bryan Middle School. Here's a little known fact---I'm still the only teacher who retired from this school.
I do like the gift from the school district, too---so symbolic and fun, too!
See, it's not attached---I can call Dave to dinner, use it to celebrate New Year's, have the only one bell handbell choir, add it to the grandchildren's band, take it Christmas Caroling, cut out biscuits or doughnuts. Good grief, I just noticed that it's beside the book For Whom the Bell Tolls---totally a coincidence---I do NOT want this rung at my funeral, nor do I want it attached to my coffin for me to ring in case I'm not dead (the source of the term "dead ringer" and "saved by the bell".

Happy Birthday, Kyle!

Happy Birthday Kyle! As I was looking through the photos from last year, a few things struck me.First, you seem to be holding Libby in almost every photo.
Second, we see you mostly on holidays---we need to make more of an effort to visit when you're in town.
Third, I seem to photograph you mostly when you're eating.
But, I think these photos also reflect your happiness and the joy you bring to family gatherings.
Thanks for being you---happy birthday---and, "Guten Appetit!"

(hmm, here's one with Libby and Rachel doing the chowing down---I'd say it's a Twenter-thing but then there's Brett and Davis)

Summer Theater in St. Louis

When I think of summers in St. Louis, I think of The Muny pictured above. As a child, it was as much a part of summer as the Cardinals baseball. We had special sundresses with jackets bought especially for the Muny because we arrived during the heat of early evening but as the show progressed and the sun went down, it got a little cool. The Muny also has giant fans mounted on poles which you can see in the above photo
It is located in the middle of Forest Park with the most beautiful setting anywhere for outdoor theater. There are primarily musicals performed, but we have seen concerts, ballet and I attended an Easter sunrise service there once as a teenager. And, it has history with the first performances in 1916 or 1919 depending on your definition. Click here.

But, we haven't been to the Muny in about 6 years because we've discovered musicals in an air conditioned setting. Our nephew Doug introduced us to STAGES---much closer to home.
Last weekend, we saw The Drowsy Chaperone---a regional premier!
It was such a fun musical---a 1920's-style musical played on an LP record comes to life in a man's apartment. He not only comments about the play, but the actors portraying the roles and we also learn about his life, too. It was wonderful!
We sit in the back row---compare the proximity or our seats to the stage compared to The Muny. Also, we tend to run into someone we know each week--once my guidance counselor Wayne Pounds, friends from church. Sunday, we saw two people from our health club Wellbridge and a teacher from our daughters' elementary school---Barb Smoltz (actually she sat right in front of us in the black and white dress).

So, although we don't go to The Muny any more, musical theater is still an important of our summers in St. Louis