A Few Other Things

 With the fun of having the kids from Oregon visiting last week and the gathering of the clan for a little anniversary party I failed to mention a few other things.  Jack and I went up to Lake Erie at the end of August (the 23rd) for a fish fry with friends from Jack's graduating class. We went last year and it was really nice and this year didn't disappoint.

The weather was perfect and the lake was beautiful and the fish was delish.  With our belly's full and after a good time with friends we headed back to Ashland.  Almost home the car started acting weird.  We were almost in the small town of Savanah (8mi from home) when the engine seized up and we were coasting. In a miracle that still makes me shake my head, our mechanic just opened his shop in Savanah on the main drag and we coasted right into his parking lot.  Whew.  Jordan came and picked us up and Scott the mechanic promised to look at the car the next day.  Well, a big surprise to us was that the car was totally out of oil!  No notice on the dash that anything was amiss.  This same thing happened to a coworker and also my daughter-in-law Evelyn. What is the common denominator in this?  Hyundai and Kia have had these problems with oil disappearing with no warning.  In fact, not even any leakage on the garage floor. To make a long story longer, I need a new engine.  We had to have the car towed to a Hyundai dealership for their evaluation.  Cost? $8-12,000!  I have called Hyundai and like my coworker and daughter-in-law, I'm sincerely hoping they are covering the cost.  I'm on the battlefield to get it taken care of as we are down a car and that is not fun.  I was really stewing about the whole thing but there's not much I can do so I have to suck it up buttercup and pray for a good outcome.  In other news, Jack told me back in August that he has decided to retire.  I was surprised at first because we always joked he would leave there feet first!  I know it was a big decision for him but now he's looking forward to some new adventures and these next few weeks will be filled with tying up everything, throwing out many things, saying goodbye to his loyal patients and then taking a deep breath! 47yrs in practice is a long run and he's a really good Chiropractor and has a lot to be proud of.

I'll miss seeing his sign on the corner of Center and Washington St.

The big old Victorian has been the office since 1981 when he and his Dad moved from the old office across the street.  We lived in the big apartment upstairs when our kiddos were little until we bought our first house.  We have many good memories here.

When Craig and the family were here he took a final tour of the office and sat out front for a final pic.  He learned to ride his bike in the parking lot as a 4yr old and told his kids how he and his older brother got in trouble for sledding down the hill in front of the office almost going into the busy street.  I had no clue they were doing that until they came in the apartment and soon after a policeman showed up after people complained about them! You never saw 2 more scared kiddos thinking they were getting arrested and me feeling like the worst mom ever!  Nobody was arrested and the cop was super nice and now we can look back and laugh! So we will take all our memories with us along with the many photos we have of our time there and move forward.  Congrats Jack on a career well done and a retirement well deserved.  It seems like only yesterday when you were a student at National and this was a looonnngggg way in the future.

Jack found this in the office and brought it home.  After dusting it off and laughing about my wonderful crafting I looked at the bottom and it was dated Dec, 1975, a year before he graduated! Again, the phrase that time flies is very, very true.  Congrats Dr. Starkey!

Milestones, Memories, Family, And Fun

 I hadn't posted much in August but the last couple of weeks were busy and fun filled.  We were busy getting ready for our kiddos in Oregon to make a visit.  It was a short but very sweet time.  They came to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.  We didn't want a huge party and I know my sister and our good friend, Bryn, were disappointed.  But it's quite a lot of work to get all that done whether it was us doing it or them and when it's a huge crowd you don't really get to enjoy everyone.  So they said, OK, and we just had our boys, some of the Grandkiddos that could make it and our friend Bryn.  My sister had just been here and will come again in October with her kids so we'll party with them in a few weeks.  Time is flying by and these past 50yrs sure did!  Last Wednesday Craig came ahead of his family.  Amy, Sophie and Katie came on Friday because it was Sophie's first week of school and she couldn't miss that whole week.  Everyone from Oregon arrived via the friendly skies and it was a great time!  On Saturday the kids did all the work from decorating to cooking and if you know me that was hard and weird to not have a big hand in all the planning.  They did great though.  Here's a few pics of their work:

The guys, Jackie, Craig, Jordan, and Phil set up the cooking station in the garage since it was a little rainy outside.  They made hamburgers, (my request!) and brats along with pasta salad that Evelyn made, fruit salad Bryn made and potato salad that agreed I could make.  Added with chips and extras it was delish.  Phil took charge of the dessert which was key lime cheesecake (Jack loves Key lime) and double chocolate cheesecake to make me smile!

My gosh they were amazing and so gooodddd!!  He didn't bake them, he has a friend who makes these but we gave him all the credit for their yummyness!

The girls doing the prep!  That's my granddaughter, Sophie in front of the island, Amy my daughter-in-law and my granddaughter, Katie next to her with the "50" above her head.  Thanks girls, you did great!

The dining room set with it's gold lame' table cloth, flowers and happy anniversary sign.

Kitchen fireplace decked out with lots of gold

I put together a little poster board on the dining room buffet.  

The sign on the fence was cute but my transplanted hostas look ready to call it a season!

Jack and I in our "Golden together 50yrs" t-shirts.  

The kids gave us this metal sign they had made.  It can go inside or out but for now it will stay here. We also got a super cute blanket with all the info on what was happening in 1974.  You could buy a house for $36,000 then and now you can't get a car for that! Crazy.  I know everyone always is amazed at how time goes by and all the living that's done in those years.  We have such a great family and many good friends that we cherish.  When I put the following pic on the poster I couldn't help but wonder if that young, 21yr old, had any idea what life had in store.  Of course she didn't as none of us do but I will thank my Heavenly Father for the blessings and even the trials we've gone through to this point in life.  It's been lessons learned, love shared, tears shed from laughter to sorrow and I wouldn't trade it for the world.  To my siblings who sent us a sweet card with some cash to enjoy something special to my kids for putting up with us all these years and sharing this day, THANKS SO MUCH AND WE LOVE YOU ALL!

Mirror, mirror on the wall, you have no idea at all!

Crazy kids!

First dance but not the last!

A cool ride to head to the future.  Happy Anniversary Jack!  Love you forever!