I have not done one of these in a long while.
While Clint enjoyed his job at Hoist and Crane, he was made an offer he could not refuse at his old job. He is very content in that position. He does not have as much time for the HAM radio, but he did install a new antenna on the farm which allows him to reach further than he could previously. We have continued our tradition of a monthly weekend away only it's been more often lately. Our anniversary is this month and we will be tucked away in our vacation cottage enjoying the scenery and gourmet cooking together. We might take a day trip out in the area, but we also might just rest together. It's been a fast-paced summer.
Brandon is still working for HW. He wants to transition to a job that will allow him to be home more. I am still helping out when he is traveling. He hopes to get a shed put in his backyard to allow him to work on his cars easier. His garage is full due to the Tesla charging station. HW is giving him a brand-new Tesla EV. My oldest is spoiled by the hotels, restaurants,
Amanda's reef tank crashed, so she is rebuilding that. Her boyfriend, Joe, is planning to buy her a new tank since her old one has a couple of scratches. That will make it more involved since she will have to drill the glass for the plumbing.
Joshua is enjoying his new apartment with Jurnee, a long-time friend. Jurnee does most of the cleaning which Joshua says is pretty nice. Jurnee works odd hours, so they rarely see each other. Jurnee and Joshua had Emily and Hannah over for a game night not too long ago. Jurnee was never allowed to have pets, so Joshua took one of our barnyard cat's kittens to their apartment. Jurnee is in LOVE with the kitten.
Caleb and Elora are doing well. They have been married about six weeks. Caleb has been hard at it working on their new home. Caleb took out the three or four skylights. He and I hung out together while his new carport was being installed. He is installing a new floor throughout the entire house. He put in a new larger driveway. He has a friend working on the sheetrock. Elora has been painting. Elora now works at the same place Caleb does but in a different department. They ride to and from work together which is nice for them.
Bethany and Jeremy are celebrating two years together today. Jeremy is enjoying his new job driving for the Chicago Transit Authority. I asked him if the shuttle bus was peppy and he said yes it has some pep. I asked him if he ever put his "foot into it" (aka went fast. He said, "You REALLY aren't supposed to." Jeremy and Bethany also bought a car. That allows Jeremy to get back and forth to work easier and also allows them to care for his grandmother.
Emily and Hannah are getting days and nights out with their siblings. They have had sleepovers at Caleb's, Brandon's, and Joshua's. Joshua took them on an all-day adventure which included seeing Jurnee at work. They are working on their college lessons and helping out around the house. They have season passes to Busch Gardens and have been going at least once a week. Emily was flattered when a young male cashier in Farm Fresh's World Foods ran to open his register so he could wait on her and told her it had been too long since he had seen her.
I am hoping I don't have to deal with snakes in the quail shed any time soon, but I'd rather deal with the slithery snakes over the two-legged variety any day. I am really enjoying the diversity in the customers who are purchasing products from our farm. I have installed a translator on my phone to help me with the language barrier. I try to get in a daily pool workout lasting anywhere from half an hour to two hours when possible. I have worked out off and on for decades, but I don't talk about it much because it has not helped with the weight issue. It does make me feel better and helps build strength and endurance though. Preserving the harvest from our trees, vines, bushes, and vegetable garden is keeping me quite busy, but it's a blessing to be able to do it for my family. About 15 years ago, I asked my family to give me fruit trees and berry bushes as gifts. I told them I wanted to give back to them and their families. This year, I gave fruit and produce to all of my adult children which was very rewarding. Knowing I can do that year to year for decades is very satisfying. My love to all!
I am very thankful for her service!
