And a River Runs Through It

This past Saturday morning the guys went on the first fishing outing of the summer. Papa Meyers came down and he along with Carl and Scott went to Pike Lake for a morning of fishing. They did pretty good, got bit by a passing bug or two and bonded. A good time was had by all.


Scott has proved to be a very patient fisherman. I think he really enjoys the one on one time with Carl and or Papa and is looking forward to another trip soon.
This is a winning picture in my book. They were packing things up and Scott JUST HAD to cast out one more time. Carl having told him to pack it up twice now turned around to find Scott struggling with a fish on his line. He reeled it in and this is what he had, a 13" Yellow Bass. Carl had to laugh and of course, rewarding bad behavior, agreed to let him bring it home. Scott wants it stuffed so he can hang it on his wall. Of course he does...we will see. It was a nice day!

A Milestone...for Carl?

Today was a big day for Scott and Carl. While Carl likes having a green manicured lawn, at times it is a hassle to mow it several times a week. We have a lawn service that regularly fertilizes and we have been getting a lot of rain, the perfect equation for a fast growing lawn. In the back we have a good size hill which allows the water to flow downhill, so the bottom portion of the backyard needs to be mowed what feels like every other day. Last year Scott wanted to try to mow, but he was too short and would pull up on the front of the mower, next year we said.

Well, today he tried and did a great job. He did not have a problem pushing it at all. he has really grown in a year!

Carl was very patient and showed him how to mow in a straight line.

Also how to go around the landscaping curves. Scott watched on intently learning. He handled it very well.

We were most worried about the hill and he conquered that no problem. The two of them out there was a real milestone. Scott is ready to earn some money (once he gets better) and Carl is ready to pass the torch of lawn mowing.

Kids Night at the Zoo

Last night we went to the Zoo. It was kids night so they had cool displays and extra teaching areas where they could touch hides, skulls etc... We do not go to the Zoo regularly, so seeing the regular exhibits was just as fun.

One of the limited time Exhibits is the Shark and Sting Ray tanks. They have baby sharks and stingrays in 2 tanks that swam around. The tanks were only 2 feet deep so the kids are able to pet the animals (if they get close enough). We were there for a good hour, jockeying for position so we could touch one. It was great fun and everyone was able to touch them multiple times.

Here are the kids in Scott's favorite area, the Reptiles. He loves to see the snakes, lizards and frogs. I have to laugh, they are wet from the Sting Ray tanks yet.

It was a hot day, although not as hot as it was supposed to be. With overcast skies the upper 80's actually felt tolerable, we were saved by the breeze. They had these mist stations to cool off under. The kids loved them.
In the Family Farm area there are goats you can pet. Kaitlyn loves the interaction and says they are "sooo cute".

Kaitlyn's favorite area is the Big Cat exhibit. I learned that tigers are endangered. She would have stayed there the whole time and it is here that we took many many pictures.

Because it was such a hot day we ended with Popsicles for everyone. They were so good. Scott has really sensitive teeth, so it is actually funny that he has the ice in his mouth. He made many funny faces before he had to stop eating it half way down. It cooled him off enough.

It was a nice evening and a chance for us to get out and have some fun.
I am glad we went, it was a little taste of normal.

4th of July

This entry has been over a week in the making. It is bitter sweet and is very hard for me to write. My Dad passed away July 3 after a 13 month struggle following a severe stroke and a 3 week battle with Lymphoma. While we were expecting his passing it hit us hard none the less. My brother was in town from Wyoming which was a blessing, so my Dad was surrounded by those who loved him most; his wife and kids. We struggled with what to do on the 4th. Most of the arrangements had been made(thanks to Roberta Doug and Jeff), and what had not could not be done on the 4th anyway. We were faced with crying all day or trying to salvage part of it for the kids. My brother had the idea to go back to our hometown of Cedarburg and watch the fireworks from City Park like we used to as kids. After a back and forth we decided to go. We must have looked like a group of boring, no fun individuals. We did the best we could, laughed a couple of times and of course enjoyed the food! We decided that the 4th of July would take on a new and improved meaning for us: freedom for our country and freedom for Papa Willy. Dad was now free from his wheelchair, from his pain and his humiliation. He is now with his Dad and Grandparents and friends. He is walking again and probably having a drink and a cigarette if I know Dad. This is all worth celebrating, so we tried to do so. We imagined Dad watching the fireworks from Heaven and smiled. I felt guilty as did most I would guess, but we made it. I am hopeful that by going to Cedarburg and celebrating Papa Willy's new life in the Spirit World that upcoming 4th of July's will be tolerable. Here are a few pictures of the day.

All is well... We love you Dad and will see you soon!

...San Fransisco here I come...

Sunday Carl returned home from 4 days in San Fransisco where he attended a CE course with the DOCS Program. His seminar was Thursday and Friday, then he spent Saturday site seeing around town. A huge Thank You shout out to Uncle Joe who took Carl around town in his Mini. They had a wonderful day, and Carl said it was the most fun he has had in a long time! Sorry no pictures of Uncle Joe, must be a guy thing to take a photo of the car and not the man!

They went to the Golden Gate Bridge and walked across it and back again. Carl is not one for heights, but he said it was beautiful.

He took a boat whet to Alcatraz Prison and took a tour. The kids benefited from this stop, they got T-shirts.

Here is Carl on the Trolley. It is a great way to get around town. I wonder if he is thinking of me and humming "clang clang went the Trolley..." I know that is St. Louis, but is an opportunity to sing a Judy Garland song none the less, and such an opportunity should not be passed by.

Anyway, he had a good time and it made for a nice weekend get away for him. Education and fun all balled up together, what could be better! Carl, we are glad you had fun and we sure did miss you (especially this time).