New Years Eve 2011

The year is almost over. I have never been in the habit of reviewing the old year but I have been doing so today. I have not gotten any better at blogging. I think this is my third the year. Maybe better next year.
I suppose the main thing on my mind today is that this is the first year that I have not been employed by anyone and consequently have brought in no income. I made up my mind in Nov of 2010 to go into full retirement mode in 2011 and I did. It seems like my year has been full

I went back to the New Horizons Band that I had played with from 1994 to 2005 or 6. I enjoy playing the drums with them. I also joined the YMCA which opened a nice new facility in Avon with the intention of getting the body in better shape. I have made 55 visits in 6 months.

Each visit consists of 30 minutes on a recumbent bike or treadmill and working with 12 weight machines. So far I have worked with 233,000 lbs of weights. Recently I have been doing the arthritis aqua exercise for one hour three times a week I really like this because for my weight and intensity of the program each hour is the equivalent of 787 calories. Seems worth the time.

So between music, exercise and Dr. visits the days are pretty full. There have been many other good times. Visits to Metamora and Long Beach MS. Family gatherings especially Christmas Eve. Wish you could all be here for that

None of us know what the future holds. We can only hope and pray for a good year to come.

I feel so blessed right now. The best day of my life was the day in 1951 God blessed me with the woman who would share the rest of my life with me ( I wish I could remember the exact day) when I went to the Victory theater where I had been employed, to ask a girl if I could take her home. She said no and introduced me to Joan Turnbull. It is hard for me to believe that God was looking out for the 15 year old boy then but my life changed that day. He blessed me with the woman who would share the rest of my days with me.

I thank Him every night in my prayers for this great gift. The very next thing in my prayers is my thanks for this great family is has given us. I include our children, their spouses and significient others, our grandchildren and their families and the great-grand children. I ask myself if I have to confess pride the next time I go to confession. For those of you who dont remember pride is one of the seven capitol sins, but they are talking about a different kind of pride.

A very good friend of mine has told me I ought to write a book for my great-grandchildren. That would be nice but would not be a best seller. This will have to suffice for now. Maybe you will read this and maybe not but I wanted to say it.

I pray that God will bless each one of you in a special way as he has me.

Easter 2011

What a great day this was. We gathered at Steve's for Easter dinner prepared by that great Navy chef Steve's son Erik, With us for the day was Erik and his wife Amanda, our great grandchildren (I love to write that) Ethan and Ava, Carissa and her husband Travis and three more of our great grandchildren, Haiden, Haylee and Allie. Also with us were Valerie with two more great grandchildren Lucianne and Madelyn.

I think you can see why it was such a great day for Mom and I. It was not a very nice day weather wise, cloudy and a little rain but it did stop long enough to hide (and find) 50 Easter eggs,

The food was great as prepared by Chef Erik. I think Steve may have had a hand in the prep of dinner

Everyone departed that evening. Erik and family had almost an 800 drive to get back home the next day. We are sorry that we missed Brandon but he had to leave Saturday morning to get back to Seattle.

The family get togethers all always good times of visiting and catching up. I don't suppose there will ever be a time when we can ALL be together like it was years ago but that is what makes memories. Till next time ( I will try and post more often) Love you one and all. GGPaw Frank

Stories from Mimi

I recently came across a card from Mimi Collier where I had asked her to send me some family stories from the past. This is what I received



I thought I would send you the things I could think of but it takes so long to write them down. Well here are three I wrote down.



When my grandson Steve was at our house he said he was hungry so I put a toaster and one loaf of bread and oleo on the bar in the kitchen. Well after 12 slices of toast he had finished and was not hungry any more.



When my son took us fishing at a lake in Indiana I threw in my line and right away I had a bite and my fishing pole went down. I thought I had a big fish but I brought in a 17 lb. turtle. Sonny and Frank took it where they had a turtle soup dinner once a year.



This one is a classic



One day my sink stopped up and I plunged all day trying to get it open. Dad went to a meeting and said he would get it open when he came home. I heard him at the door and I leaned over the sink and said "please Jesus open my sink and there was a loud sucking noise and it was all gone. Frank said I was white as a sheet.



For the great, great grandchildren of Mimi Collier for whom this is written great great grandma Mimi was a woman who belived in prayer. May she rest in peace.