Hello Everyone!

Hello my friends and happy Thursday!  It's been an eventful week around here.  Last Friday we had a storm blow up out of nowhere.  I had been at a luncheon that we do for the senior ladies at church who don't get out much and the sun was shining brightly.  I had just driven three of the ladies home and barely got in the door to our house myself when the hail began.  Look at the pile of ice that was still there on SATURDAY morning.  Dennis chopped it up with the mower when he cut the grass!

Friday morning this was a solid mass of flowers.  Several people commented on how many flowers were on it when they left after Bible study Thursday evening.  Now look at it.  So sad.  I'm hoping it reblooms.  The hail was about quarter size.  It chopped off every bloom on my geraniums too.

I've seen much bigger hail when we lived in the Midwest but it never lasted as long as this did.

This was Tuesday afternoon at the lake.  It was my first time in the water in 13 months!  The cardiologist wouldn't let me in the lake after I got my pacemaker last year because of the incision and the chance of infection.  The water was finally warm enough this week to jump in and boy, did I enjoy it.

Here's Lori, my partner in crime.  We spent about 3 hours floating around the swimming bay.  Dennis and Paul got ready to go water skiing Tuesday evening when they got off work, and another storm blew up and we ended up sitting in our trailer eating ice cream instead and watching the wind and rain.  The guys quickly ran to the boat and covered it as lightening and thunder were flashing around them.  Lori and I were yelling at them to hurry up and get away from the water!  Ha!  They don't listen well to us, they were more worried about the boat.

I had my Nuclear Stress Test at the hospital this morning.  So far so good.  They let me leave anyway and if it was anything awful they would have made me talk to the doctor right away.  I should get the results next week.  It is NOT a fun test.  It's my third time having it done and I feel awful for a day or two afterwards.  My BP was 192/114 at one point during the test.  I'm exhausted but glad it's over with.  

Anyway, last time I had it done, the technician saw me knitting dishcloths while in the waiting room and asked if I would sell some to her.  I ended up selling 25 dishcloths to several of the nurses there.  I wanted to give them to them, but they insisted on paying me and I used the money to buy yarn for baby hats for the hospital.  When she saw me this morning she did a double-take.  She said she had just told her husband last week that she needed to call me and get some more because her grown kids keep taking them home with them.  So, I had three made already in my gift closet and just started another one a few minutes ago.  She couldn't believe the timing. :-)

I started a baby blanket over the weekend.  It's just the granny's favorite dishcloth pattern with bigger needles and baby yarn.  It makes a really cuddly and soft baby blanket and is a favorite with the hospital when I donate for the newborns.

I'm ALMOST done with my Monkey socks.  I can only work on them when I have no distractions because of the intricate pattern.  I think I'm going to like them, but it seems like they've taken me forever to knit.

We're doggy sitting with Sophie this weekend while Larry and Nita drive to Portland for a funeral.  It's so hot they don't want to have to leave her in the car while they stop to eat, etc.  We'll just take her to the lake with us.  She loves it there too.

Next week we're keeping Maddie while Paul and Lori go tent camping at Priest Lake over in Idaho.  They plan to do lots of canoeing and Maddie would be stuck in the tent or car while they're out on the lake so we volunteered to keep her.  Sophie will be back with us again next Friday while Larry and Nita drive back to Portland for a family reunion.  So next weekend we'll have all three dogs at one time and have them at the lake with us too.  They all get along great and we've doggy sat with them both before, but not at the same time.  Should be fun!

I guess since we can't go anywhere because of me right now, we may as well take care of the fur babies for the people who can go.  And I realize that even if I can't travel very far right now, we are so blessed to have our lake place so close to home.  Some people travel across the country just to camp where we are lucky enough to go all summer.  Our son, Jamie, texted yesterday and asked if he could bring our grandkids for a weekend next month so they can go play at the lake too.  Guess what I said?  Absolutely!!!  I wish they could come and just stay for a month.  It's really nice too, because Dennis is giving the sermon at church that Sunday so they'll get to hear him speak.  Oh how I miss my kids and grandkids.

Mandy and Piper just face-timed and Piper was getting ready to take her nap.  She told me to have a good rest too.  Isn't that sweet?  I just want to pick her up and kiss her through the computer.  

I hope you all are having a great week and that your summer is going well, (unless you're in Australia and having winter!).  It's hard to believe that it will be August next week.

This verse reminds me of what happened when my heart stopped for so long last year before I got my pacemaker.  It was in my devotion I read this morning.  We do have something wonderful waiting for us after this life.

"However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived"-the things God has prepared for those who love Him."   1 Corninthians 2:9

Blessings,

Betsy