Endings and Beginnings

Little Man, Breqkon!

This week ends my teaching gig. It has been an interesting and amazing seven weeks. I was very lucky to have a great class. It will be strange not to have class three nights a week, however, I will continue to consult with Linda one or two days. Now I have turned to preparing for the Best of Europe tour in September and harvesting my garden.

The garden is starting to produce lettuce, green beans, cucumbers, peppers, onions, a few tomatoes, and of course plenty of zucchini. Jessamyn, Jay and the boys stopped through to pick up miss Sunny and I gave them some of the first produce of the great harvest. Jay got it done and graduated from banking school in Boulder. I am so proud! 

Last night I cooked up some of the veggies for Jeanie and Warren, friends from my church. Jeanie spoke at Brian's funeral and is the Hospice Chaplin. We have become good friends since. 

Often little things remind me of Brian and how much it hurts not to have him here with us. He was called to do greater and more glorious things for sure. However, there are reminders all around and most are good, some are funny... like this sink shaped like a guitar!

Interesting Week

Aren't all weeks interesting? Maybe or maybe not, but this week has sure kept ME thinking. Sunday Jessamyn and Jay dropped off Sunny the bull dog. I will be watching her for a couple of weeks while they are in Boulder. Jay is finishing his graduate school in banking. Congratulations for a job well done goes out to Jay for he will graduate this next Thursday night. I am still teaching and won't be able to attend, so I offered to watch Miss Sunny.

Funny thing happened, though. Friday morning I woke up and looked out back and there was Sunny with a smile on her face hooked up with a rogue black furry collie mixed dog. The male dog was startled and ran to the fence in which he crawled back over to freedom, lol! I was flabbergasted and had no idea she was in heat. I had thought she cut her back paw when I saw a few drops of blood on the kitchen floor. Naive you might say, I would say yes. I haven't had a bitch dog that wasn't neutered. HOLY SMOKES! I called Jessamyn and then the veterinarian. Needless to say, Sunny is scheduled for the five day after shot Monday morning. 

There is only two more weeks left teaching. Most will be spent at a local longterm care facility putting what they learned into practice. The book work is done, except for the final. I have been real fortunate to have a good, but large class. Twelve is quite a crew to get through clinical check list procedures in the small nursing lab area. But the students have done well and are good sports in cramped spaces. 

Linda and I keep consulting at least once a week, which might increase to two times a week once I finish teaching. We are also preparing for our trip pouring over the extra tours offered along the Europe excursion. 

yet another sunset

water is the essence of life

grapes intertwined

Hot Then The Monsoon

It has been a hottie this past week until the monsoon weather blew in from the east on Sunday. Colorado is getting rain, we are getting the humidity with few scattered showers. However it was an enough of a reprieve to get my garden and flower beds weeded. Hurray for that! I am getting zuchnini,  peppers and onions. The tomatoes and beans are blooming. I have been blessed with the best garden I have ever had at this homestead. The leaf hopper populations are down and that has helped immensely!

I have my BNA class for only three more weeks then I will be looking forward to my next big adventure, my trip to Europe.

These are the places that Linda and I will be visiting on our 18 day tour. It is an exiting time for me to be able to finally travel overseas to Europe. The trip to New Zealand that Brian and I took in 2011was fabulous and I am sure this trip will be just as interesting and educational.

Speaking of Brian, it would have been his sixty first birthday last Wednesday, July 10th. It was his Uncle Don Hyde's birthday also. Unfortunately I heard that Uncle Don was gravely ill on Tuesday night. He was going to be ninety.  He did make to his birthday and then passed away. Uncle Don was a great help to Brian's Mom after his Dad died and a part of many of our holiday celebrations. He will be sorrily missed by all.

In Memory of

Donald E.
"Don"
Hyde

Obituary for Donald Hyde

DON E. HYDE

.

POST HOLIDAY LULL

It was a very active Fourth of July week. Luckily I had the week off from teaching. Being good Lion Club members, Linda and I manned the Lion Club's fire works stand for several time slots. Selling fire works is one of the Lion Club's many money making projects in the year.

Not only did I sell fire works but I also assisted the Lion Club's sponsorship of the Lunatic Boat races on the morning of the Fourth at Laing Lake. There are different classes of boat races, but all boats must be made out of card board and use only Latex paint, water soluble glue or tape. Boats run a race around buoys and get prizes such as the Titanic award if they sink dramatically enough.

Some of the interesting boat designs.

Lori and I serving hot dogs!

Battle of Bronco Lake, lol!

That evening I was graciously invited to Linda's home to enjoy a cookout with her family.

Linda's grand and great grandchildren (plus dog) enjoying a ATV ride around the house.

Friday Jessamyn, Jay, Taylen and Jarret came to visit and we went to see the Lone Ranger at the theater that night. Saturday Paqui, Marc, Zeyda and Breqkon arrived. Together we all celebrate a belated Fourth cookout of kabobs on the grill. Of course it was HOT out and my central air just happened to go  on the blink. We cooked inside and out, a truly hot July experience. So needless to say, my family found ingenious ways to keep their cool...