My Reading Blog

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving with a group of 40 men and women recruits from Great Lakes Naval Base along with our family.  What an awesome way to spend a special day! This is the 2nd year that we have participated in this special event hosted by the Sue H. Dufern Memorial Servicemen's Fund.  Our son and daughter-in-law are involved with this fund (Sue was our DIL's aunt who passed away).  This was the 10th year that this Fund has hosted approximately 100 servicemen and women each year.  This year there were only 40 recruits available. The bus picked them up at 9:30 and brought them to Lindy's Restaurant in Waconda.  They marched a couple of blocks to the restaurant and were totally unprepared for what awaited them.  The restaurant closes it's doors for the day to welcome these young people.  They arrived to a round of applause and good wishes.  Candy was placed on all tables, phones were made available for calls to family and friend...

A year or more ago, Michelle suggested we use Voxer as a way to communicate on a regular basis.  It's a great way to hear one another's voice when we don't have the time to actually talk. Last year was a difficult year for Michelle and her co-worker, so they created a "Positive Commitments" board on Pinterest and they invited me to share some thoughts.  Each weekday morning, I leave Michelle a message on Voxer to let her know what's going on with us and to share a "thought for the day".  This morning's thought was one that I think all of us can use as our country struggles to pull together.  We all need more positivity in our lives.  I hope this one give you some food for thought and a good way to begin your day.

Each day I'm thankful for all the blessing that I receive, but I've been really thinking about how much I take for granted.  So today, my slice is about those little things. I'm thankful for: My family and friends (of course) Our dog, Max (who can be such a nuciance, but what will I do when he's gone) My church and the family that I have acquired over the years God - who has accepted me as His Child and for His daily forgiveness My eyesight to see the wonders around me My ears to hear My hands that give me the ability to work and play My feet that allow me to walk My body that functions (most of the time) allowing me to do what I want and need to do My brain that helps me comprehend, learn, read,,, My compassion to help others Our home and all the "things" that we can't live without Hot and cold running water A gas stove to cook on Heat/Air conditioning to make life comfortable A dishwasher, washer and dryer A refrigerator to keep f...

Will Robie is a master of killing. A highly skilled assassin, Robie is the man the U.S. government calls on to eliminate the worst of the worst-enemies of the state, monsters committed to harming untold numbers of innocent victims. No one else can match Robie's talents as a hitman...no one, except Jessica Reel. A fellow assassin, equally professional and dangerous, Reel is every bit as lethal as Robie. And now, she's gone rogue, turning her gun sights on other members of their agency. To stop one of their own, the government looks again to Will Robie. His mission: bring in Reel, dead or alive. Only a killer can catch another killer, they tell him. But as Robie pursues Reel, he quickly finds that there is more to her betrayal than meets the eye. Her attacks on the agency conceal a larger threat, a threat that could send shockwaves through the U.S. government and around the world. Another excellent, face paced, exciting read.  Love this author!

Last week's SOL was the beginning of our mission/build trip to Totonicapan, Guatemala.  The second day was much of the same - cutting wire, tying rebar, bending rebar, and watching the trenches being slowly dug.  The ground was rock hard clay.  The pick axe and shovels had a hard time making a dent into the ground, but the mason's helpers persevered and the trench grew deeper and wider each day.  They dug down about 3-1/2 feet and 18 - 20 inches wide.  Some of our males team members helped, but soon turned it back over to the helpers. It took all week to finally get the trenches deep enough to set the corner rebar pieces and pour some cement.  The footings would soon follow, but we didn't get to see that happen.  This is the first year that we haven't seen some blocks laid and the beginning of a house.  But, all the work that we accomplished helped the mason and his helpers so they could start laying the blocks.  I'm sure by now, a week l...