Dear God,

Thank you for the many blessings you have bestowed upon Dan & I. We are eternally grateful for our health & the millions of other things, big & small, that we enjoy & sometimes take for granted.

God, please, in this busy summer when so many (including us) are having fun, pigging out & in general celebrating life, bless those who are less fortunate.

Of course , God, I cannot fool you and so you know that I am asking you for something. Please, tomorrow , especially watch over and give a boost of you kind goodness & energy to my step father and his daughter- in- law who are both facing monumental possible life altering health issues that their respective doctors will be looking into.

And, God, whatever happens, please be with all of us, especially my Mom & Shane, as they go through this together with the person they chose to spend the rest of their lives with.

Thanks,

Mary, Dan & Buster

Just in Time for the Fourth.

A website regarding the Civil War regiment my great great grandfather was a member of, the 13th Mass. , is up and running. The fellow responsible for the research is Brad Forbush, a decendent of another member of the 13th. Some of Brad's research is based on Samuel Webster's ( my relative) diaries during the war.

Samuel is the 5th man from the right on the banner across the top of the website here:

Samuel joined with his brother Ike. Sam was 16, Ike 15, both musicians. Sam was very proud of his service and was an active member of the G.A.R. He died in 1919.

M

Other news.

Danielle: was just offered another job. Thank God. She was very unhappy working at a radio station in Denver doing "whatever the advertisement people didn't want to do" including running out for coffee!!!
It's very difficult as a parent to have your grown- up child dis satisfied with their working situation. The new job, which she will accept today , is at a glass company in Denver and she will do what she went to school for: marketing. Whatever that is. All I know is that she is extremely excited & will be coming HOME!!!! For a week or so... soon!! I am very excited to see & talk with Danielle.

Jessica: Jessica and I went to St. Catherine's University in Minneapolis Tuesday night. It's been "University" instead of "College" for just a month. Anyway, the evening was an informational session for their 9 graduate studies programs including Physical Therapy which is the program Jessica will be applying for. They have a fine program there and the competition is VERY stiff... only about 10 students of over 100 who apply will be accepted. Jess is as qualified as any and is applying with guns loaded but she isn't holding her breath.


She will apply to schools in MN, WI & SD as well.


Right now I am feeling very optimistic about both Danielle's and Jessica's immediate futures. As a Mom, that is a very satisfying feeling. News. Good news!!!!

Later,

Flash G with a sore butt from a group ride yesterday... 78 miles & fighting the wind all the way!!!

Happy Birthday America!!

I realize I'm a few days early but this special day is already on our minds. We will be leaving for Adair, Iowa tomorrow to spend the weekend with my parents aka Mom and Bill.

Dan & I will be bringing the Turkey fryer & fish for a fish fry on Saturday for super. My step- brothers Craig & Shane will be there as well along with their respective spouses.

Adair is a quaint little town in western Iowa & I always look forward to a visit especially over a holiday with a parade. Nothing beats a Fourth of July parade in a rural community where the biggest tractor in the county is the biggest attraction!

Fun weekend.

The pictures speak for themselves. GREAT weekend.

Home Sweet Home

There really is no place like home. Dan & I have crossed off one of the Things To Do while he's "retired". We went fishing on Beaver Lake this morning.

I was so excited to be home that I woke up and got up at 3:30 am thinking I would start my day then. Well that was WISHFUL thinking. I went back to bed & Dan woke me up at 7:30 to see if I wanted to go fishing. OF COURSE!!! We have a lot of things to accomplish yet this summer including taking Connor fishing for the first time (maybe this weekend) & going to my parent's house in Adair , Iowa for the fourth.

There's more cool things on that To Do list but I refuse to think too far ahead... that is the ultimate luxury of summer vacation don't you think!!!!

FLASHG!!!!!!

Reflecting on what I learned in Mile High A.P.

I have a layover here in Denver. Free wireless.. woohoo!!!

A short list of what I learned in the last week:

1) Lisa gets VERY loopy when low on O2.

2) Lisa has next to no short- term memory.

3) I am much much more tolerant of Lisa repeating herself than I am of Dan or anyone else.

4) I would NEVER EVER include any kind of cockroache in ANY sort of insect collection.... EVAR.

5) Love runs deep.

6) My definition of" blended " family has drastically & forever been changed.

7) I have very rarely been mistakenly called Donna (my older sister's name) throughout my entire 52 years of life and I've discovered that I HATE it!!!!!! No.I LOATH it!!!!

8) Colorado has a LOT of cowboy apparel for sale & the kid's stuff is really darling.

9) I can go an entire week and not take one normal, healthy shit and live.

10) You really do get a bit more light- headed (or drunk.. your choice) while drinking at higher altitudes.

Well, from Denver, signing off with initial reflections from an entire week of
" Cuckoo in Colorado ".

Mary...... I really don't feel like FlashG just yet. I need just a little recuperation time. Thanks.