Janna’s Wedding Part 3
Getting better is tough work…
The only position Laurie was comfortable – well, sorta after some pretty fancy drugs helping.
Cruising around the house in style…
Ali had a walker that Laurie used to get around the Servideo home.
After three days of recoup time at our gracious host home we headed for the airport. Once again the SUV was transformed into a nest for the trip to the airport. After a little paper shuffle at the ticket counter we headed for the gate D5 at Dulles airport. I should have took a picture of Laurie being transported in a wheel chair but with two computer bags and a carry on bag I was a little distracted. When I set up the flight I asked for one 1st class ticket for Laurie and a coach ticket for myself. Not sure how it happened but we received two 1st class tickets, in the front row of the plane. Such a blessing, Laurie could lay on the floor in front of the seats. Looked a little weird but much more comfortable for Laurie. The trip to Portland went very smooth and without much pain. We arrived home very grateful for friends who helped and prayed for us. Thanks
I’m working on the video we took at the wedding. It will take a while to plow through days worth of video but it will posted later this month.
Janna’s wedding part 2
The wedding was great, the trip towards home – well isn’t so great. Laurie did something to her back. I suspect way too much activity during the wedding may have contributed to the issue. At any rate we drove from Blacksburg to Charleston and Laurie was walking like an ole lady with a bad back. Marion and Laurie went out to take some shoes back that she had bought on our trip in, and arriving back at the hotel parking lot she “locked up” as she calls it and wound up on her back in the parking lot. Poor Marian was a little shocked at the whole event but had presence of mind to call Jacob and I for assistance. So, with considerable effort we got her in bed in the hotel room and hoped for the best. The next day we drove to the airport and started our trip home. The flight from Charleston to Washington D.C. was agony for Laurie and we drugged her up the best we could in hopes of making it home. During the layover in D.C. she became worse despite some heavy duty drugs, and looked pretty pathetic on the floor of the terminal. After a few calls to doctors near and far I finally decided a five hour flight was too much for her and had the airport personnel call for an ambulance. It was a little different experience for me to be on the receiving end of EMS but well worth the embarrassment. It seems all Emergency Departments have one thing in common; it takes a long time for anything to happen. Laurie was in significant pain for over an hour before anything was done, but finally she had received some heavy duty pain meds that diminished the pain. I had a lot of time to think of the “now what”, we are stuck in a city over 2000 miles from home, most of our luggage is headed for Portland and Laurie can’t even walk. Well, the Lord is gracious and his people are His instruments. One of the “near” doctors I called for advice was Joe Servideo M.D. my now son-in-law’s father also a brother in the Lord. He graciously invited us to his home if things didn’t work out so well, and things were definitely not working out so well. After hanging out in the hospital E.R. for 3 plus hours Joe came to our rescue. He had transformed his S.U.V in to a nest for Laurie to lie in during the trip to his home. We did make a brief stop at McDonald since we missed breakfast at the hotel 12 hours ago and the handful of grapes was a little thin. I write this note the next morning after a run/walk, devotions then coffee while Laurie is sleeping comfortably. I’m uncertain about our trip home, but confident that we will be home sometime this week.
Janna’s Wedding Part 1
Our daughter is getting married 
The family and a few friends traveled to Blacksburg Virginia to celebrate the event.
David and Janna working on last minute details.
We had a nice view from our window at the Hawthorn Inn
We met the gang at the Holiday Inn about 5 blocks from Hawthorn. Dennis and Cindy Kummer flew in the night after we did.
Jacob, David and I spent a day doing a few errands before heading to New river. We stopped at David’s house to look at a plumbing problem.
Jacob and David at New river just before a little swim.
We hike a couple of miles to a waterfall in the rain. 
Jacob and David were the only ones brave enough to go for a swim. The rest of us decided we were wet enough already.
David was captured, handcuffed and brought to Ben’s house for the bachelor party. Meanwhile the girls were off doing girl stuff.
Of course the rehearsal was played out in great detail and then off for the dinner at “the House” a family style restaurant that was simply the best.
The wedding is being held at the Maison Beliveau – check it out… http://www.maisonbeliveau.com/
Laurie and I are staying here for two days and nights which is very nice. Of course we give up the room for the girls to do the prep thing before the ceremony.
Today is the wedding day. It is raining this morning but expected to clear by the afternoon.
More to follow…
Our Nation is in trouble…
These copy and past statements are but a sample of the information out there. They are not some left or right wing nuts trying to make a point but main stream folks concerned about our country. I’m not promoting the Republican or Democratic parties, no I’m blaming them both for this mess. I also blame my generation for not standing up and saying enough. Now the next generation will inherit this debt. All of us need to pay attention and answer the simple question “how is this going to affect me and my family”.
U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK
The Outstanding Public Debt as of 22 Jul 2009 at 05:00:33 PM GMT is:
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The estimated population of the United States is 306,595,261
so each citizen’s share of this debt is $37,861.98.
The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
$3.92 billion per day since September 28, 2007!
Concerned?
Your money is spent through Appropriations Bills passed by The U. S. Senate and signed by the President. The Government does not have any money, it takes your money from you and, and borrows more, then spends that! The bailouts of 2008 and 2009 are purely deficit spending. Expect to see enormous deficits in the forseeable future, leading to much more debt; and interest payments on that debt will become the largest item in the federal budget. On C-SPAN, President Obama boldly told Americans: “We are out of money.”
In Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08), the U. S. Government spent $412 Billion of your money on interest payments* to the holders of the National Debt. Compare that to NASA at $15 Billion, Education at $61 Billion, and Department of Transportation at $56 Billion. — As of May 2009, the interest expense so far this fiscal year (FY09) is $214 Billion.
The result, according to the CBO, would be an ever-expanding national debt that would exceed 82 percent of the overall economy by 2019 — double last year’s level — and threaten the nation’s financial stability.
“This clearly creates a scenario where the country’s going to go bankrupt. It’s almost that simple,” said Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.), the senior Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, who briefly considered joining the Obama administration as commerce secretary. “One would hope these numbers would wake somebody up,” Gregg said.
Million Mile Monday
Last monday 6/29/09 was designated million mile monday by Harley Davidson web site. The idea is to get all HOG (harley owners group) members to take a ride, well as many as could anyway and then log the miles ridden on the web site. Last year well over 3 million miles were logged that monday. This year the goal was 5 million miles, a very headed goal. So the three compadraes (Duane, Tim and I) decided to do our part and ride to Long Beach for a doughnut. One might think this outting as a bit trivial but I must disagree, supporting the Cottage bakery in Long Beach is supporting our failing economy.
Road to Long Beach
Of course it helped tremendously to have a beautiful day, and a nice windy road.
Long Beach
And guess what, we were not the only ones out and about on a nice day. You might notice that Duane and I are in these pictures. Tim has won the distinction of having the most stuff on his handlebars which include a camera mount. Yep, his camera is mounted facing up the road and all he has to do is hit the button for a picture.
After munching on the best pastries in the world, at least in my opinion. We decided to explore Long Beach and go north as far as possible. Turns out that Leadbetter point is that destination and the road in was just breathtaking.
Of course we had to have a picture of the sign at Leadbetter parking area. The actually northern point required a significant walk which we decided to decline. After all most of our blood supply was dealing with the wonderful pastries.
So after wandering around the parking lot we loaded up and headed out.
We sorta stumbled in to Oysterville and Duane just had to get some oysters for dinner and buy all of us a shooter, which was very good.
The Oysterville store and then the view…
Looking north from the deck at Oysterville.
Stopped on the way back at the boat launch just to enjoy the view.
Ah yes, days like this and the view… it refreshes the soul.
Ah yes, the over 50 crowd can’t really go that far without the obligatory rest stop. So we stopped at a park on the way back to drain and visit.
Now the visit always goes better with the nice view.
Well I said goodbye to the guys and headed home. However the oyster thing just sorta bugged me so I stopped at Brady’s Oyster on the way home for my own dinner fixins. We check the total miles for the day which didn’t quite make the 5 million mark but 4.2 million miles isn’t shabby for one day. Regardless it was a good day, great weather, good friends, and a great ride
1500 miles and family
So, I got the itch to jump on the Harley even though summer hadn’t officially arrived yet. Saying goodbye to my lovely wife I headed out for the Spokane area to vist my brother Pat and his wife Becky. It was a long day covering some 500 miles with only a small glitch. I forgot my fancy cup at the resturant in Yakima and had to return 20-25 miles to get it. After a couple days visit and rest I ventured to Pullman for a BBQ with Jacob, Marian and family. The ride was nice even with the little side trip Jacob sent me on in his effort to guide to the BBQ site.
Kamiak Butte
The master chef
Jacob introduced the guys to sock golf and promptly kick our patuskis in the game.
After spending the night at Chucks new home I was up at 0430 heading for Pomeroy. My brother David and I had a nice breakfast and visit before I headed to Powell Butte to see Mom and Al.
Stop along the Columbia river
Pic while riding along, note the clouds.
Several hours before arriving at Powell Butte (mom’s place) it started sprinkling along with lighting, thunder and just plain nasty looking weather. I gave up, put on the rain gear and rode on. 
Well, on arrival at mom’s I had the brilliant idea of crossing the above pictured lawn and riding under the deck to get out of the rain. This would have been great except for the little issue with dirt surrounding the lawn. This dirt was like very fine powder, a nasty substance that will not support a large bike in a turn. Bottom line… I dumped my bike – sigh. No damage to the bike just my ego.
My mom the micro wave queen.
Mom with her new notebook computer and Al on the deck.
A stitch panoramic pic of sunset from the deck.
Same sunset different camera setting.
The visit was great but I need to head home to my wife and farm responsibilities.
Mount Hood on the way home.
I arrived home tired and sore but happy, having taking care of the itch to ride my Harley.
A day in the life of Tbone
Yes Tbone is part of the daily routine on the farm. Every morning and evening we have quality time together.
Tbone
We had a cow named Nala, note the past tense. She prolapsed her uterus before giving birth to her calf. Which is an ugly site to behold. Anyway it didn’t look good for Nala and we called “the truck” the one that takes them away in parts. We asked the guys to check for a calf which we were sure was dead, if it did exist. Well, to our surprise he pulled out a live but not breathing calf after Nala went down. That put a flurry of activity in motion and very long story short the calf survived. He is a real kick to have around. After I feed him his bottle I let him follow me around, or more specifically he is at me feet and butting me lookin for mamas milk dispenser.
That time of year again!
Groan…
The paper shuffle has started.
