Family Reunion

Last Friday, we attended the funeral mass of Charles Gail, the only brother of Captain's godfather Tony Gail, at the Immaculate Conception Church in Leavenworth. We learned about this brave man, who won a Purple Heart during his Navy days in the South Pacific in 1944. He also held an honorary doctorate in geology. He worked/taught in the oil industry in Columbia, South America, for nearly 30 years.

The good result was when today we could all gather with the Minnesota and Kansas cousins in Tonganoxie at the Klinkenberg farm. Fried chicken for lunch. Baseball game of boys against girls (Uncle Chuck was all-time catcher). A few fireworks to delight Ethan, Taylor, Alyssa, Ben, and David! Music on Uncle Bob's mandolin, fingered just like a fiddle. Debbie's new puppy to thrill for Elijah, Lydia, and Henry. Recipe swaps between Andrea, Denise, Pam, Candise, Mary, Elizabeth, and Charlotte. Family reunions guarantee long conversations on a pleasant summer afternoon.

Captain Gone Overseas

Captain flew over the Greenwich Prime Meridian for the first time as a pilot! He flew right into tomorrow so to speak -- landing forward in time by 9 hours. While he is in Moscow and St. Petersburg we will definitely miss/envy him. But, there's plenty of summer activities around here the next 10 days.

Happy Birthday, Anne with an -e!

"Anne of Green Gables" celebrated her 100th birthday last Friday (June 20), and she ranks among my MOST favorite! The phrase "kindred spirits" spoke right to my heart. Then, I laughed and sighed and cried while watching the way her optimism won everyone's heart, from Diana to Gilbert to Rachel Lynde.

Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote the first of her "Anne" series of 8 books (Meggar has read them all!) when she was 33 years old. Her marriage later took her away from Prince Edward Island, but not from her writing. Here is a piece from "The Poetry of L.M. Montgomery" which I loved:

What Children Know

Many things the children know

Where the ripest berries grow,

Where the first pale violets peep

Shyly from their winter's sleep,

And how many blue eggs rest

In the robin's woven nest.

Children know where echoes hide

Over on the brown hillside,

How to tell a fortune bright

By the daisy petals white,

How the honey you may sup

From the meadow clover's cup.

Something else the children know

Oh, they learned it long ago!

Mother's shoulder is the best

Place in all the world to rest.

And the sweetest dreams belong

To a mother's twilight song!

Special thanks to Jenny, our Librarian in Savannah, for her workshop today on Anne and Maud. We enjoyed the raspberry cordial, "carrots" cake, and the movie discussions. Megan Follows is superb in all three movies -- even though one of them completely ignores the L.M. Montgomery literature. Young Megan Follows also appeared in "Hockey Night," which is only relevant because it's part of our family video library :-)

Oh, Dear!

My van struck a deer last week on the highway, but Captain was able to knock out the dents and re-attach the rear bumper himself. Does a Previa minivan have nine lives?! (We swear by Toyota vehicles.) Now if someone would just get it cleaned up on the inside it would be "good" as new.

Review of "Young Riders"

Another NetFlix... "The Young Riders" comprised of 67 episodes which ran on TV during 1989-1992. This movie is an exciting series of western adventures based on the boys who actually worked for the Pony Express. Our family LOVES this historical connection because we live in St. Joseph, MO -- the location of the Pony Express National Museum http://www.ponyexpress.org/ and original Stables. Meggar even works there giving tours to school children. The riders include the future "Buffalo Bill" Cody; James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok; Ike, an orphan who is a mute; Buck, a half-White/half-Kiowa scout; and the Kid, a quiet Southerner similar to "Billy the Kid." They also ride with Lou, a young woman who keeps secretly disguised as a boy. Although highly fictionalized, there are many facts woven into the tales of this group of Express riders based at a waystation in Sweetwater, Kansas. The station is run by an ex-Texas Ranger and all-around eccentric named "Teaspoon" Hunter, and Emma, who is their cook, housekeeper, and mother hen as she tries to keep them out of trouble. (Check out our favorite non-fiction books about the Pony Express: "The Story of the Pony Express" by Missouri native Cheryl Harness and "On the Winds of Destiny" by Jacqueline Lewin.)

Dorito's Birthday -- "You Rock!"

Turning 13 was more fun because of the "Guitar Hero" party, guitar pinata, pizza, and ice cream cake. Dorito only wanted a few friends to come over, and they rocked our basement at top volume! Everyone said my hand-lettered sign looked like the real (cool) logo. Despite the cloudy skies, the boys threw Winger and Polar Bear in the pool! Then everyone joined in some diving contests. Justin had the biggest cannonball splash, Mitchell can do the fanciest flip-and-a-half, and the pitching wedge contest meant more than a dozen golf balls ended up in the pool. Tonight, he's a tired teenager.

Pre-Teen

As a pre-13 birthday present, Meggar took Dorito to hang-out at the North Shoppes. First they went Shopping at Target, then for Supper at Chipotle, and then to a Movie with concessions and everything! (It's hard to tell who had the better time, her or him!) They are still laughing about "Get Smart." And a little mouse told me they shared some secrets, too. Tomorrow is the BIG DAY for Dorito. Twice today I've spied him sitting in front of the present table trying to guess what's in his packages...