New Years Day

Well it looks like I will be able to get my pictures off my phone now, so I'll be using that instead of my digital camera.

I've been in Philly two years and this is my third New Years, but the first year I actually made it to the parade. Wow, what an experience! It is the strangest concept. Mummers tradition dates back to 400 BC and the Roman Festival of Saturnalias where Latin laborers marched in masks throughout the day of satire and gift exchange. This included Celtic variations of “trick-or-treat” and Druidic noise-making to drive away demons for the new year. Reports of rowdy groups “parading” on New Years day in Philadelphia date back before the revolution. Prizes were offered by merchants in the late 1800’s. January 1, 1901 was the first “official” parade offered about $1,725 in prize money from the city. More history here http://www.phila.gov/recreation/mummers/Mummers_History.html

I was almost abducted by one of them! There were so many of them and it was the livliest and strangest parade I think I've been to. The music was great, people were dancing in the street, and luckily the cold weather kept out the riff raff so I got a good view of the whole thing! They were even selling hand warmers. I hadn't seen those since Nodak!

My Place

Wow - nothin goin on here! As promised here is a pic of my window view...it was nicer a week ago when the tree had a lot more leaves on it. At night I have a chunk of sky I can look it with a couple of stars. They only have a couple in Philly. A few times a month I have a perfect view of the moon and every morning I get to watch the squirrels chasing each other all over the tree - sometimes even across the overhang outside my window!

actually...it seems i have no working batteries in my camera. which means i can't upload my pics!! i give up...some other night i guess :(

Dad sent out the pictures of the governor and him but thought I would post them here too.

July 6th trip to Jackson Hole, WY.

Grand Teton Mountains

Bar stools at the Milleneum Cowboy Bar in town.

(I don't think this squirrell won the battle.)

Stage coach tour rides in town, we didn't go but maybe next time.

Palisades Lake on the way to Jackson.

Picture on top of the Palisades Dam.

Brian and I had a fun 4th of July. I was working only until 3pm and then when I came home we started to get everything ready for a small party we were hosting for some of his co-workers. We had BBQ in the Crock pot going all day and then some various snacks also. The BBQ turned out great! I also made dessert which was white chocolate cheesecake with fresh strawberry sauce on top. Everyone loved it and I'll have to post some recipes later if anyone would like to try them. After dinner, drinking and card games, we went to the fireworks show along the snake river in town. The show lasted for about 40 minutes and I must say that they did a great job. It was a really nice show. After the fireworks, we all came back to our place to play, drink, and eat some more. I had to work in the A.M shift the next day and I was pretty beat the next day. On saturday I didn't want to do anything so today we decided to go to Jackson to get out of town while we both have a day off of work together. It was such a gorgeous day out to walk around town and get some fresh air. We had a wonderful time and I'm sure we we'll be back to Jackson soon, because this was only our 3rd time there since we moved. Ha ha. Well, gotta go, hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!

Oops forgot the pictures of the governor.

Finally taking some time to post some pictures here of the bathroom progress. We are still working on the bathroom. In between, we have been trying to get out and do some other things. Mark was here last week on his way to Jackson Hole. We had the Mustang over at Buggies-n-Blues. Everyone had a fun day that day. The governor even stopped by.

A while back we had a woodpecker beating his head against our electrical pole out back. Got a little bit of video of him. Not sure if the sound is there though.

Hope Mark posts some pictures from his latest trip to Cincinnati. If he doesn't, give him a call and ask him about it. Jennifer, he said he doesn't want to answer text messages, he would rather talk to you.

Looking forward to seeing all the kids this summer. We are going out to see Kelly and Brian in August and Jennifer said she was going to ride along with us. Then we will go out to see Mark in September. Kelly Voge is getting married September 13, so will be attending her wedding on the way back. Then in October we are going on a bus trip to Branson, Nashville, and Memphis. On the way back we will be stopping in Oklahoma for an Octoberfest. (That's the only way I got dad to agree to going!)

With all this traveling ahead, hope the bathroom gets done soon!