MOUNT RUSHMORE

High on a Mountain in western South Dakota, stands a colossal feat of art, engineering and dynamite. An undertaking that took 14 years , moved over 400,000 tons of granite, and cost nearly a million dollars. MT. RUSHMORE.

Talked to Leona Saturday. The big motor cycle rally is over for another year. This takes place at Sturgus, 30 miles away. If I remember right, this was the biggest year yet. Next year is there 70th, and the plans are even bigger. This year they had a bad hail storm on one night and cars- and bikes had a lot of damage.

Oh Me -Oh My--Misery and Pain

Finally!!!!!!!. Our water leak has been solved and corrected. Three weeks ago I saw water on the kitchen floor. Just a wee bit--about 4 feet from the livimng room rug and about 3 tiles from the kitchen wall. I called the land lord. He came that night after work and thought it was coming from the dish water and the leak ran under the tile--found a pin hole in the grout to seep up... He said he would be back Sat. to fix it. This was Tues. Sat. turned out to be very busy for him-so it ran into the next week. Had company that week end so was glad the land lord had to go away for that week end and couldn't make it.

The leak on the floor quit-but the leak in front of the dish water became worse. I called the land lord about that on Tues again. He pulled the dishwasher out-disconnected the electricity to it--shut off the hot water too it and said he'd be back. Now I could put towels on the floor where the dishwasher had been. I did!!!! I actually changed them so many times a day that my thumb joints where getting carpal tunnel?

I called the land lord again on Sat. morning. He came in and cut holes in the sheet rock under the sink and also in the kitchen where pipes are running to the water heater. THERE WAS THE CULPRIT. One of those old gray pipes (now condemned) was leaking . He called the plumber. He would come latter that afternoon and fix it. I got a call about 6:30 that he couldn't make it until Tues. between 8:30 and 9:00. OK. That meant keeping on changing towels. Since the new hole was cut I could now place towels under the water heater space for about 3 feet.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT??? I had so many towels that all I had were four I keep behind for the bathroom. That meant even 4 nice new heavy ones I had gotten as a Christmas gift. I changed them all about ever four hours. BUT I GOT SMART. I now threw them wet into the washer-- ran them through the spin cycle TWICE and then dried them for about 20 mins, or until dry enough to fold or hung them over the patio rail and let the sun dry them.

The leak started to become heavier-- I had to change towels more often --and on Mon. night water was started to run past the towels on to the kitchen floor. I changed all the towels at 9 pm. Had no more dry ones at the time and by 10pm the stack of 3 where damped to the feet and I had the whole night ahead on me to worry about the flood!!!!!!!!!!. Brave Ladene-put on her house coat-rang the neighbors door bell and asked Birch to turn off my water to house at the road. So Tues. we couldn't flush the stool-get water any where --except go to Birch and steal some 5 gal. pails full from him. SO I DID JUST THAT.

Not so bad. The plumber was coming at 8:30. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!He hadn't showed yet by 10 and I was getting crabber. Finally at 10:15 he came-work --cut out some more sheet rock and left the mess for us to clean up--I went away at 2:30 and asked him to write a note if I needed to know anything. Laid out a tablet and pen for him, Got home about 5--the plumber was gone--had water in the bathroom but not in the kitchen. Cindy turned on the valve in the kitchen and water flew everywhere. I called the land lord--he called the plumber and said he'd be back first thing in the morning.

In the morning he called Rich and told him it was because the dishwasher wasn't hooked up. Rich said he wouldn't pay until he came back and had every thing fixed and Rich would run over and inspect it. FINALLY 12:45 the plumber came -worked about 30 mins (free) Rich inspected it--paid him and all is well. Not bad for $65.00 an hour and parts picked up at Louies which he charged #100 for and 5 hours labor.

Sounds like I'm in a bad mood. Really, I am, not--but Sentner NEVER would have treated a customer that way, and you wonder why they have to be different now. But I must admit--I won't miss changing the towels. I soaked the really dirty ones this morning and then had two large batches of only towels-fresh-folded and all put back in place.

Friendship

We have been blessed with visitors lately. That made me think of a friendship poem which I want to share with you folks at this time.

"EVERYBODY EVERYWHERE NEEDS SOMEBODY SOMETIME"

Everybody, everywhere, no matter what his station, Has moments of deep loneliness and quiet desperation, For this lost and lonely feeling is inherent in mankind--

It is just the SPIRIT SPEAKING as God tries again to find--An opening in the "wordily wall" man builds against God's touch, For he feels so self-sufficient that he does not need God much,

So he vainly goes on struggling to find some explanation for these disturbing, lonely moods of inner isolation...

But the answer keeps eluding him for in his selfish, finite mind -- he does not even recognize that he cannot ever find the reason for life's emptiness unless he learn to share the problems and the burdens that surround him everywhere--

But when his eyes are opened and he looks with love at others--he begins to see not STRANGERS but understanding brothers. . .

So open up your hardened hearts and let God enter in- He only wants to help you a NEW LIFE TO BEGIN. . .

And EVERY DAY'S A GOOD DAY to lose yourself in others and ANYTIME A GOOD TIME TO SEE MANKIND AS BROTHERS--

This can only happen when you realize it's true- that EVERYONE NEEDS SOMEONE and that SOMEONE IS YOU!!!!


Within the past month we have had Mike and Debby--Elaine and Dave--Elroy and Chalice and today Henreitta and Wally are coming in. How nice.

People Watching

Today I had a fun day. I was a People Watcher.

It was my day to go to the Wellness Center or anything I wanted to do. I did the tread mill--bicycle machine--stair climbing do-dad--then decided to have a cup of coffee and just watch the people. What a variety!!

All over 55 (must be to get in)--skinny ones--Old as dirt ones-- Fat ones--Extra fat ones--slow ones and ones that didn't stop for anything. Walking as fast as they could with a mile marker in their hand---Actually some even slow running (forwards and backwards ) on the trail, never even looking tired or hot---Really overweight over the hill couples walking with their walkers or oxygen tanks strapped to them---Macho-muscular-healthy guys working out on the weights and muscle building machines---Frail Little ladies in shorts and tight blouses, going as fast as the can on the stair climbing machines---others bent all out of shape and just glad to get the session over with.

Had made previous plans to meet Francis at the Krispy Kreme's about 10-for a doughnut-coffee and talk. She had a Dr.s appointment earlier--I was running a little early--the red light showed they were making hot glazed doughnuts--So I went in, got a free doughnut and cup of coffee and watched the people. It was busy.

Fat mothers with a bunch of kid (mostly overweight) go in, get a free doughnut and leave.---Sharp looking (probable business ladies) picking up bags full of boxed doughnuts and leave with them ,back to the office.---Grandpa's and Grandma's carrying out their drink and coffee they couldn't finish all at one sitting. They took 15 minutes just to leave the store--set everything down-unlock the car-get in and settled before thy could leave (very slowly). I laughed--there goes SJ and LA. ---Grandma's with grand kids, enjoying every minute of it.---A construction worker coming in with his KK cup and leaving with a fresh doughnut and a full cup of coffee.---happy ones--grouchy ones-those in a hurry--those who had all day---stressed ones---irritated ones---but 95% with to much luggage around their waist.

In comes Francis-soooooo--- another free fresh, glazed doughnut and a raspberry Bismark--a cup of coffee and a great talk for about 3/4 of an hour with my good friend. LIFE IS GOOD. PEOPLE ARE INTERESTING.

"Consider the Lilies"

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: They neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" Matt. 6-28.

It happened. All ten of the buds are in bloom. The first pictures shows 7 and today all are open. Isn't it beautiful? Enjoy!

Today I got an e-mail, and it just struck me funny, so want to share it with you folks. Really--it's true. Yesterday in our devotions there was an article on old age also --so am sharing that with you too



It wouldn't be funny if it weren't so true... Julie Andrews turned 69 and to commemorate her 69th birthday on October 1, actress/vocalist Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP .
One of the musical numbers she performed was "My Favourite Things" from the legendary movie "The Sound Of Music."

Here are the actual lyrics she used:

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favourite things.
Cadillac's and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favourite things..
When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.
Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favourite things.
Back pains, confused brains, and no need for sinnin',
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',
And we won't mention our short, shrunken frames,
When we remember our favourite things.
When the joints ache, When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.


"Land of Eternal Spring" devotion of June 10--

J. Robinson McQuilkin, pointed out that
God has a purpose in letting us grow old and weak:

"I think God has planned the strength and beauty of youth to be physical. But the strength and beauty of age is spiritual., We gradually lose the strength and beauty that is temporary so we'll be sure to concentrate on the strength and beauty which is forever. And so we'll be eager to leave the temporary, deteriorating part of us and be truly homesick for our eternal home. If we stayed young and strong and beautiful, we might never want to leave.

When we are young, happily occupied with all our relationships an activities, we may not long for our celestial HOME. But as time passes, we may find ourselves without family and friends, afflicted with dim vision and hearing difficulties, no longer able to relish food, or troubled by sleeplessness or lack of remembrances.

Here's the advice I give myself: Be grateful that, as the apostle Paul wrote "God gives us richly all things to enjoy" in life's summer and autumn. And rejoice too that with the onset of life's winter we can anticipate that we'll soon be living in the land of eternal spring.

The promise of heaven is our eternal hope.

So you folks don't have to worry about us. for the Father waits over the way-To prepare us a dwelling-place there.

activity

These pictures may not mean much to you--but to us they are our day to day activities. We find satisfaction in small things.

If you look hard enough you will see -1004- little airplanes that have dropped from our maple trees and have sprouted in our gutter. We have had a wet spring and I tell you all the--5497 -airplanes have all found a place to grow. The lawn mower does a good job of spoiling there growth..

Three years ago I set out an Easter Lily. Well, it hasn't bloomed since that. Look, it has ten buds on this year. PATIENCE Ladene. I had that once in Bella Vista, and before they bloomed, the deer ate the buds off.

The neighbors cat always uses my flower bed for her bathroom. Well,--I got disgusted with that, so set three mouse traps. Two days in a row they snapped and now the problems over. I should have thought of that long ago.

It's time to bale hay. No one live in the duplex next to us. Kirk Wright, who owns it , lives in West Fork. He used to live here, but he remarried and the single girl who lived in the other unit, got married. It has been standing empty since a year ago Dec. Kirk comes every so often and mows, etc, but hasn't been here since last Sept. While I was in the Hosp. he came and mowed and also did mine. He did that often. Then we had that ice storm-so I dragged all his bigger tree limbs to the road for pick up, but he hasn't been back yet. Well- I won't report him. We are used to seeing hay fields. We grew up with them.

And that's about the news for now. If you want more I will have to make it up.