My older sister’s birthday was this past week. She turned 74. Wow! In the past we always had a birthday celebration for her either at her friend’s home or at my younger sister’s home. This year was very different as my younger sister went out of town leaving on the day of her birthday. So my niece, Lindsay, stepped up to the plate and had Nancy over for supper. I, of course, was called to help, but I had a board meeting for Susan G Komen that began at 5 and normally they last for 2 hours. So, I was off the hook. I was told by my younger sister…. “well, you better at least stop over and bring a present!”

Which is exactly what I did. My meeting adjourned around 7 and I went over to Todd and Lindsay’s where they were already having cake and ice cream. Lindsay had made them lasagna roll ups. (I was supposed to bring the salad). Todd dished me up a small scoop of ice cream and we visited for awhile. Then it was time to open presents. I gave her a little plaque that said: “Sisters are like ice cream.. they fill you up and make you smile!” Very appropriate since Nancy does love ice cream. So, anyway, Happy Birthday, Nancy Reh…

My niece was born in June 1965 the summer before my senior year in high school… I did alot of babysitting for her the first years of her life…. Happy Birthday, Angie!

I have been active with Komen Quad Cities Race for the Cure for 3 years now serving as treasurer for the Quad Cities Affiliate. This year our tag line for the Race held yesterday, June 11, 2011, was “Whose life are your running for”. We had a pink wall built and runners and friends signed the wall. It was very unique and our participants seemed to love it. It was very cool….

Early on Packet Pickup Day 2011

Runners and Walkers signing the wall...

Father and Son signing the wall...

Lots of signatures later in the day....

Great niece, Mia Duncan, reached a milestone this past weekend — she started her school career by attending her first day of kindergarten. Reports from the proud parents are that she loved it and couldn’t wait to go back for her second day!

Mia is all decked out in her pretty little schooltime dress.

Even her ribbon let everyone know it was schooltime...

Proud parents, Curt and Chrissy, with Mia at first day of school!

My good friend, Melissa, has had a rough couple of years — she has had 4 brain surgeries, radiation and chemo therapy to fight a rare brain tumor. Her prognosis is wonderful and her last two trips to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester brought super good news.

This past weekend she participated in the Rock Island County Relay for Life. She and a group of her friends decided to put together some baskets for the silent auction. Several of us donated baskets for her to use — she put together “themed” baskets. One was a baby basket, one was “date night”, one was “live, laugh and love”, one was a “survivor” basket, one was after the book and movie ‘twilight, one was “i hope you dance” and one was a “cubs” basket.

She and her cousin met at my sister’s home to put the baskets together..

Relay for Life Baskets

I made the basket that she used for the “cubs” stuff and it deserves to be displayed on its own, don’t you think?

Chicago Cubs Basket

The night begins with all the surviors taking a lap around the track — after that lap all the supporters start walking. Each team must have one person on the track at all times.

Survivor's Lap

Luminaries are made to honor those who have lost their lives to cancer…

All the money that is raised goes to the American Cancer Society…

We had our first sweet corn of the season tonight for supper. While I was taking the husks off and cleaning the silk from the ears, my mind wandered back to my childhood. Sometimes we would get in the car and go with Dad to get the corn from a local farmer and sometimes Dad would get it and bring it home and then all six kids would sit outside and clean the ears. I remember that my older brothers would tease me about finding worms in the ears. Mom would be in the kitchen getting the boiling water ready.

Most of the time the meal would only consist of corn on the cob — a big treat for us. Sometimes mom would cut up fresh tomatoes and have cold meat sandwiches, but I mostly remember the corn.

Jay didn’t go to a local farm to get the corn but he did stop at a local farmer who was selling it from his pickup in Sam’s parking lot! So tonight we had corn on the cob and I sliced up some fresh tomatoes! We also had some leftover pork roast.. but mostly we had corn! It was delicious… and the childhood memories that ensued brought a smile to my face.

My brother, Steve, will turn 70 in August. Doesn’t seem possible — lucky for me he is my oldest brother and I am at the other end of the 60′s decade. My nieces planned a surprise birthday party for him and pulled it off. My niece Angie and her family from Louisville, KY were in Roseburg, OR for the festivities. Even got there 2 days early and refrained from visiting their parents so the surprise would be complete. Wish we could have been there… Jennifer posted lots of pictures on Facebook for us all to see… She let me have a couple and I may grab more later. I especially love the look on Steve’s face when he got to the party.

I think he was surprised...

Steve dances with daugher Jennifer...

These pictures were take by Amy Holst.. You can view her website and see more of her work on her blog.

Our good friend Dennis Loomis passed away last month after a long battle with cancer. He and his wife, Carol moved to Florida several years ago. Carol came to Davenport last week and had a Celebration of Life get-together yesterday with family and friends. This prompted me to look at the pictures that I have taken on the many vacations that we took with them. The first was their wedding in 2002 – sailed out of Miami on the Imagination.

Carol and Dennis get married on Imagination

They won a chance to play on the Newly Wed game on the cruise. It was hilarious… we laughed and laughed…

Carol and Dennis play newly wed game.

Carol and Dennis

One year later a lot of us who went on their wedding cruise joined forces and sailed with them on the Conquest out of New Orleans for a one year anniversary cruise.

Anniversary Cruise - one year later

Time out for a kiss....

Celebrating at the Captain's cocktail party

Carol and Dennis with Carol's daugher Casey

Just 3 months later in December, we sailed out of Miami on the Imagination again — this time there was only 8 of us and we were celebrating Carol’s son Chad’s 21st birthday.

Carol and Dennis

Dennis acting goofy at Hogsbreath Saloon in Key West

There were many more trips and even more memories. Rest in peace, my friend…. we love you and miss you….

We went to the John Deere Classic Saturday and Sunday, July 10 and 11 with our friends, Dave and Deb. It was very nice both days… although storms were imminent on Sunday so the golfers had to tee off on both the front and back and had threesomes instead of twosomes. Steve Stricker held off Paul Goydos with a score of 26 under par!

If you’ve ever been to a golf tournament, the rules are “no cell phones” and “no cameras” are allowed. I can’t begin to tell you how many cell phones and cameras that we saw at the tournament. One person in front of us wasn’t even try to hide his camera. It amazes me that they can get away with it. One person was blatantly taking pictures right in front of one of the course marshalls.

We saw some great golf, though, and I wish I could have had a camera with me… :>)

This morning on my way to work I was stopped by a red-light (I hate when that happens!)… Anyway, I am in the front row position in one of the five lanes at a busy intersection facing North on a one way street. Since it was a one way going north there was no traffic coming South. I looked to the West and again to the East just watching traffic, waiting for the light to change. Then, I looked back North and all of a sudden, there was a car coming South — I didn’t see where it came from — luckily, it came to a stop at the intersection! The car and driver sat there for a few minutes — I can only imagine what he thought as he looked South to see 5 lanes a traffic ready to come towards him. Finally, he realized the predicament he was in, decided to turn right and went merrily on his way. He was lucky that no one was turning North from those who had green lights…

This incident reminded me of the days when I worked in downtown Davenport at a bank that was located on the corner of two one way streets – one going north and the other going east. Periodically, we would hear car horns bellowing and knew in an instant that someone had turned on one of the one ways going the wrong way. It happens more than we would want it to and some of the time it is harmless as it was this morning. We also hear about other incidents where lives were lost during head on collisions.

A friend of ours in St Louis was recently in an accident where someone was going the wrong way and they did hit head on — he has a few minor bruises and some cracked ribs and hurt his ankle, but is doing fine and hopes to be golfing this summer. He was very lucky indeed. So be careful out there people!