FRIDAY NIGHT WAS THE ANNUAL CFS.FUND RAISING DINNER!!!!!!!!!!!
This year featured an excellent speech by Don McLaughtin from Atlanta Ga.
A special award honoring Deidre Pujols the wife of Albert Pujols.
The dinner started at 7:00 PM.and Nancy noticed that Deidre was busy texting and when she returned from the buffet table she was carrying two plates of food. Nancy whispered to me that Albert was coming.I responded no way because the team was in Chicago IL. and won that afternoon and was playing again Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM. Suddenly at about 7:15 PM through the door came Albert joining his wife's table. Nancy and I found our selves sitting quite by accident about ten feet from Albert and Deidre.

In the first photo is Deidre Pujols giving her acceptance speech by telling her story of her Christian walk especially in making decisions during times of choices in panic mode. She held the audience spelled bound by her journey of faith.


Another photo of Deidre giving her speech.

Albert and Deidre enjoying the program

Albert leaving and proudly carrying Deidre's flowers.

It truly was a great evening as the most important part was God blessing CFS with financial gifts totaling more than $76,000 and exceeding their goal. In addition to the giving I was impressed with the four hundred people in attendance who did not approach Albert for autographs are photos. For little old me I was blown away by Albert traveling to our dinner from Chicago IL. to support his wife.

A spectacular evening was enjoyed by all in attendance.

Thanks to our friend Andrea for lending me some of her photos.

MORE BRANSON FUN!!!!!!
A first for Shawn and I as we begin our Sedge way ride through Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.
Our first lesson was no pedals are handle bar grips for power and stopping.All controls are handled by the Sedge way according to the lean of your body. You lean forward you go faster. You lean back you go in reverse and if you want to stop you stand straight up.If you want to turn you slightly turn the handle in the direction you want to go very carefully.After maybe ten minutes of training Shawn and I spent the next ninety plus minutes traveling through Dogwood Canyon with NO mishaps.!!!!!


First photo is in front of Hope Wilderness Chapel."A replica of churches built in 1800's"


Shawn and I in front of Thunder Falls.




Great Spirit Rock Shelter underneath a water fall.

Distanced water fall

Seven Pools "I wish you could see the Trout in the water."



Another water fall

Turn around point and our return to the start was in excess of ten miles per. hour as our trainer released the speed governor.

Simply stated it was a great experience and I would certainly do it again.

MORE BRANSON FUN!!!!!!!!!!

On our recent trip to Branson we had an opportunity to visit with friends that we met in the Indpendence Mo. era of our life from 1966 through 1969 and we have managed to stay in touch.





Pictured in front of their Table Rock Lake home is our friends Clark and Paula.








Then of course we all had to pose

Clark and Paula took the gang for a great boat ride on Table Rock lake.Believe it or not that is James driving the boat.

No introduction needed

James even went tubing!!!!!!


Paul really got into the Tubing.

Yes Paul also showed off his boat driving skills.

Thanks Clark and Paula for being our friends, gracious hosts to our gang of six and for giving Paul and James great thrills and wonderful memories.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSEY!!!!!!!!

Wow how the time flies but unbelievably I can still remember nineteen years ago today.

Grandma and I hope you have had a great B-Day and we pray you will have many more.

I know you are a college freshman but you are still my senior princess.!!!!!!!!!

LOVE YOU

Grandpa and Grandma

A WONDERFUL TRIP TO BRANSON MO.
WE STAYED AT THE CLIFFS @ LONG CR.


The view of Table Rock Lake from our deck

Our Villa was larger than the Stone house as Nancy and I stayed upstairs and Sherri, Shawn and the boys stayed in the lower level.On our level was two bedrooms, dining room, kitchen,two baths,family room,deck,and was topped off by an office with a bed for one.
On Sherri's level was two bedrooms,two baths, kitchen,eating area,screened deck,family room, a regulation pool table, and the area was topped off with a media room that sat fifteen with a 96"inch screen.

The view of Table Rock Lake as I had my morning coffee


James and Paul with the grandparents

I surprised myself with some of the shots I actually made.

The boys enjoyed their twin beds




The comfort of the media room

A glimpse of the media room with the unbelievable 96" inch screen.





Yes I forgot to mention the fire place

Who knows it might be part of our 2010 Christmas card.

We had a really great trip and i will be sharing more photos and activities of our trip.

#SIX ON MY QUEST TO ONE HUNDRED BY 4-7-2013!!!!!
Saturday night 8/28/2010 we saw our first ever "Theatre of the Mind" the play" An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde."
What is "Theatre of the Mind"? Theatre of the Mind emphasizes the actor as Story Teller and the actor's voice as the First Instrument.
There where ten characters and they would enter and leave the stage like in any other play. However when they spoke they were reading from the script not acting. They were dressed in business casual style but they showed slides of how the scene would look in a regular play. There was about eight microphones set up in various parts of the stage and they would move from microphone to microphone dictated by who was speaking.
It is hard to describe but over all both of us thought this was really a good unique stage presentation.
Adding to the uniqueness of this experience was the play was performed at the former "Crestwood Mall" now converted into a Center for the Arts.

Mind's EYE RADIO PROGRAM
Every Friday since March of 1998 I have done a one hour sports show on the radio for the blind.The radio station brings print to the sight challenged and nursing homes. Beginning in September 2009 I added a "Talk Back" show from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM where I interview guest on the third Friday of each month.
Today I had my friend Kathryn as my guest as she recently retired from a local TV station after working thirty years in the television news field.
Kathryn getting ready for our interview.

She answered questions and we discussed the following.
*** The differences in TV news from 1980 through today?
***How did she get started in the news business?
*** Some of the biggest events she worked?
*** People of integrity that she has met and worked with?
*** How do national personalities like Katie,Ann,Lester, and Brian get their jobs?
The hour flew by and Kathryn thanks again for being a friend and especially for sharing an hour of your life with my listeners.


Ed about one minute before show time.!!!



We work from two different rooms but we can see each other.

We can only hear each other through the ear phones.

Some of my previous guests have been

*** Eric, talking about his climb to the summit of Mount McKinley.

*** Steve, in December sharing how he wrote "Where is the line to see Jesus"

***Mike, talking about the value of "Hospice care"

*** Fred, a high school baseball coach who achieved 500 victories.

*** John, an author that wrote two books on the St Louis Hawks.

*** Brian,discussing the history and traditions of the St Louis Cardinals.

*** My grandson Todd, as he had finished his spring semester on the Florence Italy campus.

Thanks to all who have appeared on my show.

KAYLEIGH and DONOVAN
The first two pictures are of Kayleigh at City park in the heart of downtown St Louis. She requested the two pictures be sent to grandpa as the Flamingo has always been grandpa's favorite bird.
Thanks Kayleigh

































First day of school photos taken as they headed for school on Wednesday.

A NIGHT IN VICKSBURG MISSISSIPPI
The road to New Orleans took us through Vicksburg and we spent the night at the Cedar Grove Inn before traveling to the Nottoway plantation.
Cedar Grove Inn
*** Built in 1840 for General Sherman's cousin
*** Built by John Alexander Klein
*** Notables who have spent the night at Cedar Grove Jefferson Davis, President Grant, Ed and Nancy.Only kidding
Top photo is front view

This is the rear view of the Inn

Our bedroom

Our stay included a wonderful dinner and breakfast at Andre's and an evening ghost tour and a house tour the next morning. We would highly recommend Cedar Grove and Nottoway to anyone heading south.

A MOST INTERESTING NIGHT'S STAY

In the fall of 2004 (before our blog) Nancy and I revisited New Orleans LA. On the way we stayed a night at the Nottoway Plantation. It was a fascinating evening.

We checked in about 3:00 PM and spent the rest of sunlight touring the grounds and riverfront as the plantation is located less than 1/4 mile from the banks of the Mississippi. We then had a great dinner in their dining room in a converted barn. After dinner we had the house to ourselves until 10:00 PM and we utilized that by spending time in the study, library, ballroom and the master bedroom. Our bedroom was in the children's wing of the home.

The next morning we had our breakfast on a veranda located right outside our door.

It was one of the most memorable places for a night's stay.