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New Windows

An Extreme Makeover For Our House

Daryl Bollinger’s three sons arrived about 10:00 yesterday morning, and by 4:00 p.m. all but the window at our kitchen sink was installed.

It was time to remove our forty-two-year-old windows. 

The two large windows in front of the house have been “foggy” between the panes for many years, which means I kept them covered with mini-blinds.

The guys started by distributing windows to the correct room, then removing old ones and installing new ones.

The “grandkid’s room”

Our bedroom

The garage

Daryl (the dad, standing next to Cerwin) stopped in to check on the job just in time for coffee yesterday.  I enjoyed watching and hearing these brothers working together. 

Removing our large living room window.

Putting the new one in place.

I love standing here and looking out the window.  I think I don’t want to put the mini-blinds up again.

The bow window in the kitchen was next.

This was the end of their day on Wednesday.

They were back again this morning at 7:30 to install the window at our kitchen sink.

They spent the rest of the day putting the finishing touches to the exterior of each window.  I’m sure there is a correct term for “wrapping them with aluminum.”

Thanks to pianowithjen for giving me the right word.  It’s called “capping.”

If you ever need new windows, I highly recommend the Bollingers.

My favorite windows are in the kitchen.

It feels like our house had an “extreme makeover.”

We are leaving for Pembroke, New York, for a ministry-related trip on Friday morning, but I just want to stand here and look at (and out of) our windows.

Trust steadily in God. 

1 Corinthians 13:13 (The Message)

The Old Gang

Last night we had supper at a local restaurant with friends from our teenage days – we call ourselves “The Old Gang”.

When our children were young we had a picnic once a year, then after they were grown, we began going on day trips – one of our guys drives motorcoach.  Now that most of us are retired (or partially so) we began getting together for breakfast or supper in between the yearly day-trip.

Last night the couples in charge of this get-together decided that it would be fun to have the guys at one table and the ladies at the other.

It was fun to visit with the ladies. 

We had a delicious meal…

…served by Wendy, a great waitress.

Bob had us laughing as he imagined what each of us might be doing about twenty years from now – some with a touch of dementia. 

I was walking the hallway of a nursing home with Cerwin, who was in a wheel chair thinking he was pulling a load of propane. 

These three were sitting somewhere in a nursing home talking about the good old days.  Abe (right) was looking for his blue Pontiac, Larry told him to keep quiet, and Homer (left) interrupted Larry by acting like he was driving truck and blowing his air horn.  (Cerwin was the sound of the air horn.)

~~~

What a fun evening.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.

Matthew 6:34 (The Message)

Memorial Day Painting & Cleanup At Our House

There are not enough words of thanks that we can say to our Pennsylvania children and grandchildren for their help at the house yesterday.

Jesus answered, “If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water.”

John 4:10 (The Message)

A Fabulous Memorial Day

It was an incredibly busy day.  Our Pennsylvania children and grandchildren came back to finish the painting project – and a few other things that needed attention.

I sat down about half an hour ago – after cleaning up the kitchen and garage, and am happily weary. 

I looked through the pictures and decided to post only one tonight.  I need more time to sort through them and choose the best.

After all the work was finished.

I was getting supper together when I looked out the kitchen window and saw our children “hanging out” together.   I loved it!

Roy, Jeff, Chris, Kristen (Jenna and Jesse are behind Chris), Jere, and Deb.

~~~

More about the day tomorrow night.

Let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. 

James 1:21 (The Message)

Join Me On Our Patio

I have a good stand of mint tea, and thought if I brewed several gallon I could convince many of you to come and sit a spell. 

(This invitation is especially for my brother in Italy.)

 The tea has been washed.

 I’ll let it brew for about ten minutes.

Okay, I’m ready for you.

 This is the first cup of six gallon that is cooling in our refrigerator – waiting for you to join me to experience some of the things I’ve seen in the past few days.

 Our son Jere is spraying our yard for weeds.  Maybe we should stay inside until he is finished.

 Oh, no.  I didn’t expect this today.  I think we should stay inside a bit longer – until Eli is finished hauling manure.

 Okay, now we can relax on the patio.

 Cutting alfalfa puts a beautiful aroma in the air.

 The farmers are busy.

 It really is peaceful to sit here.

 I knew you would enjoy the view from our patio.

Don’t let anyone divert you from the truth.

1 John 3:7 (The Message)