EVENINGS OUT

Thursday night we went back to the Clipper Stadium for a program sponsored by the Central Baptist association.

Don Piper , the author of 90 Minutes in Heaven and Heaven is Real was the speaker. I had down loaded his book on my Nook in January and really found his story amazing. In 2004 he was killed by a truck running over his car. His left arm was in the back seat of the car, his legs were crushed with 4 inches of his femur never to be found. Prayers were answered and he came back to life and his body is whole today (after 13 months in a hospital, 34 surgeries, and much pain). If you haven't read his book I would recommend it.

He is a very good speaker but what was unusual was he would say about 8 words and then the pastor on the right repeated it in Spanish. It took a minute to get use to, but he was so interesting it soon didn't bother you. I'm sure it would be hard as a speaker to keep your thoughts flowing. His message is that prayers are answered, that heaven is an actually place and Jesus is the way.

Friday night we went to Parkesburg, PA to the Twin Brook Winery for a concert. A good thunder storm came up right before the concert, so it was moved into their greenhouse. We were there with our friends Helen and Tom and some friends of theirs.

Helen and I enjoying some wine. We all brought food to share and then we all bought a bottle of wine. We had Blossom Blush, it was very good.
Helen has been working at the winery, for it is very close to where they live. She is really enjoying the job, socializing with people and helping with the wine tasting. ( only place you can drink on the job!)

It was a blues band and suppose to be very good, but it was way too loud in the greenhouse and you couldn't understand a word she sang. It would have been fun on the lawn outside, but you have to go with what the weather brings. We stayed for a couple of hours and then went to Helen and Tom's where we could talk and socialize a little better, our main reason for going.

OUT TO THE BALL GAME

Tuesday evening was the perfect night to go to a ball game.

Lancaster Barnstormers were playing the York Revolution at Clipper Stadium in Lancaster.

We called Lynn and Jim Mann to go with us and they were able to get us all free tickets for the meal at the Hess Picnic Pavilion before the game and our seats for the game. Their grand daughter is engaged to John Warnick who is the event sales consultant for the Barnstormers. What a nice treat, we really appreciated his kindness.

We had great seats right by third base.

The Barnstormers had a great game scoring 9 runs. The final score was 9 to 4.

The sky grew dark about the 6th inning. The rain caused us to flee for cover, but they kept on playing and the rain only lasted an inning.

Cylo the Barnstormer's mascot entertained us.
It was a fun evening and glad we went.

A HELPING HAND

On Saturday, Aug 6, Larry and I went to my sister's home and helped her get ready to have her whole house re carpeted. We moved all the knickknacks, Cd's, china, cut glass to the cellar or garage. Larry went back to Circle M and I stayed at my sister's until Wednesday.
We were expecting the carpet men to come about 9 but at 7:45 they were knocking at the door. Lynda caught her cats (she has three) put them in the cellar and we sat outside.

There were two men. One worked upstairs and the other man worked downstairs. First they moved all the furniture to one side of the room. Then they had to cut up the old carpet and mat, roll it up and take it out.

The new carpet being put down in the living room.

All the furniture has to be moved from this side of the room, old carpet taken out and finish installing the new.

The living room is done, now the dining room.

Yes, even the stairs were getting carpeted.

Lynda's bedroom furniture all pushed together. She had removed the carpet from her bedroom when she got her new bedroom suite.

The new carpeting in her bedroom, now it just needed the furniture put back in place.

Bob's bedroom never had carpeting, now it does.

Her computer room is now also carpeted. The computer chair sure doesn't roll on it, so she has to get a mat.

All the carpeting laid, and furniture back where it belonged in only 6 very hot hours! We thought it may take them two days.

We spent the next day washing all the china and cut glass and trying to put it back in the cabinets. Getting all her knickknacks put out, things returned to their proper room and rearranging her living room. Her house is looking real nice.

Lynda , Bob and I used our time outside to go though old family pictures. Many of our great grandparents and great great grandparents but unfortunately many didn't have the date or name on them. But using the family Bibles and a few pictures that do have names I have started work on my geneolgy.

We were also lucky that the rain held off until evening when all outside work was done. The rainbow made a perfect ending to this project.

Saturday we went to Larry's sister's home in Lebanon and had a picnic with her husband Tom (not in this picture) and his brother Trey and his wife Loretta. Trey has been very ill for the past two years and is waiting for a liver transplant. We treasure the time we all get to spend together.

THE JERSEY SHORE

We came to Sea Pines on July 20th. There are a lots of trees at this campground and it is hard to get our rig into many of the sites. The last time we were here we took off the awning above the back window when we were leaving. We tried to get into a couple of site, but we couldn't make the swing and not hit a tree. After an hour of looking around we found this great site, 50 amp, water and sewer and lots of space.

Sea Pines is near Sea Isle City. My friend Helen owns a home in Sea Isle City. We worked together during the summer at a variety store in Wildwood Crest over 40 years ago. When our children were young we kept in touch, but it has been at least 15 years since we have seen each other. We enjoyed a day catching up.

Helen's home. she has the first floor.

Mrs McCuen, Helen's mom is 91 doing well and looks great.

Chuck, Helen's son, and Tricia(Helen's youngest daughter) holding Chuck's month old son. Beth and Mary Ellen were also there but I forgot to get their pictures before they left for the beach. (along with three other grandchildren.)

Larry went back to PA on Monday and picked up our grandchildren, Chase and Brady. They stayed with us until Saturday.

Their mom and dad came down on Thursday and stayed at a bed and breakfast in Cape May.
We had promised the boys a Chinese meal so we all met at Cheng's in Rio Grande for lunch.

There is a small lake at Sea Pines. We had a two person inflatable boat that the boys had a lot of fun playing with at the lake. They were doing Navy Seal training.

More time was spent in the water then in the boat.

A few miles up the road is another Outdoor Park, Lake and Shore. Their pool is much larger and there is a water park, so we spent one afternoon swimming over there.

Chase had just come down the tube slide.

One evening my son, Bob came down and we all went to Wildwood to the boardwalk.

Brady threw the baseball 47 mph.

Rides were a little expensive so they decided to skip the rides and play some games.

Bob, Brady and Chase had a race with this water target game. Bob won and got Sponge Bob for Chase.(#23)

The boys wanted to play a game of golf (not minature) so we found Cape May par 3 golf course. The only problem was it was 18 holes, hot and none of us were very good except for Larry.
Three hours later we wondered off the course.

We went to the Naval Air Station Wildwood (NAS) Aviation Museum. I had been to the airport many times during my days in Wildwood but never knew the site served as an active dive-bomber squadron training facility from 1943 to 1945, In those 36 months 38 pilots died learning to fly.

It is a very interesting museum with 19 aircrafts and many interactive exhibits provided by the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. I could have spent much more time there, but it was past lunchtime and we were hungry.

Of course the beach is the main reason to come to the shore. We went to Sea Isle on Wednesday , because you don't need beach tags that day. Brady and Chase had gotten a skimmer, but it was pretty hard to do.

Building a castle at Sea Isle's beach.

Wildwood Crest is my favorite beach in the world, and no beach tags are needed.

The shutter didn't open on my camera, but made a neat picture of the boys riding the waves.

Burying Chase in the sand.

Anyone seen Chase?

He was up to his neck in sand.

Grandpa, Brady and Chase.

Chase playing in the sand.

On Saturday a couple we met at the campground lent us there beach tags to go into Avalon's beach which is only 10 minutes away. It had a nice big free parking lot and a band was playing music right at the end of the street.

Sunday we drove to Atlantic City, about 20 miles north.

We ate at the buffet at Caesar's (they had a big food and wine event, but all the shows were sold out)

We played the slots at Tropicana, losing $20. We found no free play or food. We walked the boardwalk and then walked back along the beach.

We have had great weather -hot and sunny. The water has been warm and clean. It has been all the shore should be and I'm glad I had a couple weeks at the Jersey shore!