HAPPY 90TH

 M. Bittle started teaching at Octorara the year I was born. When I started my teaching career he was the  supervisor of the elementary buildings, there were five at the time. He had a part in hiring me to be the elementary special ed teacher. He has been retired 23 years now. A group of us get together at least once a year and he comes to the retired teacher luncheons they have every other month, so I have become friends with him more since retirement.

The family had a nice 90th birthday party for him on Sunday. I am glad we went, even if it was a little drive from Gettysburg to Christiana.

 Roberta and Bill looking good. His hat said it took him 90 years to look this good.

He is an award winning photographer and it was nice looking at 90 of his favorite pictures. Lots of memories. Even though my pictures don't show it there were a lot of people who came to wish him a happy birthday, for he has touched many lives in his 90 years.

SHOW TIME

 It has been a while since we have seen any of the entertainment they have at the campgrounds. We went to the Don and Roxy show they had here on Saturday night. We weren't sure what to expect. They played all types of  music from the 40's to today. There was dancing. They threw candy out to the kids and everyone had a good time.

After a break they put on the second part of the show which was much more of a show with a lot of audience participation. Here three guys were his puppets and when he touched them with the rubber bat on the head they had to open their mouth. It went to the music and was really funny,

 The kids also got to be part of the entertainment. Here they were given cookies to put on the top of their forehead with their head tipped back and work the cookie  to their mouth wiggling their face..

One girl was able to do get five cookies in her mouth before the music stopped.
 It was nice being around all the children, music and laughter.

PUZZLE TROUBLE

I worked on this puzzle for two days, before giving up. It was 1000 pieces, which is bigger then I like to do by myself,  I thought I could do it as two 500 piece puzzles, since the top was green and the snowman and the bottom was blue and houses. First the pieces were very tiny and they were mostly all the same shape. They did not lock together, so you could not move it around easily, and of course the edge was the shape of the puzzle. I did my usual puzzle putting together and found the snowman's face, hat,  birds and  hearts and even the houses in the bottom. but the rest of the pieces were all  red, blue and green Too frustrating, so I said this puzzle is not for me. I quit.

GETTING CLOSER

 We arrived at Gettysburg Farm campground just in time to hook up before the rain started on Sunday. A puzzle is always a good thing to do on a rainy day. Larry worked on the edges while I put the rest together. He did the hardest part of the puzzle, He will become a puzzle lover yet.

 I have worked on knitting this baby blanket since  March. At least I finished it before the baby comes.

 Yarn left over so I made booties and hats. Some big, some small, I am afraid none just right.

 Mystique, Eric and Ashtyn came over for a visit on Tuesday. Larry and Ashtyn had a nice conversation. She did all the talking, Larry wasn't sure what she was telling him.

 We gave them a new car seat. This one  grows with the child, so Ashtyn can use it now and the baby can use the other one.

Unfortunately Mystique was in an accident last week and totaled her car, luckily she and the baby- to- be were not hurt.. They wanted a bigger family car so with trading in Eric's car and the replacement of hers  they were able to purchase this 2016 Durango.

SUMMER BLESSINGS

 Lynda, Kathy, Lynn and I had a beautiful sunny week at Wildwood Crest,NJ. The wind was a little strong a few days, which made the water a little rough. The water was warm and Kathy and I were in almost everyday. Lynda even went in once this year.

 We were amazed at how high the tide came in each day.

 We had to move  back a few times.

 Larry came to Lynda's on Saturday to pick me up. Lynda wanted a new chandelier, so Larry put it up for her. She gave him a helping hand.

 Lynda has an eggplant and one grape tomato plant by the side of her house.  She has gotten a lot of eggplants and a lot more are on the bush. Anyone have any good eggplant recipes?

She picked these containers full of  tomatoes when we came home and we had taken that many the week before when we went to the shore. The best things of summer - a week at the beach and lots of fresh vegetables.