Mailbox

We've officially put down roots: we have a mailbox in front of our place. We'll see now if the postman notices.

Party time

You know that the Thompsons are famous for their parties at Camp Thompson Ranch, especially with the extended family, Wednesday was Sage's 46th birthday so we put on a wienie roast birthday party with Savannah Thompsons, Wilcoxes, and Hendersons. Hendersons were late and didn't make it until the guests had left and guest of honor Sage missed the party since she was on a movie/dinner date with her husband, but the 15 of us who made it had great food and a great time. We had roasted wieners, shrimp and stuffed mushrooms. Summer discovered a great way to roast marshmallows to perfection for smores 7 at a time. I didn't get a picture of that as it was too dark.

The next day was Thanksgiving with the usual yummy food. The Thompsons and Hendersons started out the feast, with the Wilcoxes joining later for the birthday cake and the 12 pies. Of course, the grandkids zoomed around on the golf cart and played capture the flag, soccer, and other games with the adults. It was an intimate group of 26. Our log cabin passed the party test run with flying colors.

Of course, the grandkids have chores when they come to the ranch. Here they are mowing the grass, the old fashioned way...

and getting ready to check the fence line.

More shelves

We've spent the month converting the dance floor for Chrissy's and Debbie's weddings to shelves. Here are the latest ones in the mud room, the jungle bedroom and the library above the door.

I also finished the last "access to void by owner" for extra storage with the air conditioning ducts hidden away. The grandkids love them for playing hide and seek. We have two more sheets of dance floor that we'll be using when we convert the workshop in our bedroom into a master walk in closet.

Some say that the house has developed its own personality and interacts with people in unexpected ways.

Driver training Thompson style

We start them young teaching them how to drive at Grandma's grandchildren paradise--even throwing in some flight training.

Of course, there is some parental supervision.

Grandpa's famous sauerkraut roast served on homemade Betsies with lots of different breads is always a favorite with the drivers and fans.

Grandma's is still a favorite place for the grandkids to hang out and have a great time bonding with each other. Grandma has lots of pictures of the two days of Thompson and Wilcox fun but still needs to learn how to get the pictures from her phone to the computer so you can see them.

Eating on the Veranda

Now that we have one of the porches cleared off, we've started eating breakfast and lunch on the veranda, Southern plutocrat style, on the patio furniture we inherited from Wendy and Daniel.

Forever Family

On Saturday November 7, Roger Dodger (me) was sealed to his parents Viv and Bob in the Orlando Temple.

The proxies for Bob and Viv were son Rob and wife Caroly.

Here's me Roger Dodger at about the same age as my father Bob in the picture and my son Rob. Can you see any family resemblance?

Visit to Wendy's

Last week we spent at Wendy's in Baton Rouge, first to bless Tessie (I forgot to take my camera so this will have to do):

then to do house repairs so they can sell their house and move to Saudi Arabia for several years. I built a frame around the wall air conditioner, rehung the gate, repaired and painted doors, and painted trim.

The morning we left we surprised Wendy with a "healthy" birthday cake substitute; a farmer's omelette with 32 sausage candles and half a watermelon with 32 real candles to blow out.

We then packed the car with everything they didn't want to sell before going overseas. We'll store the stuff under the stairs.