Day 84

The place was a bee hive of activity prepping the July Kids packets for TimberCreek Church. Most everyone got in on the action. Fina whipped up a great cajun shrimp pasta dish for dinner. The 1-Acts judges from First Company met tonight (online) with the scoring in hand. And Jamie got most of his final instructions for video-ing his part in Voices Beyond the Veil (see the Theatrics page).

Fina's Cajun Shrimp Pasta.

Even Lexi got in on it.

The handles were a bit too long.

Day 83

While Matt worked and the rest of the family hit the pool, Jamie got some consulting stuff done and then headed to Flying Horse Ranch for his first volunteer session with an actual kid group. The "Wednesday at 1" group started today. "The Flying Horse Foundation is a private, charitable foundation whose mission is to advance the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of at-risk youth, families and seniors in our community" (watch the video). And they do it primarily with horses, which Jamie is having to learn how to handle. A new hiking backpack. Stuff is arriving for TimberCreek Kids June packets. Dinner "out" at the Club (loved their Jerked Chicken, brought back memories). And a few more pics below.

That's Flying Horse Ranch. Well, at least some of the 1400 acres or so.

New hiking backpack.

Stuff is arriving for the TimberCreek Kids June delivery

For some reason there's still laundry to do. All the time!

Dinner at the Club out on their patio. Even in the rain (just sprinkles).

Day 82-zday

Pool time was in the evening today, 5-8pm. We got a hint that the pool would be more back to normal next week! Is it just me, or is the double cheeseburger at the limited outside grill the bomb. Obviously, dinner was at the pool. Even though we were there but three hours, the day was all about the pool. And laundry. Oh, and it looks like we might get some visitors from California in August and for Labor Day. We're already booked for the pool at 9am tomorrow morning...

We had this section of the pool to ourselves.

And that's not all of them.

Day 81

I'm beginning to wonder when the day will come that a post here doesn't start with the word "Day" and end with a number... But I digress from the big news of the day. The pool opened! And we went! Our reservation for our share of the 30%-capacity was from 9am-noon. And we managed to squeeze some lunch into that time as well. A big quilting project is done. Fina does some filming. And Matt and Jamie wrap up scoring 1-Acts for First Company. Dinner was Dominoe's and leftover birthday cake! Lynn and Jamie watched The Gift.

Done!

Remember Monaco...

Fina was filming something...

Matt and Jamie wrapped up the 1-Acts scoring on the deck.

Day 80

We were in two groups today. Matt, Jamie, Matteo and AJ met up with Sam, Fina, and Hailey in Manhattan, Kansas. We were picking up Fina, bringing stuff to Sam and wishing him well on deployment, and bringing Fina back from her few days with the Jacobsons and visiting K-State University. Everyone else was back home. The K-State tour photos are here. Hailey gave us quite a tour, including Aggieville. Lynn graduated from K-State (a few years ago). She attended 7 schools to get her degree - that's perseverance! This is Fina's current choice of schools (could change tomorrow...). The travelers got home about 7:30pm. The adults listened to about 15 hours of a book about the Medicis while in the car, and we still have 4 hours to go.

K-State University. Beautiful blend of old and new.
All with local Flint Hills rock.

AJ found a friend, of course.

Lynn said it was a three dog night.

Day 79

We celebrated Lexi's birthday today! Birthdays always start out with a made-for-kids breakfast. Following the festivities and Jamie's Parlor Car Chat, the boys left for Manhattan, Kansas on a mission to play as many video games as possible, take stuff to Sam and wish him well on deployment, and pick up Fina. Hailey gave is a little tour of K-State, too (see Day 80).

We did take-in dinner from So Long Saloon at the hotel in Manhattan, Kansas.

A little stroll around the hotel before bed. This looks like fun - next time.

Jamie did one of his Parlor Car Chats (online) before heading to KS.