End of Summer and a Goal Report

Summer ended this week for us in Mundelein.  School started for the middle school and high school on last Wednesday.

Last Friday, Saturday and Sunday we got new siding all around our house.  The new siding is vinyl and insulated.  Let's hope it helps with those bills.

I spent the day at my in-laws while they got new gutters installed.  It was nice.  I got fed pretty well.  I asked my mother-in-law to call me every day and talk Greek to me.  I don't know, but I think it might help.

My goal report is thus:

1. Learn Greek - as I said, I spent the day with my in-laws and asked for daily calls.  I still need to work harder on it though.
2. Gold JtE - we had our first Commissioner meeting on Tuesday.  We are closer than we were last year at this time.  It is still looking good.
3. New Job - no change and NSTR (nothing significant to report)
4. Quarterly Dates - we're making plans to take Teeny back to Boston and we are going to drive back alone, with a hotel stop in the middle.

I have no "official" writing goals this year, but what writing I'm working on and what I've done will be reported on Illini6.

Congrats Brother Rose!

Yesterday the whole garden went to see my brother Rose get promoted to CW2. This is pretty big because now they commission warrant officers of CW2 and above. As a WO1 he only had a warrant (hence the Warrant Officer), but as a Chief Warrant Officer he now has a commission as an officer and may "command" troops.

Papa Pansy actually swore him in, in front of his unit. It was pretty cool. It's especially cool when your Dad is a retired BG (Brigadier General) and the highest ranking person in the building.

We all went to lunch afterwards and then the Ginger and Holly family all came to Mundelein to see the progress on the house and for Holly to take Gardenia out shopping.

BTW, Papa Pansy has started his new chemo regimen. It seems to be hitting him pretty hard. He is very tired and very sensitive to cold. Ginger brought a wheelchair and we wheeled him into and out of both the military building and the restaurant.

Saturday afternoon (I'm going backwards chronologically) we finished the first floor enough to bring up the Christmas tree and start decorating. We had to replace about 1,100 lights (about half) which, as you can imagine is quite the chore.

I spent Saturday the morning helping out the Boy Scouts. I'm a Unit Commissioner, and as part of the Commissioner staff we help with rechartering. All the rechartering is done at one time now so we had two big sites to handle that. I think I am getting back into the swing of things. I really want to be involved in Scouts and with my older two not interested, I think this is a good way.

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

Almost all the flowers got together on the actual Turkey Day to celebrate Thanksgiving and for Petunia's Christening.

Gardenia and I went shopping Friday. Then all the Mundelein Flowers went to Uncle Sweet Pea's annual After Thanksgiving Pancake Breakfast.

Sunday and today we are putting up Christmas decorations. Everything is going according to plan except it started snowing yesterday and it's still snowing. I can't put up the outside decorations. Curses!

This is the place you can comment on my poll. What is your favorite Christmas Movie. Mine's It's a Wonderful Life.

Happy Birthday Casa de Los Flores

Casa de Los Flores, otherwise known as Marbil Estates is sweet sixteen today!

On Friday, March 13, 1992 Gardenia and I closed on our house in Mundelein. We were the very first owners. That weekend we moved in.

Some of you may recall the incident with the gas / desiel in the moving van or maybe you have fond memories of bellyflopping on the slippery new kitchen floor only to leave a big gouge with your belt buckle.

Anyway we have had some good times and bad times, but it looks like we are going to have a lot more time in the old house. Here is a photo of the old gal getting a new roof this last October.

Happy Birthday!