A Wonderful Sunday

It was a wonderful Sunday. One of those days that is simply great from morning to night. We had a wonderful Church service with a really nice message and a lunch following with Communion at the end. Got to spend some nice visiting time with Sarah and the Clarks. Came home around 1:00pm and Mom and Sarah worked on genealogy while Dad and I went upstairs.

Dad set his ironing board up in the back room and ironed all his work clothes for this week while we watched a WWII film. The Heroes of Telemark, about the commando raid on the Norsk Hydro heavy water plant in Rjukan, Norway. It was filmed on location, so being able to actually see the actual places is thrilling. The real story is truly amazing and so interesting to read about. The movie did combine characters and change some parts, however, it is close enough that (if you know the story) it doesn't spoil it too much. The finale which shows the sinking of the Norsk Hydro ferry is so great. Very realistic. Dad and I had a great time watching it and discussing different aspects of the story and the war. We were having so much fun that we followed it with part of Is Paris Burning?, which is one of the all-star epic WWII films of the 1960s. Also, a very well-done film (closer to actual history than the Telemark film) and features tons of real film footage from the real insurrection of Paris. We'll have to finish this film next weekend. It was just a really fun and relaxing day.

"Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob." - Psalm 81:1

The 3 S's Sequal - Shamrocks, Swetlands, and . . . Sunburn?!

Our St. Patrick's Day was easy and fun. We had our normal coffee in the morning and cleaned the kitchen and everything. In the afternoon, Mom and Dad went to Mansfield on a secret errand while Sarah and I decorated the backroom upstairs. I put on an opera DVD and finished making my leprechaun cutout and we hung up our Happy St. Patrick's Day sign and some shamrock garland. Can it get better than Irish decor and Joan Sutherland? :o) We finished playing Syberia I (which was absolutely wonderful! Can't wait to start Syberia II!)and after Mom and Dad got back, we watched My Wild Irish Rose which has Dennis Morgan singing a lot of Irish songs and features a wonderfully Irish finale.



Sunday, we finally made a family outing and drove up to Cleveland. (Well, Mom would say that it wasn't really Cleveland.) We went to the cemetery in North Olmsted where Uncle JD is buried. I couldn't have been happier. I have really been wanting to go see it and get a photo of his marker. It turns out that Aunt Margaret's brother and his wife are buried four spaces away. So that was fun! We also went to the cemetery where the Stubbs are buried. Took new photos of those stones and even transcribed the Alger monument which is really worn away. We had to leave because there was lots of lightening and it started to rain.

On Thursday, Mom had a slight case of cabin fever, so we decided to drive out to Belle Center (out in Logan County). I never thought that we would ever make it out there, but Mom thought it would be fun. The reason that I wanted to go is that Harold Swetland (the boy that died in Alaska during WWII) has a marker in the cemetery up there. Also, his father, mother, and grandparents are all buried there. Harold's grandfather is Truannie's brother. The cemetery was really pretty, but very sunny. Hardin and Logan Counties are so flat! All farmland and flat. The sun was out and it was very hot. We spent hours walking around and looking for the twenty FindAGrave photo requests. Found all but four and found all the ones I wanted as well. Harold, Harold's parents and grandparents, his step-father, etc. I am so happy. (Here is a photo of me next to Harold's marker. I'll do an entry later with more photos and his story.) Well, we ended up with bad cases of sunburn! Can you believe it! Sunburn in March! I feel awful!

I did get to do some more book dusting this week. I am working on the shelf units behind Sarah's chair and the wool dust is about to kill me! I thought the other books were dusty. Nothing to these! It is awful! I'll do more this week. Mom has her doctor appointment on Monday, so we'll head up to Mansfield for that. Other than that, I don't think we have any pressing plans. I am hoping to get a lot of books done. Sarah and I are also going to get in the closet under the stairs. That is a job, as it requires us to empty and move the cabinet full of sheet music. Anyway, more later!

"Thou has set all the borders of the earth: Thou hast made summer and winter." - Psalm 74:17

The 3 S's - Stan Hywet, Stamp Show, and Syberia

Well, well, well . . . Time flies sometimes and I haven't written a blog entry for ages. This month we have had some fun things happen. On Saturday the 3rd, we went to the McKinley club stamp show up in Canton. We love that show and haven't been there in three years. Usually it snows or is icy that weekend and we can't make it up. Well, owing to our unusual lack of seasonal precipitation this year (in other words, no snow), we made it. For part of the afternoon, Mom and the two of us left Dad there and we went to a special event at Stan Hywet (which is closed until April). They played an hour of old home movies and had three granddaughters of the Seiberlings come and share stories about the house and their family. It was really fun. Sarah and I love it! They are going to sell the disc of movies this year in the gift shop, so Sarah and I already have plans to by it. :o) Can't wait until it opens!

My book dusting is going well, but rather slowly. We have had so many pretty, sunny days that we have been running different places. So I am a bit behind. Need to finish before the weather turns Spring. Hopefully this week I'll get some more done. I have several audiobooks to listen to, so I am all set!

A wonderful thing. We found a Church that we are going to attend. The Clarks called us and told us about a nice church they found in Danville (of all place! Does anything good come from Danville?). So we went ad it was lovely. Everything nice. So, for right now, we are going to go there. I couldn't be happier!

St. Patrick's Day is approaching (actually, I think that it is practically here!) and I worked this week on making a little leprechaun cut-out decoration. I am almost done, just have to make his face and trim for his jacket. He is looking really cute.

Sarah and I got the coolest computer game this week. One that we are actually both playing separately, but at the same time. Syberia I & II. Right now we are only halfway through Syberia I. Man, is it fun! The graphics are so well done and pretty. The voices are great, the play is fun and challenging. So we are really enjoying it. Here is a screenstill of the library in a German university. Of course, I really enjoyed the library!


Mom found out last weekend that she has low blood sugar, so we are trying to adjust our diet and times of eating (more important than that diet, really) and she got a doctors appointment for a week from Monday. Praying that it will just be a temporary stress-induced thing.

The weather today is very, very grey. Hoping that it clears, though. Day before yesterday, it was beautiful. Then we had one of the worst rain/thunder/lightening storms ever that night! Sad to say, but I think Spring is almost here. If it clears, I think we are going to go run some errands.

Mom has been working on FindAGrave still. I switched for a little while from local graves to inputting memorials for French Resistance people. Pretty fun. I think I have done eleven so far. How many French websites can I translate? ;o) Finding out where some of them are buried is a job in itself! I really like doing it, though.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." - Matt. 18:20