RETIREMENT IN THE FAST LANE: SEPTEMBER 16: BEEN BUSY AS BEAVERS....

What a week. It's been so busy that I totally have not had the time to blog. But, never fear....the camera was near.
As September 11 drew near, I was worried about the weather. But as it turned out, the day was awesome. Our girls, their hubbies and our grandkids came for a cookout at Twin Mills Camping Resort. There is a shelter by the beach and lake. It made a great setting for our fun. Being the week after Labor Day, there were few, if any, other people around.

Andrea, Michelle, Charolette & Yvonne.

Then Gracie had to get into the picture.

Chris, the chef, put on the brats, dogs & burgers.

The one of the eldest grandkids at the cook-out, Dawson, with his big smile.

Loads of good food....

The kids made "sand faces" in the sand: i.e. making faces in depressions in the sand, with googly eyes, yarn, pipe cleaneers, etc. Then plaster of paris was poured in the depression. They turned out very cute. Kids (and parents) had lots of fun.

It was a bit chilly, but that didn't stop the kids joining in some horse-play in the lake.

Lincoln flashed his winning smile for grandma. Love it.

The budding little mermaid, Kennedy.

Josh is still recuperating from foot surgery, so sitting was a good activity for him at times. He wishes he could get into his favorite sport of cross country this fall....but unfortunately, he can't.

Where does a big dog lie? Anywhere she wants to....and she s did. Poor Julio is still recuperating from tearing his achilles tendon. Sitting is getting tiresome for him, as he is usually up and doing things.

Nine grandkids who came to have fun. Oh, there's Charlie in front of Brittany. Little Charolette just loved Lincoln's little blue bathrobe/beach robe. Once Lincoln lost it, I don't think that he got it back until he left. :)

Brittany giving her "award winning" smile. I love it.

We all had such a wonderful time. Loved every minute. A lot of tired puppies left here that night.

Chris's brother Mike, and his wife, Andrea came from Washington State to visit. Here we stopped to visit on the way back from the New York wedding....

Then, this past Monday, Chris, Mike and all their siblings got together in Toledo for a fish fry and gab fest. Lots of fun. Oh, forgot to put the picture up of the eagle that we saw. Not a great picture because of the distance. Nobody believed Teresa and me until I put it on the computer and blew it up. Sure enough....an eagle....in Toledo!

The "happy cooker".....He fried fish for 3.5 hours!!!! The nice thing was that his brothers & sisters kept "testing" the fish.... Finally we had to put out the salad, potato salad, dutch apple pie, brownies, and home made bread (yummy)! The chef's apron is compliments of Yvonne's talents.

Uncle Don & Aunt Shirley came. The lived across from Chris as he was growing up....and still live in the same house. He is 88 years old and is the only surviving one of his family. He is the brother of Chris' father and it's uncanny how much he looks like him.

Aunt Nada came, too. She is the widow of another of the Chris' uncles.
It was a wonderful visit. Ate too much, as usual. The weather was perfect and the sun was warm. Mike and Andrea left for Washington the next day.

When we got home on Monday....our friends whom we met in Alaska were camped already.

This is their home on wheels; they are "full-timers". We met Jim & Marianne in Haines, Alaska. They were camped next to us for 1 & 1/2 weeks. We spent some fun evenings playing games and talking. They are from the Detroit area, but winter in Black Rock, AZ.

We spent Tuesday evening playing Crazy Rummy. Jim is not a big cards person, but he managed to beat us. Lots of fun.

I raced back from setting the timed photo on the camera and about fell into the seat.

Of course Tommy had to steal Toby's bed. I think that she was telling us that she was tired.

Thursday, after breakfast we all headed for the RV museum near Elkhart, IN. Elkheart had some promotion of painting elks. One can see these popping up all over Elkhart. Very pretty and imaginative. I remember when there were Mastadons in Ft. Wayne and Bisons in West Yellowstone.