Thursday, July 10, 2008  -  HE SAID:   We made bread today.  Not just any run of the mill bread.  We actually ground up some whole wheat, buckwheat, millet, oats, and flax seed and made our own flour which we mixed with regular white flour.  Doug has a manual grain grinder that worked pretty good and the 6 loaves turned out super.  Best homemade bread ever.  My brother Bill and his wife Charlotte came over and shared a potato sausage and egg breakfast with us.  Later my brother Clifford and his wife Edna came over and we all enjoyed a fish fry dinner that Doug and Bill cooked before Bill had to leave to go to work.  Walleye…. Our favorite fish, and the one meal we really look forward to when we come back to Minnesota.  Also joining us was Doug and Dar's grand-daughter Kari and her two little girls.  Alex who is 2 years old and Emma Lee who is 2 weeks old.  It was a good day of visiting.  I gave Doug a ride out in the field to his tractor where he was cutting hay.  The tractor would not start, so I had to drive my truck out in the field to jump his battery.  Then I almost got stuck coming up out of the ditch onto the road.  For the first time since owning the truck, I had to use my 4-wheel drive.  That made it simple to get out of the ditch.  I knew that the 4-wheel drive would come in handy at some point.    I also used the truck to go and get some type of large hay harvesting machinery.  It stuck out about 6 feet on the right side as I towed it down the highway on this narrow two lane road.  Every time we came upon a mailbox we had to drive over the center line so as to not hit it.  We only drove 20 mph with emergency flashers on for about 18 miles, but it was a bit thrilling when meeting oncoming traffic.
Thursday, July 10, 2008  -  SHE SAID:   Well, like Don has reported above, the day was just a terrific one -- a wonderful time of visiting with loved ones and meeting some of our newest family members, the precious little Alex and Emma Lee.  This trip just continues to be blessed and I sure feel lucky to know God loves us so much to allow us to take this incredible trip to continue on to share time with so many other folks we love.
Friday, July 11, 2008  -  HE SAID: Today, after I helped Doug work on his hay machine he got yesterday, Marce and I drove into Grand Rapids and did a little shopping at the new Walmart super center.  What a huge store.  Supposed to be the biggest one in Minnesota.  I believe it.  Then we had lunch