Visit

Last Friday, I took the day off and Jon and I drove down to the Centralia Correctional Center to visit Phil.  He had been transferred there from Western Illinois this past summer.  It was a nice day for a three hour drive and I enjoyed the southern Illinois countryside.  Centralia is a little more laid back than Western was.  We actually walked from the reception room/pat-down area to the visiting room without an escort!  And only two of the six doors we had to pass through were locked!  Phil has a little more freedom also.  Instead of being locked in his cell 23 hours a day, he can leave his cell and go to the day room anytime he wants.  Also, he can go to the yard daily if he chooses.  He also attends school; he is taking an electronics class.  We had a nice two hour visit, then we headed back home.  I always say this, but it is such a wonderful feeling to walk out of a heavily guarded brick fortress surrounded by a double fence topped with razor wire.  It reminds me how blessed I am to have my physical and spiritual freedom.

Kay and Larry, our fun, nomadic cousins from Texas were in the area visiting relatives over the weekend.  They live in a camper and stay in Texas in the winter, New Mexico in the summer, and travel the country whenever they feel like it.  Sunday afternoon and evening we had an open house for them and invited all the Romersberger cousins in.  We hope they enjoyed the visit as much as we did.  We hosted about 30 people all together.

Monday morning as I was walking across the barnyard, I noticed water bubbling up out of the ground.
Another water line leaking.
My brother went to rent a backhoe, then I started digging.  I found the T in the line that was leaking, but also "found" a second water line that I didn't know was right on top of the first.  Long story short, it took several splices and 22 stainless steel clamps (I double clamp everything) to get it all put back together.  At least it happened during nice weather.

And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
Isaiah 24:22