Meanwhile . . .

Lots of stuff has been happening.

We had a volunteer cleanup day after the fire.  About 25 men, friends, neighbors, and relatives, showed up to help the Thursday after the fire.  We filled a large roll off dumpster with trash and the truck with recycle aluminum.  It only took about three hours with all the help to clean up what needed to be done!  Of course it was followed by lunch and fellowship.
Now we are waiting for the contractor to start the rebuild.

The following weekend was special, as it was Clayton's testimony and baptism.  A lot of family was in town, so it was a blessed weekend all around.  We enjoyed having Randy and Karen stay with us.

The Saturday before Father's Day was our annual outside work day at church.  We didn't have a large crew, but we accomplished all that needed to be accomplished.  We had to take down our two big Ash trees because they were dying from the Emerald Ash Borer.  They were planted nearly forty years ago shortly after the church was built.

We spent a small Fathers Day at home with ribs and brisket.  We took a four generations picture.

May was one of the hottest Mays on record, and June has proved to be hot also.
The old farmer and his lovely wife had a date night to Normal for a benefit used book sale.  We each came home with a pile of books to add to our collections.  While dining at Culver's, a bus load of special needs folks and their chaperones from northern Illinois surrounded us in the area we were sitting in.  They had spent the hot day at the Special Olympics at the ISU stadium.  The athletes were excited about their events and performances, but the chaperones were looking exhausted.  And they had to go back again the next day.

One of those hot days, our AC condenser fan caught some loose wires and cut them.  I couldn't find a wiring diagram, and the colors didn't match, so I decided not to try to fix it myself.  Fortunately, a repairman was able to stop by the next day and had us running again shortly.  Thankfully we were only out for 24 hours.

On the 25th, the oldest farmer and his wife celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary.  We took them to a new restaurant in town for supper.  When the owner heard how long they have been married, he gave them their meals free!  And roses!

The old farmer and the wife of his youth also celebrated our 35th anniversary last week.  We were blessed to spend the evening at Rejoice Recording Studio singing and recording for the Zion's Harp project.  We were able to practice and record four hymns in two hours, along with enjoying good fellowship with the group that was there.

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.

Deuteronomy 32:7