Week 38

Sept 20: Another day in Colorado Springs hanging out with the Ross family.  I had a blast with their kids: Taite, Trinity, Jaden, Jace & Jessa.

 Sept 21: I spent this morning wandering around Garden of the Gods.  It was a gorgeous day and I enjoyed seeing parts of the park I hadn't before.

 Sept 22: The last few blooms of summer, a few petunias and daises are still hanging on.

 Sept 23: It's a Christmas Miracle.  The K-Mart house's yard is finished and back to normal minus grass.

 Sept 24: I bought a bike helmet.  Apparently I have a big head because the "ladies" size was too small.  I had to go with the "adult" size.

 Sept 25: It was a full Saturday. Started off with a long bike ride with some friends along the Arkansas River.  I only managed about 10 miles, the rest of them went 20. 

 Then, because it was Museum Day, I took advantage of free admission and went to a few of the local participating museums.  I started with Botanica.  So beautiful sometimes I forgot I was in downtown Wichita.

 This sculpture in the butterfly garden makes me think of me & my two sisters when we were little.

 Then I went to Old Cowtown Museum. 

 And I ended with the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum.  What a find!  It was great.

The day was finished out with an event I was very excited about. The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long at The Orpheum Theater.  What a blast!  We sang our hearts out and laughed a lot.  A raucous fun time.

 There was even a costume contest. 

 Sept 26: This is a prime example of the amazing friends God has placed in my life.  Amber's car died and 6 of us traipsed out to the parking lot after church to make sure she was taken care of.  I had someone recently tell me they didn't feel connected at our large church.  I do not feel that way, God has blessed me with a great circle of friends.

Week 37

Sept 13: I squeezed in mowing the yard before it was supposed to rain.  Oops, I mowed over Diesel’s ball.  It went flying.  Good thing I had new tennis balls in the garage.  That’s his favorite outside toy.  Then I mowed over a garter snake.  I’m surprised my scream as it tried to slither off didn’t alert my neighbors. Ugh!

Sept 14 – I received a watermelon from my neighbor’s garden.  Delicious.

Sept 15 – We had some severe weather tonight. Heavy wind, rain & up to golf ball size hail at my house.  There was even a tornado spotted in near Derby. 

Sept 16 – The picture didn’t turn out well, but it was a great evening.  Janel, Gayle and I went to see “An Improbable Pride and Prejudice” at The Kechi Playhouse in, um, Kechi.  It is a converted church.  This particular play was a take on Pride & Prejudice and was a great show.  Well worth the $9.

Sept 17 – Pupusas!!!  I was ridiculously excited to meet a friend and try out a Salvadoran restaurant near work for lunch.  The pupusas were excellent! The tamales were good too.  And the sweetest people run the place.  I’m definitely going back there.

Sept 18 – I flew to Colorado Springs for a few days to visit friends.  Trinity is now 8 and today she was my shadow.  She graciously is letting me stay in her room. 

Sept 19 – Church at Springs Calvary this morning.  Almost everywhere has amazing views of the mountains.

Week 36

Sept 6: A couple for friends got together for a Labor Day cookout and volleyball at East Lake in Newton.

Sept 7:  I have a few friends who are training for a triathalon.  Talking with them this weekend, I was inspired to dig my bike out of the cobwebs.  Mom bought us Schwinn 10-speeds circa 1983, I had it worked over a few years ago and it's still going strong.  I am by no means a graceful rider.

Sept 8: An eventful day ended with a small gathering of neighbors for Una's birthday celebration.  She's such a special lady and a blessing to me & Diesel!

Sept 9: What, you don't drill holes to fix your Salvadorian coconut earrings that you broke when you put in your pocket on a windy Kauai night? Don't look too closely at the finished product, there might be an extra hole.

Sept 10: The clouds were gorgeously illuminated by the setting sun.  I am so glad I had to make a run to the grocery store and got to see it! (Hannah - relax, I pulled over at the park to take the picture.)

Sept 11: Opening weekend of the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson.  There was a mass of humanity there, but it was a good time.

Last year I discovered fried cheese curds.  Yum!

My friends, The Emily Judson Band, were playing and we listened to few songs.  Great job, guys!

I had never seen the butter sculpture before.  Impressive.

The piglets in the birthing center were so cute.

Sept 12:  I have been craving mussels and indulged for lunch today. 

Week 35

August 30: I finally opened this bottle of Bordeaux that I brought back from France.  I really like French reds.

August 31: I worked on removing the popcorn ceiling in the main bathroom and hallway this week.  I primed & painted tonight.  I like to paint barefoot, but I'm a bit of a messy painter as you can see.

September 1: The bathroom is finished and put back together!

September 2: Una left 2 green peppers from their garden on my kitchen counter today when she let Diesel out today.  I love my fantastic neighbors even though I do freak a little when I first see random produce in my house that I know I didn't place there.

September 3: Since I stayed in town for Labor Day weekend, I decided to make it a Wichita Bucket List Blitz weekend and knock a lot things off the bucket list.  Tonight I got a group of friends together to go to Shakespeare in the Park's production of Macbeth.  It was very enjoyable!
Macbeth:

The director decided to cast the hags as sci-fi characters.  Odd...

September 4: The blitz day started with donuts from The Donut Whole.  Maple bacon donuts are delicious!  Then the Wichita Art Museum. Dale Chiluly's chandelier is always impressive.

The grounds at the Mid-American All-Indian Center has fantastic grounds that lead out to the Keeper of the Plains statue...

And a great view of Wichtia downtown.

Some shopping in Old Town and lunch at Caffe Moderne.  And an afternoon at Tanganyika Wildlife Park out in Goddard where you can get up close and personal with the animals.  The giraffe posed for me.

This kangaroo was thoroughly enjoying his afternoon snooze in the shade.

And the penguins are always a hit with me.

August 5: Ulrich Art Museum on WSU's campus... It has a giant Miro mural on the facade.  It made me remenisce about touring the Miro Museum in Barcelona.