Hailey moved to the home of her parents yesterday, at the great age of 1 day old.  She enjoys the lap of her mother and the comforting techniques of her father.

Idyllwild week went well and it was a very successful Bible School.  There is so much effort put into the preparations by so many, and they all paid off.  Realizing that it is God who blesses our work, and gives  us our jobs to do.  My big day is registration day.  I need to be arrive early to get set up.   My family is great at helping me, but this year, both my daughters could not attend.   I set up the registration area, I bring up the Bible School linen supply (bins of bedding & towels) and then I borrow the camp's blanket and pillow supply to be able to rent complete sets to those who cannot bring their own.  I also make up the name tags, and make the signs, and I provide hospitality baskets of goodies for our main speakers.    So it's busy for me!  I continue to supply  beddings needs throughout the week.  I was ready before the area filled with arrivers!




The signs are made by taping together regular 8 /12 x 11 sheets of paper, printed by a common printer.  This year I backed them with the plastic table cloth material, and laminated them and put baseboard along the sides.    See the pile of pillows and blankets in the black bags.  The pot of flowers are really ink pens.

Kellie also helped hand out the name tags.






Unusually, it rained for a spell during registration,...my signs took on a little water.



to be continued....

It's been a long time since I last wrote.  Hope all is well with YOU!  Are you enjoying the summer days if you in the Northern Hemisphere?  It was hot yesterday...but I like heat better than cold, as I find cold painful and heat just miserable.   I have a great situation at work...air conditioned comfort, and I have a nice ride home in air conditioned comfort driving my Prius.  Then I  exit my car, and ...it's comfortable out, it's 6 pm...then I walk into my house.  Now I don't mind heat, but it is hot in my house.  I went and looked at the temp in my kitchen and it was 100F and the oven was going.  My husband thought oven baked potatoes would be nice for dinner.  The rest of the house was just 94F, that's 34C, I find that comfortable, after all I've been cool all day.  My husband has the AC on the bedroom, a wall unit, so he is not suffering.  But by 10pm, the 90F house is slowing my thinking.  I should just stay outside...but all the things I need to work on are inside.

The trouble with the house is, is the attic.  We have an attic, and the hot air can't get out, and it just reheats the house.  When we have run the central AC and somewhat cooled the house, then turned it off at night...the house just reheats up to 88F or 90F, when it's cool outside.  So remember that door in the attic?  I'm just wanting to get up and open it, and put a fan there, and surely it would draw the hot air out.  The only place it can draw from is a little hole in the laundry cubboard...but it just might work...if only I could get up and remove the grating and open that door.  Remember...I was able to get it open some months ago when the house was painted.  I used the scaffolding and ladder the painters left over the weekend.  I didn't put back all the screws and nails.

But see all that glass?  The door is glass, there are  2 strips of louvered windows on either side of the door, and dark traingular windows.  I couldn't get a ladder in place where I could work on the screws on that grating that covers the door.  Under the grating is a big plank of wood...which had lots of screws and nails, but I didn't put them all back.  I put all the screws in the grating back....so it takes some time  and stability to work on the getting the grating and plank off.   See those little vents...that's all the ventlation the attic has.   So I think...wow, it would sure make a difference if I could put a fan in that door......we are renters...we don't own this house, and we don't know how long we want to live here.  A spiral staircase would cost more money than I'm willing to invest...but that's what I need.  I just need to build a scaffold.

In the mean time....I'm so excited about our baby granddaughter that is on the way.  God willing due about August 30th.  I am working on a baby quilt!  This is the kind I piece and applique the top, before making it into a quilt.   So I'm working on it!  My neighbor helped me cut out all the pieces and she is guiding me.  Right now I'm working on the dogs and cats appliques. 

Our ecclesia is being blessed with new life!  2 new babies have recently been born, and 3 more due in August!! 

The ship was organized when it came to getting on an off.  With over 2,000 passengers, the excursions were organized such that there were no long lines waiting to get off or on the ship.   When we got off, there were many photographers wishing to take our photo..and these photos would show up in the display later that day.  Some were there willing to set a scene for a price for you to shoot with your own camera.  There was a 6 week old baby donkey standing with two culturally dressed Mexicans.  The donkey was so passive...just stood, and they could place it however they wanted in someone's lap etc.  It was like it was drugged.  Here my folks are getting photographed. 




My parents took a city tour on a bus, and we were on a 4 wheel vehicle that went out into the country and showed us small villages, and took us on a nature walk.  We took a bus to where we boarded a transport vehicle.


Our guide was from Ohio, a lady who had a degree in Biology and Communications and loved living in Puerta Vallarta.  She considered herself the"black sheep" of her family, a non-conformist, but she very much expected us to conform to her every instruction.  She gave us lots of information about the country, how people lived, customs, and the plants and animals.  She had to speak loudly, as there was a high noise level traveling with no windows.  She had an ice chest filled with bottled water, soft drinks, and other beverages.

We went through some small villages.  There were no traffic controls,  except for speed bumps...those slowed everyone down.  Not much traffic....most people cannot afford a vehicle.  Several families will go together to buy a truck.   This was the dry season...and everything looked very dry.  When the wet season begins, they get huge amounts of rain, but in the late afternoon.  They get around 6 feet of rain during the wet season, and it turns the area into a lush green jungle.  The industry is farming and cattle.  The cattle just roam freely, and they cool off in the ditch that brings the drinking water to the village.


Yes, this is the water that provides sustenance to the village.  In each village, there is a church, gazebo, school and a public area.  97% are Catholic and the churches are immaculate.  The buildings of the people may look poor, but the churches were rich.




The cementary was very ornate.  Some graves had plastic flowers in a celeophane bag.


Many buildings look like  there was no building code to guide the construction.  People build and add on as they have the funds to do so.  There are no mortgages.  (wow, wouldn't that change life in the USA as we know it!!)  so some buildings look haphazard


This is the school in the village we stopped at.  It is only the primary grades.  High school education is extra and has to be paid for and those schools are in the larger cities.  So most are only educated until they are 13 or 14 years old.


In each village there is a gazebo.  This is where the workers are paid, and where they pay their taxes.  In by gone days, they lost most of their pay to the tax collector.  They only possessed their pay for a few moments.


We stopped at a home, where the lady of the home made us fresh tortilla, fried them, and then we had fresh cooked beans and salsa with them.  See the corn mush in the bowl.  She is pressing the tortillas, and then fries them to the left.  She has 10 kids and some grandchildren.  The yard was strung with washing.  She had lots of fruit trees, a few dogs.  Dogs are usually not pets, they just live as best they can.  The tour supplies her with the ingredtences, and we were requested to give her tips


We rode on through the countryside, and went up a cobblestone road into the hills.  There we got out and took a walk through the jungle.  It would soon turn lush and green when the rains returned.  Our guide gave us an excellent discussions on the various birds, trees, bugs that we saw.  Mexico has some fascinating and dangerous plants.  The cattle were all around in the jungle...  They were quite cute.




After our walk, we continued on through the countryside, ending up going down a steep bumpy road to the beach where a wonderful buffet lunch awaited us.  We also were invited to go swimming, and we did.  The water was cool, and a bit rough, but it felt great.



On the trip back to the ship, our guide served  us marguarittas and beer from the ice chest...she mentioned how much she was hoping for tips, as she "only" made $6,000 a year.   She lived in government housing.



That's our ship


It was a wonderful day!

We made it!!!  from start to finish we did the Los Angeles Marathon.....that's 26.2 miles.  We had a great time, and it was very entertaining, both with interesting sights and smells, and pain and suffering.  Here we are with our metals!   All done, and still in one piece.




The day started early, we expected huge crowds in our manuvering to get to the race...so we met up at the office and my husband took us over to the Metro North Hollywood station which was just one stop away from the race start at Universal City.  We got there about 5:40am...well in time for the 8:23am start.  We went  and found places behind the start line and proceeded to chat and talk to interesting people around us.  The crowd packed up, and we didn't want to move from our position.  We also didn't want to get mowed over by all the fast runners behind us, but we stood our position.    The wheel chair racers started about 7:45, then they started the elite women  who were in a special corral just after 8am, 19 1/2 minutes ahead of the rest of us.   The winning person got $100,000.  The first male and female finisher each is awarded $20,000 and a new Honda.  So the men have to catch the women.  But they didn't.  The winner was a Russian women who finished in 2 hours 29 minutes,  the male finisher was from Kenya finishing in 2 hours 13 minutes.  Interestingly, the winners of the last several LA Marathons have been Russian women and Kenyon men.

Over 26,000 people were in the race but only 17,047 finished.  I came in at 15,080th to finish with an official chip time of 7 hr 18 min 28 sec.  (we wore chip things on our shoes that recorded when we passed the start and finish line).  Patty and I finished together.  For the first 13 miles we went faster than 4mph,  we ran some, but mostly walked.  We wanted to keep that up, but couldn't.

Here we are at the start.  We bought the sweat shirts the day before, and they had hoods...it was so cold the day before.  We were glad for them, and thought we would need them, but by race time it was warm enough, and we certainly didn't want to throw them away  --like all the other runners were doing with their wraps, so we tied them around out waist.



Now we are ready! we stood in the area for elite men, but they hadn't arrived yet.  Notice the pink color in Patty's hair.  It's early yet.

About ready to start!  the baracades are down.  That the Start Banner ahead

There goes Patty!  the crowd is moving


One of the first interesting sites was just beyond the start line.. where many men decided to pee along the side lines.  They would have a better time, if they had done this before going over the start line, but the area was all fenced off, and there really was no opportunity to get to any suitable place.  I myself was very envious!  I had to go...but there was no place...and I had to suffer through until I got home more than 8 hours later.  There were porta potties, but every group of them had long lines...we always decided to go on rather than wait.  We had to drink, so I managed to sweat and drink to keep the bladder pain level at a steady bearable amount.



At every mile marker, which was clearly marked with a banner, was a water station or gateraid station.  20 to 40 people would line the street offering cups of water or gateraid.  Then everyone just threw the cups on the street and ran on, this goes against the "never litter" rule I live by, but we could do nothing else.  We were never thirsty!  The streets were lined with people cheering us on...some prepared orange slices and offered to the runners and walkers...it was wonderful!  One lady was giving out peanut butter sandwiches, which really helped Patty who was needing some food at that point.   People were all along the route cheering, clapping, some with posters with messages for their special runners/walkers.  Everyone made us feel like a star...even when we were only walking.

Water station -- there was always lots to drink


Here is Patty at Hollywood & Vine, a famous intersection in Hollywood



There was a great energy and it was mostly quiet with just the sounds of running.   Fast runners kept passing us for miles, as they started so far back in the pack.  26,000 people is a huge group of runners.  Some people did a part run part walk.  We did a mostly walk and a little run.

At mile 14 by the Los Angeles Coliseum we met up with Sarah and Tony Prince with their twins!!  They cheered and encouraged us!  Their twins are so cute!   It was great to see them!!  Here I am with them


Here is Patty and the Prince family



There were many festive well wishers along the route.  Drums and music, people in their cultural dress.. all wishing us well as we passed.   It was really fun!



Lots of music too...people set up band stands,  played drums  all along the route.



Even a group of cheer girls  -- there was such energy!  We just mainly walked along, enjoyed what people offered to us, ....  they made us feel so special!   



My husband, Pete, was amazing!  He figured out how to get around all the street closures, and meet us at mile 8, mile 16,  mile 22 and mile 26.1.   He brought us snacks, and took our sweatshirts for us, and gave me his hat, and cheered us all along the way.   Then he got us home.  He was the BEST, what wonderful support he was!!!

Patty took this one





When it got warm, the firemen opened up fire hydrants to spray the street to cool us off.  Some others got their garden hoses out and sprayed those who came near



We are headed east towards downtown LA, here at mile 17.  We will go south of the city, pass into East LA on the other side of the Los Angeles River, then come back and into downtown

Here I am, just a little further out from the photo above.  See the fellow with the huge blue wig?  We also saw some Elvis impersonators

This fellow carried the American flag all the way.  He looked like he was in pain.

Man dancing to the music




After we traveled below downtown and through a bleak area, we started back towards downtown and the finish line.  Here we are headed west towards downtown on the 6th Street bridge.


Here is Patty on the bridge.  She was in great pain, and didn't dare stop, so she is walking backwards for this photo.  The bridge  crosses over rail road tracks and...


the mighty Los Angeles River, all cemented in


Finally we see the Mile 26,  Yeahhhhhh!!!

And there was music



I ran ahead so Patty could take this photo, and she walked
The FINISH    .... we made it..... we each got our metal!


Patty is walking backwards because her muscles seize, and cause great pain to start moving


After we finished, we just walked slowly, and she was OK.  We ate the free snacks, then met Pete and walked to the Metro and took the train to his car, so eventually we all got to our home.  I took a hot bath, Pete brought take out food for us, and we had an early night.  What an amazing day!!