OUT of retirement-again

The fall projects of RVICS began 2 weeks ago.. Our project took us to Grand Rapids, MN, yes that is Minnesota not Michigan. It is in northern MN, near Hibbing. For those who don't know we are scheduled to do our next project in Arkansas and Nov. takes us to Louisiana. We will stop at home when we leave here, home as in Sioux Center, for 2 days as Brian is being honored at Northwestern College for being chosen an Outstanding Alumnus. We are so glad that our schedule allows us to be in the area for 2 days because of transit time between projects. The banquet is Oct. 2.

Of course we couldn't just make a trip of 400 miles to N MN in one stretch. We really do have a self-made rule that we do not travel with the RV more than 300 miles in a day. Hey, we are retired. So we stopped and spent a day in MN, mainly spending a day at Mall Of America. It is such an interesting place to visit but we made a lot of steps for the couple things we bought.

This Conference Center is not very large and the spot where all 6 of the RVs are parked is just a few feet from the right of this picture. As always the camp provides the parking place and supplies all the utilities. And we do have Wi-Fi and cell phone coverage in the RVs. Granted the cell phone isn't always so predictable but we are trying a new sophisticated cell phone and we are still in the experimental stage of learning all its capabilities and that is also part of the problem.

The men are reconstructing a couple of cabins. Tearing up floor tile, knocking out walls, putting up dry wall, laying tile, doing a little electrical work, plumbing. etc. is what the men's work is all about. With 6 men with various backgrounds it is surprising how every one's expertise compliments the group. The women are doing sewing, stenciling, painting. Guess what, I got to paint. Actually it is kind of fun this month because one other female and I are painting everything in a high ceiling rec room. The room has at least 6 different types of wall board so that makes it interesting. But Nette and I paint over everything. And since money is always short at the camps we are using all the paint left over from previous jobs. I will try to send a picture when it is finished but for now you can just visualize this-little bit of blue, find a small wall, more red find a bigger wall etc. etc. We have put on red, blue, green, orange, yellow in several shades and a few others. It sounds weird but the room is looking better and we hope the campers that come appreciate it. Nette is the "roller" and I trim which is what I prefer doing. We can't do a second coat even tho that would be good because we use all the paint on the first coat. Next week we get to paint the floor! That should tie the whole room together - I hope.

The weather here is cool and we had rain several times. I guess I heard too much on TV about the floods, etc. because one night when it was really raining (and you really hear it in an RV) I thought all the RVs were going to float right into the lake. Nope, we stayed put.

Girls, we already found out where the buffets are located, the Chinese one is almost as good as the Sioux Center one and that takes a lot.

We appreciate the calls and emails so much. Please keep it up. We are healthy, in fact, Dad says the project work makes him stronger but after this summer with putting in egress windows and all I can't image this work being harder than what he did at home all summer.

Love you all, Mom and Dad/Wilmer and Marilyn or even Pa and Ma (right Cindy?)

P.S. So busy touring, socializing, Bible studies and of course work I have had little time to work on genealogy or scrapbooking but I do pick at it a little from time to time. Fun!