Plan B

We're still hoping to have our Oakes Family Gathering at Devils Lake State Park, but don't know whether it will still be under water or not. The park is closed until the 25th with the staff looking it over again on the 24th. Until then we will not know if the water will have gone down enough for people to make it over the road to the pavillion. It's hard to be in limbo, not knowing what to do. This is a big deal for me. I have been doing this gathering for 6 years now. I promised my Gram that I would do my best to make sure the family kept in touch. It's not easy. We are so spread out now.

I've been working on my genealogy again. Trying to get together a power point presentation. It shows the family "where they come from" and includes pictures from our vacation last year. I'm trying to make it interesting and not get too "in depth". Not everyone loves history and dead people as much as I do. I can see their eyes glaze over when I start to talk. Truthfully, many don't really even pay attention to the "live family members" let alone the dead ones, but there are some who enjoy hearing it without doing all of the work.

Plan B is a little hard to come up with because everything in the middle of the state is under water or has been under water in the last 2 weeks. Pretty soggy with some roads still under water or damaged by washouts etc. It can be tricky trying to navigate around our beautiful state. My cousin suggested having it at the rest area on the interstate. It may come to that. We'll have to see. I've been checking into the businesses in Wisconsin Dells that lost their summer business because the lake drained away. One or two of them have meeting facilities and I'm sure they could use the business and we don't need the lake for the gathering.

Around here things are dry. We are pretty sandy and so it all drained away quickly. I could actually use some rain. The family and I have been planting our garden. We planted over 60 tomato plants, over 40 green, yellow, purple and red bell peppers, cucumbers, 4 kinds of squash, muskmelons, watermelons, onions, potatos, carrots, kale, lettuce, green beans, wax beans and snap peas. Probably some other stuff too, but I cannot think of it right now. I am praying that this garden will grow and prosper and be plentiful, so that we can share it with friends and family.

The kids both spent the night with their cousins last night so the house is quiet. Although at this time of day during the summer it's always quiet. Band does not start until next week. Then show choir starts in July. I've got to sit down and write out schedules on a board today, or I will be lost come next week.

We had a campfire night here on Monday night and it was great. God really gave us good weather for it and no bugs. What a day! I love the cooler summer days that are breezy.

Less than 100 days until Cranfest and we are working away at it. I hope and pray that it goes as well this year as it did last year. We really were ready ahead of time for it in most areas and that was wonderful. Now if we can do it again. This year I am co-chair of the Farm Market as I've been helping my Aunt Gale out for a couple of years with it and now next year she would like me to take most of it over. Should be fun.

Well, on to housework before I head in to work. Hope everyone has a great day. Remember to keep those in the flooded areas in your thoughts and prayers. Not all the flooding is over and in at my Aunt's house the water is still rising.

Take care,
dea