“WHAT’S COOKIN’?”

Danny is Going to Africa! My Ceiling Fell &

Bonnie Almost Doesn’t Get Here

The summer is going fast. The days are like minutes and I wonder if I can get everything done that I want to do. I made a list of things that had to get done and it keeps growing. Joe is a big help. He usually cuts the grass and I weed use the weed whacker. The heavy, frequent rain has made the grass thick. It clumps up terribly when cut. We managed to do quite well though. My youngest son will join me tomorrow and help rake it up. I am blessed with two sons who both help me a lot.

Mark came to the house from Oneonta by bus and we worked all day. The lawn got rake and we started to scrape the window frames so that Jack can prime and paint them when he has time.

I got a letter from my nephew, Danny Holtje, yesterday. He is back in Rochester, NY with his family and already has another project. Danny is a wonderful friend, father of four, husband and provider. I had been wondering about him. You may remember that he and his family were in Alaska for two years. Danny had accepted a position to survey ALASKA for the government. He is very active in his church, Lima Baptist Church of Lima, NY and is going to Africa on a Short-Term Mission to aid in building a laundry facility on the grounds of Rehema Home for orphans in Nairobi, Irwin and Ruth Schwandt (www.rehemahome.com). Hew has to raise $3000 to cover expenses.

He will leave Rochester, NY on Sept.8 and return Sept 23. They minister to 51 of the 34 million orphans in Africa, of which a third are orphaned due to AIDS! Besides running his own Land Surveying business, he has taken on odd jobs to help pay for his expenses. If you would like to help with his mission, send a check in his name, Danny Holtje (A-team) to Lima Baptist Church, Missions Treasurer, 1574 Rochester St., Lima, NY 14485 as a one-time gift or so much a month for 3 months. Thanks you for your help and I will keep you posted.

The garden is doing so well. We have been enjoying broccoli, Swiss chard, lettuce, zucchini and beet tops. The cucumbers, eggplant and beans are full of buds. We will pull some beets this week. You can’t imagine the taste of the freshly picked veggies. We have not been bothered by bunnies or woodchucks since; Joe put his plastic owl on a post in the garden. My curtains sheers blowing in the breeze I believe helps too.

I discovered that a portion of my kitchen ceiling was coming down. I knew it was a matter of time. My roofer still hasn’t called. Joe and I cut out the bad section and disposed of it. Andy coated around the chimney. The next day, Mark and I attached plastic sheeting around the edge of ceiling and let it drop into a container so that if it rains. The water will go into it. It rains that night and Laura called the next morning. She had stopped and no water had come down.

I have been wondering about Dodger Bob for a time now and guess what? He left a note on my door that he had stopped. We just missed one another on Tuesday. I haven’t heard from him and was beginning to get concern. At least now I know he is still kicking around.

I got a return call from Jack Berger last night. Things had been very crazy following the death of his wife, Bea. She had been in a nursing home for some time. He is hoping to come up from Port Orange in August to visit family and friends.

I work just one day a week now, sometimes two if needed and always take a walk downtown on my lunch breaks. Sometimes I go to the library for a time. I usually do some errands and sometimes get to go down to the lake and sit a spell. It is so beautiful there. The water, at times, is just as smooth and quiet as a table top, hence the name Glimmerglass Lake (Otsego Lake) came from.

Bonnie called the day she was to leave for a visit with me in upstate New York and said all looks good,But, as it turned out she was late getting started and her friend ended up staying home to be with his ill father. She did GREAT. She had no problem getting here. Of course her 13 year-old son, Ryan, was a big help. Daughter, Jacqueline just enjoyed the ride. Joe gave them the tour while I finished up getting dinner ready. We visited the whole time we were eating. Bonnie said her plans had changed again. She would head back to Binghamton to see how Mike’s Dad was doing. They may still get to Six Flags. She promised another visit in the fall. I was amazed at how grown up the children were. I still remember them at my wedding. Jacqueline was my Flower Girl and Ryan was my Buddy. . .I am very proud of Bonnie. She works full time now for 18 years with the same company and keeps house and is raising her children. Keep up the good work Bonnie

Thought for the Week: You’ll find the most wonderful treasures is the most unlikely places.