the Grabers: 4/21/19

It was the day for me to begin heading back to Kansas - of course, in my own way, wherever the road would take! I said my good-bye to Hannah early as she had to be at school at 7 for a forensics meet. Sophia left for cello lessons so I gave her my good-byes too. Both of these girls are taller than I am now!

Good-byes to my youngest granddaughter.

Silly waves to keep tears at bay.

As I was leaving town, I saw a a sandhill crane! But there was too much traffic for me to pull over and get a picture. Here is one I found on-line. I wasn't able to go to Nebraska for the sandhill crane migration this year, due to the flooding, but I got to see one here!

I took 151 to Sun Prairie and got off for coffee.

I turned north at Sun Prairie and caught Highway 19 going west - I don't have to go through Madison this way. And 19 took me through the ONLY Waunakee in the world! The village was named as #78 in CNN Money's "Top 100 Best Places to Live" for small towns in 2009.

It was such a cute town! And there is even a street named Bacon Street, and I know a few guys (Joel, Joel and Marc) who would probably enjoy living on a street by that name!

Couldn't resist stopping at this shop!

Continuing west on 19, I came upon some beautiful scenery and pulled over at Indian Lake Park

If only I'd had time to take a hike. There were quite a few cars parked there so several people were on the various hiking paths.

I drove across the road to see this old farmstead.

My friend Sheryl was a Matz. Wonder if these are any relation? I texted her and she said she had a Friedrich Matz in her family tree but during this time period, he was still in the old country.

Highway 14 turned into highway 19 and followed the Wisconsin River.

At times I'd get off the highway to follow some other roads.

Maybe I should continue on.....oh wait! There's a historical marker! I have to pull off to see this.

The adventure continues...

The week flew by fast with the girls.

Poor Samantha's arm had come loose. Samantha was Jill's doll when she was young so it had gone through much use. I wondered about sending her to the doll hospital, but I found a couple of videos on-line that showed step by step how to fix an American Girl arm! So I did! Dr. Nana to the rescue!

I made a shield and sword out of cardboard for the warrior princess.

bubble wrap for her arms. quite the armour!

Of course, "sugar bomb" cereal in the mornings. We ate fairly healthy most of the time but their parents do allow sugary cereal when I'm here. Nana spoiling.

It was April Fool's Day when I was there.
"School is cancelled. There's been a water main break."
Sophia said "I'm on guard today!" She was NOT fooled!

I served a bowl of pears - with a "cut off" thumb! It DID fool Claire. She was a little freaked out.

Later, it ended up in my med bag.

My mother loved to pull tricks on April Fools Day! We had these plastic ice-cubes with a fly inside that she would put in cups.

She also had a realistic plastic fried egg. She put it on a platter with lots of eggs one time when we had company, and one of the missionaries (Uncle Peter Derksen) put it on his plate and tried to cut it to eat it. We just laughed so hard!

She also had a spoon with a hole in it that she placed in the sugar bowl. When someone went to put sugar in their coffee, it came up empty.

One year she made each of us individual pot pies. But when we tried to eat it, there was foil inside! She laughed at us and then brought us each one that had chicken and veggies in it. She went to a lot of work each April Fool's Day to pull tricks on us! It may have been her favorite holiday!

My worst April Fool's Day was when I was 16. My boyfriend broke up with me. It took me until April 3 to realize he really was not pulling my leg, but really did break up! Not funny.

(Don't I look like a pretty moody teen?!)

I looked up some verses to share with the girls about fools:

"A fool says in his heart 'There is no God.'" Ps. 14:1

"Whoever spreads slander is a fool." Prov. 10:18

"A chattering fool comes to ruin." Prov. 10:10

"The way of a fool seems right to him." Prov. 12:15

"A fool is hot-headed and reckless." Prov. 14:16

"A fool spurns his father's discipline." Prov. 15:5

It snowed. April Fools! You only think it's Spring!

So very beautiful! The girls are really sick of it, but I enjoyed it.

Claire wanted me to come eat lunch with her at school one day.

Sophia is the captain of the crossing guards. She has to make sure that all the workers are doing their job correctly. And take down licence plates of drivers who don't stop for children crossing the street.

I walk daily and just because I was in cold Wisconsin, didn't mean I couldn't keep it up there. Jill told me about this mall I could walk at. There were several other seniors walking also.

This mall has only 8 shops left in it and Jill thought it might go up for sale. I think what would be so neat would be if the shops would be converted into senior apartment "homes". I LOVE these designs!

There could be some shops; maybe a little grocery store, doctor's office, beauty shop. There is a Chinese massage place there already. Wouldn't this be so neat? Seniors could just enjoy this area with the indoor park and walking path. Wish I was loaded and could finance such a thing. I would enjoy retiring there.

Adam and Jill came home from the conference bearing gifts for the girls.

On Friday, the girls were at school and we 3 did our own "work" and watched a movie in the afternoon. I had decided to stay until Saturday because I wanted to attend services at the Little Brown Church in the Vale.