As far as Christmas in Albert Lea goes, it is still
on for Thurs. Dec 27. We are planning on bring a gift for a gift
exchange. Bring a gift, get a gift. Eating at Good Sam is fine
with me. Do we want to bring dinner type food, or afternoon snack
type. David, I think there will be 5 of us. Todd has to work
at night, but Carol said he is going to try to get it off. Mel sent
an email to Marty, but we haven't heard from him yet.
No snow yet.
Christmas eve at Grace Presbyterian church 4:30 Fellowship 5:30 Worship, open gifts christmas day
Melvin has been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes and is being regulated. The doctor has recommended that he have his mitral valve in his heart replaced. he has known it was leaking for 3 years and it is getting worse. After checking it was found mel's arteries are clear and the heart is still good, he just must have his valve replaced before the heart degenerates. This will probably happen in January 2002
Mel,s Uncle Steve Rennells is having his 100th birthday open house Sat. Dec 1st at the First United Methodist Church 201 W Cass Street, Greenville Michigan , his real birthdate is Dec 6
Paul is staying at Albert Lea for the week end he likes to stay at Grandma Earps House and play games and watch TV. It is empty now except for her "CAT" we feed it every weekend and change its box. we will take it to winona to join our other three cats when we can catch it. Paul likes to do this every weekend it's 100 mi one way. we have had trouble starting carols car but we think we have fixed the problem.
Well now Shirley Earp is in the good samaritan Nursing home and we just completed our yearly Thanksgiving dinner at the Albert Lea Presbyterian Church.
Carol motored to Las Vegas with the "bells" they left Tuesday Nov. 20 and will return Monday Nov. 26.
when we got home Shirley Earp Mary's mother has a urine infection and was found sleeping too long at home and went to the hospital Monday 10/22/2001. the doctor said she had a stroke so we went to Albert Lea Wed morning and stayed till Thursday noon. Shirley Earp improved and has problems with her left side. she is in the hospital till Monday and then she will go to a home. We will go back to Albert Lea Saturday 10/27 and return home sunday.
Mary has two vacation days and starting morning on 10/21/2001 till 10/23/2001. we Traveled thru Wisconsin to Duluth and then on up to Temperance River State Park. there were only three campers and we had only out houses and electricity for $7 per night. Mel tried to set up our Satellite Dish but failed, too many trees. Monday we motored back to duluth and drove the skyline drive overlooking duluth and Lake Superior. That night we stayed at St Croix State Park. We were all alone, there was nobody else in this hugh park!! We tried again to set up our satellite dish and go poor results. We were looking to buy a motor home so we shopped the rest of the way home.
We have junked two cars, the 86 plymouth voyager that has set undriveable for 2 1/2 years and pauls old 1988 olds cutless. We just purchased a 1993 dodge caravan with 90,000 miles. our 1978 chev impella is now out spare car and our 1987 gmc conversion van our motor home and general purpose vehicle. carol still drives our 1987 dodge shadow and paul operates his 1994 chevy blazer S10.
we will drive to gays mills WI saturday morning 10/13/2001. We will
leave out tent camper at the campground. then we will do the boscobell
thing. we will leave our cell phone "ON" 507-429-4251. our records
show Steve Earp have cell phone no 319-320-2638 and 319-320-0398.
We can coordinate our meeting location --- Gays Mills or Boscobel.
After we get together we can decide on our activities. We could
have a picnic and a campfire at the campground. We will hook
up the tent trailer sunday afternoon and drive home to winona.
Sept 7 2001 badger laid mel off and is retired again.
we are planning to attend jeremy's wedding August 25 at 5 PM at
hillsburo ND.
we plan to leave home friday morning after Paul is thru work at 7 AM
and meander to ND but will probably sleep at a campground friday nit .
we will arrive in mayville sat PM and check into mayville supper 8 motel
(we have a resurvation) to get cleaned up for the wedding. we will stay
sat nite at the motel and continue on a mini vacation. paul must be back
to work monday 11 PM August 27. mary's vacation is over tuesday August
28.
Carol has a new computer and e-mail address carolrennells@charter.net
I also have added more pictures to my web page www.hbci.com/~melr
and a new sub of collage of pictures which includes all pictures
on the web page .
love
Mary and Mel & Tippie went to Damians & Sara wedding July 14 at Eau Claire Wi and camped overnight at pioneer park where the wedding took place. Sunday morning we motored to the Straights State Park at St Ignace Michigan for the night. The next night we camped at Joann and Burt Spitlers home At Northport Mi (40 miles north of Traverse City). The following night we camped at Joyce and Dick Hargett's home in Potterville MI. then we motored to Bay City and up the east shore of michigan and camped at Higgenville state park. we then camped Thursday night at the Straights State Park again. we then drove home to winona and slept in our own bed Friday night. We traveled about 1800 miles.
Tiffany Rennells (Jeff's Daughter) just graduated from High School and
has a scholarship to collage
Damien Rennells (Martin's Son) is getting married July 14 2001
in Eau Claire Wisconsin
Jeremy Rennells (Jeff's Son) is getting married August 25 2001
Hillsburo ND
Mary has signed up for vacation at the following times
July 14 thru July 22
August 24 thru August 28
Shirley Earp, 1302 Louis St., did celebrate her 90th birthday with an open house from 11 - 2, Sunday, June 10, 2001, in Westminster Hall, First Presbyterian Church, in Albert Lea. The event was hosted by her children. All friends and relatives were invited. No gifts were requested.
Mel Has Started another new Job . He Will be designing for Little Giant a Badger competitor just purchased by Badger. this job may last a year. When mary goes on vacation Mel will take leave to go with her (Special for retired workers)
The annual trip to Dallas ( Grand Prairie) started April 20th. Mary
Mel & Paul visited Jeff, Bonnie, Tiffanie Rennells , and Christina,
Matt, Ashley Crosswhite. On Sunday April 22 we went to Mineral Springs
State Park and climbed Rocks, Kayaked and picnicked. Monday morning we
headed towards Louisiana. Our target was the Destroyer USS Kidd At Baton
Ruge La.
we next drove to Grand Isl about the southern tip of Loisiana wandered
home thru New Salem Ill (they were host to a National Boy Scout Jamboree)
We returned home Sat April 28th. the last week of our vacation was spent
around home and a trip to albert lea to get ready for Shirley Earp's 90
th Birthday party June 10th.
Paul plans to take April 19 thru april 29
Mary has signed up for vacation that must be used before Aug. 6 2001
April 20 thru May 6 a trip with Paul to Dallas Texas and thru Louisiana
and back
June 11
July 14 thru July 22
August 23 thru August 27
On thursday Feb 1 paul's car was hit by a car with no insurance and
damaged his left front end. Just needs a new headlight
and some body repair.
Friday Jan 26 Paul spun out on a snowy I 90 freeway and hit the ditch
and rolled onto the Blazer's side. He was not hurt but the car laid on
it's side for 20 hours until the chevy garage in Stewartvill MN pulled
into its lot. they will check the fluids and start it on Monday Jan 29
and tell us what's wrong with it.
The engine would not turn over. oil had leaked into the cylinders and
created hydraulic jamming. removed spark plugs and drain. replaced
spark plugs and an oil
soaked air filter. we waited until tuesday to drive over and pick it
up because of the ice storm
the car is in good shape with a miner driver door panel caved in and
the center council
between the driver and passenger seats is loose. paul said he stood
on it to climb out. Yes,
he was upset, but he is o.k. now
Mary called the church in Albert Lea and set up June 10th for Mom's
90th
birthday extravangsa. I told them we would provide the "coffee
hour
coffee". We can decide if we want to extend it to the public
and put an
open house invitation in the paper later and also the details like
food,
decorations, program??? etc. At least we have a date secured.
There was a fire in the building next to Carol's apartment building
Monday Jan 8 2001 A. M. The police evacuated her building so
she grabbed her cats and
a basket of clothes she had in the drier and left. We had some
4 legged
guests for the evening. Every time we tried to talk to them they
hissed at
us. Our cats spent most of the evening sitting outside Carol's
bedroom
door. The cats went home last night and Carol said there wasn't even
any
smoke smell in her apartment. The fire was on the other side of a firewall
separating
the fire from her apartment
Cameron Earp was Married to Shela January 5, 2001 at Richfield MN and
mel and Mary and Tippy attended.
We had Christmas at Granma's House December 27 2000
We had thanksgiving at the Albert Lea Presbyterian church Basement
which was
catered from a local Grocery Store.