We had an Earp Christmas gathering Dec 21 at Benttondorf Ia at the home of Steven Earp. no gifs were exchanged
We had an Earp thanksgiving dinner at David Earps church fellowship hall in Caladonia Mn

Mary is now on the session of grace presbyterian church and she is very busy. she belongs to the rivertown lions club, sings in the church & bell choir and works full time as a medical technitian.

We motor homed to the Davenprt Ia area the end of October for 4 days. we toured the John deere plant and stayed at  corp of engineers campsites.

We now have a new dog. her name is lady. tippie our old dog is 15 years old and has all she can do to keep rear legs working. her days are numbered and she is dirty because she  is old. but we keep her like you would keep somebody in a nursing home.

The Melvin Rennells Jr Reunion happened at Whitewater State Park near St. Charles MN starting on July 26 and going thru July 28 we reserved three campsites . Those attending were Martin, Denise, Megan Rennells with Cody. Jeff, Bonnie, Tiffany Rennells. Melvin Jr, Mary, Paul., with friend Sara, Carol with fiancé Todd Bell. We set up in adjoing campsites and burned wood  and cooked meals and talked. We went swimming in the local swimming hole . Sunday morning we broke camp and Martin's and Mel's family went home and Jeff went on to Bonnie's home town in Edgerton ND.

Paul mary and mel went on our spring jaunt. we started  May 20 and headed south. our target was Charlotte SC and a look at the aircraft carrier Yorktown. We used our motor home for the first time. on the way we stayed at Cumberland gap visited the revolutionary battle ground at Morgan creek. after visiting the aircraft carrier and a destroyer  and a sub and a coast guard cutter we motored north to wilmington to see the battleship north carolina.we then wandered  onto the blue ridge parkway. then we went to a coal mine in west Virginia and then to gettesburg  Paul was impresses with gettesburg. afer that we motored to Michigan and visited Joyce and Dick, Joann and Burt then went home.

We just bought a  1985 24 foot Mallard Motor home. we have added a picture in this web page

Shirley Earp Died Sat March 2 2002 at Albert Lea MN. Her house was sold November 2002

Mel came home from the  Gunderson Hospital in LaCross Wisconsin friday Feb. 22 after having his Heart valve fix. all went well.

We've had a lot of things going on lately.  Mel is getting ready to get the valve replaced/repaired in his heart that has been defective for 2 or 3 years.  He has it checked every 8 - 12 months and now the doctors say it is time to operate.  He has been having a lot of preliminary testing done  echocardiogram, heart cath, ecocardiogram via his esophogus, & getting his teeth checked for infection.  He has to have some teeth pulled (to clean up some infection) which means some bridge work.  After all this is done, he can have his valve work done.

We now have Grandma's cat.  She has spent a week in Carol's room (under the bed, coming out only to eat and use the litter box).  We have now opened the door so she can integrate with the other cats.  There is a lot of hissing going on, but no fights yet.

We are also going to have a wedding,   Carol received a diamond last week from her boyfriend, Todd Bell.  It is scheduled for September 6 2003. in Winona MN.