FRIO BOUND

This will probably be my last post before we head to the Frio River on Sat. morning. I am off work tomorrow and will spend the day at the grocery store, packing and doing all the necessary prep. That is the hard part. I have many list and lots of packing to do. You are always worried that you will forget something. My favorite part is getting in the Tahoe and starting to unwind. At that point if I forgot something it's too late to worry about it. I can not wait to get my toes into that cold spring fed river. Stephanie saw pics of the river from a week ago and said it still looked pretty good. The radar is showing they may be getting some rain today, but I am not holding my breath. The biggest shock will be to my in-laws from Colorado. My sister-in-law posted this morning that it was 53 and raining in Denver. Heifer! What was she thinking posting something like that for us heat stroked out Texans to read. The revenge will be when they try to acclimate to the Texas Heat. LOLOLO!!

We have so many fun things planned to entertain ourselves while there. Most do not involve being in the sun except when we are sitting in the cold river. Campfires and somores at night, but it will be a little cooler then.

The grand kids (and the kids) are on pins and needles waiting for time to leave. I will have my little helper Kenzie with me tomorrow, and she might actually be a lot of help. I have her doing the running around gathering up stuff. She will love it. Too bad she won't want to put things back when we get home. I will have to use her while I can. I'm sure everyone will disappear when we get back and start cleaning up and putting away. Isn't that always the way??

I'll have lots of pics and stories when I get back.

HEATHER WRIGHT BOTKIN

It is with much sadness that I write this evening. Heather, was only 30 years old, had a two week old baby girl, 7 year old daughter and a loving husband. After the birth of her precious daughter she developed a staff infection which took her life within days. It is almost unbelievable. Heather and her husband Jeremy graduated with my oldest daughter Stephanie. Jeremy works with my son Lance. Heather's mother is a good friend and was my middle daughter, Courtney's, first grade teacher. We know it is not our place to ask why, but it is so hard to understand why this young woman was taken. Heather was so sweet and never had an unkind word for anyone. She worked at the bank here in our small town and was loved by all who knew her. My heart goes out to this family and to the father who will have to raise his two little girls without their mother.

BUMPED

Bob told Steph that he got bummped from World News Tonight last night, but they told him he would be on there tonight.

TEXAS WEATHER ON NATIONAL NEWS

My daughter, Stephanie (AKA Dutch to the F/V Northwestern bunch) works for the Lower Colorado River Authority in water services. Her office is right across from Bob Rose's office (the LCRA's weather guru). She just emailed me that Bob is going to be on World News Tonight and on Good Morning America tomorrow morning talking about our Texas drought.

When ever anyone here in my office wants to know about the weather (especially when storms are coming, etc.) we call Steph and ask her, "What does Bob say?" He send out alerts, etc. to the employees at LCRA to keep them up to speed on weather issue. Other weather persons in the area also depend on Bob for his knowledge.

As you know, summers in Texas are hot and dry anyway, but this summer has been brutal. We have been over 100 almost every day this month with little or no rain in months. I will be very interested to hear what Bob will have to say. I know I am miserable and it is so hard to keep our homes cool even with central air. If you want to see what I am always complaining about, be sure to watch tonight or in the morning.

THE REUNION IS STILL ON FOR THE FRIO

After much discussion about the river status and the heat, etc. we decided to take our chances and go to the Frio as planned. This family can have a good time anywhere. I believe in my heart that it will rain before we go, she said with her fingers crossed. We are planning meals now and who will cook what, when etc.

As I said ,we will be having a Pan Cake Cook Off while we are there. I have already downloaded the I Hop recipe for Cinnastacks...my all time favorite pancakes. I will be taking home that trophy!! First I have to make the trophy. I am going to get a small skillet and either paint or do something to signify what it's for. Each year you must bring it back and defend your title. Not sure if we will be doing anything for the other winners.

I think for the meal my family is responsible for we will do Gormet Hamburgers with all the trimings. Mushrooms, thich sliced bacon, avacados, etc. Sounds yummy to me. Just can't wait for somores, funnel cake...oh, I drooling...lol!

Glad we decided to go anyway. It would have been a let down after all this anticipation. Just 15 more days...

Frio Status, Family Reunion Plans

The river is really down today. We watch it daily and we need rain!! Stephanie works for LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority) in water services. Bob Rose (the premier weather man in Austin) works just a couple of offices down so she is in contact with him. He says there is a chance for rain this week end or early next week. Let's Pray. Bob says even 4 inches would make a huge different to the Frio. We had a fleeting thought about canceling if the river got worse, but it was just a fleeting thought. We are going to tough it out and just hope we have enough water to swim in or get really lucky and get a good rain and can float too.

We are in the process of getting our Glenn Family Reunion T-shirts. Everyone gets to choose their favorite color and we will take a big family photo on Sunday morning (hopefully before it is 106 degrees). We are planning the meals...each family will choose a night to host. We will have a Pan Cake Cook Off one morning, a Guitar Hero Play Off, a Tiger Woods Wii Golf Tournament, etc. But, we're not competitive..lol!

Everyone is so excited about going we could never have canceled. What were we thinking??

NOOOOOoooooo!

I just recieved an email from my brother-in-law. He said that he talked to River Bend (the camp grouds where we stay) and they said that the Frio River is so low right now that there is no tubeing, just swimming. Steph said she might cry...lol! Everyone pray for rain!!! I want to float the Frio.

:( Sindee

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER AND RECORD HEAT

Kenzie and Pearl cooling off in Pearl's pool. Pearl can't get into the big pool because Bulldogs can't swim (they can ride skateboards though) so she has her own pool. She loves to get sit in the water and cool off. Of course then she gets wet and dirty and wants to jump on you or sit in your lap...eweeeee. She is such a tomboy dog. Nothing girly about her.

Texas has been experiencing record heat and a drought. Today is suppose to be about 106 if I heard the weather man clearly through my early morning daze. Oh, how I long for the sweater weather of Alaska!! Today is my Friday and I am so looking forward to my 3 day week end. Even though tomorrow will be spent cleaning house and washing clothes with a little pool time slipped in some where. Saturday will be spent with Janice getting everything ready for Thelma and Louise's Scrapbook retreat. That's our side business. We hold scrapbook retreats at a local Bed and Breakfast. We have sooooo much fun and get a little cropping done if we are lucky...lol! This retreat's theme is Flip Flops and Sea Shells. The girls will be getting a number of items with that theme. Sand pails with pebble candy rocks inside, flip flops, flip flop scrapbook page kit, etc. We always try to think of cool things to give them. Wish my Alaska scrapbook buddies could come sometime! We had a girl come from England last year. It was ever so much fun.

Hope everyone is staying cool, Sindee

FIREWORKS

Our small town of Bastrop puts on a fireworks display each Fourth of July. Most of the town turns out for it and my family is no exception. We look forward to it every year. We have hamburgers on the grill at my house and then head on down to watch the extravaganza. Local fun in a small town. I love family traditions. Of course my BFF Janice and her family join us...they might as well be family. Hope everyone had a good time with their family and celebration.

OLD BEAU

BEAU

1996 - 2009

BELOVED PET

FAITHFUL

LOYAL

PROTECTOR OF CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN

FRIENDLY

LOVING

BEAUTIFUL

WE WILL MISS YOU OLD FRIEND

Thurs. the new Friday, July 3rd and 4th

Thursday is my new Friday. During the summer months we work 4 tens. Long days, but three day week ends are always worth it. Today is most people's Friday because of the Forth being on Sat. this year.

Tomorrow, July 3rd, we will be gathering at our house for hamburgers and swimming. At dusk we will go to watch the local firework displays. Kenzie and Khi got new red, white and blue t-shirts which is a tradition at our house. I love to take pics and make patriotic scrapbook layouts. This will be Pearl's first July 4th celebration. Hope she is not afraid of the noise. Our big Australian Sheppard, Beau is terrified of fireworks and thunder. I always feel so sorry for him on July 4th. He is now about 15 years old and his health is failing. So sad.

Speaking of scrapbook layouts, Janice (AKA Thelma, BFF) and I are going to a scrapbook store in San Antonio (about 2 1/2 hours away) to a July 4th Crop. It begins at 9:00am and goes till 12:00am. Plus everything in the store is 30% the entire time. WooHoo!! We will have a ball. We will be staying over night at the Comfort Inn. We have been going over there for years now. They have the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in. The scrapbook store we are going to is called Scrapbook 911. It is so cute. All the employees wear scrubs and everything is related to that theme. Can't wait. All I can say is SHOTGUN. Whenever Janice emails or texts me with an idea of going somewhere I respond with SHOTGUN (like when we were kids and we would call shotgun to sit in the front passenger seat)! I am always ready to go anywhere. I love being 58 yrs old, have raised my kids, husband is self sufficient and I can drop and run anytime. On the road again...

Hope everyone has a great Fourth! Sindee

WEDNESDAY, 1 MONTH TILL WE LEAVE FOR THE FRIO RIVER

We have a long standing tradition of going to the Frio River sometime during each summer. It is about 3 hours from here. The water is ice cold and so clear you can see to the bottom in even the deepest places. When we were children Steve's family and my family went camping at the Frio...we didn't know each other then and never ran into each other. After we married and had children we began taking them up there. Now we are taking our grandchildren as well. Everyone, from the oldest to the youngest in the family looks forward to it all year. This year we are having the first ever Pat Glenn (my father in law) Family reunion. Steve's sister, Annette and her family are coming all the way from Colorado. They are only staying for 3 days and since we are staying 7 days, Janice (AKA Thelma) my BFF and her family are coming up and taking over their cabin for 4 days. This should be a blast!! Cooking on the campfire, floating the river, catching up on everyone's family stories, playing domino's and just relaxing. It is so great to have all your family around you up there. Something for everyone to do and nothing to do if you don't want to. The pic at the top is a shot of the river. I am starting to get my list (I have kept a running list for years which I edit each year) together, buying non perishables, planning meals, etc. You know the Frio river is where George Strait learned to swim...at least that is what he says in his song...lol!

We actually got a cool front yesterday. It will be 90 something degrees today instead of 106. We also got some much needed rain this morning. It's just a drop in the bucket of how much we need, but we will take any little bit we can get.

Did y'all catch Deadliest Catch and After the Catch last night? After the catch was so funny at the end and Sig's fish balls looked delicious.