The next chapter...

Dan's high school graduation.

Mom "making" reverse osmosis water for the tea. 
 Chillaxin'

 Out for a run...well, walk by this point!

 Thick as thieves

Stump was a hit, fortunately, no one WAS hit! Dan is working on some cake, too.

Kyle (green shirt) is going to to IL Wesleyan University and, besides studying, will play football!

Some college advice for Kyle...

Thick as thieves

Guard duty

A familiar sight - tickling the ivories together.

Using a spread sheet to help Dan manage the haul.

The day after.

The grill master with his father-in-law supervising.

Life is good.

Making homemade whipped cream and doing some dishes.

In Tom's words, this isn't Breaking Bad but gone bad.  I'm still trying to figure out what is Breaking Bad. LC (lard crust) banana cream pie.

Miller Park, Milwaukee - Mom casting her All Star ballot. It was a 14 inning game which ended with the Twins on top, 6-5.  My brother Charlie calls extra inning games "extra enjoyment" (we lasted through 12).

Dad casting his ballot.

Memorial Day services.

It just keeps raining.

The answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind...

The windmill wheel and vane had deteriorated over the years, but the basic structure was still ok. Tom had it moved about 20 yards to the south and fitted with some new parts.

Dan cut off the vines.

Putting up the new wheel and vane.  It also has a little motor which Tom plans to use to hook up a hose and aerate the pond.

The worst things in life are also free...

Here are those kittens we talked about in the last email.  Please come and take 2, 3 or 8.

Kyle, center right, organized a surprise 18th birthday party for Dan!

After they plowed through 4 extra-large pizzas they retired to the Dan cave to watch the Bulls.

Boys gone wild.

ISU's Commencement was yesterday.  You don't want to get in the way of parents taking pictures of their college graduates!

Later was Prairie Central's Pop's Concert and recognition of the seniors.

Dan's cousin, Britney, is in the percussion section (snare drum) of the 6th grade band.

And Dan's cousin Brianna is playing trumpet in front of the bass drum in the junior high band.

Tom Terrific picked / snipped a bouquet of wild flowers for me this morning.  And I received some very nice cards!

Tom

Picking up seed corn from Kerber.

It's raining it's pouring!

The pond hasn't been this full in years!

Somehow I have "mallet finger" on my left ring finger. Dr. Selkow diagnosed this and informed me that I must keep it splinted/immobilized for 6-8 weeks. Not taking any chances on my stringed instrument-playing hand, I'm going to wait 8 weeks. Thinking that I won't get to play all summer is quite humbling, but certainly worth it if it heals properly!!

Dan and his senior prom date, Tara.  :)

Tom's new farm mobile.  I thought it would replace his motorcycle...sigh.  It hasn't.

 Our barn has a new face (so does the crib)!  Next will be to move the windmill and make it functional again so that it aerates the pond and indicates the wind direction.

Kittens