Go, Granny, Go!

This evening Coeurimba played for Ramsey Elementary's open house. It was a lot of fun, and we played until it was too dark to see! Starting at the far left of the picture you can just see Char who is playing the baritone. Julie is on bass, Tina is down in front of her on soprano, Eileen is playing a frog (rhythm) - she's standing in the back. Bob is wearing the ball cap playing a soprano, Sally is facing him and I'm behind her. You can just see the top of Denise's head next to Char! We do have fun together!

Here I am playing the tenor and Sally is playing the soprano. It was quite the different performance with little kids standing right next to us - sometimes grabbing a mallet and trying to play along!
That's me and Julie Powell playing together. She had her own open house to attend at Lakes Middle School later in the evening, so we had to do all her songs first!
There's me again, this time Char is playing the tenor behind me. We did have lots of fun! Music is great! The people I play with are a cool group. Char teaches elementary school in Spokane, Julie and Sally are both music teachers in the district, and Bob and Eileen are involved in music at NIC. Tina teaches marimbas in the morning before school with Julie. Only one member of our group is not involved professionally with education, (Denise) but we like her anyway!
Grandpa missed my first bass performance, and he wanted a picture of me playing that instrument, so he had me play something during the break so he could get a good picture - but I kept hitting wrong notes, and it made me crazy! (oh, wait, I've been crazy for a long time now, so that didn't just happen!) Anyway, it was lots of fun and the crowd loved us!

And they're off. Urlene was trying not to cry, but it didn't work! We had a wonderful time - making jelly, picking crabapples, shopping for tea pots, exploring the area, playing golf, eating gooeys, Hudsons hamburgers, pastries at Bakery by the Lake, attending the CdA football game and lots of visiting. We crammed an awful lot into one short week, but we sure had fun! Now it's my turn to get a 'ding' and visit Mineola. Watch out, Urlene, here I come!

Of course, we had to go to Hudson's to get a burger! Luckily they were still open, AND they had seats available! How lucky are we?! And, yes, they were delicious!
After burgers, we ran off to get Urlene a cute tea pot and tea cups, then back to the resort for gooeys - there was not room enough in the camera lense to take in all the gooeys on the table, but they were de-licious!
Then we took our full tummies off to the Coeur d'Alene High School football field to watch the game. Sadly, we lost the game, but lots of people met Charles and Urlene, so they know that I don't just have imaginary relatives! And Alan said that he loves Urlene because she reminds him of me, and he loves me!

(he'd better, or he'll answer to her, and that would be painful seeing as how she has pretty much always thought she was my mother, and would fight anybody who said they didn't like me!)

Once again - how do I turn these pictures!!! Anyway, after a grueling morning of golf and a yummy luncheon and collecting a few prizes - Urlene won the centerpiece and I got a shirt for being 3rd in my flight! (will wonders never cease?) we had to document the day with a picture of Urlene standing in front of the new Eagle sculpture - made from a downed tree stump - which stands across the road from the first fairway. Urlene was so proud of herself because when she tried to play golf this day she actually hit the ball and not just the ground! You go, sister!
And here are Urlene and Charles lounging in the back yard after a quiet soup and sandwich dinner on our deck. It was truly an awsome week - both the weather and the company!

We took a tour of the Buck Knives manufacturing plant in Post Falls, and Charles and Urlene were delighted to be able to meet CJ and Chuck Buck, who offered to 'sign' a Buck knife for 'Little Charlie's' (Chuck) birthday. Here is CJ signing the knife.
And here is Chuck Buck signing the knife...
Here are CJ, Urlene, Chuck and Charles all smiles as Urlene said that Chuck (her son) would be 'over the moon' when he gets his Buck Knife signed 'happy birthday Chuck' by CJ and Chuck. The younger Charles Willis is an avid hunter and was out dove hunting while we were there getting him a knife...
OK, somebody show me how to turn these pictures the right way on blogger! Here is Charles in the upper floor showcase room at Buck Knives where he is standing in front of a glass case holding mammoth tusks!
And here are Charles and Urlene standing in front of the memorial stone to Hoyt Buck, founder of Buck Knives. As you can see, another Bee-utiful day in North Idaho!

Visit from Charles and Urlene

Charles and Urlene made their first ever visit to the beautiful Inland Northwest the week of September 3-8. We ordered absolutely beautiful (or as Urlene would say "Bee-utiful") weather for the entire week, and boy, did we have f-u-n!

Here we are visiting the floating green, of course.