oh Meena!

Hi friends,

6 Oaks is coming along nicely. The house is finally finished, the pool is full, the sidewalks are in and isn't everything glorious! On top of all the wonderful things we have been blessed with we have a very special announcement.......MANDY IS HAVING TWINS! Ken and Mandy have been through alot to get to this point and now wow! TWINS......2 BABIES!!!!! I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Now we have to wait to see just who we have in there! Will keep everyone posted.

We have had a great warm summer here in the hill country. After a full day of working outside there is nothing as refreshing as a dip in the pool. We have been able to get our grass established this year thanks to alot of hours running the sprinklers. Just this week, the deer that come to the feeder every afternoon, began to eat my impatients. They have yet to touch one periwinkle. I do believe impatients are the only flower they won't eat.

We have had a great time watching our finches feast on the feeder outside the kitchen windows. At times there have been 20 little birds fighting for just a few seconds of hang time! I just can't figure out how they got the information that we even put it out there. All of a sudden here they came and they keep coming. The neighbors thought they had migrated for the summer. Little did they know the birds are all on our feeder!

If you have not heard I was an extra in a movie they were shooting here in Fred'brg. The man in this picture is the author of the book "Seven Days in Utopia" Life's Sacred Journey. His name is David Cook. It is quite a remarkable read and only 159 pages. This book has changed many many lives with all the wonderful lessons within. I encourage everyone to give it a read.

The only person anyone will know is Robert DuVal. He ate lunch with the extras each afternoon and seemed just so very "one of the group".

Some day I want to drive down to Utopia and experience the town for myself. When we were shooting we had to report for duty at 6-7 a.m. and worked continually for the next 12-14 hours! It is unbelievable how many times it takes to shoot just a short little scene. We redid things over and over and over again. The director would say " that was PERFECT! Now let's do it again!!" We got to where we were saying that even before he did. All and all I would do it again in a minute just for the experience. The crew was at all times so professional, polite and respectful. They made sure we were hydrated at all times. It was really hot standing in the fairway for hours. ( Note: I am watching "Bridges of Madison County". Great ChickFlick sniffel sniffel)

The only painful thing that has happened recently is the loss of my brother Gary. He is the brother right behind me. He will always be 55 years young. He suffered a massive heart attack at his jobsite. The workers tried really hard to revive him but he was gone by the time they got there. They did transport him to the emergency room and they did what they thought they had to do to revive him. They kept him on life support for 48 hrs. then by the grace of God they let him go. Gary is and will always be my "GENTLE GIANT". He was 6'4" and everything about this guy was beautiful. He was gifted with song, able to write music and gave God all the glory.........I WILL MISS HIM FOREVER. Rest in peace........job well done.....see you on the other side. I love you.

Be sure to tell whomever is in your life that they matter and you love them.

Come see us.....your room is ready!

Proprietor

Vicki and Bud