I'm behind on my updates but so is everyone else. I'll go back to Thursday before the holiday. Mad Dog picked me up in the afternoon and we hurried down to the lakehouse to get ahead of the holiday traffic. He went over to see his Dad and brought back Steak and Shake for dinner. It was the only quiet evening. Doug arrived with a carload of 'stuff' on Thursday, part of which they called a carport. Anytime we had any rain, Doug, et. al., would jump in and erect it so we could sit outside and wouldn't get rained on, though it didn't rain much. Mark Lary and Karen arrived next, I believe. Then I'm not sure who came next. Goldman and his girlfriend, another Suzanne with her three, Ethan, Tim and Mattie, were slowed down by the holiday traffic as were Suzanne Hollensbe with Lukas and Josie. But we waited dinner for them. Scott and the boys popped in sometime in the middle of the night as did Beth, an old friend of Scott's from Kansas City. They were so late I got up next morning to make sure they were there. I was so sound asleep I didn't hear the last ones come in, and I think Brayden and Jalen slept with me. I think I counted everyone. If I've forgotten anybody, I apologize.

Saturday the action started. Those who've been there have seen what we call the "Red Thing". It's this big inflatable tube that will hold three people. A rope attches to the bottom of it and to the back of the boat. Three kids have to take turns riding on it. There's always a waiting line, so to speak. Once I counted nine kids in the boat with Scott and Doug. There were seven of my houseguests and two neighbor kids. The old Bayliner boat doesn't look so good but it sure serves the purpose. It had riders as long as they could find drivers.

Fishing was good, too. Doug cooked up a mess of crappie Sunday affternoon and also had enough to take some home in the cooler for his parents. I don't know how many of the kids fished, but I know Doug made at least two trips for minnows. He probably cleaned them all too. The kids just took credit.

Mark and Karen brought an inflatable kayak. It's huge and I guess the size of a real one. It will easily hold two edults. At first the kids seemed reluctant to get on it but soon they were, again, standing in line. Mark and Karen must have made it look fun. One time Josie, Mark and Brayden were on it. They got Mark to sit 'in the middle'. This was so Brayden could set in back and steer. I hope there are some pictures of all this. Mark took some and maybe others did too.

We did lots of eating and snacking. Karen and Mark rode their bikes 27 miles Saturday and 58 miles on Sunday. They're getting ready to ride in MS150 in Columbia next weekend so were just getting a little exercise. Karen came by this morning here at home to pick up some stuff she'd forgotten and said she thought she had gained 5 pounds over the weekend. I don't see how that was possible with all her exercise. I don't think she has weighed since they're back.

We did do a lot of eating but not at the table. It was filled with computers What smart kids we have today!! My computer was on a shelf because there wasn't room on the table where I usually set it when we're not using the table. They all know how to use the computers and also know how to share. They use these little hand held things. They rig up stuff to the TV. I tell them I had to walk 10 miles in the snow to change channels. Then I tell them the truth. Some of that time we didn't even have a TV. They don't believe me either way. It's "Oh, Granny".

As we used to read in the Marshfield Mail "A good time was had by all." Now let's have some pictures and other updates to confirm it.