Wow! Ed got a triple word, triple seven letter word - 140 points. Unletter is a term for "not rented". Good going, Ed.

Christian and Troy sewed and mounted their scout flag. They are the Lightning Patrol. The gromets on the sides are for the lightning bolts with each Scouts name. The holes along the top are for award ribbons and flags. They did a great job and love to work on Scout projects and merit badges together.

Our house was so in need of a paint job so I chipped paint off one side for days and days with a little knife. Elder Millet primed one strip to see if the old cedar siding would actually take a paint job nicely. We finally decided it was time to reside the house.


The workers showed up late on a Friday, tore off part of the old siding and left their huge truck in front of the house for the weekend. I guess this is part of their advertising.

Three guys are working: One tears off and nails up the form insullation. Another works on the continuous metal siding and another bends the metal that forms around the windows and doors. They are doing a great job. The color is New York Champange with brown trim.

The front of the house is all done. We put the new house numbers out in the open so visitors can see. Please visit. Come see us.

Our walk-under has never looked so nice.

The back and side.

What a diffrence the new siding has made. We love our home. We still want you to come and visit.

After we planted the weather turned cold and rainy. Well the last couple days have been bright and warm and the garden has burst forth. We are excited to watch the vegetables grow.

We are so fortunate to have a rhododendron (and to know how to look it up in a dictionary so I can spell it). Ephrata is colder in the winter than in Lynden where we had many, many. This one is sheltered in the nook off the kitchen window. It is a wild one with smaller flowers that are pale lavender.

Troy gave away all my quilt fabric and Elder Millet and I had lots of fun getting rid of all the stuff we haven't thought about for the past two years. We had a yard sale at the Ephrata Senior Center Thrift Store instead of in our own yard. That way we got rid of everything and did not have to hassle with customers. We put in a new furnace to keep the family room warm and comfortable.

Our family room is finally a family room. It's amazing how much space we have. The new carpet is lovely.

Now you see it, now you don't. Scott Elliott cut down the hawthorne tree in our back yard so we would have more room for a garden. He also cut the bottom limbs off our big fir tree. The added sun and light in our backyard is great.

Elder Millet's new toy. We were at Home Depot and there was this cute little rototiller in the middle of the aisle. The sign said $50. What a bargain. It works great for our little space.

All planted and waiting for the sun. The week before planting was sunny and wonderful. The two weeks after were cold. Finally, the sprouts are starting to appear. We hope for warm weather soon.

Since we have been home, from time to time we find water on the kitchen floor. If we were very, very careful when we washed the dishes it was okay but when it happened we did not know. We finally discovered that when the top of the faucet was moved from sink to sink and a little pressure was put on it, it leaked out the back, went along the top of the sink between the stove and sink and eventually onto the floor. So, we called a plumber. He said the old faucet was not worth fixing so we got a new one. Just $200 or so.

Then, the water heater went out. I came into the kitchen and water was everywhere. We knew the sink no longer leaked so with a little detective work I discovered the leak in the pantry. The worse part was 2 days without a hot shower. The really worse part was the $600 it cost to replace. The plumber said, "Please wait a week or so before you call me again." YES, we had to take all the food and even the shelves out of the pantry.

It really was a wonderful Mother's Day gift. We were so thankful it did not happen months ago when we were still on our mission! There is a bright side to everything that happens.