I am sure you receive many funny e-mails like I do and every so often one comes along that gives you a big belly laugh. Well this is one that hit my funny bone and I thought I would share it. Thanks Megan for helping your old dad and showing him how to capture it for our blog.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Confused Boomer
Well, today was another experience in a test to add a video to my post. What should have been a simple procedure turned out to be a two hour failed attempt at doing so. So I felt the need to express my frustration at my lack of knowledge in this new endeavor. I know that I can't be alone in such frustration. But I dare not let it get me down. I will try again tomorrow with the help of one of my daughters and/or son-in-laws.
Before my next blog I will learn how to insert a photo and/or videos. Yes, I know you high tech youngsters out there are snickering at my incompetence. I also know that some of my fellow boomers feel my pain. Just let it be known that I will not be defeated!
Before my next blog I will learn how to insert a photo and/or videos. Yes, I know you high tech youngsters out there are snickering at my incompetence. I also know that some of my fellow boomers feel my pain. Just let it be known that I will not be defeated!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Pretty Dresses
The flood of April, 2011 did come at the same time of my retirement party that was to be soon followed by our move to Arizona. Wow! What an exciting week.
Now how about those pretty dresses for our granddaughters. Now you need to understand that Grandma Nancy does not miss a chance to get clothing for our beautiful girls, Madeline age 6 and Grace age 1 1/2. With our children planning on attending the retirement party and coming to Missouri from Phoenix and Denver, grandma wanted to make sure these special little girls would look pretty for all to see. Of course, typical grandma, it took days and days to find just the right dresses. These dresses were placed in a special place and just waiting for the big event. That special place just happened to be in our newly flooded home.
With the second day of the flood and the quick breaking of the window and move of furniture to higher ground (see posting below) the thought of clothing was not on our mind. As the retirement party date of Friday, April 29 approached we began to think about our clothing for the event and of course grandma wanted to make sure the girls were dressed properly. Since gettting our clothing out of a home that had 12 feet of water in it didn't seem to be an option, off to the stores we went. Well,, grandma settled on her clothing in a new record time and of course a one stop shop did it for granpa. But those granddaughters took much more time. From store to store all I heard was that they are just not as pretty as the ones we had in our flooded home.
What else could be done but ----you guessed it. It is what all good granpa's would do. I secured a boat, launched it in the swift waters, boated to the house, tied it to the upper deck, waded through that shattered deck window in that chest high cold water and came out holding those great dresses.
On a final note, grandma was happy, the retirement party was great and most importantly those little grandaughters looked fabulous.
Now how about those pretty dresses for our granddaughters. Now you need to understand that Grandma Nancy does not miss a chance to get clothing for our beautiful girls, Madeline age 6 and Grace age 1 1/2. With our children planning on attending the retirement party and coming to Missouri from Phoenix and Denver, grandma wanted to make sure these special little girls would look pretty for all to see. Of course, typical grandma, it took days and days to find just the right dresses. These dresses were placed in a special place and just waiting for the big event. That special place just happened to be in our newly flooded home.
With the second day of the flood and the quick breaking of the window and move of furniture to higher ground (see posting below) the thought of clothing was not on our mind. As the retirement party date of Friday, April 29 approached we began to think about our clothing for the event and of course grandma wanted to make sure the girls were dressed properly. Since gettting our clothing out of a home that had 12 feet of water in it didn't seem to be an option, off to the stores we went. Well,, grandma settled on her clothing in a new record time and of course a one stop shop did it for granpa. But those granddaughters took much more time. From store to store all I heard was that they are just not as pretty as the ones we had in our flooded home.
What else could be done but ----you guessed it. It is what all good granpa's would do. I secured a boat, launched it in the swift waters, boated to the house, tied it to the upper deck, waded through that shattered deck window in that chest high cold water and came out holding those great dresses.
On a final note, grandma was happy, the retirement party was great and most importantly those little grandaughters looked fabulous.
From the Flood Waters of Missouri to the High Desert of Arizona
With one week to go before our planned move to Arizona and our new retirement home the rains came. More than 14 inches of moisture in a 7 day period is more than the White River watershed could handle. First came the release of water from the Beaver Lake Dam and quickly followed by the record release of water from Table Rock Dam. Living downstream on Lake Taneycomo and just 3 miles from the dam we quickly experienced the effects of 68,000 cubic feet of water per second. With a 7:30 knock on the door from a deputy sheriff warning us that the flood gates would soon be open we quickly went into action. The warning to evacuate without a time frame was somewhat alarming. With a few phone calls, 4 moving trucks and 14 friends and co-workers came to our rescue. Would you believe than from 10 am until 2:30 pm we were able to move out of the lower two levels of our home.
Only one other flood had occured in the previous 40 years and that was in 2008. That previous record flood only reached the two lower levels in our rented home. With quickly rising waters we all departed and only could watch as the water quickly rose to the height of the 2nd level. Everything seemed to be in order until we were notified that the flood gates would be opened and that we could expect an additional 4 feet of water. What? Another 4 feet in addition to the 8 we already had? A quick decision was made to get a boat and to break a window (the deck level doors were locked) so that we could move the 3rd level furniture to the top and final level. Do you know how hard it is to break a thermopane window with a sledge hammer? After several full swings it finally exploded into thousands of pieces. With four of us making a quick move of furniture to higher ground we were able to keep everything dry.
We will post the rest of the story including rescueing the grand daughters pretty dresses that grandma just had to have for the retirement party. Yes a retirement party in the middle of a flood and move. More to come with photos! Stay tuned!
Only one other flood had occured in the previous 40 years and that was in 2008. That previous record flood only reached the two lower levels in our rented home. With quickly rising waters we all departed and only could watch as the water quickly rose to the height of the 2nd level. Everything seemed to be in order until we were notified that the flood gates would be opened and that we could expect an additional 4 feet of water. What? Another 4 feet in addition to the 8 we already had? A quick decision was made to get a boat and to break a window (the deck level doors were locked) so that we could move the 3rd level furniture to the top and final level. Do you know how hard it is to break a thermopane window with a sledge hammer? After several full swings it finally exploded into thousands of pieces. With four of us making a quick move of furniture to higher ground we were able to keep everything dry.
We will post the rest of the story including rescueing the grand daughters pretty dresses that grandma just had to have for the retirement party. Yes a retirement party in the middle of a flood and move. More to come with photos! Stay tuned!
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