Carolina Dreamin' (South Carolina that is)

The 2010 Chem-Dry Convention was held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this year. We had been hearing for the previous several weeks about how this was the coldest, wettest winter the east coast had experienced in many years, but we were SURE it would be nice and warm by the time we got there.

Well, we knew that was not going to be the case when we checked in at the convention and they gave everyone sweatshirts. DANG!

It was beautiful looking out off of our hotel balcony. Myrtle Beach has some really great beaches. Lots of white, soft sand. And very clean.

We didn't let the weather hinder us though. On Monday, we made a trip to Wilmington to tour the battleship North Carolina. Lisa and Uncle John on the deck. That was one BIG SHIP! Very interesting tour. Life aboard a battleship was a life without privacy, but amazing the technology built into a ship over 70 years old.

Lisa and I checked into our room at the convention on Monday evening. The girl at the desk said, "Oh, you have the 3 rooms." I said, "No. We just booked one." She didn't say anything else. Just handed me our keys to the room. When we got up to our room, we knew something was up. The door to our "ROOM" was double doors. When we walked in, it was the biggest hotel room we have ever been in. HOLY COW!!!!!!


The convention was fun. Lisa got to do some POWER shopping with her new friend, Margaret Mortensen and old aquaintences, the Nancy Andrus and Tamara Tanavana. One of the highlights was Thursday evening at the closing session formal dinner where they hand out the awards. We were able to present the 2010 Chem-Dry of the Year award to our good friends, The Andrus's and Tanavasa's from Oregon.

AND.... on Thursday afternoon, Uncle John and I decided we could not come all the way to the east coast, on the beautiful beach and not go for a swim. The picture is of a guy telling me that the water temperature was 46 degrees. I knew it was cold, but I really didn't need to know it was 46. Well, we still went in, genius's
that we were.

It only took about 10 minutes in the hot tub afterwards to thaw out.

On Friday morning,(the best weather since we arrived), we went for a walk on the beach. We noticed a bunch of seagulls gathering and realized they wanted us to feed them.

We took a couple of granola bars, broke them up and tossed them to the birds. It was kinda like the Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Birds". They were everywhere. Lisa got one to eat from her hand while it was flying. We were throwing pieces of the bars up in the air and they were catching them before they even started coming back down.

All in all, it was a very fun, tiring, trip. EXCEPT for the ride home. We booked with Delta airlines and chose our seats, (I thought), way back in January. Well, if you read the fine print, it says that your seat assignments are "Subject to Change." Well, change they did!" We got to the airport and ended up with the seats in the very back of the plane for BOTH flights. Thanks DELTA. I over heard several years ago two flight attendants talking, (Not DELTA). One said to the other, "What is the best way to survive flying DELTA?" Answer - "Don't Even Leave The Airport!"

You know, I think she was right.

The Reunion is in ..... where?

Yuma Arizona!

You know. The place that is always listed as "The Hot Spot in The Nation" on the evening news. Well, let me tell you, Yuma in February is GREAT!

Especially when you get to see relatives you either haven't seen for years or some that we'd never even met.
We started off Friday and met Kara in Tucson, had a quick Eegee's, (Lisa can't get within 10 miles of an Eegee's and not stop to get a sub), and then headed off to Yuma. We arrived, checked in at the hotel, and went for dinner at the local Mexican Restaurant. The food was OK, and the company was fantastic.

Saturday morning, Kara, Ryan, Uncle Dan, Harry, Kevin and I all ran in the 5K race along the parade route. We ran with Ryan for about the 1st 50 yards and then he left us in his dust. Kara was nice enough to stay with the old fat guy, (Dad), and I finished with a personal record of 29:30. Personal record because I had never run one before:) It was fun and I would like to run some in the future, especially if Kara will be there to keep me "pushing on". After finishing the race, we met everyone at Clymer's Park. This park is the site of the boarding house where Mom and Dad met, Harry Eastlick grew up, Aunt Virginia "Ginger" owned and lots of other family history happened. The Clymer Boarding House is no longer there but the parade goes right by the park that is now in it's place. The parade was fun and Rylee scored a sweet hat, courtesy of Grandma Lisa.

After the Parade, we met back at the hotel and were briefed on the "Scavenger Hunt". Team "GREEN", (Lisa, Pat, Hannah, Grandma Keeter, Ryan, Carleigh, Rylee and Jadyn) was READY! We had visons of Survivor and The Great Race. After some trash talking to the other teams, we were off to: solve our puzzles and get pictures of specific locations in Yuma.

One place was the church where Mom and Dad were married.

Grandma and the girls in front of the Dark Cell at the Yuma Territorial Prison (no longer operational)

And the highlight of the hunt was we found an In-N-Out Burger-Animal Style! Ya, Good Stuff!

Jadyn especially liked it!

Ballet in the park? Rylee was into it. See her right in the middle of things.
We capped the weekend with dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Park's house and a beautiful Arizona Sunset.

What a great time with family. It was so fun to see people we hadn't seen for years. Why do we wait so long? How about next weekend in Albuquerque?

OK, maybe next month.

Oh Ya. As for the scavenger hunt.... we finished in last place. So much for Survivor and The Great Race. It was a lot of fun though.

El Tour Weekend

The family was very patient with Grandpa over the last weekend. He has a "Lance Armstrong fantasy" that leads to an annual pilgramage to Tucson the weekend before Thanksgiving. Since Grandpa is going to drag everyone along to help him live out his fantasy, Lisa decided to make the best of it and get in some family time, too.

The adventure started Thursday when we drove to Sierra Vista to stay with Kara and the fam, (with a side trip to pick up Carleigh at EA).

Grandpa got a "Tour de Jadyn"

Friday Grandpa got to spend some special time with Rylee and Jadyn while the girls went to see Taylor Lautner. Excuse me, I guess they went to "New Moon". All us boys heard was how "HOT" he was.

OK. Moving on to Tucson that afternoon, we got to spend the evening at Grandma and Art's place where they had a Lazangna dinner. Yummy! Just what Grandpa needed to fuel up for the big race.

Saturday 3:45AM. Grandpa awakes and heads for the starting line to get a good spot. Ryan is a good sport and goes with him to be support. We met Kevin Kapp and Shawn Snelling downtown. Hurry up and wait was the thing to do for two and a half hours. About a half hour before the race was to start, we heard a "POP" and a collective "Gasp" from the riders. Someone's tire had popped. Kevin came walking over and asked, "Do you have an extra tube?" A trip to the vehicle and some quick repairs and we're ready to go! Finally, 7:00AM arrives and the starting gun goes off and we ride for close to six hours.

The family cheers on Kev and Grandpa at the 75 mile mark.

Colleen, Zach, Ryan, Carleigh and Grandma Keeter. Thanks. It was REALLY APPRECIATED after about 4 hours in the saddle. We needed a boost about then.

THE FINISH!

5:49 A new personal record for both Grandpa and Kevin. Thanks to Kevin Kapp. Our good friend from Utah. Papa could not have ridden to that time with our Kev.

The Chem-Dry Team.

Grandpa, Kevin and Shawn Snelling. Shawn rode a 4:49, which was good for 265 overall out of almost 9000 riders. WOW! That's fast.

We then finished off the day at the Brewers for an early Thanksgiving dinner. If you look close, you'll see Rylee giving "Doggie Kisses" to Kayla. Kayla "LOVED" them of course.

It was great to see the Utah Brewers, the recently to Arizona Windhorsts, Jessica, the Haymores, Grandma and Art Keeter, Bill & Ruth, The Tucson Wallaces, Colleen and Zach, some misc friends and of course, the John & Jan Brewers who hosted 39 people at their house.

Contributing to the Economy

Ryan is a home
owner!


We took a quick trip to Mesa on October 9-11 to help Ryan get moved in. Ryan had been looking forward to this day for several months. His offer was actually accepted in July, but didn't close until early October.


Here's the place.



The Proud "Homeowner" in front of his Castle!















The Living Room, (after cleaning).














Ryan had lots of help.














Ryan's new color in his room.

Everybody loved the Awesome mural on the dinning room wall.














It was a fun, (but too quick), weekend. Grandma Beth and Art came up from Tucson, Kara and the girls came from Sierra Vista, Carleigh, (who really did help alot, I caught her during a break), came from Thatcher and Hannah came with Mom and Dad.

CONGRATULATIONS RYAN on your house!

Walking Wounded & Dog Dancing

First, the update on Lisa.

We had to call in a "SPECIALIST". Dr. Skylar.

"Wow, this is pretty cool"

Uh, Dr. The patient.

Oh Ya, I'll get to her.

"Looks good to me!"

Dr. Skylar gives Lisa the OK to start doing a "little more". Lisa tells the Doc, "I already have been; driving, weeding, watering, cleaning, attending school parent meetings, cooking and shopping."

Doc says, "I guess that qualifies as "A Little More".

Zach + Skateboard =

Skateboards, asphalt and a "Shimmy in the Trucks" don't mix very well.

Zach was moving a little slow Sunday after his mishap.

No, the red on the shirt is NOT blood. It is just a red paint.

Doggie Dancing

Dancing With The Stars? It could happen.

5 Days After

Just an update for those of you following Lisa's progress from her surgery.

She has been:

• Complaining that we don't have a big enough sofa to fit her CPM machine.


• Getting much better with her crutches. (She is only knocking off some of the baseboard corners now)


• Still watering her flowers in the yards, no matter how much pain it causes.


• Removing her bandages against the orders of her Doctor. (Wow, what a surprise!)


• Asking for Dion's almost EVERY DAY. (Another surprise.)


• Getting teased by Carleigh and Hannah for her "clip clop" noise her crutches make going down the hall.

We did go to the Doctor today for her 1st follow up visit.

If this picture isn't enough detail for you, we can send you a copy of the latest DVD out. It is titled, "Lisa's surgery". The Doctor kindly provided us a copy of it. He did say that it was without audio. Lisa said it was because he didn't want anyone to hear him say, "Whoops", during the surgery.

Anyway, let us know if you want a movie for FHE?

Regardless of the teasing she is having to suffer through, she is doing great. Thanks for all the flowers, calls, visits and FB postings.

Knees, drugs and volleyball

I know, you're wondering what these 3 things have in common. Well, Lisa is what they have in common.

Lisa was playing volleyball a few months ago at the Church and went to plant her left foot and felt a tear in her knee. OUCH!

She came home and knew something was wrong. She made an appointment with her Dr. who scheduled an MRI. The MRI confirmed what she really, already knew. ACL tear. Dang it! No more softball this year. She was officially placed on the disabled list as of late June. (Pat had to attend a few games with her after her injury to make sure she didn't sneak out on the field).

Well, all this culminated in an ACL re-construction surgery for the "Star Pitcher" of the Lady Saints.

4:30AM Thursday, Sept 2. - Lisa gets out of bed and starts getting ready for her "Big Day".

5:15Am - Pat struggles out of bed.

6:10AM - We arrive at the surgery clinic, check in and pay the deductable. Please President Obama, make my health care free! On second thought, never mind. We're not on welfare, so we're considered part of the "Wealthy" class of America and would have to pay at least 50% of the cost, plus 25% of the cost of the welfare case that was there also. Dang rich people!

7:00AM - Pre-op for Lisa.

Ain't she beautiful?

8:20AM - Lisa starts getting her anesthesia. Sorry, I can't tell you what she was telling me between the start and when she went into surgery. (Only about 3 minutes), but just let me say she was quite the little chatterbox.

8:26AM - 10:45AM - Lisa surgey, Pat waits, and waits, and waits. Pacing the floor. Concerned for his wife. I was on pins and needles the whole time.

10:46AM - Dr. Mitnik comes out to tell Pat, "everything went great".

11:30AM - Pat gets to go back to the recovery room. Lisa had to stay in recovery until 3:30PM because she kept forgetting to breath. She was still coming out of the anesthesia and every time she would fall asleep, which was about every 30 seconds, she would "forget" to breath and her oxygenation % would go down below 88%. The Doctor said she couldn't go home until she could keep it above 90%. Finally, about 3:00PM we wheeled Lisa out to the curb in a wheelchair.

3:30PM - We arrive home and get Lisa set up on the sofa.

She has to wear a brace whenever she isn't on her CPM.

Hooked up to the Cryogenic Thermalizer Cooler-

Offer The Leg/Knee Machine Thingy.

Every 4 hours. Happy Times. Lisa's drugs.

Day after: She is actually doing great. She is being pretty good and staying off her feet and letting Pat do things for her. We'll see how long that lasts. She had several people send flowers and wish her a speedy recovery. Thanks to everyone. We'll keep you updated via Facebook.