Family Reunion

This weekend I spent some time in Ft. Wayne, IN where my father had organized the 2nd Worldwide (Really National) Klopfenstein Family Reunion. Besides seeing my father (missed my mom being there!), here are a few things that made the weekend really enjoyable:

1. Meeting a lady who now lives in Kendallville, IN but retired from my company about 14 years ago. She married a Klopfenstein a few years ago after her first husband died.
2. Meeting a couple who live only 20 miles or fewer from me. Her maiden name was Klopfenstein.
3. Hearing a young man from RI tell about having so many questions as a child about where his family came from. During the afternoon program he said, "Last night I ate dinner with an uncle I've never met, and yesterday I saw a picture of my grandfather for the first time."
3. Seeing the sheer wonderment on a 7-year old from PA's face when she won a door prize of 20 $1 bills. She held the stack of money with a look on her face that said, "Oh, I'm rich. I'm rich. I won, I won, I won!" It was classic.
5. Visiting with an old friend of my parents in the nursing home. Dad said that I was there so as I shook his hand I reminded him that I was the youngest just in case that helped spark a memory. He took awhile to answer and then said with a twinkle in his eye, "Well, they saved the best for last, huh?"

Thankful Thursday 06/24/10

1. Very, very thankful for "minor" injuries to my Mom in a car accident this week. She has a broken arm and wrist.
2. My sister and brother-in-law had "traveling mercies" on their move last weekend.
3. Finished (even "graduated") a development program at work so no more having to be at work at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesdays any more!
4. Company picnic was fun, fun, fun. Lots of good prizes.
5. I get to see my Dad tomorrow night!
6. No hesitations in my car all week.
7. A really fun lunch on Monday even if I didn't come close to winning any of Scrabble type games we played. (Yes, I lost to a 5th grader several times.)
8. The chickens are happy.
9. My sister is available to help out my Mom for several days.

Exercise

Friday I walked, Saturday I swam, Sunday I kayaked, and this morning I biked. Hmmm, what can I do for exercise tomorrow?

Lessons from Dad

On another blog my sister and I both commented about something we learned from Dad. I had thought of what I wanted to say before I read what she said. Hopefully the stories say much more than the fact we apparently sell bad stuff at yard sales!


My sister's comment:
But here's what my dad probably doesn't know he taught me: One year we were having a yard sale, and a poor-looking couple bought an old but still working refrigerator we had for sale. Several hours later they were back saying it did not work. (Probably because they had laid it on its back in the truck - have read that that messes up the condenser.) They were obviously in distress because the $50 or whatever we charged was huge $$ for them. Well, we all know that yard sale purchases are final. Dad told them that, and they were still pretty unhappy. Dad thought about it a minute, and said "If you will take it to the dump, I will give you your money back," and he peeled off $50 from our yard sale proceeds and gave it to them. They were stunned even though they were grateful.And from that my dad taught me to treat people right and to consider the circumstances before the profits. I thank him for that lesson.


My comment:
Funny you would tell that story because I have another yard sale story from Dad that taught me a several lessons. Quite late in the afternoon of our yard sale an older man pulled up in a bright yellow truck and bought several pairs of Dad's pants for $2 each. About 15 minutes after he left Dad got all disgusted and said he forgot to take a pair of pants out of the stack because the zipper was broken and he didn't want someone to pay for a broken zipper. He said if God ever brought that man across his path, he'd give the man his money back. Less than a week later Dad and I were driving back to Decatur from Huntsville and Dad saw this man in his distinctive yellow truck. Dad flagged this man down, and on the side of the road by the Racetrac gas station, Dad explained the situation and gave the money back. As a young college student I learned about prayer and integrity.

Thankful Thursday 06/18/10

1. Today my mechanic finally felt the hesitation I've been feeling in my car for several month (of course it would never happen when he would drive it) which means we are a step closer to resolving the issue. Everything he checked seems ok though.
2. My brother-in-law and sister want to follow God's leading in their lives and impact the world for Him even when it means a great personal sacrifice for them to move half way around the world.
3. Finished a CU class last night and have 4 weeks off before the next one begins.
4. In the past I apparently agreed to be a part of worship music twice in June instead of my normal limit of once a month. Jayne is taking the burden off of me this week by switching piano and keyboard. Thanks, Jayne!!!
5. Very glad for good customer service from my Honda dealer. I took the car in for some minor recall work and realized the arm rest wasn't attached correctly. When I went back for them to reattach it, they found a part was broken and needed to be ordered. When the part came in I pushed back nicely that I was now having to make 3 trips for this recall work, and what could they do for my inconvenience. The dealership will come to my work tomorrow, pick up my car, take it back for the repair work, and return it to me before I leave with a full tank of gas. I love good customer service.

What is Today

About a half hour after getting to work this morning a co-worker said, "Wait, today's my anniversary!" Good for him his wife was still in bed when he left so she didn't know he hadn't remembered. Oh, and this is his second anniversary--it's not as if it's been 13 or 14 years or so.

Losing my Cells

The pump on my pressure washer has gone out. Yesterday morning I picked it up from the repair place without getting it fixed, but I was too dressed up to get it out of the car at Renae’s on my way home yesterday. The smell of gas has been quite strong in my car yesterday and today. On my way to run an errand at lunch today the thing tipped over in my vehicle so I had to pull into the first driveway and tip it back over. Unfortunately gas spilled in my car.

Conversation with Renae shortly later:

Rho: I can’t believe gas spilled in my car. I guess it’s good I still have cardboard down in the back.
Renae: Gas doesn’t stain.
Rho: But it still really smells.
Renae: We can use carpet cleaner to get rid of that.
Rho: But I miss the brain cells I’m losing.
Renae: It’s ok. You have enough so you can afford to lose some.

Remind me again that she’s my friend!

Pete's Couch

For 18 years as a Michigan congressman, Pete Hoekstra has slept on his office couch in Washington. He didn’t want to get too comfortable there because, for Pete, Michigan is home.

“People can’t believe I’ve slept on my couch in DC for 18 years. But I didn’t want to get too comfortable in Washington. I knew that I worked IN DC, but FOR the people of Michigan.”
–Pete Hoekstra

This is one reason Pete Hoekstra has been a good representative of West Michigan in the House and will be a good governor of Michigan. He flies home to MI every Friday and back to DC on Monday or Tuesday. In fact, three years ago when I flew into DC on a Friday evening, he was walking towards his gate to fly home.

Thankful Thursday

1. So thankful Wednesday is over. Work started at 6:30 a.m. and finished at 10:00 p.m. although I had a couple hours in the middle. Work was very frustrating for various reasons.
2. Thankful to get to see a co-worker whose job was eliminated a couple of weeks ago.
3. Thankful for a good class last night. Lots of good, meaningful and constructive interaction. Those adjectives are critical.
4. Thankful for family and friends who are patient with me when I'm stretched too thin and don't always respond well.
5. Thankful chick #3 hasn't died even though we don't know what's wrong with her.
6. Thankful for a reputable car mechanic that I know will not nickel and dime me to death with an intermittent car issue. It keeps missing when I'm in the car and two others have felt it, but it doesn't happen when the mechanic, my sister, or my engine knowledgeable brother-in-law in AL drove it. The spark plugs got changed and he sealed something as he thought moisture was getting in. He'll check it again, but he won't keep doing things just guessing if it may work.
7. Thankful my mom likes my Thankful Thursday posts.

Question

A question we discussed in my ladies' Bible study this morning: Did Adam and Eve ever repent of eating the fruit? We know that had shame, but my contention is that shame is a step towards repentance but one can have shame and not be repentant of their sin.

"Don't Forget to Let Rhoda Know. . ."

Last night I went downtown to the Grand Rapids Festival and heard Embellish perform. It was great to see Heather and Dennis as well as their two sons. Heather's mother told me that Isaac would be pitching this morning so I was talking about it to him. I told him to make sure he had his mother let me know how he did. Today I had an e-mail from his mom that said when they drove in the driveway he said, "Don't forget to let Rhoda know about the game." I was kind of surprised since I see the boys maybe once a year now. However, it made my day!

Thankful Thursday

1. Good guest speaker in class last night.
2. Year end at work went smoothly for me.
3. We get ice cream at work tomorrow for accumulating process improvement ideas. I'll be having a small Tommy Turtle sundae.
4. Got my first round of golf in for the year. The first hole definitely wasn't what I wanted and driving on the 3rd hole was pathetic. Let's just say I needed some mulligans (yes plural) on that hole.
EDIT:
5. Love my rear tine tiller. The garden looks better than any other year and I did a little hoeing tonight. The ground is so well broken up that it made the job rather easy.
6. Beans look really good; potatoes are coming up; squash, peppers and tomatoes are growing; but the broccoli has been eaten by a menace.