Author Archives: tbavendam

Gilda is Craig’s 57 International Harvester tractor that was replaced with Katie Kiota last December. Getting Gilda ready for a new home has been on the “to do” list since March. Craig brought Gilda back to life after it have been sitting unused for 20 years. It has taken A LOT of work over theContinue reading “Craig versus Gilda”

Craig and I just passed 14 months of partnership. It has been an amazing 14 months. It has been fun to look back through our photos and see how much life we have experienced together. Last night, after he got out of the shower, he asked me where my flip flops were. I put themContinue reading “The Rural Life – Swinging Naked at Sunset”

The terrace we built the end of June looks like it has always been there. I love looking at it and knowing we created it. Fortunately, we have had dry weather the past month and have not lost more soil. Our current plan is to locate some long (20 foot) phone polls and put themContinue reading “We’re back to work!!”

I have been going to blog for a few weeks but I have so many swirling thoughts and feelings that I haven’t been able to. Since I left clinical practice in 2002, I have followed politics more than ever before. After retirement, I stopped cable in part to separate myself from MSNBC. I stayed adequatelyContinue reading “Discombobulated”

July was a busy month. We traveled to Minnesota and Iowa. July has become the month for my families “Christmas gathering”. We gather for Thanksgiving and then a summer picnic. It is always a bit tricky when parents die to see if the next generation can carry the extended family forward. It helps that everyoneContinue reading “July went quickly”

Two years ago, my friend Danny asked me if I wanted to go sky diving (tandem) with he and Brent. It was my year of “yes” so I said YES. Hang gliding was something I thought I wanted to do, but sky diving, not so much. For a variety of reasons it did not workContinue reading “Falling from the sky”

On July 3rd, we went to Minneapolis to visit friends. It was a lovely day when we arrived. Warm for Minneapolis but perfect for us. We went out for walk with the dog with the goal of going downtown which was across the river from where we were. Melissa was leading the way and whenContinue reading “Does this make sense???”

With the completion of the big terrace, our stock of old wood diminished greatly. There are still some telephone poles and railroad ties but most are not in very good condition. When we picked up the 3 telephone poles needed for the terrace posts, the owner also showed us the wood from an old woodenContinue reading “Life just got better with old wood”

After a year, I have learned to ask Craig if his hearing aids are in and working before starting an important conversation. I try not to say things when my back is turned (at the sink) or when he is way across the room and we have far fewer miscommunication. I try not to sayContinue reading “Communication challenges”

We started out the terrace project with 2 tomping sticks. One small diameter and one larger. The smaller one had a bit of weight in the bottom but not much. The larger one had more weight which was great for tomping in holes that it could fit which was not that many. On June 17th,Continue reading “Repetitive stress injury and competing activities”