Apostle Vow Renewal 8/9/08

We went to Drew & Tiff's vow renewal service on 8/9/08 and all of the cousins got to play together!

Bert's trip to NYC 8/20/08

Bert went to New York on business where he got beaten up by all of the vendors, bankers, creditors, etc., but at least he had a great hotel. Check out the view:

Good news and bad news

So, the good news (or GREAT news!) is that Adrianna does NOT need surgery for her foot. Her Doc said that there's really no surgery he can do that will help it and he expects that Adrianna will heal fine on her own. She is wearing an ugly boot for 6 weeks and then should be fine with minimal residual issues.

The bad news is that we had to return Buddy to his breeder today. It turns out he is unilaterally deaf - and his "good" ear isn't even that good. It was a very difficult decision because we all had already become very attached. He's so sweet and lovable, but we were concerned for his safety. It was a long drive there and back, with lots of tears. We'll keep in touch with the breeder as she looks for a special home to accommodate his needs. Boo hoo hoo! We'll wait awhile before starting our search for another pup. It's just very hard for us now.

Strawderman ends on a sour note

Adrianna and Sara Parker are returning from Camp Strawderman after two fun-filled weeks. This is a planned homecoming for Sara P, but not for Adrianna who was injured in a horse fall on Thursday. Adrianna is OK. Beth and YiaYia spent Friday with her at camp watching her sister and friends in the horse show. She is in high spirits, her right foot is wrapped and splinted, and she is traveling well on crutches and hydrocodone! We will return to Richmond Saturday and see the orthopedic surgeon on Monday.

Her horse, Rosebud (whom we now call Rosethorn!) spooked at something and fell, taking Adrianna with him and landing on top of her foot. She has a Lisfranc injury to her foot - so named for Napoleon's field surgeon who saw many of these injuries when soldiers would fall off their mounts with their foot caught in the stirrup. The incidence of Lisfranc joint fracture­ dislocations is one case per 55,000 persons each year, accounting for fewer than 1 percent of all fractures. (Figures!) We are fortunate the ER ortho surgeon caught it as it is frequently misdiagnosed. We are praying for news of no surgery, but will find out next week.

Overall, the girls had a great time at camp - crafts, archery, swimming, playing Indians, riding, laughing, etc. They are both anxious to get home but look forward to returning to beautiful Strawderman again next year.

A visit to Mimi & Pop's house

Beth and the boys went to Greenville SC to visit Mimi and Pop this weekend. They had a great time! On Friday, they drove up to Jones Gap in the mountains for hiking, playing in the stream and a picnic. It was beautiful. We're already thinking about going back with Daddy and the girls and camping out overnight. On Saturday, they had fun at the Greenville Zoo and Frankie's Fun Place. They hated to leave on Sunday but look forward to visiting with Mimi and Pop again soon.

New Member of the Family

Welcome to our newest member of the family. No name yet but we keep calling him Buddy! The boys are smitten and Beth is planning to take him to visit the girls at camp this weekend.

A Sad Day at S&K

Menswear retailer S&K Famous Brands said yesterday that it has laid off 50 employees from its Henrico County corporate headquarters and hired a consulting firm to help the company remake its image and turn a profit.

The job cuts, which include some senior management positions, occurred this week, said Joseph A. Oliver III, president and chief executive officer.

Here is a link to the article in the Richmond Times Dispatch: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/business/more.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-26-0027.html

The girls head to camp

Adrianna and Sara P are now at Camp Strawderman. Sara will stay for 2 weeks and Adrianna stays for 4 weeks! They were very excited to get back to this beautiful camp in the mountains outside of Edinburg VA. Sara has several friends returning to camp and was happy to see them. She is in Tweedles cabin. It's a great little cabin that sits in the shade on the side of a hill. Adrianna knows everyone in her cabin, Barcarole, which is a great cabin with a stone fireplace. It sits on the edge of the horse fields. We'll miss them but know they are having a great time.

Corolla - July 4th 2008

Bert's mosquito pit becomes a beautiful garden

After several years of planning and work, the Hardy water garden is finally finished. A lovely patio and walkway were installed during the winter and the garden was landscaped this spring. A variety of peonies, viburnum, dianthus, lilies, coreopsis and other plantings add fragrance and color from April through September. We enjoy sitting out on the patio with our friends and family, and even stoke the chimnea (a gift from the Stuarts) when things get chilly.