I Hate My Washer & Dryer

 For the past two years I have had recurring issues with our main dryer.  For weeks at a time, it just won't turn on.  I spin the dial, press all of the buttons, open and close the door, and clean out the lint trap.  Nothing that I have tried has worked consistently.  Sometimes after days of not being used, it will just start right up like normal.  I'd call someone out to look at it, but the last time I did, the service repairman gave me a quote and then added over a $100 in charges when I went to pay him.  Definitely not interested in putting more money into a fifteen year old dryer.  Thankfully,  I've been able to use the old one in the basement.  It doesn't dry as fast and it's a pain to drag wet laundry downstairs, but it's been an inexpensive resolution for now.

Today, however, made me rethink getting a new dryer.  Our washer just hasn't been working correctly,  It has started to pick and choose when it will spin out the clothes.  Today was one of those days that I couldn't get anything to spin out.  Dragging wet clothes downstairs to dry is one thing, but when they haven't even spun out, there's no chance of me getting them to a basement dryer.  This hasn't been the first time I've dealt with this issue.  Our washer has never really spun correctly.  Now, however it has become a daily occurrence, plus the drum is extremely loud when it spins and the wash cycles never really get stains out anymore.  Cam and Doug both had several items that needed washed well today and there was no way my washer could handle it.  Fortunately, I could use Grandma's washer and dryer today.  It's not a long term solution, but one that I can handle until Doug and I sit down and figure out what we want to do with these two faulty appliances.  

Saved By the Sound of the Horn

Grandma, Grandpa, Cameron and I left at 7 this morning for Cam's tournament at Zollner Golf Course in Angola for his 8:45 a.m. tee time.  Cameron was excited for this tourney as Zollner has always been one of his favorite courses.  As an added bonus he was paired with someone he knew from Goshen.  

The first nine went really well for him.  He hit the ball well and although he hoped to score a little better,  he was happy with his 41 and didn't fall into the pond on nine like last year.  I also witnessed a first on the golf course.  On a par three, Cameron's tee shot landed directly on top of another golf ball.  Thankfully, his ball just spun backward a few feet.  The other player's ball skidded off the green about 100 feet away.  Fortunately, I was by the green and was able to tell him where his ball was before Cameron hit it.  He was then able to replace it at its original and both boys ended up with pars.  It wasn't the first time that we had helped Cameron's group find golf balls.  Zollner was known for its tight fairways and mature trees.

The back nine wasn't as forgiving for Cameron as the front, but in the end it didn't really matter.  The boys were called in after 16 holes because of lightening in the area.  Nothing really developed that time, but once they allowed them back out, the skies became threatening on 18 fairway.  Fortunately, Cameron's group was just putting out when the horn was blown one last time signaling everyone off of the course.  Since they had finished the hole, his group was free to leave once their scores were verified.  We found out when we got home that after an hour and a half of waiting, the tournament was reduced to a nine hole event.  Thus, Cameron's score on the first nine was good for fourteenth place.  We were pretty excited to hear that as there were 30 players in his age group.

Technology Woes

It seems lately that our Verizon phones just don't connect to data like they used to in the spring.  I wasn't the first to notice this as our neighbor, Darlene mentioned it to me a week or so ago and my Mom had the same issue.  Doug even called me from work one day on his landline as he couldn't get any reception in Elkhart.  The more we researched, the more we realized that it was actually a Verizon problem throughout a good portion of Northern Indiana and not just our individual phones.  

We didn't worry too much about it as our Mediacom internet provided fast, reliable wifi which we could connect to whenever our cellular data was running slow.  Unfortunately, today both services let us down and at the worst time.  At 3:50 Cam and Cal both called me at the hairdresser to let me know that they could not connect to the wifi.  No matter what suggestions I gave them to try, nothing helped.  As Cal had an important meeting with work at 4 p.m. and Cam had a tele health appointment at the same time, we tried the next best thing that we could think of and headed to Grandma's to sponge internet off of them as they had a different carrier then we did.  It didn't quite work as fast as the boys needed, but they were at least able to connect via phone and complete their meeting and appointment.  

Hopefully, all of this will change soon.  I have seen a lot of work on the various telephone poles in our community.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it will take care of the problem and we will not have to deal with anymore outages.  Thankfully, the internet was back on by the time we got home today and everyone was able to reconnect. 

Extended Stay

With all of the visitors that we have had this past month, it's hard to remember how incredibly quiet last June was at the Heinisch home.  Back then, we were still all trying to navigate the coronavirus and masks hadn't even been mandated yet.  We weren't sure where we could go or what we could do.  Thankfully, the summer of 2021 has been a lot different as we have slowly emerged from the pandemic.  We have been able to plan a lot more activities and have visitors here without worry of becoming sick from a deadly virus.  

Today was no exception as Cal arrived from Chicago.  He had planned on only staying a couple of days, just enough time to get his oil change and teeth cleaned.  As we have come to expect with Cal, his plans changed as soon he arrived.  Since he had friends coming to town for the 4th of July he decided to stay for the week.  He didn't have any jobs that required him to be on site and therefore would be able to work from home.  We were extremely happy to hear his new plan.  We enjoyed having Meg and Brett home this month and were glad to host Cal as well.  We talked about going up to Evil Cheque for dinner, but Cal had hung out with enough people over the weekend and was ready for a break from the social life.  Thus, we had a quiet day at home, enjoying the end of the weekend, looking forward to his extended stay.  

End of Open House Season

 Today Doug and I attended an open house for the daughter of one of his former coworkers.  It was nice to see the family as we had been close to them when Doug worked at PVC.  Their oldest daughter, Sam, graduated the same year as Meg and is also in her third year at Kelley.  Meg's not only seen her at the Business School, but at Hoosier Catholic events additionally.  Olivia plans to attend IU this fall and is also a direct admit, so my guess is that Meg will run into her next year on campus as well.  Their youngest son, Reid, was born on the same day as Cameron.  Just like Cam, he is not sure that he will be attending IU.  He's considering, Purdue, for their science program.  Cam's talked more about Butler instead.  It was nice to see them and catch up for a little while.  

While we were at the Eagan's, Cameron was attending the open house of Richard's sister.  Normally, Bethany's graduates host their parties as close to Memorial Day weekend as possible.  Richard's family was in Mexico for the past month, however, and postponed it until today.  Cameron had a lot of fun with his friends and got home well after we did.  Today ends the open house season for the Heinisch family.  Doug and I didn't receive as many invitations this year as in years past, but Cameron definitely made the rounds.  I was glad that he enjoyed them all.  

What's Up With All of The Rain?

 Last weekend the storms in Bloomington brought 5 inches of rain and a lot of damage.  Golf courses were closed and we had to alter several of our plans due to the after affects of the weather.  This week looks to be the same for us here in Northern Indiana.  Although we do not have large storms predicted, we are supposed to get 5 inches of rain over the next few days starting with the one and a half inches we received last night.  

Unfortunately, for Cameron it was enough to cancel open courts and close the golf courses in the area.  Thankfully, his plans with his friends were inside as they all meet for lunch at Los Primos.  The rain continued off and on the rest of the day.  We made the best of it with rounds of partner and buck Euchre at Grandma and Grandpa's, followed up with Oh Hell at our house once Doug arrived home.  With the upcoming forecast we will have to get used to making alternate plans for at least the next few days.  Fortunately, there's nothing coming up that would be life changing if we had to cancel.  

Finally, All Caught Up

 The house here was relatively quiet all day.  Brett left last night around 6 p.m.  I had really enjoyed spending time with him.  Yesterday we were able to play a few games with Cameron, take a walk around WACF and eat meals together.  I appreciated that he was able to take Meg her Papasan chair on his return trip.  It was the one item that we weren't sure would fit in Meg's apartment when she moved in last week so we didn't add it to the U-Haul.  Thankfully, it not only fit in her apartment, but in Brett's CRV as well.  It was one more item off of my to-do list and I was glad that Brett was able to help out with that task.

Cameron spent today playing tennis for the most part.  He had open courts in the morning and drills in Warsaw in the afternoon.  I used my free day to finish all of the laundry, write my missing blogs, feeding the birds and grocery shopping.  We had been going at a breakneck speed these past three weeks and I found myself completely exhausted.  Although I had thoroughly enjoyed all that we had done - golf, tennis, visiting Cal, moving Meg into her apartment, hanging out in Bloomington and hosting Brett for a few days - I was thankful to finally have a day to catch up here at home.  By 8 p.m. Doug and I had eaten dinner, cleaned up, finished reviewing the rough draft of our will, spent our Kohl's cash online and were playing Ticket to Ride.  It was a great feeling to just relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.

A Boy and His Soccer

Cameron has been watching Euro Cup Soccer religiously since the tournament first started on June 11th.  He updates me daily on what each team needs to do to make it to the knock out round and which team I should root for to win.  Although he knows the players, the coaches and the schedule of each game, his still cheers loudest for his favorite all time team, Sweden and breaks out his beloved jersey every time they play.  

Today was the last day of the first round and Sweden needed to beat Poland to finish first in their section and to secure a match against Ukraine.  Since that game was being played at the same time as the Spain - Slovakia match, Cameron decided to set up the project right beside the main tv.  That way he could watch Sweden on the big screen and keep up with Spain on the smaller one.  Brett and I even hung a blanket over the back glass door to add to the movie theater feel.  

The Spain game wasn't much of a match as they ended up winning 5-0, but Sweden v. Poland was one of the best of the Euro Cup so far.  Sweden led by a goal when Poland tied the score with seven minutes left in regulation.  A tie would put Sweden in second place in their section, pitting them against a much tougher team in Croatia in the next round.  Cameron really wanted them to win to avoid that.  Once the extra time started I ran into the laundry room to start the dryer when I heard Cameron scream.  Both Brett and I came running back into the living room to check what had happened.  Cameron was thrilled to report that Sweden had scored.  I was shocked as Poland had controlled almost all of the second half and I was only gone for a split second.  We all watched time quickly run out and celebrated the victory with Cameron.  It was a fun way to spend an afternoon.  

A Fun Trip Home

 Brett arrived late last night well after the rest of us had gone to bed.  He hadn't been home since January and was extremely happy to be able to visit.  He invited his friend, Rachel, up to meet us as well.  We had had plans to get together with her on Easter of 2020, but the pandemic changed that.  It was nice to finally visit with her in person.  

While Cameron and I were at his golf tournament in Fort Wayne, Brett and Rachel took a tour of not only our home, but also of some of the favorite memory makers of his childhood including the Syracuse library and Oakwood park.  They went to lunch at Maria's with Grandma and Grandpa after touring their home and seeing the duck's nest by their back patio.  They made time to try Tippy Winery as well.  They arrived home in time for Rachel to meet Nick before he left for Bloomington with Meg's mirror and several other items from home that she wanted for her apartment.  Doug, Brett, Rachel, and I all went to Oakwood for dinner.  We had a table right on the lake and enjoyed the food and conversation.  Cameron and Samuel opted out of dinner at Oakwood tonight for Pat's Chicago Dogs and Joe's Ice Cream, but they did get to meet Rachel and say hi to Brett before they left.  We played a game of Ticket to Ride after dinner and then had a bonfire with Grandma and Grandpa.  It was a very enjoyable evening for all and a nice introduction to Brett's friend.  

Summer Tennis

As soon as golf sectionals ended, summer tennis started for Cameron.  Since then he has been attending open court at Bethany most mornings, participating in weekly drills at Warsaw Tennis Club and playing in the Monday night high school tennis league with his teammates.  I have been very proud of how much time and effort he has put into the sport knowing that golf has always been his number one activity.  Tonight his hard work definitely showed and both Doug and I were extremely impressed with how well he played against Westview's number two player as well as Fremont's number one.  Both were tough, hard hitting opponents that pushed Cameron to play at the top of his game and he rose to the challenge.  Even though he lost both matches it was awesome to watch him compete.  He hit more winners tonight than I could ever remember seeing him hit before.  His serve was strong and he ended the matches with a smile on his face.  We talked a lot about his improvement on the way home and his expectations for the season.  He realized that he might be playing some difficult matches this season and may not end up with a winning record, but felt that as long as he could compete as well as he did tonight, he would be happy with his game.  

Happy Father's Day!

Doug celebrated Father's Day weekend by moving Meg into her new apartment.  It was a lot of work and we all appreciated his help, especially him driving the 26 foot U-Haul from Syracuse to Bloomington.  There was a lot to unload and set up and I know that we couldn't have done it without him.  We have gotten so used to all the hard work that Doug puts into being a fantastic father that sometimes we forget to thank him properly.  I was glad that we could do that this weekend by giving him fun gifts, taking him to dinner, playing golf and miniature golf with him and visiting the winery.  

Doug is definitely the rock that our family relies upon.  He loves being an involved father and it shows.  Even before we got married he talked a lot about that role and his expectations for fatherhood.  I know that it has been more challenging at times than he would have expected, but it also has been more rewarding than he could have ever dreamed of years ago.  He has high expectations for the Heinisch children, but never asks more of then than he does of himself.  I appreciate that quality in him as Brett, Cal, Meg and Cam have all being able to thrive in their respective environments because of his encouragement and support.  Meg would tell you that "It's Dad's world and we're all just living in it."  That may be true when he's holding the remote, choosing a restaurant or in control of the music on the Google Home mini, but overall he is a wonderful father that truly loves his children.  I am so thankful to be a part of the Heinisch family and couldn't imagine life without him in it.  Happy Father's Day, Doug!  As Cal's shirt read in his senior pictures, you truly are the Best.Dad.Ever!!

The Calm Before the Storm

With all of the humidity yesterday we weren't surprised last night when the storm warnings started to sound on our phones.  We weren't quite expecting the tornado warning, but thankfully we were able to take shelter under Brett's stairs and Meg in her laundry room quickly.  The evening was clear while we were at dinner, but soon afterward the skies opened up and the strong storms began.  Around 11:00 p.m Meg started sending us videos of her friend who was working at Hartzles.  The entire area along Kirkwood where we had walked four hours earlier was completely flooded.  There was even a car floating along the street.  We couldn't believe the images.

We woke up this morning to find a tree outside Brett's apartment down in the road and a branch blocking the McDonald's drive-thru.  Doug and Cameron had tee times for this morning, but Cascades never opened up today.  Doug called every course in the area and all of them were closed due to storms.  We decided to drive toward Kirkwood and around IU to see what the damage was.  The water had subsided, but there were a lot of branches down and debris all over the area.  We were going to take a walk, but the rain started again.  We thought about bowling, but Classic Lanes wasn't open yet.  Fortunately, Germany was playing Portugal at noon, so we went back to Brett's to watch that instead.  It was actually a very entertaining game.  The rain did stop around 1 p.m. and Doug and I were able to take a walk at halftime.  We saw five dead birds on the sidewalks.  We believed that the wind was so strong last night that it knocked them out of their nests.

Once Meg got off work at Bell Trace, we headed to Oliver Winery for lunch.  They were open, but it was a little chaotic as the hill area was closed due to the storms.  Therefore the only seating was on the patio and there were large groups arriving for a wine flight tasting.  We decided to buy some food and wine and sit near the rocks on their benches.  It wasn't the same experience, but it worked.  After we ate, we went to Elletsville to play miniature golf.  It was still very challenging, but at least it had been updated.  We stopped at Walmart afterward to pick up a few items for Meg and Brett.  I then helped Meg hang up the rest of her hanging clothes.  

Brett arrived from work around 6:45.  We met at his apartment to celebrate Father's Day with Doug.  He appreciate his new bright yellow IU shirt, Ticket to Ride France, and Jack Daniels.  He wanted to do dinner on Kirkwood again which gave us a chance to access all of the storm damage.  There were several restaurants closed due to flooding and Tracks, the shop we had visited yesterday, was being cleaned out.  I was sad to see all of the ruined vinyl being brought out.  We had appetizers at Fat Dan's.  It has become one of our favorite restaurants on the street.  Afterward we stopped at Buffalouies for some wings and mozzarella sticks.  We hadn't been there in quite some time and enjoyed the picnic tables on the sidewalk.  Meg went back to her apartment after dinner to finish unpacking while the rest of us tried out Doug's new game.  It was different than any of the other Ticket to Rides that we owned and we enjoyed the challenge.  It was close, but Doug ended up beating us all which was fitting as it was his Father's Day gift.

It Isn't So Much the Heat, as the Humidity

Today was a hot one in Bloomington.  In fact it felt a lot like the weather Doug had experienced in Florida a couple of weeks ago.  We were still able to get outside even with the high temperatures and extreme humidity.  Doug and Cam went golfing at Cascades before lunch while I took a walk to Meg's.  I was impressed with all that she got unpacked last night.  Once the guys got back we headed to Mother Bear's for lunch.  It was the first time that I had eaten inside a restaurant since March of 2020.  It didn't feel as strange as I thought that it would.  Meg had an appointment at 2 p.m. so we headed back to Brett's to watch soccer for awhile.  Cameron and Doug both enjoy following the Euro Cup.  Once Meg was done we spent some time in her apartment helping her with a few items.  I unpacked the kitchen for her and Doug fixed a dresser.  

When Meg left for work, we headed to Kohl's.  Cameron had bought new shoes for tennis yesterday at Dick's Sporting Goods and today he wanted to shop for clothes.  It was the perfect afternoon activity as it was still extremely hot and humid.  It took a little while to sort through the racks of clothes, but in the end Cam found six new shirts and three new pairs of shorts that he really liked.  Afterward we drove to Kirkwood Avenue to check out the IU shops and to have a snack at Nick's.  Meg and Brett both worked until 8 p.m.  They joined us for dinner at Crazy Horse once they were finished.  Except for the waitress dropping Cameron's fish sandwich, it was the perfect place to eat.  They had a large table outside for us and the food was excellent.  My salad filled with chicken, edamame, carrots and tomatoes and topped with sriracha honey mustard dressing was one of the best that I had ever tried.  It was a very relaxing evening after two busy days in Bloomington.  

Moving In

Today was the day that Meg had been waiting for these past few months.  She finally had an apartment all to herself.  At first it seemed a little smaller than she remembered when we toured it last fall, but once we started moving furniture in, she had quite a bit more room than she first realized.  The location to campus was perfect and although she didn't have a roommate, she would still have friends in the area as Yatziri would be living in the same complex as well.  Brett was also a 1000 steps away if she needed anything from him.  Her drive to Bell Trace was two minutes from her new place and easily walkable in cooler weather.  The only issues on the day was Doug having to drive a massive UHaul from our home to hers and getting the couch upstairs.  Thankfully, Cameron was able to help and by the time we left for dinner tonight at Uplands, everything was in her apartment and the unpacking had begun.  Brett missed out on the moving portion as he had to work, but he did join us for dinner.  Fortunately, the dreaded cicadas that he and Meg had had to deal with these past few weeks had started to die off.  One did make a home on Doug's shoulder for a little bit, but overall the pesky insects were nothing like what we had heard about.  It was an absolutely exhausting day, but we did make time for a round of Ticket to Ride before calling it a night.  The added bonus of Meg moving in to her new place was that Cameron had a bedroom all to his own.  

Thirty-Five Years Later

Today I was able to relive one of my more memorable high school moments as Cameron had a  tournament at Beechwood Golf Club, home of the girls' regional in 1985 and 1986 where my golf team qualified for state twice.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect when we arrived, but overall the course was in really nice condition.  It was still lined with tall thick trees and the greens were as small as I remembered making the course a challenging one.  Thankfully, Cameron was able to play in early summer so he didn't have to deal with hunting for golf in the piles of leaves that fall brought to the course.  He didn't quite enjoy the experience as much as I did, but he did like the boys golfing in his group.  It amazed me how many of the holes that I could remember.  I don't think about high school memories much and I would never want to relive my "glory days", but I did have a lot of fun watching Cameron and reminiscing about the two important rounds that I played there years ago.  The best part of high school was being a part of the golf team.  I hope that Cameron feels the same way about his sports experiences when he graduates.

Colonoscopy Round 2

With Doug's family history of cancer his plan had always been to have a colonoscopy as soon as he turned 50.  The pandemic delayed that, but he was finally able to schedule one for today.  He used the same group of surgeons that I did only he had the other Gerig brother.  We arrived at the surgery center at 7 a.m. and thankfully Doug was the first patient scheduled for today.  Doug was a little nervous about the anesthesia as he hadn't been put under since he had his wisdom teeth out thirty-five years ago.  The process went as well as could be expected.  He had two small polyps removed and a small section of inflammation examined.  The doctor thought that he'd need to return for a second one in five years, but otherwise it was all good news.  Doug didn't remember much about the morning, but he did remark several times that he couldn't believe how easy the process was.  The anesthesia was different than he had had before, which made the recovery pretty painless.  

Cameron was up by the time we got home.  He headed to the golf course after he checked in with us.  Doug took a nap this morning, but was more than ready to get up and going by noon today.  He wasn't supposed to drive or do much of anything, but by 3 p.m. he was outside trimming bushes and cleaning the workbench. He even made dinner and had a bonfire set up for tonight.   I did stop him from chopping wood as I was worried about that.  I was glad that he felt well and that he could finally eat solid food again. He didn't mind the liquid diet yesterday, but the citrus magnesium was pretty difficult to choke down.  Thankfully, he has a five year reprieve until he has to drink that again.  

Antique Furniture

 When Doug and I were first married we were given a lot of antique furniture from the Heinisch and Brucker families.  It was nice to be able to furnish our apartment with a sleigh bed set, dining room table complete with chairs and buffet, three bookcases and a china cabinet.  I appreciated the help as we were young and living on a strict budget.  The plan at the time was to use the family furniture for a few years until we were ready to purchase our own.  The years went by and the furniture stayed.  There just never seemed to be the right time to fulfill my request for new furniture.  In fact we actually added even more family pieces to our collection, including a small bar, small buffet and a piano.

This past winter, Doug and I started taking inventory of all of the items in our home and realized that getting our house ready to sell would be the perfect time to finally part ways with some of our furniture as well.  Neither of us want to move large pieces of furniture when we downsize and I, especially, am ready for a new decorative look in a smaller more updated home.  We know for sure that we want to keep the piano as Meg would like to have that in her own home one day.  Other then that we are ready to part ways with the furniture that we have housed for the past thirty years.  We aren't quite sure how to do that yet.  The Heinisch children aren't interested in any of it or don't have room for it.  We have no connection to an antique dealer that might want it either.  Thankfully, we have two more years to figure it all out.  

Engagement Anniversary

Doug proposed to me twenty-nine years ago today.  It was a wonderful day for the both of us and the start of a fantastic life together, but as two of the Heinisch children have reached the same age that we were when we got engaged, our advice to them has been to wait until they are financially and emotionally ready before taking that step. During our two years together at IU, Doug and I had talked a lot about getting married and had even picked out a ring together.  Even so ,I really didn't believe that we would get engaged as soon as Doug graduated from college.  I was surprised and excited at the time and thought that we were more than ready for the next stage in our life.  

When I look back now at that point in our lives, I just can't believe how young and naive we really were.  The engagement period was the easy part.  The first year of marriage, however, was challenging for both of us.  I was taking classes to become certified as a Montessori teacher and worked at a school that was completely unsupportive of new teachers.  Doug was traveling all over the state, auditing banks and getting home later and later.  One of my ovaries ruptured and I ended up having emergency surgery that we weren't planning on either.  We made it through that time period and grew from our shared experiences.  Doug and I continued to work hard over the years to maintain a healthy, happy relationship and raise a wonderful family.   It wasn't easy at first, but it was definitely worth it.  

Another Wonderful Saturday

 It was another beautiful day here albeit a little on the hot side.  Doug spent the morning with his Dad grocery shopping and enjoying the rockers on our front porch.  Salads were on the menu for lunch along with a few leftovers from last night.  Meg and Cam enjoyed listening to Grandpa Heinisch share a few memories before heading out for the day - Meg to Nick's and Cam to Goshen to meet friends.  Carl and Marina decided after they left to rest.  Doug and I spent the afternoon taking a walk and playing Ticket to Ride.  Once our guests returned we all played Runs and Sets before grilling out for dinner.  Phil called while we were sitting out on the back patio.  It was nice having him "join" our group for a little while.  We said goodbye at 9 p.m. and spent the rest of the night by the bonfire pit.  Cameron made it home in time to finish watching the NBA games.  He had enjoyed his afternoon at the Brew and started the movie "Dances With Wolves" with Sam.  All in all it was another wonderful Saturday in the Heinisch home.

Heinisch Family Visitors

Carl and Marina made it through some intense Chicago traffic today in order to spend the weekend in Syracuse.  Thankfully, the trip from our house to Brook Pointe Inn wasn't quite as treacherous and we appreciated their visit.  Doug had seen them several times over the winter while he was in Ocala, but Cameron and I last spent an afternoon with them in September of 2019 when we all had dinner in the suburbs at Giordano's.  Although Meg had talked to her grandfather many times over the past two years, she hadn't seen him in person since she graduated from high school.  Therefore, she was thankful that she had finished midterms last night and had a free weekend to travel home.

Doug and Carl planned the dinner menu and everything was delicious.  Carl was in charge of the steaks and chicken kabobs that he brought from Hy-Vee and Doug added the side dishes including curried cauliflower, cucumber salad, corn on the cob and fruit salad.  We all enjoyed the food and visiting with each other.  My parents had spent quite a bit of time with Carl and Marina in Florida and were glad to join us as well.  It was a fun evening of catching up and discussing our past year's activities.  Cam and Meg were also able to hand out their Father's Day gifts to their grandfathers.   Meg was proud of the toilet putter and IU mug that she gave as gifts and Cameron was more than willing to try some of the orange slices that he contributed to the festivities.  It was a wonderful way to spend a beautiful day.

A Shorter Trip Than Normal

 Doug left Sunday night for Ocala and missed one of the busiest weeks at home that I could remember since the pandemic began in March of 2020.  Cameron had two golf tournaments, one tennis match, two open courts and a tennis drill.  He met friends on several nights for either golf at Black Squirrel or ice cream at the Chief.  I didn't quite keep up with his breakneck pace, but I did attend both of his tournaments and his match, finished organizing the mudroom and completely cleaned the house in anticipation of Carl and Marina's weekend visit.  I averaged almost 17,000 steps a day and was absolutely exhausted by the time Doug arrived home tonight.  I enjoyed sitting on the front porch with him, catching up on our weeks.  I was able to not only fill him on all of Cameron's activities, but also my dinner out with Mary and Paula last night at the Back Porch at Oakwood.  I hadn't been out to eat with them in well over a year and had a wonderful time.  I was very thankful for their friendship and conversation.  It was nice to share that with Doug in person. 

Summer Golf Begins

 Cameron started the summer golf season with Indiana Junior golf tournaments back to back these past two days.  The first was at Meadowvalley Golf Club where he participated in sectionals last week.  Cameron bested his score this  time by two strokes, and overall felt that his round was a lot better than last Friday's.  For the first four holes he was even par and beating the leader by one stroke.  The 5th and 6th holes gave him some trouble or he could have scored even lower.  He enjoyed the golfer that he was paired with and finished the match in a very respectable 4th place.  

Today's match was at Maple Crest in Goshen.  He had played there in the past, but not this season.  He knew that the greens would be a lot faster than what he was used to and arrived early to practice putt.  One big positive about today's round was that the course was definitely shorter than Meadowvalley.  Cameron played very well through the first thirteen holes finding himself only eight over stepping onto the fourteenth tee.  The last five holes proved a challenge for him with a ball in the water, a three put and a drive clipping a tree.  In the end he finished with an 85 which he was unhappy about, but was still good enough to put him in fourth place again today.  We talked a lot about his round on the way home and in the end he felt better about his play.  For me it was nice to listen to him talk about some of the fine tuning he wanted to do to his game rather than trying to pump him up about how great a 92 was.  He's definitely made progress this year in his golf game and has lowered the range of his scores.  With a lesson to come on Sunday, I know that it will just keep getting better from here.  

Where are all the Workers?

Every business in our area has a "Now Hiring" sign in the window.  The amount of companies needing employees has to have hit an all time high.  It isn't just hourly workers that are hard to find, but also skilled and educated employees as well.  Doug's company has struggled to find new hirers.  Brett said that they have had days when they have had a worker shortage as well.  Meg told me that one night at Bell Trace, there was no one scheduled for the dinner shift.  Every company that Doug has talked to in our area is in the same boat, not enough employees for all of the work that needs to be done.  Hiring bonuses, higher wages and other incentives just aren't working.  Every day in the news another restaurant closes their doors due to the employee shortage.  Even businesses in Chicago had signs in their windows that they had to shut their doors due to the current employee shortage situation.

On Monday night after Cameron's match, we tried to stop at several different places to pick up dinner.  Almost all of the restaurants that we saw had closed by 9 p.m.  Penguin Point had even altered their hours to end serving food by 8 p.m.  Grandma Jane said that McDonalds hadn't even opened the last two days and Doug told me that he tried to get food at Subway in Ocala Tuesday night, but had to leave as there was only one person working and she was completely overwhelmed.  

Cameron asked me why all of the businesses were closed.  I explained that the employee shortage was making it extremely challenging for restaurants to have their pre-pandemic hours and in some cases even to remain open.  He questioned what was the difference between then and now.  I answered how I honestly felt.  In the beginning, there really was a large amount of Americans forced out of the workforce.  Once jobs opened back up, however, some were still unable to work because they didn't have childcare or were concerned about contracting coronavirus.  On the other hand, a lot of people chose to just stay home and not worry about looking for work because they were receiving huge unemployment payments.  Those along with the stimulus checks meant that they were making more from the government than they did when they were employed.  Thus, there wasn't even an incentive for them to find a job for the past year.    Hopefully, with the country opening back up, vaccines available everywhere and the number of Covid-19 cases at an all time low, those voting for these large payouts will soon come to understand realize that these payments need to stop.  If not we will all have to pay a heavy price as more and more businesses will be forced to close their doors.  

Tennis Season Arrives

Tennis open courts started last week and Cameron was able to attend several of them even though he had golf sectionals.  He had planned on going this morning, but rain had other ideas for the day.  Cam took advantage of the cancellation to play nine holes.  He filled me in on his round while he ate lunch.  He was hoping to hit the ball as well tomorrow in his first Indiana Junior tournament.

Tonight Cameron was finally able to get back on the tennis court as he played in his first summer league of the season.  In the first match he was paired with Jacob Schenk at doubles.  Although Northridge won the match, Jacob and Cameron played well.  I had a lot of fun watching them.  Doubles always provides some exciting net play.  Cameron played singles in the second match.  He lost that match as well, but felt that he hit the ball well.  I agreed completely and was impressed with his serve and the long rallies.  

Of all of the sports that I have watched the Heinisch children play over the years, tennis has always been my favorite.  Win or lose, it gives them a chance to showcase their skills.  Tonight was no exception and and I really enjoyed seeing how much Cameron had improved since last fall.  

Stranger Things

 When Meg came home at the end of the spring semester she started rewatching one of her favorite Netflix series, Stranger Things.  She loved the sci-fi thriller set in the 1980s and encouraged Cameron to watch it.  The show centered around a group of nerdy middle schoolers and Meg thought that Cameron might relate to some of the scenarios.  Cam decided to give it a try and I thought I'd join them as I enjoy watching the same television series that my children do.  Although Cameron didn't agree with Meg at first that his group of friends were similar to Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin, he did like the sci fi nature to the show.  The second season was probably our least favorite of the three and the haircuts were atrocious, but we still enjoyed it very much.  

Tonight we watched the last episode of season three.  We decided that it would be the perfect time to bring up the big screen and projector and watch it outside.  It was a lot of fun.  The big screen made the scenes with the mind flayer even more intense.  There were some sad moments to the episode especially when one of the teenagers dies.  He wasn't likable, but it was still sad.  We were mad for awhile as it looked like one of our favorite character died in the upside down.  Thankfully, the last scene gave us hope that he was actually being housed in a Russian prison instead.  Overall, the series was fantastic and we can't wait for season four to come out.  

Life in Chicago Revisited Thirty Years Later

Doug and I took a road trip to see Cal in Chicago today.  Traffic was heavier than we expected, but we still made it to his apartment before lunch time.  We were pleased to find parking on the street right outside Cal's building.  He had a day pass for us to use which was very helpful as street parking was only available for those with permits.  As soon as we were situated, Cal gave us a tour of his and Jayce's apartment.  It was very nice with stainless steel appliances, wood floors and a courtyard right outside their back door.  They had a nice living space with room for a dining room table and two couches.  Cal's bedroom was about the size of the smallest one in our home and had a large closet attached to it.  I was impressed with how clean it was and how close it was to shopping and dining options.  

Our next stop was Wrigley Field which was only two blocks from Cal's home.  We walked around the stadium enjoying the statues of famous Cub players and the engraved names in the bricks on the sidewalks below our feet.  Some of our favorite baseball players were among those honored.  We asked Cal about traffic in his area during the games.  He said that it hadn't been bad so far, but the stadium wasn't at full capacity yet.  That should happen in late June.  He did tell us that parking gets really strict on game day with a lot of tickets given out.  The plus side of home games was that they close the streets to traffic for two hours after the games so everyone can enjoy the restaurants and bars nearby.  

We ate lunch at Old Crow Smokehouse across the street from Wrigley Field.  It was one of Cal's favorites and we really enjoyed it.  They had plenty of outdoor seating and the food was delicious.  I found a smoked chicken that worked well with Weight Watchers while Doug had macaroni and cheese with brisket and Cal had brisket sliders.  We dropped off the leftovers at Cal's and enjoyed some of the air conditioning before taking another walk, this time north of Cal's apartment.  He showed us a few more places that he liked to eat at and the Jewel that he goes to for groceries.  There was even a CVS across the street.  

As we were walking and talking, Doug shared some of his memories with Cal about the time he lived in Chicago thirty years ago while he was an intern with Amoco.  Much like Cal's experience, Doug loved all that there was to do in the city and I remembered visiting him several times.  With all of the talk we decided to drive down to Lincoln Park and tour that area as well.  Doug showed Cal where he lived and I found a few of the same cleaners that were still there after three decades.  We stopped at RJ Grunts which was our favorite bar in the area for a drink after our walking tour.  It was in the same place, right across from Lincoln Park and had added outdoor seating.  It was a nice treat as we hadn't been there in quite some time.  

We dropped Cal back at his apartment after Lincoln Park and said goodbye.  It had been such a wonderful day and we made plans to visit him again soon.  It was amazing to think how life really does come full circle.  We couldn't have been more proud of Cal for etching out a life in the Windy City, enjoying all that it had to offer.  Doug and I decided long ago that nothing feels better than seeing our children happy and successful in their adult life.  

End of Golf Season

Golf season came to an end for the Bethany Bruins today at the Meadowvalley sectional.  The team finished in ninth place out of twelve which they were happy about.  Cameron led the team with a 90.  He was happy for his team, but frustrated with his round.  He had had a rough first eight holes which led to the higher than normal score.  He did shot a 42 on the second nine which helped to alleviate his mood.  He was even more disappointed when he found out that an 84 was good enough to qualify for regionals.  He had had five penalty shots and missed two short putts on those challenging holes or he would have made it out of sectionals.  Cameron handled the disappointment well talking about his plans for lessons this summer, work on his short game and ideas for the golf offseason after tennis ends.  

The rest of the day was a fun one for the Bethany golf team.  Their coach invited the boys to a day on the lake at his home on Dewart Lake.  They ate lunch together, played spike ball and took several rides on the boat.  Cameron enjoyed it very much.  Parents were invited later in the day for dessert and the end of the year awards.  Cameron was named MVP of his team.  We were excited for him, but happiest with the  friends that he made and the memories that he shared with his team throughout the season.  He had a great group to play golf with and an extremely supportive group of coaches.  We couldn't ask for anything more.  

Who Said That I'm Not Having Fun

In the past year I have not posted a lot on Facebook.  That could be because we have not done as much as we had in years past.  It could also be because I wasn't on Facebook as much due to the ignorant comments during the pandemic and presidential election.  I think the real reason that I didn't post much, however, was because I didn't want to come across as bragging.  The Heinisch family had had a successful year despite the adversities thrown at everyone in 2020.  

Thus, when I did post about a few items I was a little surprised by the comments.  Most were supportive and nice, but a few got under my skin.  "Glad to see you're finally out and about,"  "Happy that you're finally having fun," were just a few that I read that seemed to imply that I had had not enjoyed myself this past year.  Nothing could have been further from the truth.  Yes, there were struggles, but as a family we grew closer because of them.  Doug and I spent more time together this past year than we had since college.  All of the Heinisch children found success at school or work with promotions, bonuses, fantastic grades, and a newfound appreciation for life in general.  

I would never want to live through another pandemic again, but I also don't want to go back to the hustle and bustle of life before it either.  I have come to appreciate being alone, talking to my adult children and spending a relaxing night in playing games or watching a movie.  I'm happy that we no longer have to worry about coronavirus much anymore, but other than that it really was a happy year for me.  I didn't need to post that on Facebook to prove it to anyone.  

Reorganizing the Mud Room

When Doug and I first started talking about downsizing, we took inventory of our furniture and decided that one of the pieces that we were willing to part with was our computer desk.  As a corner desk, it didn't take up a lot of space, but we really didn't need it anymore.  We rarely used the old computer, but still had to have it for our router to connect with the modem.  We had a small buffet that we could use for the computer instead and a file cabinet to house the printer.  Once we made the decision to part ways with the computer desk, I called Brett to see if he had any interest in it since he had been using a microwave stand to hold his printer and office supplies.  After looking at a picture of it, he was more than happy to accept our "hand-me-down" desk.  

I was excited to move the piece of furniture out of our home, but a little overwhelmed about the process of cleaning it out.  We had a lot of office supplies stored on it and I would have to reorganize the buffet, a bookcase, a small pantry, and a closet to fit everything from the desk into the mudroom.  It took longer than I would have thought, so I was glad that I started on the project last week.  I couldn't believe all that we had collected over the past few years.  I got rid of at least a dozen pencil boxes of crayons, markers, and pencils that dated back to my teaching days.  I also threw out a lot of papers and other items that we no longer needed.  In the end I filled three boxes of items for the garage sale, a bag of trash and a carton of recycling.  Cameron and Doug were both impressed with how much better the room looked and I was pleased with how well organized it was.  It was a lot more functional and the best part was that we never lost our internet when I rearranged the computer, modem and router.

Swan Lake

 Tonight was Cameron's last regular season golf match of the year.  They were matched against both Bremen and Goshen.  It was supposed to be played at Woodbury Golf Course, but as Cam's coach texted, "They were upgraded to Swan Lake."  Even though Cameron had played a practice round at the original course, he was happy to hear about the switch.  He had never played at Swan Lake before and had heard good things about it.  

Doug called to give me an update on his way home from the Plymouth course.  Doug said that Cameron played the first three holes and the last three holes very well.  The middle three gave him some difficulties as he was six over on just those.  Cameron wasn't disappointed at all with his score.  He was instead pleased that the triple bogey on number four didn't ruin his round.  He remained focused and still kept his score under 45 with a 44 for the night.  He also said that it was his favorite match of the season.  They stopped at McDonald's on the way home and had great time.  His comment instantly brought me back to all of the fun that I had on the rides to and from our high school golf matches.  Win, lose or draw that was the best part of high school sports.  I was glad that Cameron was making the same type of memories.