September 1-12, 2010 – Shreve, OH cont.

We have been keeping busy our last couple of weeks here. Rex cut down some dead trees for Arnie in the woods behind their house. They rented a log splitter and split the wood so now Arnie and Sheryl will have wood to burn for a few winters. He also built a set of cornhole boards for his mom.

We went to a flea market in Kidron, OH where there were selling a lot of old tools and junk. Many Amish go to the flea market so we got to see lots of horse buggies.

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
We visited the grave site where Rex’s father and baby sister are buried. We trimmed the trees and cleaned up around the markers. Rex’s sister died at 8 days old in 1964 and his father was killed in an oil field accident in 1965.
 
 
 
We have been getting together with a lot of Rex’s relatives. We had dinner with his cousin Peg and her husband Fred a couple of times. Rex’s mother gets together every Saturday night with family at McDonalds. We joined her and her brother, Ike, and her sister, Margaret and her husband Kenny for a very nice evening. We also attended a bonfire and cookout at his cousin’s Teri’s house. They live on a farm and have restored the original farm house that was built in the 1800’s. They have left some of the original logs uncovered on the inside walls and have collected a lot of antique farm tools, a spinning wheel, etc. They had to build a new kitchen onto the side of the house and all the wood came from their property. The house is beautiful and you feel like you are in a museum when you are in it. We had a campfire in the woods behind the house and cooked hamburgers and hotdogs. Teri’s husband, Dick, and their daughter, Dawn, her boyfriend Brian and her 4 year old son, Conrad, were also there along with Rex’s mom and Uncle Ike. We had a great time but the wood smoke did bother Rex’s asthma some.


On Labor Day a high school friend of Rex’s, Bill and his wife LeAnn came over for a visit. Rex and Bill were also good friends with Fred so Fred and Peg and two of their sons, Charlie and John, along with their girlfriends joined us. We had a good time talking and enjoying pizza and the nice cool evening.

We also visited Rex’s uncle Pat and his wife Carolyn who built a house in the woods a few years ago. The house is in a remote area and is surrounded by hills and woods. It is a very quiet and peaceful area and we enjoyed visiting with them and seeing their new home.

On our last two days in Ohio we went to the Wayne County Fair in Wooster, OH. We spent one day walking around looking at all the animals and other exhibits. Of course, we had to sample some of the fair food – we found some really good ice cream and one of our favorites, kettle corn. Rex’s cousin, Peg, is a very good artist and had entered some paintings. She won a 2nd place ribbon and two 3rd place ribbons. The next day we went to the Fiddler’s Contest and got to hear some really good fiddle music.

 

 
 
 

Monday morning, September 13th, we got the 5th wheel ready to move and said good-bye to Rex’s mom. She seems to be doing very well but we know it will be quiet and a little lonely for her when we leave. She knows it is important to keep busy and active now that she doesn’t have Rex’s stepfather to care for any longer. Rex’s cousin, Peg, and her husband have invited her to go to Cincinnati for a weekend in a couple of weeks and to go to Florida around Thanksgiving. Rex’s uncle, Ike, winters in Florida and Peg & Fred drive down and bring him back to Ohio for the holidays. She is getting excited about these trips and is considering going back to Florida with Ike in January. Of course, we are hoping that she comes to Arizona to visit us this winter also. She does sewing to earn a little extra money so that will also keep her busy. She has lots of relatives and friends here so we know she will be ok but we still worry about her.
 
We are heading south to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.