Oct 31,1999

Donald:

Hi everyone,
   Things are getting busy out here in California as we lead up to the
holidays.  I'm flying up to Washington every three weeks and I'll be up
there for the Thanksgiving weekend.  In the middle of November I'll be going
on a business trip to Japan for a week.  This time I will mostly be in
Kasashima, a small town on the west coast of Japan directly across the
country from Tokyo.  I'll also be in Tokyo for a couple of days.
   Stephanie and Stephen are fine.  Stephanie should be getting her SATs
back next week and is planning on applying to the University of Washington
and possibly Dartmouth.
   I am gliding again and had a great day down in Hollister today.  I want
to clarify a point John mentioned on the web page: I had been flying with
instructors a lot since I started gliding, at least 17 days of lessons.  On
the trip where I injured myself, there were two instructors supervising the
group (this was a sponsored trip).  I'm not flying with instructors now, I'm
just starting at a very low level and plan to get a lot more experience in,
plus fly a more suitable glider for me, before I try anything like that
advanced flight again.  Gliding instruction is very critical, but I am past
the basic lesson stage and just need to get a lot more flight hours in.
   That's all for now.  I hope you all had a spooky Halloween.
Don

October 26, 1999

As promised, here are a few pictures:

Brett and Karen in their kitchen, with Mom L's apron.

Proud parents Jim and Michelle with Corban.

Proud Grandparents, Dave and Jean.

Four generations, Dad Dave Jim and Corban.

Denise playing her new violin made in the 1930's.

October 24, 1999

We have been super busy, I worked 67 hours last week! On Saturday we slept in, then picked up the outboard motor (repaired), music for Denise and her violin (and a Sabrine STX-1100 - a little box that tells you what notes you are playing on the violin!), our camera (repaired) and the laundry. Then today we had a wonderful visit with Mom and Dad L. They came up and brought dinner! I beat Dad in Cribbage and Denise and her mom went shopping for a bit while Dad and I went for a walk. I envy Dad L amd his new cable connection for his computer, he can download super fast now! He has a new e-mail address on the family data page.

Nate is going to Chicago for his basic training, he leaves Monday (tomorrow).

Amy and Darren are having fun in their new home, they will be visiting here for Christmas!

Donald is back flying on a hang glider, he now goes up with an instructor though.

Daniel will be here for Darrell's wedding. Darrell promised to introduce her to us before the wedding!

Dad just got back from Ohio, he went to visit his sister and to see the "Tall Stacks", paddlewheelers. He had fun going out on one and watching the races.

October 14, 1999

Surprise, surprise:

David and Jean Herrick proudly announce the arrival of grandaughter Kaitlyn Evelyn Grace Dodos.
Born October 9, 1999 at 5:17 A.M., weighing 5 pounds 15 ounces, 19 inches long.
The proud parents are Mike and Karen Dodos. Mother and baby are doing very well.

And another surprise:

Darrell and Marilyn are going to tie the knot Saturday, November 13!!!!

October 10, 1999

Floor is open to Al:

Hello,     

Well, it has happened again, that old "no two are alike" bit as proven by good, old Frost Bit Fred. Yep, it has snowed on Stone Mountain.  The ground was white yesterday and was the same this morning.  By the time we got home this afternoon it was all gone. I feel quite certain that very few of you reading this really care. However, you have read this and you probably needed the break.  Seeing that you are still here, I am going to update you an all the goings-on that are going on at the Stone Mountain Farm. Some time ago the executive director made the decision to rid ourselves of all swine. This decision was heralded by all except Becky Bacon and Sara Sausage, the two, recently sausaged porkers. I must admit that at first I was aghast at the manager's decision. When it was pointed out to me that the aformentioned swine were hamming it up behind my back I threw all my weight behind her decision to smoke 'em right out of the barn. Now the secret of those delicious ham, egg and sausage breakfasts is out.      Speaking of eggs, according to our hen accountant, Henny Penny, we have recently had a rash of delinquent egg payments. Unfortunately H.P., as we call her, in typical female fashion, clucked around the barnyard with this information. Needless to say, this tidbit of information put the rest of the girls into quite a tizzy. They mope around, are off their feed and hen fruit production has dropped, further hurting sales. Red, our head rooster, has begun to talk about lack of consortium. One would assume that with 21 girls in the yard he shouldn't have too much to complain about. Dumb Cluck, Chicken Licken, Buff, the orpington, and Goosey Loosey have been talking about a vigilante action. Of course, this shouldn't bother us married men too much as we are accustomed to being hen-pecked. I just hope that all who owe pay up soon so that peace and tranquility will return to the barnyard. Besides, we don't have much room in the freezer.      In order to keep the heat up in the barn, the manager decided to attempt to replace the hogs with goats. We now have three; Bridget, Beau, and Brownie. Beau is a male and the other two are the opposite gender. Bridget and Beau are Sanaan and are white. Brownie is a Nubian and is colored... you guess. We are currently milking Bridget and if Beau does his job over the winter we will be milking both females come spring. In addition to the milk in the spring we will be able to have some goat roasts out by the pond this summer.  YUM!      As some of you know, Bob, short for shishkabob, recently became food for thought and also for us. Every time I reach into the freezer I will think fondly of him.        Well, I guess I had better go stoke the fire. I have found out that as people get older they like to be warmer in their house. At least that is what my wife tells me, at least I think that's what she said. She also tells me I don't pay any attention to her, I think.

Gotta go,

Al

Farm Steward 

PS: Denise bought herself a violin yesterday, she practiced on it for an hour yesterday and is at it again as we speak. We had a good visit with Denise's parents too - Dad L. beat me twice at cribbage though! We went out dancing after returning, now we are going to a "going away" party this afternoon, never a dull moment! The weather here is perfect, we went for a long walk this morning and enjoyed the cooler weather (with the high temperature finally below 90 for the first time in months and the nights in the upper 70's it is a welcome change).

October 5, 1999

We had quite a time in New Orleans last weekend! We visited Bret and Karen, they could not stop smiling all the time we were there. We went to a neat restraunt (Young's). You have to be there by 5PM or you will have to wait for two hours or so! Then we went back to their nice home and had "Brett Brownies"!! We then went to the city on Sunday. We did a lot of shopping ( a lot!!). We found some neat things in the voodoo shop, but mostly junk. We did not buy anything much. The flight home was fun, the captain and crew entertained us all the way home!

Nate called tonight. They got to hear the baby's heartbeat today! The official due date is now April 20, 2000! The first year 2000 baby I know about!! Nate is going into the Navy on the 25th of October as far as he knows. Everything is looking up for them!