VISITORS, SIGHTSEEING AND GOODBYES IN OHIO

We recently had a wonderful visit with Gary's nephew, David, Ryka and Lauren.  We again forgot to use the camera, so I am using a three year old photo.  If I get a newer one from them, this will get changed!  It was great to see you guys and we hope that we can do it again even though it is quite a drive.  David, hope that your stay in Chicago went well also.  And Lauren, hang in there, this school change will go well.  It just takes time.

The last Monday in July our dear friends Bill and Jane left the campground.  So our one neighbor is gone but will be replaced soon, I am sure.  That is the trend in campgrounds!  Yes, I got up early to be able to go with Gary to say "Goodbye" and to give them some cookies to munch along the way.

Bill and Jane preparing to leave.

Backing in to hook up.

Down the road they go!

On Thursday we drove to Richmond Heights for Audrey's doctor appointment.  After being told to come back in two weeks, we stopped at her brother, Wayne's.  We spent about three hours visiting with him.  During that time Audrey sorted through much of his accumulation to make sure that all bills have been taken care of and to make phone calls to businesses to make sure that Insurance claims were properly applied for.  What a chore!  While doing that Gary got the job of taking aluminum cans to Wayne's garage so that they can be crushed for recycle. It was a windy day, so when Gary dropped a box the contents were blowing across the parking lot of his retirement community.  He did chase them down, but when we went to leave for the day, Gary wanted a bag to put over his head???  I told him that I doubted that anyone paid any attention to him!!
Bottom line was that when we left we did have a sense of accomplishment.  Since Wayne is looking like he needs another hospital stay for the fluid build-up from his congestive heart failure, we are glad that we spent the time with him and that we took care of business as well.

We stayed at Audrey's sister's house for the night and bummed around the area the next morning.  We stopped in Target and ran into Audrey's cousin, Curtis.  Surprised him!  Then we went on to tour the summer home of our countries 20th President, Garfield.  He had a very short time in the office as President, dying from infection after being shot.  His wife, Lucretia, later added on to this home in Mentor, Ohio because they were a family of nine and needed more space.  She sold much of their farm acreage and the home and out buildings now rest on just eight acres of the original farm.  Wonder who made all of the big bucks on that land over the years as it is definitely prime land?
Many  speeches were made from this porch that runs across the entire front of the home.

We are going on at the end of the front porch to enter the home.

Back view of Lucretia Garfield's addition to the home.

Back and side view of the home and addition.



Front view before any additions.



Two tiles around the fireplace known to be hand painted by family.

Carpet had a multese cross design, which was a sign of peace!

This is now known as the swastika, thus this had to be long before WWII.

Next are pictures of the library that Lucretia had built in the addition, to house Garfield's books.  It holds less than half of his collection, however.

Library fireplace.

Walking through the library to the family vault, behind on the left.

Garfield's bedroom with desk that he used during his lifetime.

Housed water supply that generated electricity for the house via a wind mill on top

It was a tour well worth the time and it completed a task that had been on our bucket list for several years.  It was one of those places that you pass quite often when in the area, but never take the time to stop.

Many times as we drive across Winona Road, we have thought that we would take a picture of this dome house.  Mission finally accomplished!!  We don't know who lives there, but we do know a family who live in one in Sandy, Oregon and we had wanted to show Judy and Tim this picture.

We stopped at our son's to check on the progress of the foundation under the enclosed porch.  Much more has been done and it is nearing completion.  His son is to be doing the back-fill.

Sunday Victor stopped down to visit and eat dinner with us.  It is always good to see him and to have him take time to do things needed to our computer.  He is our computer guru, though he hates to be bothered since this is what he does all day at work.  We try not to be too pesty.

We have since lost a friend from our Sunday School Class to cancer.  She has fought a brave fight for fifteen years!  Knowing the Lord as her personal Savior and confessing it daily, we are confident of her presence with Him!!

Our frailties in life are our constant reminder that we need to be right with the Lord.  It is on our minds often these days.  God Bless you all and stay with us, we will be traveling a little in a couple weeks.