A Snowy Day

A Snowy Day... by Ezra Jack Keats, a marvelous children's book, great illustrations about a little black boy about 5 going out in the first big snowstorm of the year. Do you remember it? It's in the same category as the Bunny and the Carrot, memorable. What are some of the childrens' books and stories that are special to you? Libraries that you remember?
Well, we had our first truly snowy day in Michigan finally. It started early Sunday morning and by the afternoon we had 10 inches or more in different places, big and fat flakes, lacy bushes and trees until the wind started blowing the snow off. Not too many folks at the 8:00 Mass at St Monicas or on the road. We drove the truck, taking our work clothes with us right out to the farm. Tom worked again on the trim around the window and baseboards. Then went for a vigorous walk in the snow, me following in Tom's footsteps. We flushed an owl in the same place tom and the rabbit hunters flushed 7 owls last week. Sat night we drove to Lake Doster for a cocktail party at Dave and Marcia's with some cousins and an old St Augustine friend suffering from pancreatic cancer.
CC and Charles
She was the first to call, all excited about her china purchase. Belks is discontinuing her wedding china pattern with a 60% discount plus her 20% employee discount. She now has 14 dinner plates, cups and saucers (thanks to Lisa), bread and butter plates and salad plates? Am I correct CC:? They had a good weekend with the Sumners for Sarah's birthday party. Charles, the tool man, had made his mom a telephone table for her present and worked all week on it. The only glitch was CC was at Belks and Charles needed the car to figure out how to fit the table in the car to the party. They were late for the party, oh well. Good job, Chuck.
Charlie and crew
Quiet weekend at the Cronley house, lots of computer games, sledding for Ray and a friend Alex over, couch time for Chas and Lily, Sandra at her boyfriends, Maria working. Chas' next home project with be taking out the laundry sink in the back hall, putting it down in his workroom. That will free up lots of space in the mudroom entrance. Raymond got a good report card all S's and one S-. Fine job, Ray.
Kelly and Jay
They are finally back on power. It came on 2pm Sat morning, 2 weeks exactly. They did have to pitch all the refrig items, liberating according to Kell. The freezer stuff was ok. Her big new is preparations for the big White Rock Mountain 15 mile run in Arkansas this weekend. They are going Friday after work(She has a busy week interviewing, wining and dining potential candidates for a dept position). She and her running buddies did the big 15 mile run on Sunday ,verrrrrrrry cold. Good Luck sweetheart, fly like the wind up that mountain. Blog us the details next week.
Lisa, Brian and Brado
The guys are still working hard on the upstairs bedroom. The last project is replacing the dry wall around the west window before the final painting finishes. Looks good, she sez.
Bowling for them last night, Lisa was up to a 153 game once. Brady has ski club Tues. He has to qualify on 3 levels for an open pass. But they finally also have the snow.

Have a great week. Luff ewe

Da Farm Nooz

This is the before picture. Tom, the tool man did all the wiring. headers and supports, insulation, wrapping and stapeling the Tyvec. Now comes the measuring, cutting, snugging the panels, nailing. He only made 2 mistakes in cutting around recept boxes, electrical outlets, doors, corners, 2 panels out of 100! What a guy!

We will be calling this room the "TeePee" lounge. Next will be putting in the refrig(for beer), microwave and sink, lastly the futon and we will be good to go spend the night. Updates to come. Luff ewe.

sundae nooz 1/21/07

Gud morning all, I have to make this short as I forgot the camera at home. I was going to post the pictures from the farm. Tom and I have gotten the "TeePee Lounge" completely paneled in knotty pine. It is bright and cheerful. He went rabbit hunting for 4 hours yesterday and then finished up with some plumbing and final boards. We worked until 8:30 last night.

KELLY has the big adventure going with a continued power blackout in MO. She and Jay have spent the night at Jay's brother's home for the past week, breakfast and showering there and then going home to dress to go to work and school. The college was closed for the week. They finally got a generator -long story- this weekend and started the furnace up again. She has thrown out stuff from the refrig and freezer, altho had put some into coolers in the basement. She spots all the refrig stuff on the curb all over the city and pities the poor garbage man when the weather warms up, PU! It is tiring and unsettling to be going from pillar to post and away from your things. Hang in there, Kell. We're with you in spirit.

LISA didn't have to work on Sunday except to go in and FIRE somebody. She, Brian and Brady have been taping, priming and painting the big upstairs guest bedroom in OU scarlet and grey for Brady. He will take over and move upstairs when it's finished. Boy, I spent some cold nights sleeping up there. Brady is also tres' excited to finally go to school ski club this Thurs. They also have had no snow much to the chagrin of all the kids and Christmas presents. He's outfitted in ski pants, jacket, gloves, googles and OU baseball cap. Go, Brady, go. We're with you in spirit of Peak and Peak.

CC and Charles- CC's big adventure working at Belks this weekend was registring the bride who took 2 1/2 hours to pick out her CRYSTAL. Other news from her college housemate Marie who is pregnant. Now starts the baby showers... That's all for now.

Since we were working at the farm late I never got to call Chaz and Raymond. I catch you up later with nooz from him and pictures from the farm. Luff you all.

Snow in NC

Hello. I woke up this morning around 6pm to see some funny looking white stuff falling from the sky. Yesterday, the weatherman forecasted the wintery mix to come between 7-9am, but it arrived a few hours early in the form of snow. Schools were closed, but lots of people braved the roads. I saw two accidents on 40 and my commute which is 15-20 mins took 45 mins. I did not mind the delay to work at all. By 8:30 the snow turned into sleet and shortly there after it was rain. The snow stuck around for a while on the pinestraw and on the natural areas, but quickly melted away from the grass. Hard to believe, we had 75 degree weather this weekend. Enjoy! Charles took these shots with his camera phone this morning. PS- I know this doesn't come close to Kelly and Jay's experience this past week, our hearts go to you!

Another Family Blog

Aunt Chris and Uncle Al's new BLOG... Seven Lakes Capers

Hey y'all... Just checking in on the blog. Charles and I had a fun Sunday with the Mimms, as we always do. We got there around lunch time. I chatted with Aunt Chris and Uncle Al and Charles chatted just as much as we did. Spent some time with Chris and Al setting up there new blog. Chris has decided that Al will not sleep another wink at night because he is going to be a blogging fool! After that, we took a ride into the village of Pinehurst for some site seeing. We stopped into the Holly Inn, Crestview Inn (is that right, Chuck?), Number 2, the clubhouse, saw the little putter boy and ended with a drink at the Carolina Inn. Oh, of course, we saw the statues of the people who have made Pinehurst what it is today.

Dinner was fabulous back at the Mimms Estate. Then, Charles and I hit the road to come home. On the way home, I talked to Mom and got the 411 from Kelly and Jay about the wintry weather in Springfield, MO.

Make sure to check out the Mimms blog and comment... :)
Love you..

KKlub Christmas and sundae nooz

Hi ya buckeroos, here is that cheerful piano playing elf (Martha G) under the Nana and Papa's hand made Christmas banner at the Swiats for KKlub. We had a grand time singin' those old Christmas songs from the red songbook upstairs after a ham samich potluck. There were lots of little ones around the ol' peeanah ready to open the gifts "as soon as the singing is over". Peter Ambrosi got the first "P" gift, a Purple Purse. He looks perfectly divine. More to come later buckeroos.

Christmas at Charlie's 2006

Is your Christmas tree still up? The manger set? The outside decorations? It isn't Epiphany yet. We are keeping ours up until 1-15-07. How about you?
Happy New Year to all. I kept thinking about all the times I would come home with streamers, hats and noise makers for you all. We were in bed..... this year.
Here are a few photos that I took. I love Kelly's group shots, thanks, lovey.
It's so nice that we hear from you, Brigid. Let's get a huge Cronley blog going, Dick and Jill, Joe Cronley's J&P Cronley, the Bellefountaine group. What ever happened to them?
Short work week, Yay. Luff ewe

Take a look!

Hey Guys... take a look at this web site. It has all the really cool "vintage" looking posters and magents like Chaz has from Cedar Point and South Haven. Here is the link to the Kalamazoo prints. You can serach by state or city at AllPosters.com

More Pix

Thanks CC for getting us started. Fun pictures. Here are a couple of mine. I too enjoyed the Christmas dinner chat. I also enjoyed all the time in the kitchen "prepping" as Maria called it. Our time together always gets here so slow and then passes so quickly.

On this New Years Day, I'm thankful for our wonderful family.