MOLLIE AND HER PARENTS IN HELENA

JENNY'S PARTY PHOTOS

DAD

STATE OF THE LASSEY CLAN

Missoula, MT, June 29, 2008

Unfortunately, blogger.com is not allowing me to post photos on the blog. I am trying to diagnose and correct the problem, so far without success, after having taken dozens of good pictures so far on this trip that you would certainly enjoy seeing. I am disappointed that I cannot share them with the clan!

After leaving Tucson, we drove through New Mexico, spending a delightful half day in gorgeous Santa Fe. Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota were green and beautiful, especially the area around Deadwood and the Black Hills. After 1600 miles we were glad to finally arrive in North Dakota for visits with the family in Bismarck, Cartwright, and Helena.

BISMARCK

Lila went to the emergency room of St. Alexis Hospital the day before we arrived, and was in tough shape while we were there. She had a bad case of pneumonia and a hospital-caused blood infection as well. In a conversation this morning, she indicated that she did not yet know when she would get out of the hospital. The nurses took her for a walk down the hallway this morning, and she was sitting up in a chair--a definite improvement since we were there a week ago. Tim came by to play cards with her yesterday.

Cindy, Don, and family are at a Klym family reunion this weekend at the same campground along the lake where the Lassey Clan had their event in 2006.

CARTWRIGHT

Dad was in a great state of cheerfulness while we were there, and is doing very well. He said he felt just fine and had no complaints! We took a tour of the farming operations with Mavis, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the territory. Unfortunately, the crops are not as good this year as in recent years because of dry weather and some bad beet seed. We just heard that some of the crops also got hailed out after we were there. The barley field in front of Dad's house looked great!

Luke was busy spraying crops, while Will and Ron were focused on irrigating, in hopes of getting as much growth and improvement of the crops as possible. We enjoyed watching Abbie's antics around the house. She is really a cute and bright young lady. Mavis and Ron entertained us for a delightful dinner and conversation at their house. Marilyn and Issy left the morning after we arrived for an anniversary celebration trip with their travel trailer.

HELENA

We were royally entertained at Maureen and Mat's in Helena, where Dione, Saul and Mollie had just arrived for a two-week visit in Montana. They will spend about half the time on Big Bull Island in Flathead Lake near Polson where they were going today with Dione's mother. Mollie was getting started on writing a book, and spent much of the time while we were there checking the Internet and a writer's guide about how to proceed! She is quite the amazing young lady.

We went for long walks, and enjoyed long conversations, with Dione and Saul around the beautiful area surrounding Maureen and Mat's house. After our departure on Saturday morning, They were going with Maureen on a boat tour of the gorgeous "Gates to the Mountains" on the Missouri River near Helena.

Maureen is really enjoying her new job as Director of Operations for Neighborworks, a statewide partnership of 27 housing-related organizations, and was quoted extensively in the lead story of the Business section in the Missoulian newspaper this morning. She and others did a workshop here in Missoula last week on the housing crisis--especially foreclosure issues. She has been doing these workshops around the state in her role as the person in charge of lending operations, statewide homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention, housing development, relationships with partner organizations, and Native American programs.

Maureen has a new greenhouse (built from a kit by Mat) in which she is growing vegetables, flowers, etc. Mat is enjoying a new Harley motorcyle, acquired, he says, to save gas in his commute 24 miles round-trip to and from work. Looks like fun, as well, to me!

ON THE ROAD

After getting some motorhome repairs done in Missoula, we'll be traveling to Idaho and Washington, where we'll see Sherry, Wes, Dustin, and Nicole, as well as some old friends. Later in July we hope to spend a week or more in Grand Teton National Park!

Cheers,

Bill and Marie

BELGIANS MAKING PLANS FOR THE COMING WEEKS

Hello to all our American relatives, acquaintances and friends!
Next Monday, June 30, we are leaving home for a couple of weeks of vacation.
Anyone who knows us has the right to make three guesses about our destination...

Right! Our usual hideaway on the banks of the Moselle River, barely across the Luxemburg border in Germany. Except for 3 years, we have been there every year since 1972. Last year was one of the exceptions because Herna's mother was very ill.
The other exceptions have been 1981, when we were with some of you in the USA, and 1987 when we took a trip to Norway.

We return home on July 12.
Our golden retriever is not coming along. He'll stay in a dog hotel here in the neighborhood.

You'll be hearing from us again soon and we wish all of you a "HAPPY 4TH OF JULY"!

Love,

Hedwig and Herna in Flanders (Belgium)

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

It is getting hot in Tucson (100 today), and time to get out of here for awhile! So far the spring weather has been quite okay, enabling us to walk around the neighborhood most days. Fortunately, both of us are now in good health, having gotten good reports from the doctors recently. We can't wait to get on the road again!

We are therefore planning a trip to North Dakota, Montana, The Tetons, Washington, and Utah, beginning June 12. Assuming all goes well, we should be in Bismarck on June 17, via Santa Fe, Denver, Cheyenne, and Spearfish. We'll go to Cartwright for three days on the 18th, then gradually make our way to Helena, arriving on the 26th for two nights. After a couple of weeks in the Tetons, we'll go to Spokane and Pullman, arriving on July 14 for two days. The plan is to be back in Tucson by the end of July, via Salt Lake City.

I tried to put some colorful photos on this blog entry, but for some strange reason the system refuses to accept any pictures! Another time maybe!

Cheers,

Bill and Marie