Not too much to report here in Bonifay, but I thought you might enjoy these pictures that I took during my walk one day last week. I think the cow is trying to say something, just not sure what!
I’ve finally put the sewing machine away, and now I’m busy packing and organizing for our trip north. I’m still doing just odds and ends around campus, but I do think I have identified the Best Job on Campus. Serving Dinner. Yep, the kitchen manager and helpers do all the prep, get everything ready to go, and then they go home. We step in, serve these hungry boys dinner, get all the thank-yous, and then leave the mess for the kitchen detail. Yes, indeedy do, now that’s a great job!

Back to the packing…….

So here we are again – settled in at Teen Challenge Boys Ranch in Bonifay, FL. As many of you might remember, this is the same location where we spent last winter. The plan then was for Gary to work on the A/C and heat in their new building. They weren’t quite ready for him – so he had a great winter being a general fix-it man, ranch hand, and kitchen worker. So we’re back again – the building has progressed along pretty nicely, and we THINK they have the funding for the equipment, so this looks like it will be home again for this winter too. It has been good to reconnect with the folks here that we came to love – and it was especially sweet to see the boys cheer when they saw we had arrived. There have been some changes (as is always the case) and we are settling in nicely. As you can see from the picture, the photos are out on the dashboard, the fall “decorations” are displayed and the sunscreens are on the windshield. In fact, if you look past those fuzzy sunscreens, you might be able to make out a couple of horses out in the pasture. We like the view!

Gary is meeting with the mechanical engineers tomorrow to get some details straightened out with the building. It’s been a frustrating couple of days for him, as he figures out what needs to be done and how that needs to be accomplished. I’ve been doing little odd jobs since I’m pretty busy trying to get all things Christmas done before I head north. And that is in less that two weeks! I fly to Harrisburg on the 3rd to help my dear sister Joie get ready for her daughter Abby’s wedding, Gary joins me on the 8th (the wedding is on the 10th), we’re hanging around Joie’s for about a week before we head out to Marysville (OH) for Thanksgiving (and to meet the new grandbaby who should have arrived by then!!!!). ALL the Conrads will be together for T-giving, so I am totally stoked about that!!!!

Today was like a sauna – humid beyond words and up to about 90! Tomorrow they are predicting that it won’t even get into the 60’s. Geez, this could be a very interesting winter! 🙂

Yep, we’re on the road again!
Yesterday was our last day in Talladega and also our first (somewhat) rainy day since we arrived. We were delighted to see ANY rain since they are in such a critical drought in this area. And, since our Golf Tournament was the night before :-), it didn’t dampen any of our play time!

As you can see it’s not quite a Pirates of the Caribbean course, but we all managed to have fun. I scored a hole in one on my first shot – and then it was all down hill from there. As you can see from this shot of the winning team – only half of the Conrads made it to the winner’s circle. But a good time was had by all.

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Right now we’re at the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory waiting for the 9AM tour to start. And after that we are heading to Teen Challenge Boys Ranch in Bonifay, FL. Yes, that’s where we were most of last winter. I don’t know how long we’ll be staying – it depends on whether or not they are ready for Gary to do the A/C & Heat in that new building. But we’re looking forward to seeing the boys and all of our friends there.

Almost time for that tour! Yummmm!
(I think ice cream for breakfast has some merit, don’t you? Milk, Eggs,……)

OK – Talladega. NASCAR, right? A really bad movie – Talladega Nights- maybe. But here is a whole new definition of racing in Talladega –

And they round the first turn……

Yes, those are toilet racers. It’s amazing how silly 12 oldsters can be when given the opportunity to race toilets!
And they even let the girls play!

I think Gary is having WAY TOO MUCH FUN with this!

And you thought being a SOWER was all about work~! Ha!
(and tomorrow is the miniature golf tournament. Whoee!)