Great picture of my Mom when she was a teenager. We will miss her very much but have lots of wonderful memories of her. The trip to Denver was a wonderful experience. It was good be with Mom before she died and as she took her last breaths and to have my brothers, sisters and wife there also. It was a wonder memorial service and it was good to remember Mom with a lot of friends and relatives. Mom was a warm and loving person who delighted in serving the needs of other people around her. A common thread in many memories about her was the wonderful food she made and served. We went through a lot of pictures that were stored at my sister Marge's home and that really stimulated our memories. Mom made a wonder home for us and has now gone to her home in heaven. She is now in perfect peace.

Disaster Relief Services/ Rapid Response Port Arthur, TX

Rich and Dan Bajema are back from their one week volunteer stay in Port Arthur, Texas. Does anyone remember Hurricane Ike? It does not seem to have captured the attention that Katrina did a few years ago. Actually all the work we did was in Bridge City, Texas where only 14 of 3500 homes are being lived in at the current time. We helped clean up flooded homes which included such activities as shoveling mud, tearing out wet and moldy drywall, hauling rubble to the curbside, pressure washing interiors, and spraying chemicals to stop mold and mildew. Great time but very hard work. Oh yes, Rich got to chainsaw trees for a few hours so he was really happy. We even brought home some holly and crepe myrtle logs to turn. We could see why the average stay of a volunteer is only 2 weeks. Now Joy is excited to go. Maybe it's the warm weather?


The first picture is our gang from all over. Canada, Illinois, and Michigan. Thanks to our leaders Gord and Shirley!







Second picture is a before shot where the house was partially gutted before we got there.







Last picture is an after shot just before we left.

Tale of two cousins in Idaho

The adventures of Kianna and Luke in Sandpoint, Idaho is now history. They get along really well and are a joy to all around them. Should remind Earl and Cathy of time they spent with their cousins Jeremy and Becky.











Kianna helping in the garden picking garlic. She looks like she is really into it and right at home at the farm.












It's dressup time down at the old coral. The cowboy and the princess look like they are having a grand time showing off. That's Luke's sisters Remy and Mariko keeping an eye on them.


















The is the farm house where they stayed. It belongs to Tom and Linda Tauber who are the in-laws of Tim Jr and parents of Tim's wife Cassie The farm is about 100 acres near Sandpoint, Idaho. Cathy, Luke and Kianna are now in Caledonia, Michigan at Grandma Joy and Grandpa Rich's and Grandma Joy got a new camera so I'm sure lots of new pictures will follow

A Weekend in Mackinaw City

Rich and I spent a wonderful weekend in Mackinaw City. The picture is of our summer campsite at Wilderness State Park--it looks a bit different in the winter. We rented snowshoes and enjoyed exploring the park--it was a great day with lots of sunshine and blue sky. Stayed at the Hamilton Inn which is a nice hotel right on the water. It was strange to be in Mackinaw City in the winter--most stores and restaurants were closed but we managed to have some great whitefish at one of the three open restaurants in the city. All in all it was a fun getaway weekend.

Winter Wonderland

Greetings from beautiful Michigan!! Our winter wonderland is gorgeous today so I thought I'd show my loved ones who are in warm climates what they're missing!!:) We're having lots of snow this winter and part of the "wonderland" is wondering when we'll see the ground again! We've had lots of school closings which teachers and students love but parents are a bit tired of it. We're also wondering when school kids will get out for the summer--hopefully by the 4th of July!!! Rich and I are well. Rich probably spends about 50 hours a week in his barn and is delighting in that. I've been enjoying volunteering and taking care of Steve and Mary's two youngest--Ben was here this morning and we played with blocks and trucks for a few hours--Ben is 18 months. I'll pick up Ellie from pre-school on Friday and we'll do lunch and maybe go to the mall for a little while so that she can ride the carousel. (actually we both get to ride it:) Rich will celebrate his 64th birthday on Sunday. We celebrated his birthday plus a few others with the DeBoer family this past Sunday--Church was canceled due to an ice storm but everyone managed to get here for dinner. This Friday evening, the Klops and niece Sarah are coming to celebrate Rich's birthday a second time and then, Rich and I hope to go out for dinner on Sunday to celebrate! Three birthday parties--I really love him!!!
Blessings to all of you.

Pic One: Our home in winter.
Pic Two: Rich's barn where he spends hours!
Pic Three: Our camper-we're not staying in it yet.
Pic Four: Our backyard with empty birdfeeders.

Too Much Time in the Woods

Yesterday as I was walking through the woods with my trusty chainsaw and axe looking for some trees that were likely candidates for cutting down to make blanks for my woodturning, I looked up in a tree and this is what I saw!!!! I turned around and walked right out of there.

We haven't spent a lot of time traveling lately except back and forth to friends, relatives, and church unless you we can count walking in the woods and out to the shop and back, but it's time to update the blog if only to stay in contact and return greetings we received for the holidays.

It's finally January and Joy is a little depressed and bored because there are not as many social engagements to take up our time and Rich has taken a deep breath and a sigh of relief for exactly the same reason. What a pair. We had a wonderful holiday season but missed all of those who are so far away, especially the grandkids.

Joy is learning to knit for the umteenth time and having some success for the first time. She also is looking for a calligraphy teacher in the Grand Rapids area. She is working part time in the Calvin Bookstore and loves being back on campus to smooze and play dutch bingo with the students and all her friends. Volunteering was a little slow for the month of December but will certainly pick up during January. Joy got several books for Christmas so she will stay busy along with those and CSIs and Law and Orders.

I am still woodturning and Joy is very hopeful because "this is the longest you have stayed with one hobby". We had a party before Christmas and a group of friend from early Calvin College times came over and made wooden pens for Christmas, it was a great time. I helped a neighbor mill some oak and cherry trees into lumber so I picked up several truck loads of cuttoff slabs for platters and plates. Get you order in soon. Also, I am mentoring at a local high school material sciences class where they are introduced to woodturning. I am taking a little time out to help nephew Jonathan build an aquarium but I still get to woodturn while the epoxy is drying. I need to update my website so don't look now but take a peak in a few weeks at http://rjanema.com/

We don't have many long term plans for travel the rest of the year but will undoubtedly get around a bit. We had such a wonderful time with Earl and Cathy and the families last September and hope it works out again this summer. We will be campground hosts at Wilderness State Park in Mackinaw Michigan from the week before Memorial Day to June 30th and would love to see any of you up there. Let us know and we will help you pick out a good site. We aren't real good about making long term plans but kind of like to just take off.

My sister Winnie and husband Don have moved to Grand Rapids where Don has a new position as Minister of Congregational Life at a church here. Joy is looking forward to lots of socializing with Winnie and Don and I are working on plans for a little fishing. It will be good since Winnie and I have not lived in the same town since we were kids.

We wish you God's blessing for health and prosperity for the coming years.
Joy and Rich

The New Jersey Connection

We took a short side trip on the way to New Jersey and spent some time in Lancaster, PA. Great place with lots of wonderful quilts, furniture, etc. This is an Amish buggy, you can tell because it is gray. The Mennonite buggies are black. You have to be a little careful where you walk.







Not Joy's idea of "woman's work.












A good way to limit the number of trips to the store and the things you buy. The speed limit sign is not really necessary.










Joy's brother Bob and his wife Dot. They were great hostess and host. It is great to visit with them because we Bush supporters can gang up on Joy. Also, Bob has been around Joy enough to really know how to pull her chains. We will be back soon since they got rid of the futon and got a real bed in the guest bedroom.






Joy's niece Wendy and her family minus oldest son Ed and plus Allison's boyfriend Steve. Nephew Bob and his family were over for Sunday dinner also but they sneaked off early before we could get a pic.









Saturday was quite a day no matter which way you looked at it. Bob and Dot took us on a roving cousins tour. Wow, it started at 11am and finished about 5pm. We saw all the cousins by showing up at their houses and knocking on the door. Joy was in her glory and we won't talk about Rich. This is cousin Ruth.







cousin Eleanor













cousin Bet

We also visited cousin May Lou, cousin Peter, and cousin Ed but didn't have time for pictures.









We are home now for a while we think. Hoping for a visit from Cathy and Lucas in December.