July has been a pretty busy month without really having anything to show for it. We started the month pet sitting for the kids in Wixom, while they went up North for the 4th of July in Oscoda. We left the rig in Lapeer while at the kids, so I went up there for three days and did some maintenance, installed a new flat screen TV, fixed a few thing in the bathroom, had the cushions on the couch redone and a few other minor things.
While we were at the kids I was notified that A picture I submitted to the West Lafayette Chamber of Commerce (Home of Purdue University) had come in 4th for their Spring Photo Contest, so we got a nice package in the mail with a Purdue Cooler, Thermos and Blanket.
Winning Picture
When we left Lapeer we drove straight to Edwardsburg, Michigan which is about 2 miles north of Elkhart, Indiana, where we dropped of the motor home at Phoenix Paint Inc. to get a custom paint job by Michele Henry. From the computer graphic that we've seen it is going to look really great, all of her paint jobs are referred to as Phoenix OAKs (One of A Kind) and ours will be that with the signature Palm Trees on the rear. We took a bunch of before pictures and now are just waiting for the after so we can post them on the blog. With the motor home tied up for two to three weeks we drove back to the kids and reclaimed the air bed in the back room.
The first Sunday that we we're at the kids they took a drive after church and returned home with two Chinchillas, Suz had promised the kids that on their 13th birthday they could get an exotic pet. Some how they remembered and held here to it, Nick will be 13 on the 2nd of August and since Rachel is only three years away and Chinchillas do better in pairs that got two. Its probably a good thing that they got them, they will help keep the two cats and 120 lb Chocolate lab company.
When Don got up for work at 3:am the first day he found that they had both escaped during the night so there was a major manhunt until both escapees were re-captured and returned to their cage, which had been refortified. The next morning found that only one had escaped and he was sitting right next to the cage so this was no problem, but then before heading out the door for work Don whistled to get the dog to come in, which he did immediately, the only problem was he brought a friend with him. So now when we wake up we have an extra dog, took until about 8 AM to locate the owner and have her drive over to retrieve him, one unauthorized doggie sleep over.
After about five more prison breaks I decided that it was time to re-enforce the Chinchillas cage, after five hours of non-stop work and about 7000 lbs of ½ inch chicken wire I can now certify that the Chinchilla cage is now Chinchilla proof, as a final touch I hung the sign above the door
“Welcome to Stalag 17”
I finally got the new inflatable kayak out and got it set up so now I have to take the kids kayaking tomorrow or as Rachel has always called it Cardiacing.
Will post pictures of our new improved house as soon as we get it back.
