Yes, we're still here...

We haven't forgotten you dear family and friends...but we had our computer bite the dust, and just never made it over here to the visitor's center to use the computer lab here, to update you!  We'll probably forget some wonderful things to share with you after waiting this long, but here goes the latest.

We've had quite the drought here this summer (I'm sure people back east would have loved to share some of their extra water with us).  The NRI keeps the flower gardens, trees and shrubs beautiful and watered, but the lawns are a sad shade of gold.  We did finally have a good storm last Tues., but it's been crispy hot since then.  Next week looks lots cooler...let's hope the forecaster is right.

It has quieted down here...a little too much.  Where is everybody?  We're waiting for you...all day long, at our sites!  They say it will pick up again later in Sept. and Oct....all the senior tour groups will descend on us.  Then the long quiet winter. 

Let's see...since we last blogged, we've served together at the Bakery, Pioneer Pastimes and the Visitor's Center.  This Sunday we will be together at the Seventies Hall.  We've cleaned reader boards in The Grove one week, and then this week Steve took care of our assignment to clean all the statues in the Women's Garden (on a very hot morning).  Thank you my dear.  We've enjoyed our Zone conferences, our Dist. meetings (w/dinner), calling on the referral cards that people filled out at the Nauvoo Pageant (members who are to give us their non member friend's names/phone #, etc.

Most of all, we enjoy the other missionaries serving here.  Each day we serve with someone different, and have learned to love and admire these fantastic wrinkled missionaries....there's a few we would like to take right home with us.  There are friends from Idaho, Arizona, and lots of parts of Utah, etc.  We've spent some evenings with some...even spent P-days shopping, eating, traveling, sightseeing and even going to movies with these wonderful people.  This morning was another one of those farewell breakfasts...the food, the skits, the songs...these goodbyes make us pretty emotional.

Last Sunday we were on call, which left us time for an outing.  We figured out where Ramus, IL was...just about 8 miles northeast of Carthage.  It was a Mormon settlement...in fact Joseph Smith's sister Katherine lived there the rest of her life.  It was there that Joseph received the revelations found in section 130 and 131 of the D&C.  The cornerstone and some of the foundation to the first LDS chapel here in IL are there.

Today we went to Carthage...enjoyed the beautiful morning, the flowers and grounds, and the spirit of that place.  We watched the movie and took the tour again....it doesn't get old.  We found the lot where the Hamilton House sat.  That was the Inn where Joseph and friends stayed the night before they put them in the jail.  Abe Lincoln stayed there too....no...not at the same time.

This weekend is the Nauvoo Grape Festival.  There are beautiful vineyards that we often walk past in our morning walks.  A winery has existed here for a long time...Nauvoo used to be known for it's blue cheese, too.  They have carnival rides set up in the Nauvoo State Park, an antique car show, and all kinds of events, games, wine-tasting (?), and a pageant (it's too hot out there for me...I think we'll crash at home this evening).

We've been trying to set up a simple antenna for our little TV.  Now that our evenings aren't as full, we thought it would be nice to get one or two channels...at least get the local news.  We also picked up a few cheap (but cute) DVDs to enjoy.

Backing up a bit....on Steve's birthday, we served over 50 people our famous cheesecake (we took it to our "Rendezvous" show, and served it afterwards...yum) Steve also finally bought a guitar...as we started to think of those long winter evenings, we decided it would be good to come up with some projects for us both.  I have lots of handwork (crocheting, quilting, embroidering), but Steve needed a few things.  We're excited to have the guitar...I think it will be fun for him to accompany himself, etc.  We also picked up the set of circular looms, so we can both knit some hats or scarves...you can only read and do sudoku for just so long...then you need a change of pace, right?

Steve has settled in with his role as editor in the show.  I'm getting more comfortable each time, but would much rather be the audience...you know me.  Well, we're not set up to download pics at the moment, but we'll get some on here real soon, so ya'll come back now, hear?