August- September 2020 Random

Beautiful Tree on the Flats

A change happening in the living room

Stevie is 13 and still marks his name in random places.
I love it.

A picturesque view of Steve trimming the VERY old apple tree.
The apples are so tasty, but sadly the tree is slowly dying.

Anniversary trip 2020 style.  One excursion - waiting in line to get into IKEA St. Louis.
Where.... (setting:  In store bottom floor - kitchen utensil cluttered section) Steve at one point had to put his mask below his nose because he has asthma and gets a little anxiety while in IKEA on a good day.  PEOPLE THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE REASON TO PULL DOWN (OR NOT WEAR A MASK)
Well this lady ..... we call her a troll because the moment she saw anyone without a mask her literal stature changed into something resembling in sci-fi what a troll stature may be.  Hunched over, arms a bit
T-Rexish, a faster yet unnatural scattered speed.  THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION!!  She caught Steve's gaze and sauntered over.  She was an employee and started to berate Steve and when he said that he had asthma her response was a very labored, sarcastic "Don't you think we all have asthma?" Seriously, those were the words that came out of her mouth.  Perhaps she was flustered from hysteria and it came out wrong, but this is not a way to treat a person with a very serious, life-threatening illness.  That they actually have and were born with.  Not one that someone that is being careless may or may not pass on.  We are not careless people.  BUT we are both people with conditions acceptable NOT TO WEAR A MASK.  We try to be as considerate to others that are concerned as well, but it seems that we are now targeted as uncaring, lacking people because of the non-visible mask that we wear.  Just another view in this craziness going on out and about.  We still do what we can without causing trauma or attacks to our own selves.  And this is just a sort of funny story that we can tell for years to come.  Because when I pulled Steve's arm and said "let's go" and walked away.  The lady employee had no one to berate at that moment (she was ready and rearing to continue going) and she calmed,  stood upright for a few moments, caught gaze of another nose - immediately commencing to previous creature-like stature over to the newest victim.  Forward March!

We waited for a little bit to eat a Mama's on the Hill in St. Louis and boy was it yummy!!!
It was for our 18th anniversary and we did the truest thing we have ever done (maybe not but it felt like it)
We ordered a large amount of food from the menu.  We ate whatever the heck we wanted to because maybe we would never go there again....spoiler we did.

Lizzie's first try at improving the home

Getting out of my funk and climbing trees with the kids

Chestnut husk.

I walked in the room one day and Steve was tearing down a wall.  
Just kidding...I knew...I was like "Wait!  Let me get the camera!"

Apple bottom

I love how these always pose for a good portrait

Here's Johnny!

J for Jespersen!

Movie date

Cutest ketchup bottle ever!

He's trying to be Napoleon Dynamite

My first time at a casino.  It was totally stupid.  Don't waste your money posterity

The moon look HUGE, but with today's cameras this is what it saw.  

Chicken of the Woods

Beauty Berries

May Fly
They look like flying shrimp

WHAT WHAT!!  We passed Sandra's in Carthage and had to turn back.

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That's a big Chicken of the Woods!!

Molly and Jay soaking up the rays with me

Fighting depression with some natural Vitamin D from the sun.

Sauteing the sliced mushrooms with oil and seasonings (including poultry and garlic) makes a great  protein for your meal.  And mushrooms are full of Vitamin D