WELCOME to "Richeyville", June '07

GREETINGS, family and friends, and welcome to Richeyville, Summer (almost), June, and the
latest from Slovan. We pray that all is well with you and yours. THANKS for the 15 "hits" we
received on our May blog.

It's Sunday afternoon, June 3rd, a bit cloudy and sprinkly, but warm and humid. Chartel is
"lounging" in her room, C.J. is at Messiah College, the kitten is resting comfortably on the footrest
of the reclining loveseat, and I just finished some laundry. Hope to clean up and catch a movie
in a few, since this is the first of a 6-day vacation and I want to "unwind" a bit.

Chartel still hasn't made arrangements for her GED test, though she insists she is going to do it
"soon". I know she'll "ace" it, as everybody at both schools continue to say how smart she is.
Hope she decides soon what she wants to do in life so we can work toward that goal. She has
"only" one job now, at Boston Market, the upper-scale chicken restaurant, and makes enough
to keep up her car and insurance payments (partial on the insurance part), and still have some
"blowing" money. Her latest "crush", Donny, works and goes to school, either a Tech or local
college, and appears to be a very upstanding young gentleman. The two times he's been at
the house when I've been home, and on the phone, he's impressed me with his courtesy,
speech, mannerisms, and maturity. He's 21, and about twice the size of Chartel, but they seem
to get along very well (?).

As for C.J., he made a quick trip home this week to get some of his belongings like bedding and
study light, in addition to some $s, and a dinner with Dad at Ponderosa. I won a gun ($) at a
local gun-bash recently, and converted its $204 value into $50 gift cards for both offspring,
got a much-needed pair of sneakers and double thick socks for myself with my card, and let
C.J. use his and my $34 balance (Dick's Sporting Goods), which he got a new tennis raquet
and cover, shirt and shorts, and tennis balls. At least he'll look good on the court! Ha-Ha.
Actually, he plays a mean game of tennis, and with his improving acumen and my declining
ability, he beat me last time we played, which was about 18 months ago! He plans to come
home for a day or two each month, and a week or two at the end of summer before school
starts back up. He seems to have no problems working midnight shift at the school, and
that's good as his summer class begins soon.

As for me - where do I start (or stop?). I finally got to the neurosurgeon, and he has pre-
scribed 3-a-week physical therapy sessions for a month, a shot in my back where the problem
seems to stem from, all in the hopes of avoiding surgery. I take a vicadin or 2 every day, along
with an anti-inflammatory or two to keep going. While on vacation this week I'm working a
bit at the grocery store, though nothing heavy or long. I did work 4 hours today and will do
the same tomorrow, as I'm "needed"!? Huh? I plan to do some repairing, painting, major
cleaning, etc. before Saturday (Friday, actually, as I'm taking some of the teens from the
Teen Center to the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Friday after school's early dismissal
on that day, the last day of the year.). I chaperone at the Teen Center on Monday evenings,
and still try to keep the funds flowing while awaiting for a much-needed and much-hoped-for
grant from a state agency. Please pray! Thanks.

As promised, here are the phone number for us: Chartel - 304-374-4490; C.J. - 717-439-2354
and me 724-263-0505, all after 9 PM Eastern, or on weekends, please, unless it's an
emergency. C.J.'s email is cr1195@Messiah.edu; mine is heyrichey@yahoo.com. I don't know
Chartel's, but will try to get it for next blog.

As you may remember, it was 8 YEARS on April 25th since Jayne "graduated to glory"! Some
times it seems like yesterday, other times it seems far removed. I still have my "moments",
and I still look at the collages of her pictures now and then, remembering, praying, and
rejoicing that I had the privilege of knowing her, and especially of seeing her develop as a
Christian! She loved her Saviour, Jesus, very much, and worked tirelessly for His church and
the children in particular, both hers and the classes she taught and worked with. Life has sure
been different without her, but we're relieved by the knowledge that she is in Heaven with
her Lord!!

Have a great summer, feel free to keep in touch, and I'll see some of you when I come to
see the family in Kimberly, Wisconsin in late July or early August. God bless you!!!