The Curtis Clan - Springs 2024
Spring Equinox to Summer Solstice
A fun factoid meme illustrating the complexity of surveying in detail versus visualizing it a a large scale. A reoccuring concept for Randy at work during 2024 that seemed beyond understanding by a number of smart people who choose to not understand. Good Grief!
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Bethany playing dominoes with Lisa and Adeline
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The STL Repertory Theater closed out the season on a high note with August Wilson's Osage County. It was another triumph during their rebuilding season since the departure of the director who replaced Steve Wolf, who alienated the customer base and nearly bankrupted the organization during her tenure.
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Outside the Rep before the spring show
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It was a terrific spring, and we made the most to enjoy it.
Totality 2024
Thinking ahead, Bethany and Lisa Liss rented a two-bedroom rental apartment on Main Street in Ste. Genevieve. for a long weekend, eight months in advance of the Solar Eclipse. They had used it for one of their women's wellness wine weekends (WWWW) and loved the location. They realized it would be a perfect location to view the coming eclipse within the band of TOTALITY. Besides getting lodging, which became impossible within the Totality band in the weeks leading up to the eclipse, they got it at the regular price. This would become impossible during the TOTALITY frenzy that gripped the country later, albeit momentarily. We arrived in Ste, Gen on Saturday afternoon and enjoyed dinner at the historic Anvil .
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Maxfield Parrish lighting on the evening cloud Why? Because how pretty is this?
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Observing the record flood gage on Main St. WOW! That was really up there.
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On Sunday we took in a few wineries including Charleville and Cave Vineyard. The former had great food and stunning prices ($19 for a glass of Missouri wine we poured and served ourselves).
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Charleville Winery balconey The food was particulary good.
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The second winery had better prices and a very cool cave drinking experience. The wine, however, was best suited to sangrias. When we got back to Ste Gen, we were feeling fine which pushed us over the line to purchase an artsy fleur du lis fire pit made from an old 55-gallon drum. We then headed over to the Valle Church festival in the parish playground. The Parrish sold beers and an extravaganza experience and undoubtably made a killing "for the kids".
| Inside Cave Vineyard |
View outside the mouth of the cave |
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Al fresco wining outside our rental
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Monday, April 8 was TOTALITY day. We walked a block to an open field next to the RR tracks, which was very open giving us a wide-open sky view. Unfortunately, with no trees, we didn't get to see the cool leaf shadow effects during the eclipse like in 2017.
| 2024 600 block of Tuxedo Eclipse Viewing Party |
2017 600 block of Tuxedo Eclipse Viewing Party |
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| Striking a goober pose with no protection for looking at the eclipse |
Glasses on and in our chairs ready to be dazzled |
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It was cool in person, especially as there was a crowded festival feel to Ste. Gen. Our TOTALITY lasted for 2 minutes, 42 seconds. The coolest part was seeing the red flaring along the edges of the sun.
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Eclipse panarama from open field in Ste. Gen
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| Underwhelming picture of eclipse What happens when you make no effort with the camera settings |
<== Meh! |
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| Cartoon Summary of 2024 eclipse |
Eclipse rapture (It didn't happen then either) |
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None of our pictures were as terrific as what we saw and what we saw wasn't nearly as awe inspiring good as depicted by serious photographers with more skill, forethought, better equipment and patience for definitive pictures.
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Eclipse flares as captured by professonals
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We were feeling quite clever again for planning on staying the night instead of heading home as the traffic along I-55 was epically bad all day with way too many people trying to reach or leave the band of the total eclipse. Our smugness lasted until our dinner plans fell apart as multiple restaurants closed early as they ran out of food. Our fourth restaurant try in Ste Gen worked though we waited 50 minutes for a declared 25-minute wait. Still shorter and nicer than the gridlock Interstate traffic 6 hours after the big event. Lots of games of Phase 10 and Mexican train dominoes filled the evenings.
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I-55 Eclipse Traffic Jam (before)
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Jane experencing the eclipse from the WPI Quad (No picture of Cas during the eclipse)
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New Roof at 602
Arriving home Tuesday afternoon, we found the Brentwood Roofing crew going to town on repairing our roof. They found the areas where the wood was rotted out was more than anticipated as they replaced about 300 square feet of 1 x 8 boards and sistered 2 trusses, much of which was not in the original bid. Not completely unexpected but pricey. They did a great job and were done at dark.
| Replacing roof planks |
Shingles on and almost done |
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New roof overview via drone (Why so many pictures? Because the roof cost almost as much as a new new small car)
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Enjoying pizza with Maria, Aaron, Elisabeth and Steven at the Headless Bat
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Rosemary, Bethany and Lucy before her confirmation in mid-April
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Meanwhile at WPI
| Founder's Day flowers |
At the Woosocks game |
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Jane as the Life is Good ambassidor
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Meanwhile at WSU
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Cas chaired the WSU DRAG show as part of the SAC
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| Road trip to Stephen's College in Columbia to see Makenna |
Cas Curtis Hall? at Mizzou |
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| Cas's sporting the full WSU look |
Another SAC party at WSU |
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Back in WG
The interior ceiling repairs began in the following weekends. It took some scouting around the mega home improvement stores before finding the 3/8-inch-thick drywall needed to match the thickness of the plaster attached to the lathing thickness. Fortunately, Randy thought ahead and brough his drywall square and knife to cut it to the desired lengths to get the 4 by 8 sheet in the Traverse. Having a family gathering planned for Amy's birthday was a helpful deadline to making it happen.
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75th Birthday Cake for Amy
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At the end of April, Randy had a week and a half trip to Oahu. As it was filled with training and meetings, Bethany took a pass on going along. On his free Saturday, he visited Kaena on the northwest shore. A good outing amongst a trip of frustrating meetings.
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Randy at Kaena on the north shore of Oahu
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In early May, Bethany and Lisa Liss took a weeklong trip to the Gulf Shores (near Fort Morgan) with little agenda except to relax in the sunshine and do-little needle point (NOT cross stitching Randrew!), reading and playing games.
This allowed Randy time to work on a multitude of house projects and leaving them partially complete daily without reprisal. The 1st floor bedroom closet required gutting and rebuilding following a clogged 2nd floor AC unit dehumidifier clog, which soaked the drywall and led to a significant amount of mold damage (We omitted sharing the pictures but trust us it was BYUCKY!). The work involved more drywall cutting in the home improvement store parking lot to get it in the car and bring it home. Hanging the drywall and getting it mudded was more work than he recalled.
May 6, 2024, CICADA INVASION BEGINS!
The "locust" plague arrived in the Heartland arguably representing the wrath of God over our sins we've committed over the years or will commit in the future. We chose not to cower from the pending calamities of this plague but rather looked them in the eyes and boldly thumbed our noses at the portents of Judgement Day. Randy considered gathering a pound or so to fry in butter and Cajun spices to make an etouffee out of the little buggers but there were never enough to readily capture to do that that our place.
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The first cicada at our house
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The dogs on the other hand had no issue with finding enough for themselves. After a slight hesitation, they happily took to adding protein to their diet. Some elements of the family imagined it might be bad for them with some speculation they may be allergic to shellfish and hence it could be bad. Googling from multiple sources indicated they would be fine; besides it was impossible to stop them while they were out.
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Pepper considering a cicada on the balcony (She ate him seconds later)
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The joy of the dogs lasted for several weeks as they "hunted" for cicadas whenever outside which was often as they could coerce us to let them out. Gussie was quick and relentless while Pepper was a little pickier about them and will prod them a bit first. Unclear if that's to make sure if they're dead or not before putting them in her mouth. Gussie has no such hesitancy. Lewis Carroll's poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter" came to mind ("The time has come," the Walrus said, To talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing-wax Of cabbages and kings and why the sea is boiling hot And whether pigs have wings"). The dogs were both a little sad when after a month, the cicadas time had passed. They remained on the lookout for the stragglers for a week or more.
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Cicadas on the hostas
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Spring Homecoming
On 12 May, Bethany's arrived back home in the afternoon with Cas coming home that evening from her Sophomore year at WSU. The next day Jane and her pal Stephanie flew in for a few days to pick up the Sebring convertible (The Micheal Scott) and enjoy the STL. With both girls home, we celebrated Mother's Day on Monday, at Llewellyn's the first of several outings for the limited time Jane and the STL newbie were in town. This included a Townie Sage family dinner at Pasta House, Dewey's Pizza, a Cardinal's game and to indoctrinate the native New Englander in Southern culture: the Waffle House
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Celebrating Mothers Day at Llewellyn's
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| Curti plus 1 at WG Dewey's |
Curti motor pool of working cars |
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Jane and Cas enjoying a Cardinals game
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Jane back at Worcester moving her matress
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WMW 2025
That weekend, Randy went on a mini college reunion retreat (Wild Man Weekend) with a contingent of his Pi Kappa Phi brothers. We stayed at Boz's family 5,000+ SF home at Pinnacle Lakes Estates https://www.pinnaclelake.com/. WMW should perhaps be renamed Mild Man Weekend, as the gathering was subdued consisting primarily of eating and catching up with very limited amounts of drinking and WOOing. They did go to Herman where Maifest was happening but it was underwhelming.
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WMW 2025
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Randy's college roommate Jake stayed for a few days and hung out with the Curtri enjoying Guido's on the Hill, Olympia and Balkan Treat Box (no pictures, so did it even happen?).
Bethany: One year later...
From a Facebook Post:
On the left is exactly 1 year ago today: me the day before my last day of a month of radiation treatment, after 3 months of chemo, and 3 months before my last surgery.
Throughout the last year I've frequently been frustrated with how slow my hair seems to be growing back -- "BC" (before cancer), it was straight and long, nearly down to my elbow, and mostly dark brown. I was sure that by Christmas, it SHOULD HAVE been down to my shoulders; it's STILL nowhere near there, and lately I've been feeling sad, fed up with a short curly mess and really missing my ponytail.
Today, this picture popped up, and it couldn't have come at a better time. What a difference a year makes. Not just with the hair, but I'm less puffy and feeling healthier. I've still got a little ways to go medically, but this little boost has me feeling better inside and out today, ready to meet what is to come.
| 27 May 2023 |
27 May 2024 |
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Sage FFF Summer Weekend 2024
The Indy Sages less Katie made a pilgrimage to STL setting up a weekend of Forced Family Fun events. First up was Friday, June 7 meeting up after a golf outing at a sports bar at Olive and Ballas followed up with less expensive beers at the Shaw's, where the game of Pounce was introduced to some of the niblings.
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Sages taking over the outdoor patio
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| Pre-pounce decorum |
POUNCE! Videos do a better job showing the action of the game |
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The plan for Saturday was to go to several of the cousins' baseball games, but the weather didn't cooperate, and all were canceled on account of rain and resulting mud. Given the dozen plus year age span of the cousins present, it was a challenge coming up with a group activity to keep them all engaged. Bethany volunteered Randy for developing a Photo Scavenger Hunt since he had done them in the past. Fortunately, he and an unused one in his pocket that with some slight modifications for non-adults and additions by Rosemary it was ready to go with only a couple hours' notice. The reading of the rules to the competitive group including stern reminders from the parents to the 20- and 21-year-old drivers (Cas and Lloyd) stressing safety and not to get carried away with speeding place to place (i.e., they were entrusted with precious cargo). The kids were gone for 2 ½ hours and the parents socialized at the Curtis's.
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Cas's team at the Hawken House (where RnB got married)
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| Scavenger "Fathers Day" |
With Serendipity ice cream (Treat yourself Scavenger hunt item) |
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The two teams were:
• Lloyd, George, Lucy and Ben
• Cas, Joe, Justin and Henry (Team Shrek)
| Re-enacting a STL sports event at 5 and Below |
Team Shrek (see T-shirt from 5 and Below) tell a story |
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Reviewing and judging the pictures on the large screen tv occurred after dinner at VANGWENJOEs. . It went exceptionally well with everyone having a great time. Both teams did really but it helped to be from the area and know how the game designer thinks (Cas). There was minor bickering over the scoring from the collective family but not too bad. The Sages are a very competitive bunch.
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Judging the pictures on the big screen
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Cas's new Hawaiian shirt
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Today we write the saddest lines
A few days later, (Wednesday, June 12) the tranquility of our daily routine was shattered with the passing of Gussie in her sleep overnight. It was a shock. She was feeling off the previous night, moving stiffly and not eating. There wasn't any cause for immediate alarm as she had just had a great weekend with the extended Sage tribe on Saturday and Sunday and was as active as ever when guests came to visit. She just had her 12th birthday and didn't hear or see as well and slept most of the day, but we figured she still had a number of good years left before there were any serious quality of life issues. We took solace that she went quick and was the same companion we've loved all her life.
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At 6 months, she didn't age much
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At first, we kept the news private as acknowledging people's well-meaning condolences was more than our hearts could bear. The sudden hole in our lives, and denial that it was really true engulfed us. Our home seemed so much emptier without her and Pepper seemed a little lost without her big sister.
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Gussie and Pepper in early June
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The loss hit Bethany as Gussie favorited her. Even so, Gussie made everyone feel appreciated and that they were her favorite. She loved people and strangers were just friends she hadn't met yet. When she would dart out unleashed from an open door, we reclaimed her only after a neighbor or passerby simply reached down to pet her, ending her latest grand escape adventure. Making friends was more important than momentary freedom.
| Jane sunggling with Mom and Gussie in May |
Jane saying goodbye before returning to WPI |
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Another aspect of her love for people was shown by her insistence about going out in the mornings and afternoons to see all her school kid friends on the parade past our house to Avery Elementary. Particularly as this was in complete contrast to Pepper barking at them to get off her sidewalk / street. No one loved people more than our Gussie girl!
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Gussie waiting for Avery kids walking to school
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She dreamed of catching the bunnies or squirrels that taunted her in the yard but never did. A fledgling bird wasn't so lucky and traumatized the girls when she gulped one down in front of them as a young dog ("Gussie ate a BIRD!" came the panicked sobbed fill phone call to their mother). Gussie also liked to steal unattended food on the edge of the counter where she could pull it off. She nabbed bread a couple times a year. She didn't beg for food from the table and in fact would bark to go outside while we ate dinner. Apparently, it bothered her to watch us eat.
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Gussie has a squirrel pinned on the house (so close, yet so far)
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When it came for her dinner of Science Diet little brown crunchie balls, she was fairly consistent about reminding us with her prancing nail clicking on the hard wood floors every ten minutes or so for an hour before feeding time as if to say she would be fine with eating early. Her swirling happy dance of joy as her bowl was being put down, always made us smile and recalled Snoopy.
We crate trained her, and her cage was a place of refuse for her at night or during the day when she wanted her own space. She claimed other spaces too: on the back of the coach deforming the cushions, particularly as a pup. As an adult, she would scramble under the antique chest of drawers in the foyer, which was the preferred cool spot away from the kids. When we moved a padded Queen Anne chair to the foyer a few years ago, that became her favorite spot as it afforded a comfy perch to watch the goings on outside the side doors and in our main living space between the kitchen and the great room.
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Guarding a sleeping Bethany in 2018
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As for laying on the couch, she very much preferred to lie on the fuzzy fleece blankets versus the cushion fabric. It was amusing how finicky she was about it and that spreading one out was all the inducement she needed to join you on the couch. Once on the couch, she liked to cross her front legs like a lady because she was classy like that.
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Gussie Gotcha day (16 August 2012 Bethany's Birthday)
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She enjoyed car rides but beyond short hops, they didn't agree with her, as she became nauseous after 30 minutes or so. The few weekend trips we tried with her resulted in pulling over within an hour of home to clean things up. A Walgreens outing was perfect, especially as they gave her a treat for being so cute.
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Gussie on her only camping trip in 2013 at Ondondoga SP
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Like most dogs, going for a walk was a favored activity. The trip was less enjoyable for her companions as she would require 3–4-liter bags in a mile promenade. Because of this less savory habit, she didn't get nearly as many walks in as any of us would have preferred.
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Gussie and the girls go sledding in 2014
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Her natural coat was long and needed regular brushing that we didn't do. We found the easier solution early was getting her shaved down to a quarter of an inch through the summer months. Doing this transformed her appearance instantly and also generally reinvigorated her with peppy puppy energy.
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Cas with Gussie in March 2024
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In appearance, temperament and companionship, she bore more than a passing resemblance to Spot of the Dick and Jane primer that taught Baby Boomers to read. She was the epitome of America's dog in those stories and for us. She will be missed.
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Baby Boomer American Dream Dog
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