THIS IS OUR DOWNTOWN. THERE ARE ROWS OF OLD BUSINESSES ON 2 SIDES OF THE SQUARE.

FLAGS PLACED ALONG THE STREETS OF OAKLAND EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN OUR TOWN LOST A SOLDIER IN THE WAR. LARRY ECKHARDT, FROM NORTHERN ILLINOIS, PLACED ALL THE FLAGS. HE WILL TRAVEL FAR TO HONOR ILLINOIS FALLEN SOLDIERS. OUR PAPER PRINTED A STORY ABOUT HIM AFTER JARED'S FUNERAL AND IT ALSO RAN A POEM I HAD WRITTEN. WITHIN A WEEK OF THE PAPER COMING OUT, HE CALLED ME AND ASKED IF HE COULD USE MY POEM TO GIVE TO CHILDREN WHO HAS LOST A PARENT IN THE WAR. I SAID SURE. I WAS HONORED THAT HE WOULD ASK ME.
SO- HE MADE SOME PLAQUES UP TO GIVE TO THE CHILDREN. HE SENT ME ONE AND I GOT IT YESTERDAY. I THINK THEY ARE COOL. SO NOW EVERY TIME WE LOSE A SOLDIER, HE WILL DISPLAY HIS FLAGS IN HONOR OF THE FALLEN SOLDIER AND LEAVE A PLAQUE FOR EACH CHILD OF THE FALLEN SOLDIER.

HE DESIGNED THIS SO A PHOTO OF THE CHILD'S PARENT CAN BE PLACED IN BESIDE MY POEM.

THE LETTER HE ADDED IN THE PACKAGE.

HE IS RISEN...

WE HAD A GOOD EASTER- JUST STEVE, CRAIG AND I. RUTH WENT HOME FOR THE WEEKEND. DOUG AND TIFF ARE STILL IN KY AND I WAS RUNNING A LOW GRADE FEVER WITH A HEAD/ CHEST COLD THING, SO HAROLD IS COMING UP NEXT WEEKEND. HE ISN'T FEELING VERY GOOD AND SEES THE HEART DR ON THURSDAY. I THINK HE HAS FLUID BUILD UP AGAIN- HE IS TIRED ALL THE TIME AND OUT OF BREATH EASILY.
MY FRIEND, JANE, CAME BY YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND STAYED ALMOST 2 HOURS AND I CALLED AUNT MARY IN MO LAST NIGHT AND TALKED TO HER UNTIL BEDTIME. I GOT TO TALK TO PAT SEVERAL TIMES THE LAST PART OF THE WEEK AND HER AND CHARLES HAD THEIR EASTER ON SATURDAY.
BEN CALLED THIS EVENING TO WISH US A HAPPY EASTER- AND TALK TO CRAIG- BUT HE WAS ALREADY BACK TO DOUG'S.
ROSIE CALLED ME TODAY- HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HER IN AWHILE- SO THAT WAS SO NICE.
TALKED TO TERRI ON THE PHONE ON FRIDAY AND GOT AN EASTER EMAIL FROM MY NIECE- SO ITS BEEN GOOD.
HAVEN'T HEARD FROM MY DAD AND PAULA- BUT SHE IS PROBABLY BUSY GETTING THE GARDEN OUT. THEY ARE AHEAD OF US DOWN SOUTH.
KYLE AND GRETCHEN ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BACK LATE TONIGHT-STEVE RAN OUT AND FED THE CHICKENS AGAIN THIS EVENING FOR THEM. THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD SO MUCH THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND AWAY- IT WILL BE NICE FOR THEM TO GET HOME IN THEIR OWN BED. THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.
RAY HAD HIS HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY AND IS DOING GREAT- MARY SENT AN EMAIL OUT TO ALL OF US AND SAID HE IS USING A WALKER AND TAKING CARE OF HIM. GET BETTER HOP ALONG.
THATS ALL THE NEWS FROM HERE FOR NOW. HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT WEEKEND WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

EASTER WEEKEND

WE HAVE GOT OVER 30 BABY COLUMBINE COMING UP IN THE BED- SO WE ARE NOT PUTTING ALOT OF OTHER THINGS IN HERE THIS YEAR. IN A YEAR OR TWO THEY WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO TRANSFER THEN TO OTHER BEDS. I LOST ALL BUT TWO OF MY COMLUBINES IN THE FLOOD LAST YEAR.

MY FRIEND GAVE ME STARTS OF PEONY LAST FALL AND THEY ALL MADE IT THROUGH THE WINTER- HOPE THEY BLOOM LATER....

THE RAINS AND EVEN THE SNOW WE HAVE HAD THE PAST WEEK HAVE HELPED EVERYTHING ALONG- JUST NEED SOME WARMER WEATHER AND WE WILL HAVE SOME BLOOMS.

EASTER WEEKEND

STEVE AND CRAIG PLAYING CATCH BEFORE DAD HAS HIS SURGERY AND IS LAID UP FOR AWHILE...

STEVE STRUGGLED TO THROW A FEW...OF COURSE BASEBALL IS THEIR THING...

OUR NEIGHBOR'S BROTHER MOWED OUR YARD FOR US THIS MORNING AND IT LOOKS SO NICE...STILL WAITING TO GET OURS BACK FROM TIM...

STEVE- WE JUST GOT BACK FROM WATCHING THE KIDS HUNT EASTER EGGS ON THE SQUARE....WE NEVER MISS THE EASTER EGG HUNT...

MY FRIEND TERRI'S PINK TULIPS- THAT SHE CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE SHE GOT THEM. I WANT SOME SO BAD- I THINK THEY ARE THE PRETTIEST ONES I HAVE EVER SEEN- BUT I HAVE A SHOVEL AND KNOW WHERE SHE LIVES.....