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Easter at Janets's (Part 2)

April 31st, 2002

My Family

The Cousins

Although we forgot the video camera when we went to Branson, we took it to Janet’s house for Easter. If you want to see the videos please click on the links.

Janet’s Family

After church we drove to Janet’s house and 1st thing, took photos in our Easter clothes (anyone who has kids know that they don’t stay clean very long).  See my new shirt and tie?

My Dad and Step-mother

Then we went into the garage-house.  Let me tell you that I have been wanting to see the g-h ever since I heard that she had turned her garage into a house and got rid of the trailer she had been living in.  I had lots of weird images of what I would have done with the space including using the car as furniture and watching TV drive-in movie style. But Gib has turned it into a conventional living space with carpeting and painted walls. It was done cheaply enough to avoid a big commitment and save money for the house they plan to build, but well enough that my sister isn’t ashamed to live there (and that’s saying alot).

Hiding the Easter Eggs

With all the eggs carefully laid, we went into the g-h and had Easter Dinner.  Although it wasn’t the dinner I remember from my childhood, with all the extended family and covered dishes... it was still a nice spread. I don’t know who brought what, but I came empty handed and I felt a kind of bad about it... but where would Mary have prepared anything and with what... I hope they understood.

Thanks Aunt Janet

Janet handed John and I bags of Easter eggs and told us to play bunny.  So we set about hiding them in the front yard. We had real painted eggs and plastic ones with little prizes inside.  I was surprised at how big the yard was. I guess I am used to the size of things in Japan. It took us about 20 minutes to hide all the eggs. The trick is hiding them where they can be found, but not to easily. 

Easter Dinner

Oh! I forgot to mention, there was potato salad. I don’t know why (maybe some kind of suppressed memory) but I love events with ‘tater salad.  My wife makes a good one, but saves it ifor picnics and special events... so I wait.

As you can see, the g-h is very pretty, with plants and real wood cabinets.  Janet filled it up with nice furniture and

a feeling of country charm.  Heck, I wouldn’t mind living there when she moves out.  But I’m sure I can’t.  Hee hee.

HA!  One thing I forgot to mention.  My sister and I have the same couch.  I bought mine in Japan and she in America.  It really is becoming a global marketplace.

Joe and Candy

The Kitchen Area

John and Staci

I enjoyed hanging out with my family.  We talked about... well, everything. And I had a chance to get to know my neices and nephew.  Janet’s kid says I’m the Funny Uncle. I wonder what my other brothers are designated as. When the conversation lulled, I ate more. Can’t get enough of that good home cooking.

Idea:  Next time someone should bring home baked bread and rolls.

After lunch it was time for the big Easter Egg Hunt. I set up with the new digital video camera that I just bought and my digital still camera.  I was ready to record.  The kids rushed out of the g-h and started to look for eggs. This year all of the hunters are old enough that they don’t need to be helped.  So they ran and searched and grabbed all on their own.  Dusty and Kyler got alot of plastic eggs while Janet’s little girl wanted to get the regular kind (boiled and painted). She said that she is going to sell them.

Go Kyler!!

It is a big yard so the hunt lasted about 15 to 20 minutes.  When they were finished everyone had basket full of goodies.

I took some cute video of the hunt.  If you want to see it: click here.

The Easter Egg Hunt

I made a nice CD of the hunt.  If your interested please email me and I’ll send you a copy.

Cali Worked very Hard

Tristin Found lots of Eggs

The Hunters
(click for interview)

After the hunt, the interviews and the standing around talking, we went to look at the horses and the pond. I hinted to Janet that I would like to ride the horses but she just ignored. Maybe it is too much trouble to saddle them up...

Feeding Carrots to the Horses
(click for video)

I asked Staci to video me with the kids, walking around the pond.  But it was her first time using a vidcam and she forgot to shut it off. The battery went dead and videoing was finished.  I’ll have to pick up another camera battery in St. Louis when we go thru there on the way home.

Later we were sitting around Janet’s house when suddenly everyone in the Coulter family started to leave. “Why was it over already?” I wondered. Then Gib’s family came and although they seemed very nice, Mary said she was getting the ‘time to go’ feeling. You know, the feeling that socially competent people are aware of. I guess it was Gib’s family’s turn to hang out and it’s a small house, etc.

Anyway, we went back to John’s to hang out and start prepping for tomorrow.