January 2010 - South Dakota

Boy, I sure didn't know what I was talking about. There is way too much work here! I need to go to the beach or somewhere else warm!! This is me with Sioux's work gloves. They've taken a beating. I'm now supervising the kitchen tiling.

~Sue Perry

December 2009 -- South Dakota

Spent Christmas at the Lake House with Sioux Falls Sioux (I know you're singing along right now, Murpee!) We made Christmas baskets for some of the family members on Christmas Day, since the blizzard '09 keep us snug inside the new house. Sioux says she's putting me to work soon. I'm ready! After filling up on Christmas bon bons, being stuck in a box for days and helping Wamma with her new home, I know this one will be a piece of cake.

~Sue Perry

November 2009 - Illinois

I was getting the urge to travel again, so when Wilma made her yearly pilgrimage to Hagerstown, and then to visit Vivian, I was delighted to hear that she wanted to take me back with her to Illinois to see her new “houses”. I remember the small apartment she used to live in, how much fun it was to look out the sliding glass doors into the parking lot, watch the other tenants as they came and went. When we got to her house, she informed me that the entire complex was now hers.

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Wilma’s house is brighter; the décor is contemporary instead of Traditional like the old apartment. There is lots of traffic going past on Piatt St.

There was lots of work to do since she closed on the other side just before coming to Hagerstown. She calls the second house “Ivory Tower” after the name of the paint that she used throughout the house. Cousin Jean came over and helped with the finishing touches of cleaning, getting ready to show the house for rental purposes.

I can’t stay long, I hear Cousin Sue is building a house in South Dakota and I need to go there to help her in any way that I can.

~Wilma Castang

October 2009 - Pennsylvania

I was at the Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown, MD, when Vivian surprised us by stopping by for a visit with Charlie and baby Kyle. I decided I wanted to visit the coal holes of Schuylkill County PA for a while, so she took me home with her. We had planned to go to one of Morgan's soccer games while I was visiting, but she forgot to take me because I hid in Morgan's toys. Out of sight, out of mind. Since the next game was cancelled due to rain, I had to be content with helping Morgan get his goodie bags ready for the party at school. I got caught trying to eat one of the candy bars. Bad girl, bad girl!

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Wilma came to visit Reese, Vivian and Morgan and we enjoyed visiting and watching a movie. I had gotten my fill of mountains and stashed away in Wilma's suitcase. Next stop, the flat land of IL and Wilma's new house!

~Vivian Castang Rupert

July 2009 - Illinois

What a grand time we had in IL visiting Wilma and Douglas. The Arches and Grandma Castang took me to lots of cool places. It just so happened that at the time we were visiting, several homes in the area were having their annual Garden Walk. This is one of the homes we went to and is owned by Wilma's friend, Sandy.

They also took me to ride the train. How gorgeous the sights were! We went from Monticello to White Heath and back. The conductors were so cool looking!

Another fun thing we did, which I could hardly believe my eyes, was to watch radio controlled modeling enthusiasts fly their jets and airplanes at Eli Field located there in Monticello. The jet you see here is the one I wanted to board because it was so fast and sounded so real, but the owner wouldn't even let me TOUCH it. As you can see me in the picture, that was the closest I was allowed.
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Anyway, I had tons of fun and we did lots more things that I haven't even mentioned, and hopefully they will take me back next year.
~Darese Castang Arch