Well, the boys have been working their beards off, getting the siding put on and they are doing a really nice job. They are so conscientious, and good workers. My wife baked cookies for them today, and they were blown away. They said nobody they had worked for has been as nice to them as we have been. I have a funny story to tell. They had just finished up the mornings work load, and they came inside to use the bathroom and clean up for their lunch. My wife was sitting in the TV room with the large screen TV tuned into the Tour de France bicycle race. There in all the colorful glory was the spectacle of 150 riders wearing all manner of colorful jerseys, racing over the storybook countryside of France with castles and chateau, as a back drop to every change of scene. These 4 guys stopped dead in their tracks, and asked,"Is that the Tour de France"? Which one is Lance Armstrong. It was just approaching the final 2 kilometers of racing and that is the most exciting part of the race. They stayed and watched and were cheering the winner of that sprint to the finnish, just like any fan would do. I was amazed that they knew who Lance Armstrong was, but they said yes, they were aware of his reentry into the Tour de France after 4 years of retirement. They wanted to know all the particulars of the race and who was in front and who was favored to win and I spent a good 15 minutes explaining the intricacies of the scoring and what the status of the various teams was. They were captivated that you could see the live race on TV, here in small town Ohio. I just showed me that even though we think of that society as isolated and shut off from the outside world, they are aware of some of what goes on out there among the "English". I gave them some firewood that I had down in the basement for use in their wood burning cookstoves. It was cut off pieces of lumber that I use for furniture making and makes ideal kindling. They have invited Lois and I over to their house for a visit, and we are looking forward to the time that we can spend with these most interesting and unique folks. It should be a lot of fun. And, two of the fellows wives Quilt. That slone, sold me on the idea of a visit. I thought you all might enjoy this little slice of the meeting of two cultures. I did!
John