Sunday, July 13, I drove from Piketon returning to Botkins and my cousin Jeff's home.  We knew I planned to leave Ohio on Wednesday so wanted to see Charlene Jarvis one more time.  So after calling Charlene we arranged to meet for Sunday dinner.  Cousins Jenny, Jeff and I drove to Brookville and met Charlene for dinner at Rob's Restaurant which offered a delicious smorgasbord!  Like I needed all the food I could eat!  Good heavens I have gained so much on this trip!  But I must say their porkchops tasted just like my mother's. The food was delicious!  Visiting with Charlene, Jenny and Jeff made a perfect dinner!
      Monday I took a walk in the morning with my girlfriends from high school, Sara Kreitzer, Mary Lou Pitts and Linda Limbert.  We walked our three miles around town and then Sara took me out to Fryburg, which is a very small village a few miles north east of Botkins.  Her uncle had been a priest there for around 40 years and had painted murals inside the church. His name was Father Tubbe and he passed away in the 70's.  St. John's Catholic Church was built in 1850 and is on the National Register of Historical Places. I have a few pictures of the murals below.  He was an amazing artist!
      After visiting Fryberg I drove to Wapakoneta to visit my brother John one last time before leaving Ohio.  It is always good to spend time with family and feel connected though I always wish for more time. John always has such great stories to tell of growing up and working with my dad, but I, regretfully, have not always spent the time I should have to collect those stories.  After leaving John's, I stopped by the Wapak Post Office and saw another school friend, Karen Deitz Fogt.  I arranged to visit with her and husband Les that evening and what a wonderful time we had catching up.  In a previous blog I spoke about a time prior to sixth grade when I went on an all day bike ride out in the country with Kathy Boyer Wise. Karen reminded me that she was actually on the bike ride with Kathy and me.  She also watched the Beattles on Ed Sullivan with me for which I also had a memory lapse.  That is one of the reasons I love visiting old friends, they can fill in the memory gaps!
        Tuesday late afternoon I drove to Columbus to visit with Pam Bolte who was a nurse and joined the Navy at the same time I did.  We drove together to Newport, RI, in January of 1974 for our officer indoctrination class and following Newport Mom, Aunt Margie, Pam and I caravaned to Salt Lake City and then Pam split off and drove down to her duty station at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego and Mom and Aunt Margie drove with me up to the Bremerton Naval Hospital.  Pam and I had a lovely visit catching up after not seeing each other for many years.
        Well, soon it was Wednesday, July 16th, and time to continue my journey and bid my farewell to Ohio for now.  I must thank all my hosts for being so gracious, especially cousin Jeff who put up with me the longest.

The following six pictures were taken of St. John's Catholic Church in Fryburg, Ohio. As mentioned above, Father Tubbe painted all these murals found within the church.
The first picture is a wall hanging.

Former Navy Nurses and good friends!  Pam Bolte and I

Leaving Ohio with a little more than what I came!  Hm, couldn't be those Longaberger baskets and Fiestaware could it?  Oh, that cedar chest may have somethingto do with it too.