togblog

Whoops.

2011-08-04T22:11:00.001-05:00

Accidentally posted twice to the wrong blog, but I suppose those can stay.
Is anyone still reading togblog?

Virginia

2011-08-04T21:35:00.005-05:00

One of the best days of the summer was June 11 when several friends from Wheaton and I met up to hike in Virginia off of Skyline Drive. I hadn't seen Donna Grace since last July, or Becky since the previous May, so it was wonderful to spend that time together and meet Brittany, another friend of DG.

It was a hot day, but most of the hike was in the shade, and there was water too. Just gorgeous.

Becky wants to hike the Appalachian trail, so she trained by being our sherpa.

I wish I didn't have to wait another year til I see her again.

Graduation weekend

2011-08-04T20:57:00.005-05:00

A bit of catchup . . . graduation was only almost 3 months ago.

Driving home, we take rest-stops for tea.

We took a detour and stopped at Niagara Falls, approaching it from the Canadian side from which you can get a clear view of the American and Canadian falls.

We looked down into the churning waters and watched cormorants diving.

STAM FAMILY BIRTHDAYS - APEIL

2011-04-09T20:43:00.002-05:00

3 Jane Lauber bjlauber@gmail.com

10 Billy Stam thestams@earthlink.com

10 Gavin Stam Nathan Stam@gmail.com (father)

25 Jimmy Estes Jimmyjumpshot@hotmail.com

MINER FAMILY APRIL BIRTHDAYS

2011-04-09T20:35:00.002-05:00

11 Ruth Hope 1978

17 Andrew Manning 1947

22 Benjamin Ames 1978

27 Allen Wood 1954

STAM FAMILY MARCH BIRTHDAYS

2011-02-25T21:51:00.002-05:00

1 Micheal maddiegroves@hotmail.com

10 Carl (Chip) Carlstam@aol.com

13 Jana janaestes@gmail.com

15 Karen karenstam@aol.com

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

2011-02-25T21:29:00.002-05:00

1 Eleanor Kipps

7 Amelia Lydia

11 Jane (Gram)

18 Kyle Landon

20 Evelina Joy

STAM BIRTHDAYS

2011-02-02T11:17:00.001-05:00

12 Cristina(Tini)

14 Kevin

27 Tobin

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

2011-02-02T08:56:00.002-05:00

3 Rebeca Brooks 1985

3 Wesley Everett 2010

4 David William 1974

8 Gary Scott 1947

8 Julianna 1979

16 Mary Eleanor 1967

20 Evelina Joy 2010

24 David/Jodie wedding 2008

26 Kathleen(Katie) Joy 1977

27 Robert Frederick 1956

28 Asher Allen 2010

28 Kate/ garret wedding 2009

2010-12-31T23:35:00.000-05:00

BOY, IS MY FACE RED! tog

More Jan birthdays

2010-12-31T21:55:00.000-05:00

16 Lillian May Welty 2006
25 Hannah Heather Hawkins

2010-12-31T14:32:00.001-05:00

I goofed - forgot to add Daniel's birthday year -2001 - He will be 10 years old on January 2011.

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS AND WEDDINGS

2010-12-31T12:51:00.002-05:00

1 Anna Polak 2003

2 Andy/Mary wedding 1976

20 Mary Ruth Miner

21 Radu Zuba 1969

29 Daniel Manning

30 Virginia(Jenny) May 1949

AUGUST CORRECTION

2010-08-04T14:51:00.002-05:00

My age is definitely showing. David and Kippy celebrated their 40th anniversary last May.

John Thomas will be 4 years old on the 23rd of August.

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

2010-08-03T18:06:00.002-05:00

None listed

David and Kippy will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on the 22nd, bur they will do it alone somewhere in the Southwest where they will be visiting national parks. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DAVID AND KIPPY

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

2009-03-01T18:01:00.002-05:00

1 Elinor Kipps

7 Ami (Amelia Lydia Wood) 21 this year

11 Jane Stam Miner

18 Kyle

27 Jack M

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

2009-01-31T12:57:00.002-05:00

3 Rebecca

4 David William

8 Julianna

8 Scott

16 Mary Elinor

18 Gay Hawkins

26 Katie

27 Bert

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

2009-01-04T20:05:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry that I have been so slow in getting started again with posts on this blog. I hope to do better this year. Apologizes to Anna for being too late for her.

1 Anna Polak

2 Andy/Mary wedding - 1976

16 Lillian May Welty - 3

20 Mary Ruth

21 Radu Zuba

25 Hannah Hawkins

29 Daniel Polak - 8

30 Virginia May

J & J's new MINOR TOY

2008-07-26T05:28:00.003-05:00

Well, not exactly our new toy but we couldn't resist posing by this MINOR 1000 when we saw it at a nearby village shopping area. [I think the Morris Motor Company in England manufactured the Minor 1000 from 1956-1971.]

Pretty sweet, eh?! (or as a South African would say, "Lekker, hey?!")

Last Day of School in Prague

2008-07-04T13:39:00.009-05:00

Greetings to you all. I wanted to share a little of the excitement of the end of the school year.

After dropping Daniel and Anna at their schools, we had about 45 minutes to wait for Daniel to be done. Mark and I enjoyed a cappucino (and bubbly fruit drink) and croissants at a nearby outdoor cafe I've always wanted to visit. Even today, a week later, he's still talking about the croissants we had together at "that restaurant."

This is me enjoying Mark and our special time together. He took the picture.

See Daniel's grin of pride as he shows me his excellent report card from first grade? So different from the apprehensive smile I captured last September. The last day of school is very festive. Kids dress nicely (note the graduating 9th graders in the background wearing suits) and each brings a flower for his teacher, who needs a bucket to carry all the flowers home. 45 minutes later the students get to leave school, bringing their final report card for the year.

We thank God for Daniel's good experience in first grade, for how he's learned Czech, for a teacher who really cares and goes the extra mile to make sure kids are doing all they can, for friends he looks forward to seeing again. His seatmate was a bit of a bully earlier on, but they seem to be on somewhat friendly terms now.

Another happy grin, as Anna leaves školka (preschool) for the last time this year, laden with her inside clothes, sandbox clothes, slippers, and a treat. What a change from the first day of school, when I found her in her classroom, in tears because she didn't know where she was supposed to be and she couldn't communicate with her teachers. She has learned Czech eagerly and naturally. Now she and Daniel speak Czech together at least half the time when they play together. Anna has matured a lot too. Last fall she was still in that fantastical stage of childhood. She would come home with stories of swimming with ducks in a pond while on a walk with her teacher. Now she tells us about a playground they visited, and she shows us how to get there too. She told me that her teacher treated them all to ice cream cones on the last day of school. And I believe her!
Milan was working on the last day of school . We are thankful to God for providing him with a job. He works for CIEE, an organization that arranges semester abroad programs for college students. His office coordinates the logistics for students to take classes with professors from Charles University and FAMU, a film/broadcasting school. Milan is mainly involved in administrative tasks in the office: keeping the books, managing the library, contacting the professors, creating report cards, ordering books and materials. He is learning a lot and keeping quite busy. He hopes to soon begin a training program in psychotherapy which will better qualify him for work in his field in the future. Meanwhile, he's content with doing something he's never done before and getting a salary.

We just finished our first full week of vacation. I'm really enjoying having the kids home. It's going to be a fun summer.

JULY BIRTHDAYS AND WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

2008-06-30T15:30:00.002-05:00

2 Jennifer Ruth - sweet 16 today!!

2 Ruthie and Radu - 3rd wedding anniversary

6 Jeremiah Paul

9 Mathew and Hannah - 2nd wedding anniversary

15 Mathew Bryan

16 Philip Scott

17 Elizabeth and Milan - 9th wedding anniversary

20 Katherine Ann (Kate)

RASPBERRY RIDGE STRING CAMP

2008-06-18T20:48:00.004-05:00

This image includes most of the 60 plus players involved in our RR Camp. There are at least a dozen more staff and helpers. Friday night they will give a concert at Chapel Hill Bible

church which is traditionally well attended. This is the seventeenth year of the camp - the fourth for me. The orchestra practices under a 40' by 40' tent which is rented for the occasion. The ensembles, theory classes, art classes, Bible studies meet all over the place, as many as possible in the air-conditioned house. Of course the tennis on the court. The day always ends with a rousing soccer game. This year we have added frisbee golf.

GREAT GRANDPA MINER

2008-06-17T20:11:00.004-05:00

This picture of Hugh Manning Miner was taken about 1902. He was born in January 1898, and died in March, 1987.

TOG'S NEW TOY

2008-06-15T16:23:00.003-05:00

Here is my latest e-bay acquisition - and my last for a long time. It has put the fun back in driving.

Jenny and Rachel and I drove it up to Pennsylvania last week for Ben's wedding. It is a 2007 Daimler- Chrysler PT cruiser, with 2 years of the warranty still valid, but no warranty work has been needed yet.

2008-06-02T16:34:00.001-05:00

DO ANY FAMILY MEMBERS READ THIS BLOG?

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

2008-06-02T16:28:00.002-05:00

8 Abigail Audrey Speed
9 Rachel Lillian Hawkins
16 William Javan Miner
20 David Hugh Miner

MAY BIRTHDAYS

2008-05-19T16:04:00.003-05:00

Too many confusing things happening lately. Sorry I'm late with this post, but I didn't miss any birthdays. There is only one for May, coming up in two days. My oldest grandchild.

Elizabeth Grace - 36 years old on May 21

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

2008-04-05T15:21:00.001-05:00

11 Ruth Hope

17 Andrew Manning

22 Benjamin Ames

27 Allen Wood

Bert and Raja

2008-03-11T15:06:00.002-05:00

this is a test at the genious bar. Bert, circa 1967

ADA SHACKLETON MINER CIRCA 1916

2008-03-04T16:11:00.005-05:00

BORN IN OTLEY, ENGLAND MARCH 26, 1898

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

2008-02-27T16:54:00.004-05:00

1 Eleanor Kipps
7 Amelia Lydia
11 Jane Stam
18 Kyle
27 Jack

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

2008-02-01T10:45:00.000-05:00

3 Rebecca Brooks

4 David William

8 Julianna

8 Gary Scott

16 Mary Eleanor

18 Gay Hawkins

26 Kathleen Joy

27 Robert Frederick

more fun family photos

2007-12-30T23:32:00.001-05:00

This is actually Kate here, posting fun old photos I found on Grandpa's mac.
There's a wealth of pictures here, so I hope Grandpa keeps entertaining us with them.

Enjoy! & Happy New Year.Uncle Andy with some dog on a beach in Oregon
(David and Alec in the background)

I wanted to post more--these ones in particular....

Uncle Bert and Raj & Grandpa on a horse pulling Grandma

....but the computer was being slow and uncooperative, so that's all from me. Hopefully Grandpa will keep them coming!!

George Frederick Miner

2007-12-30T23:25:00.001-05:00

Kate picked this. Her great great grandfather and relatives.
(the one in the front row, second from left, in black)
from one hundred years ago - probably 1907 in western New York

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

2007-12-28T16:19:00.000-05:00

1 Anna Elizabeth 5

16 Lillian May 2

20 Mary Ruth

21 Radu

25 Hannah

29 Daniel Manning

30 Virginia May

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS

2007-11-27T17:52:00.000-05:00

1 Carol Joanna

5 Carol Jayne

9 Alec Manning

9 Arianna May

16 Muriel May Lane-87 years. This is tog's sister at 845 Sharon Road, Cincinnati, OH 45240

three men in a tub Who are they?

2007-11-21T16:40:00.000-05:00

Three men in a tub.

Who are they?

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

2007-10-25T11:22:00.000-05:00

I missed October due to computer woes. But there was only one birthday - Milan's 34th on October 7

For November

14 JONATHEN MANNING (25)

18 PETER SCOTT (22)

Because I Can, Appalachian 34-Michigan 32

2007-09-28T11:44:00.000-05:00

AppState-woot! woot! Proud to be an Alum and hoping Gpa managed to catch this game. Even from Uganda, I've been hearing all the hype from college friends. I miss football & basketball but not as much as family!!

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

2007-09-02T20:26:00.000-05:00

2 Mark Taylor Polak
15 Karen
19 Jodie
21 Joyce
25 Joel
29 William Jonathan

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

2007-07-30T00:27:00.000-05:00

August 23, 2006 - great-grandchild John Thomas Zuba born

Family Reunion

2007-07-18T09:20:00.000-05:00

Anyone remember the date of this photo? How old were you?

JULY BIRTHDAYS

2007-06-28T20:28:00.000-05:00

2 Jennifer Ruth

6 Jeremiah Paul

15 Mathew Bryan

20 Katherine Ann (Kate)

I graduated!!!

2007-06-11T17:14:00.000-05:00

I graduated from Trinity Christian School this past Friday! I had been a student there for nearly thirteen years. It was memorable evening with speeches and special music and farewells to many friends that I've made at TCS. I'll miss them next year, though I'm ready to move on to college.

A week or so before graduation the senior class with the principal and his wife went to California together. We saw San Francisco and spent a couple days in Yosemite. Mr. Prol and a few of the guys hiked Half Dome - the biggest granite monolith in the world. Some of the rest of us hiked the Mist Trail up to Vernal Falls (for a great picture see Kate's blog.) Then we drove to Glacier Point for a stunning view of the whole valley. On the way back we saw two big brown bears very close to the road.

Yosemite Valley was nothing less than awesome. I don't think I've ever seen lakes so blue or landscapes so breathtaking. Our time there was far too short. I'll have to come back. The evening after we got back from California was the senior banquet and just over a week later was graduation.

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

2007-06-02T15:50:00.000-05:00

8 Abigail Audrey

9 Rachel Lillian

16 William Javan

20 David Hugh

The Good-Byes Begin

2007-05-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Well, fam, the good-byes have officially begun. Jim and I both had our last days at our respective jobs this past Wednesday, and then we promptly sold our car on Thursday! We posted the ad for our car about six weeks ago but hadn't had any interested buyers until this week. On Tuesday a woman looked at the car, and by Thursday afternoon she had purchased it from us and very excitedly drove away, leaving us with only the memories (our first car as a married couple) and the I-Pass and the license plates. "I love this car," she kept saying. I guess we really are moving now! As our time in Wheaton is drawing to a close, we are thankful for how the Lord has taken care of us here the last three years - from grad school to employment to housing to deeper friendships - and how He is helping us close out our time here - selling our car and paying off bills and leaving our jobs on good terms and re-visiting favorite places and people to say good-bye. So the countdown to Cape Town begins (June 26)!

June 26 Departure for Cape Town

2007-05-10T21:39:00.000-05:00

Praise God - the decision has been made! We are excited to tell you all that Jim - newly graduated from Wheaton College Grad School with a Master's in Biblical Studies - has decided to enter the University of Cape Town as a student in the Master's of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Education program. The semester begins in July, so we will be flying out on June 26. Fortunately, we now have some contacts there (due to our trip last December), so we will have some people to greet us, host us, and help us get situated the first few weeks.

There's a lot to do in the brief time left before we take off - including getting visas, leaving our current jobs, doing a couple of trips to see family, packing (how do we have so much stuff?), organizing our finances, and saying good-byes, so pray that all the details would come together smoothly and that we would continue to have peace about this decision. We are eager to see all that God has in store with this new adventure, and hope that we will be challenged and grown in new ways as we live and study in this place. More details to come soon!

May Birthdays

2007-05-02T19:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all, this is posted from Port Orchard as the TOG himself, and his youthfuller companion passes through on the way to Wheaton.
Here is the single May birthday: Elizabeth Grace Polak, May 21

Back in PO

2007-04-03T23:22:00.000-05:00

Miners, Hawkins, Zubas, Weltys getting together in Port Orchard. (February 2006)

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

2007-03-25T14:43:00.000-05:00

11 Ruth Hope

17 Andrew Manning

22 Benjamin Ames

27 Allen Wood

Stay Close to your Family

2007-02-27T15:47:00.000-05:00

-from Grandpa

couldn't resist

2007-02-25T20:17:00.000-05:00

http://www.myheritage.com

Bert's Birthday: 50!!!

2007-02-22T22:02:00.000-05:00

The Port Orchard Miners celebrated Bert's birthday with friends and family last Saturday. Javan, Jonathan and Rebekah got to fly home for the weekend to be part of the celebration. Karen put together a big photo collage of photo's from Bert's first 50 years. Pictures to go in the collage for the next 50 were also taken, a few of which may be viewed here.

March Birthdays

2007-02-20T21:57:00.000-05:00

1 Kippy

7 Ami (Amelia Lydia Wood)

11 Gram (Jane Duncan)

18 Kyle

27 Jack

Future Wheaton Student

2007-02-19T13:39:00.000-05:00

I thought some of you Wheaton alumni Miners might be excited to hear my news. I found out the day after Christmas that I was accepted to Wheaton College. A couple weeks ago I mailed a deposit!

It's exciting and a bit scary to have made this decision. I don't feel the relief that I had expected. Instead there is still so much uncertainty. Was it the right decision? Will I like it there? What will I study?

I'm seriously considering majoring in music education. Piano has been an important part of my life for the past five years. I really enjoying teaching my two piano students and I've enjoyed the extra hours of practice I've been putting in to prepare an audition. I love music and I know I want to continue studying it in some way, but I'm just not entirely convinced yet that a degree in it is the way to go. I love English too and Wheaton has such a great English department.

So many questions, so much uncertainty. And so little time left to decide. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for guidance and direction. Some decisions have been made!

60? come again?

2007-02-10T12:50:00.000-05:00

Be extra careful. When you are over the hill you start to pick up speed!

60? come again?

2007-02-10T11:24:00.000-05:00

1 heated hour of Ping-Pong + 60 candles + Homemade strawberry cheesecake + 1 doting wife & 1 loving daughter + phone calls from 4 offspring = 1 very thrilling birthday celebration

2007-02-06T21:30:00.000-05:00

Two Trips to South Africa

This past December, Jim and I travelled to Cape Town, South Africa for two weeks. Our main intention was to visit our friend Fritz van der Lecq, who we met in 2004 when he came to the Wheaton Graduate School as an international student. It was a wonderful time together, as he introduced us to his family and friends, took us around the area, and spent many hours discussing life in South Africa over coffee. While there, we also checked out the University of Cape Town, as Jim was accepted to a graduate program in education, to begin in July 2007. Jim's interests in the program were confirmed - heightened! - so we are continuing to pursue the opportunity to move there for 1-2 years as of this summer (or... winter, in the southern hemisphere). There are a lot of logistics to work through before then, however, so you can pray that the Lord would guide and provide! If you'd like to see 'some' photos, check out our google photos page. If you're wondering how long the flight is to Cape Town from Chicago is .. the answer is 20 hours.

We also took a second 'trip' to South Africa last weekend, via the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, who is hosting the showing of the play "Amajuba" (through 2/11). This play is a realistic and true telling of childhood in South Africa in the 70s, 80s, 90s, during the turbulent last years of apartheid. Songs were interspersed with the narratives of the five actors. It was very moving, and a good reminder of the power of story to communicate strong emotion and the importance of childhood experiences in our psychological development. (Did you know South Africa has 9 national languages? We heard at least 5 during the play.)

2007-02-05T16:34:00.001-05:00

The steadfast love of the Lord from generation to generation was proclamed yesterday in the baptism of John Thomas Zuba, son of Ruth and Radu, grandson of David and Kippy Miner, great-grandson of Jack and Mina Miner, with the added blessing of Gram-Jane Stam Miner. Grampa David was privileged to perform the baptism at Wallace Presbyterian Church, Hyattsville, MD, where his friend Dr. Stephen Clark is pastor, and where Ruth and Radu, and Mary are members. Family in attendance included David and Kippy and Carol, Ruth and Radu, Uncle and Aunt, Doru and Kelley Zuba, and Doina and Micea Zuba, JT's Buni and Bunica.

The opening hymn was Praise to the Lord the Almighty, a favorite which both Ruth and Elizabeth chose as their wedding hymn. Pastor Clark's sermon from Mark 6:1-13 was entitled In Training. It was apparently part of a series, not chosen especially for the baptism, but was certainly appropriate as we consider our part in bringing up John Thomas to fear and trust the Lord.

After worship all the family and two out-of-town friends enjoyed a beautiful and delicious dinner at Ruth and Radu's. For dessert Ruth served Orange Ice Box Cake, a recipe passed down from her Grandmother Reynolds, who would rejoice to see this special occasion.

Our weekend in Maryland included unexpected time with Rachel who, stopping overnight at Ruth and Radu's, told us about the work she is going to do in Uganda and caught us up on some family news. If you want to set her record straight regarding family news, contribute to this blog!

February Birthdays

2007-02-04T15:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday today, David!

Feb. 3rd - Rebekah
Feb. 4 - David William
Feb. 8 - Julianna
Feb. 8 - Scott
Feb. 16 - Mary Eleanor
Feb. 26 - Katie Joy
Feb. 27 - Bert

Family Chats

2007-02-03T23:26:00.000-05:00

Aunt Joyce and I had a nice phone chat this afternoon, neither of us being to comfortable with Instant Messaging. It's remarkable to think how Grandpa's family is really spreading out over the globe. This website should be a great way to help us all feel more connected. Thanks, Kate, for your work on it. I'm glad that it's fun for you. Thank you to all who are praying for Mark's kidney situation. His test will be on March 15; then we should find out if the procedure he had back in December was effective. Please keep praying that God would be gracious to use this "Deflux" to heal Mark.

here goes

2007-02-01T18:52:00.000-05:00

All right, folks, here's our "home page." This is sort of a test: anything can be changed and we can scratch this for something better if the format doesn't work out too great for us. And seriously, anything can be changed...if you're not a fan of the font, colors, whatever, let me know.

First off, some common terms defined:

post: what you call what I'm writing now
sidebar: what you call the stuff on the left side of the page. It can be moved to the right, or basically do anything you like. I can add anything to the sidebar you like - just tell me. We can put links to old posts in the sidebar...things we might commonly refer to, like a list of birthdays.
archives: what you call old posts. blogspot automatically archives things, and I've selected to have our posts archived monthy. You can peruse through the archives in the sidebar.
labels: when you put a label on each of your posts just so that you can read similar entries together. For example, one label might be: old family pictures, and every time grandpa posted one, he could add that label to the end of the post. If you ever wanted to peruse through them all, you could just click on that tag in the sidebar.
comment: v. adding a note at the end of a post. n. a note at the end of the post. To post a comment click on "0 comments" at the end. You don't have to have a blogspot account to do this: just click on "other" and type in your name.
template: the huge mess of computer language that makes the blog look like it does. Our new blog from blogspot is very user-friendly, and a lot can be changed very easily. The real template is harder to manuever, but it's like a fun puzzle trying to figure it out. I don't think anyone will be able to see it but me. But if something looks weird, let me know.
If anything is still confusing, just comment on this post and ask.

Now, how you can be a part of this.

Check it for updates. Use bloglines.com to tell you when there are new posts.
Link. Use the sidebar to link to our personal blogs....You can send me your blog/page to be added to the side bar. (Let me know if any links are "broken.")
Post comments. It's fun to read what others have said about a post, and it will make this a fun place to visit. =)
Post. There are 2 ways to do that. 1. When we're up and running, I will email you all a email address that you can write to that will then post it directly onto the blog. That will be an easy way for everyone to post. (Just make sure you delete any extra stuff that normally goes out at the end of the email.) I'm not sure how easy it is to add pictures that way; we'll see. 2. I can invite you to be a member/co-author. You will have to have a blogspot or gmail account. Of course it's free, and really quite easy. (And a gmail address is the best kind of have =)

A Second Test

2007-02-01T18:49:00.000-05:00

Looks Good:

Now we just need to see if we can get people using it!

first post

2007-02-01T16:58:00.000-05:00

William Perkins Miner
Kate's great-great-great grandfather Miner
Born early 1840's