A Day with Danny Trejo, by Jake and Paul

Me and my dad went to Winston-Salem to go on a movie set called Eyeborg. My dad's friend Kenny invited us.

About a half an hour after we got there we went to go to craft services, and my dad whispered to me "There he is" and I said "really"? When we went past him he looked at me and said "Hey there's a spy kid"! Danny Trejo was in Spy Kids and many other movies.

And my dad Said "Trejo what's up," and then he said "my name's Danny," and I said "hey my name's Jacob." Then he said, "let's have a picture later."

Then we went into the main room to just check out what was going on, but nothing so far. Then we went back to craft services and then I was looking at the Gatorades and my dad said let's get a picture with him, and here they are.

Paul writes: Danny Trejo is the movie world's consummate bad guy, having killed or been killed hundreds of times in movies. He's worked with George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, among many, many others. But what a super-nice guy. Look for him to play the lead in his own movie soon, the Robert Rodriguez-directed "Machete."

Napoleon Spears, by Natalie

I found this while looking at pictures of Britney Spears shaving her head, not much success, but I did find this.

Hi From Lenk, by Mary

(The Château de Chillon near Montreux)

We had a good trip here!

* Interesting train ride from Zurich to Lenk and the flight here was good.

* This is a beautiful spot and we have a really nice chalet with a lot of room and six bedrooms. The chalet overlooks such beauty it is hard to describe.

* We have taken hikes every day - the first day we hiked to a lake and then yesterday we went to a waterfall. In the afternoon went way up to see mountains filled with wildflowers. Bill had hiked up that mountain the day before ten miles. He was pleased he did so well - the first time he has really tested it after the Parkinson’s diagnosis.

* Today is rather cool and cloudy and we will drive two hours to Montreux to tour a castle.

Dove Beetis, by Allison

the first is of this long commercial we have here, i dunno if everyones seen it or not, but someone messed it up and its sorta funny now, but it might only be funny to ppl my age haha.


the 2nd is from the Dove Campaign, the guy who helped invent this campaign came to speak at Bethel, his daughter goes there and they're from Germany, anyways he did an amazing presentation on it and showed us this cool clip.

"Actually Impressed", by Jim

How's this for a YouTube entry?

Of Shoes, Storms and Sisters, by Jim

(Bonnie and Jennifer)

Judy's future daughter-in-law Jennifer and Jennifer's sister, Bonnie, who lives in Chicago, have been with us since Wednesday looking for the perfect wedding dress – casual yet dressy, practical yet special, outdoorsy yet elegant and then the perfect shoes and jewelry. She has found the right shoes, problematic for the rocky walk to the aisle in Colorado National Monument. Her real dress is to arrive in the mail.

Those two have been marathon shoppers, and departed this afternoon. We’ve really enjoyed them. They’re very much alike. Last evening another one of our nightly storms blew through but with brilliant, caramel-colored sunlit sky after the wind mostly subsided. Bonnie, a professional photographer, could not resist blazing away with this Wyeth-like light. So here are some of her terrific pictures including some Jennifer snapped of Bonnie, and one Judy took of the sisters.

Thank You, Toot-Tone! by Riccardo

A life saver...
Don't leave home without it! - Riccardo

Jammin' in Guarujá, by Sue

For several weeks now we've been friends with Jean Corley from Walla Walla, Washington. She's in São Paulo adopting Gabriela, an 11-year-old from the Lar Girassol orphanage. Jean and Gabriela are trying to get to know one another as they wait for their paperwork to be done and move back to the U.S. together. A group of Americans here has been helping out by finding things to do so they're not sitting in their hotel room all day, wondering how to pass the time. Two days ago Audrey, Natalie, Jean, Gabriela and I drove to the beach together and spent much of the day there. Here are some pictures of the fun.

WOOF! by Allison

(Allison's example of something woofy: "13 bug bites on one side of my arm that is really bad haha....its rather amazing considering i got them all in one night in my sleep and i look like a leper.")

At college this year the new word in my group of friends has been "woof." Actually i think one of them brought it from high school, but it caught on in our group of friends. "Woof" can mean gross, nasty, i'm going to puke, or anything else that seems worthy of the word being used. This week at camp i accidentally said it around a few of the girl campers. they thought it was really funny and began saying it!

The word "woof" can take many different forms such as "Woofnasty," "Wooftastic," "Woofer," "Woofish," and "Woofy." Many people look at you funny if you say it, but it makes you laugh when you say it and it tends to express the feeling rather well if your in the right situation. Like say you ate to much for supper, you could say, "I'm gonna woof!" meaning "I'm SO full! or "I'm gonna puke!" So next time you're needing a great word to describe something really sick or how sick you really are, say "WOOF!"

Mary's Official Itinerary

June 22
Asheville to Charlotte (US Air 4314)
Charlotte to Philadelphia (US Air 748)
Philadelphia to Zurich (US Air 710)

Chalet am Bruggli
Buhlbergstrasse #21
Lenk, Switzerland
Phone: 41 (0) 31 301 20 40 / 41 (0) 79 488 331 51

July 5
Zurich to Philadelphia (US Air 711)
Philadelphia to Charlotte (US Air 723)
Charlotte to Asheville (US Air 2511)

Mary's Travel Plans, by Mary

Are you nervous about anything?
I'm not nervous about anything too much especially since I'll be with Bill and Irene from Philadelphia to Zurich but do not like trying to sleep on the plane. It's always nice to have an empty seat beside me but that usually doesn't happen. If I weren't with Bill and Irene I'd be nervous about landing in Zurich and will be coming back to the U.S. by myself but I've travelled alone quite a few times so should be fine.

What are you taking?
I'm taking a smaller piece of luggage that I'll check and then a carry-on and a large purse with the essentials like tissues, gum, a book, body lotion and other things.

Who’s taking care of Abby while you’re gone?

My neighbor, Sue will come in to feed Abby who as you can imagine, will not be happy to be left alone for two weeks. I always leave the radio on quietly for company for her and a soft blanket on my bed. Sue has done this before and usually after a few days, Abby gets really lonely and peeks her head around the bedroom door a few times. But no more!! Never know who you can trust! Chris and Jake will come and clean out her litter box several times. Isn't that nice?

How are you getting to and from the airport?

Paul will pick me up and take me to the airport.

What reading material are you taking?

Two books "The Last Time They Met" by Anita Shreve who wrote "The Pilot's Wife" which I enjoyed reading some time ago. Hertha sent me " The Poisonwood Bible" which she said is very good (an Oprah bookclub book) which will impress you all, I know.

How much are you going to miss us?
I will miss all of you very much. Actually, I'm sure I will - but know being with Bill and Irene and Sherry and Cyndy and family will keep me busy and I will enjoy being with them a lot.

Fashion Divas, by Audrey

Here’s a really weird picture of me and my friends Rachel and Natasha... We made these bags together (well, my mom sewed them…and cut the fabric… but we chose the fabrics!!). We made them mainly because I’m going to Italy… They are all fabrics that remind of us of each other and we plan on using them every day at school next semester.

A Loving Handful of Tortillas on Father's Day, by Jim

(Photo by Jim Banman)

It was a purty Father's Day day at exactly 10:34:52 a.m. when we arrived atop Loveland Pass on U.S. 6 where the temperature was 49 degrees and the wind steady from the south. The camera was set on ISO 200 at 1/320th of a second at f9.0. I took six pictures of the vista and stitched three of them together. I wanted to take one of the rather large couple huffing and puffing up the trail at 11,990 feet (3,655 meters) and decided against it. They said they had just moved to Denver from California and hadn't had time yet to get into Colorado trim.

We had a delightful breakfast after a 42-minute wait at the Sunshine Cafe in Dillon. Judy had two eggs, over easy, with bacon (crisp) hash browns and an English muffin. I had what she was having, except the eggs were scrambled. Purty soon we too will look like a California couple. A service dog was eyeing us suspiciously and a one-year-old girl at the next table ate a lot of food. We also dined at the Fiesta Jalisco Family Real Mexican Restaurant in Frisco. I read the restaurant inspection report when we got home. I don't think we'll be going back. If you care to know why, look at this: http://www.co.summit.co.us/Ehealth/Inspection_Reports/rFieldInspectionReport.5244_2006_11_15.pdf

Note from editor: Find a spelling error on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment form in the site above and win a special prize from our marketing department.

An Exciting Adventure Story, by Sue

Every morning as Riccardo takes the girls to the bus stop, I take Cookie for a short walk. Cookie is a sweet dog, loving and kind to all humans except toddlers and anyone who tries to kiss me after 9 p.m. She isn't sweet to other dogs, however. When she sees another dog, she strains on her leash, snarling and gnashing her yellow teeth. Once within striking range, she then lunges forward and attacks. I've learned to pick her up as we pass most dogs, fearful not of any damage that Cookie would cause, but of the disapprobation of other dog owners who look at me as if I'd taught her to act like this. Me? I'd love a bouncy, happy dog who loves romping with others of her own species, rolling in the grass and chasing rabbits as one. I don't have that and that's OK too.

Last Wednesday morning Cookie and I were returning home from her morning constitutional when she spied a German Shepherd on a leash across the street. Predictably she began to pull towards the curb, barking, growling and lunging. The German Shepherd, not impressed by the beige ball of curls across the street, barked, growled and lunged in his turn. I looked at his owner and smiled. He smiled back. Dogs will be dogs and what can we do if our dogs are idiots?

I kept walking but Cookie lagged behind, still intent on frightening the German Shepherd. Suddenly, I couldn't hear the German Shepherd's barks anymore and turned to see which way he and his owner had gone. He hadn't gone anywhere. He'd escaped his leash and was running full speed across the street in the direction of his poodle snack.

I scooped up Cookie and held her in my arms like a burping baby as the German Shepherd leapt up and tried to yank Cookie's spinal cord from her body. He missed and I quickly turned around. Now the German Shepherd had both paws on my back shoulders and was attempting to rip off part of Cookie's chin. Cookie, never one to admit she's in trouble, twisted and lunged in my arms as she snapped and barked. She dodged all attempts to eat her.

The good news is that the attacker was interested only in Cookie and didn't bother me. The better news is that the owner came quickly behind his dog and grabbed him by the scruff of his back, apologizing about the broken leash and wrapping what was left of it around the dog's neck. Cookie and I returned home unharmed but shaken. Cookie was so upset that she drank some water, ate some food, dug in the trash can in the bathroom and took a long nap. (Maybe she wasn't that upset: she does that every day.)

Please post comments about this exciting story. You may sympathize with me, worrying in hushed tones that someone as nice as me would have to live through such an ordeal. You may also congratulate Cookie on her fortitude in the face of sure death. You may express wonder that I'm able to walk that same sidewalk when there's a known predator with a defective leash out and about. By all means, question if I'm suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and ask if I have any of the symptoms. And if you have questions ("What color was the broken leash?" "What did the owner look like?"), don't hesitate to ask. As for me, I can't write anything else now. Reliving this moment has exhausted me. I must go look in the fridge for relief.

Jake Schattel

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

well, in May I saw Spiderman #3 on an imax in Charlotte.

What worries you about the month of June?

I'm not worried about anything.

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

It's my Dad's birthday on June 19th, also it's my birthday party on June 16th, and we're going to FunDepot!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the entire Banman family?

Yeah school's out for summer!!!!

Mary Banman

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

* My month of May had a highlight of me having cataract surgery with a lens implant on my right eye. No pain and about two weeks of my eye looking like I had been in a fight but I am so pleased because my vision is so much better - almost 20/20. I'm looking forward to having my left eye done in July.

* Also in May I have two grandsons who excelled in sports. Craig with all of his track and field success and Jake with his baseball team taking first place in their league. I'm proud of both of you. Congratulations!!

* Twenty ladies from my Sunday School class went to a very nice barbecue lunch (which I organized) to Pisgah View Ranch which is about 45 minutes from Asheville. Beautiful country and a great meal and lots of visiting. I do enjoy those ladies!

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

On June 22 I will be going to Switzerland for two weeks. Bill and Irene invited me to be their guest. I've never been to Europe so I am very excited about going. We'll be flying to Zurich and then take a three hour train ride to Lenk which is where we'll stay in a chalet. Cyndy and Sherry and families will also be there some of the time. This area is surrounded by the Alps so I know it will beautiful. We'll do sightseeing and I'm sure do some hiking.

Riccardo Sileci

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

* I turned 45. Can't say it's exciting, but it's something that happened in the month of May. Another way to think about it is to say that I started my 46th year of life. Gee, it doesn't make it better, does it? I was 18 when my father was 45, and I can't really remember if I saw him as an old man or not. What I know is that my own kids do not see me as a very young guy, although they never called me "old". That's good, I guess. But to those who do (I'm sure Christine is one of them), I quote a Brazilian writer, Millôr Fernandes, who says: "Velho é todo cara com 10 anos mais do que eu" or "An old guy is anyone who's 10 years older than me".

* Having turned 45 caused me to have to renew my driver's license. The new Brazilian laws require senior citizens to go through new written and medical tests. I passed the medical test easily (I'm in better shape than Sue, who happens to work out twice a week with a personal trainer), and scored 95% on the written test. I then needed a 3x4cm suit-and-tie picture for the document. I didn't feel like wearing a tie just to take a picture, so I used one of my old pictures, image googled "suit and tie", and photoshopped the picture I now have in my new license.

What worries you about the month of June?

School will be out, which means the kids will renew the rental DVD delivery membership and start watching TV from 7pm until much later. I will not be able to fall asleep on the couch watching movies I've watched over and over again, but never remember.

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

The family will probably be invited to go to one of the "Festas Junina" in town. We'll dress like hillbillies, dance the "quadrilha", drink "quentão", eat "pipoca" and "paçoca", play with "bombinhas" and have a lot of fun with lots of little kids running around us the whole time.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the entire Banman family?

Pope Benedict XVI came to Brazil and canonized the first Brazilian saint! We're all praying that the saint performs a miracle and drops a bomb on Brasilia, the country capital, where an average of one corruption scandal per day pops up.

Allison Banman

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

I finished my first year of college on May 18, but that wasn’t really exciting, I’m sad its over. What I was excited about though was finishing up my finals, mainly my German one. I got to watch Craig run/jump/dominate at the state track meet, and also many other smaller meets! The last thing would probably have to be my birthday! I had 2 friends come visit me, then I went to Newton to meet my 2 girlfriends from school. They surprised me with a pretty cake and the rest of our group of friends came also.

What worries you about the month of June?

I’m worried about planning recreation for Bible school and planning a week of summer daycare all in one week. I’ll be gone from 8-6 so I have a lot to plan.

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

Yes! I’m going to counsel at Camp Mennoscah for the week of June 10-16 for the junior week! 3 of my college buddies will be there also so we will have a fun time. I’m also going again in July to counsel for the junior high age.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the entire Banman family?

I think we should all go on another trip, its been over 10 years right?

Judy Coover

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

My best day was spent with T.J. and Jennifer on Mother's Day; see Grandpa's comments. In May I also took a "Fabric Architecture I" class at our local Bernina store. This was my first step into the world of surface design. Sue and I have recently subscribed to a new magazine Quilting Arts that is packed with unbelievably creative ideas -- for example, in a recent article a surface designer describes how she uses tinsel (yes, tinsel we used to put on Christmas trees) to create beautiful seascapes, landscapes, flower gardens). It's amazing. In the class I took I did pick up some hints on how to jump-start my creative juices so we'll see what happens next.

What worries you about the month of June?

I am worried that I won't find anything I like to wear to the wedding.

Audrey Sileci

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

In May... hmmm... I started to learn zouk, a new type of ballroom dancing. My friend and I begged the teacher to start teaching it to us, but he said that it’s really hard, so we’re starting off very slowly, only doing half an hour of it per class. At least that’s something! The rest of the time we do salsa, bolero, forró, and samba de gafiera. These are all basically Brazilian dances (except salsa, I guess.). I also watched the third Pirates of the Caribbean! I was really excited about that... It wasn’t as good as I hoped, though. It was better than the second, but the first is still way better than the other two.

What worries you about the month of June?

What worries me about June... Finals! Those are coming up very soon. Also... my friend and I are the social life coordinators of our class and we want to plan one last lock-in to end the school year with, but we’re having a lot of trouble doing it and I don’t know if it’ll work out.

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

Vacation starts! This will also be my last month in Brazil before the big Italy thing starts.

Jim Banman

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

May was just a blur of this and that but nothing headline worthy.

* First, I launched my latest volunteer career as a docent, a fancy word for tour guide, at the Four Mile Historic Park. Clothed in the historically--some might prefer hysterically--accurate clothing of an 1860 farmer, which Judy sewed, I became “certified” to give tours inside Denver’s oldest standing house, a log house built by the Brantner brothers in 1859. Oh, and can anyone diagram that sentence? It’s near Leetsdale and Kentucky for the Denver-geography conversant. In addition to the three “training” tours I gave, I also was there three days for Westward Ho, an event in which school kids learn about the western migration and pretend to be emigrants. This went on five days a week for the entire month. My job: What do we pack into our covered wagon for the two-month journey to Denver? I know I’ll enjoy this volunteer job because it fits so nicely into my interest in the history of the West.

* Second, we drove to Grand Junction for Mother’s Day. TJ and Jennifer had an incredible dinner: Crab/shrimp sandwiches with deep-fried leek rings. They discussed their wedding plans, though then the date was not set. Now it is, of course, and that will be August 4. BTW, that was also our first longer drive in the “new” Camry Hybrid, and stayed in a less-than-Super 8 motel. Susan, that made our Days Inn in Gettysburg look like a Ritz Carlton.

* Third, I worked a number of days on another one of those downtown projects. This one actually was for MediaNews Group, the owner of the Post. You will need to ask persistently for more details since I have noticed eyelids falling in the past as I describe this work.

* Last, Judy and I attended a memorial for Jim Haggard, our friend at Ocean Journey who died all too suddenly in Kansas City. Then, we also have become very much a part of Stan and Linda Massey’s lives in the loss of their son Brian in a mountain-climbing accident. How horrible, and devastating. I wonder how parents find solace and peace after the sudden loss of a child, or if they do? We read almost daily of these kinds of things, but never has it struck so near to us. The memorial service at Regis High, where Brian graduated, was yesterday (Sunday).

What worries you about the month of June?

Worries are plentiful around here, like will rabbits take over the country, occupy the White House and invade Iran? Will the sale of Yarrow Gardens collapse anytime soon (we hope it will and hope it won’t in a perverse way)? Why does the stoplight at Arapahoe Road always, always turn red just when we arrive?

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

Jennifer and her sister, Bonnie, will be here three days to shop til Judy drops for the Perfect Wedding Dress.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the entire Banman family?

You bet. This is Allison’s idea, so here goes. We need another Banman Family Reunion like the one at least 10 years ago in Snow Mountain. We’re thinking about a locale in North Carolina called Maggie Valley, which is about half an hour west of Asheville (google for it and look it over). Paris is always nice if Maggie Valley doesn’t work out. What we need to move forward: The best possible dates next summer (2008) for everyone, and everyone’s commitment to be there. Everyone. Maybe immediately after school ends? How long? Maybe three days, and then we can all barge in on Christine, Paul, Jake, Zack, Glenda and Nemo. At least that’s our plan.

Craig Banman

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

Getting 2nd in state as a team, and my birthday

What worries you about the month of June?

that it will keep raining and thunderstorms

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

weights and sports

Natalie Sileci

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

Little 8 tournament was in the very beginning of May, and that was a lot of fun! Even though the girls in volleyball got 7 place, and the guys 8th. (out of 8. little EIGHT. eight schools...)...and yeah, it was really good. awesome food, nice people, cold weather (bleeh!), and lots of interesting games. yeah, i guess interesting is the word, the British boys (name of school is British), who became friends with PACA, cheered for the PACA guys, for 7 and 8 place, but the goalie for the other school always wanted to pick a fight, and everything, so we made fun of him. yeah, we're quite evil. and when Graded came in the gym (Graded is another school....), they were like: "NOSSA! PACA is winning! thats amazing. is that not the first time?" and we heard. and laughed. but the guys weren't to good of players, i must say. and they tied, and went into overtime, no one scored, so they went down to penalties, and we did 3, and both teams made 2. so we did 3 more, and we made one and EAB (the school we're playing against.) got two. but our good/starter goalie wasn't in the goal, rather another less good one was, because his butt was hurting.. it was funny. we met a lot of cool people there! it was fun! the best little 8 ive been to (out of 8..). but i think i might now like volleyball more than basketball, but once basketball season starts, ill start liking it more.

What worries you about the month of June?

SCHOOLS OUT!! YEAH! cant wait. that'll be fuuuun!so yeah. OH! i have to start deciding if I am going to do Junior Varsity or Varsity (that is if i get in, which there is a big chance i do, because lots of seniors were on the team last year, and they'll graduate.=/) but i also want to do Junior Varsity because our team would be really good, if me, and other 2 girls that our trying out would do it. i have to convince them to do it!! and we might actually win a GAME! maybe even TWO! but to convince Kayla and Addie to do it will be hard, because Grace (a friend of Kayla's) is doing cheerleading, and if she gets in, she doesnt want to go to Big 8 (the Varsity version of Little 8..) alone. so kayla would have to go with her. and if kayla goes, she wants addie to go, and addie wants me to go! so, i have to convince grace to enter JV basketball, and then all will be good. (or pray for her not to be in the cheerleading squad. yeah, evil..i know.)-lots of boring time at home for vacation..trying to entertain myself, which will be hard, because lots of friends go to the states for vacation earlier..and i cant go to the mall everyday. which i would, if i could. but i cant. =(

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

Exciting, no, interesting, no, but i get to practice basketball and juggling the soccer ball. Varsity coach says that being able to juggle a ball is like knowing ABC's. you cant go to school if you dont know your ABC's, and you can't enter the soccer team not knowing how to juggle. the max. ive done juggling, ever, is like, 12. which is bad. so i get to do a lot of that this vacation.

Paul Schattel

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

* I went to Bavaria (a region of Austria and Germany, in the Alps) for 2 weeks and shot video for Volvo. I got a chance to hang out there for a few extra days and saw lots of stuff, including the devastatingly sad concentration camp Dachau and the most beautiful and whimsical castle in the world, Neuschwanstein. I also hung around Munich, dranks lots of Steigel beer and saw where Hitler rose to power and started the Nazi movement.

* I worked a lot. Sounds kind of boring, but I really like my work, so that's cool with me. I hung out with my beautiful wife and child (and dog -- though he's not so beautiful). I also recently taught a kids' video class at Jake's Jewish Community Center after-school program, and edited the footage so the movie (shot by kids and kids alone) can be played on our local cable access channel.

What worries you about the month of June?

I'm worried about the heat (we don't have AC here in the mountains) but that's about it. It's a big month for us -- in the third week alone we have Jake's birthday, my birthday (I'll be forty-one, ouch), Christine and my wedding anniversary (eleven years now, can you believe it) and, perhaps most importantly ... FATHER'S DAY!? Yes!

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

* I'll probably be going to Washington DC and the Dakotas for work, to interview a bunch of irascible Native Americans about Medicare. Why are they irascible? Remember -- we took their land away from them a hundred years or so ago, and they're still po'd about it. As I would be, too.

* Still waiting (been waiting for yearszzzzz ... ) on my next movie. It's been optioned by a high-profile, Oscar-nominated production company up in New York City, but it keeps being delayed and may now be hopelessly lost in the development phase. Bummer. So I'm busily at work on my next project, a skewed romantic comedy set in the interesting world of 1960's country music, called 'Countrypolitan.' It's funny, something new for me. Scary and creepy movies, I've learned, are easy. Comedy, on the other hand, is tough -- what's the sound of one person not laughing?* Congratulations to Craig for his fine work on the field.

Steve Banman

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

"The skink in the snake (eventually)" [See skink article below.]

What worries you about the month of June?

The only worry for the month is to get the delete key on this keyboard unstuck. It has something sticky on it and if stuck will delete massive areas of type in an instant.

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

The month of June will be filled slightly with 6 more baseball double headers. Most will be at home (Hesston) but one will be a true home game that will be played in Goessel. This afternoon, they played two games against Lindsborg and won both, 22-1 and 22-2. In the first game, Craig hit two inside-the-park home runs, in the same inning.

Skink Banman, by Steve Banman

What is a skink?

"Skinks look roughly like true lizards, but most species have no pronounced neck and relatively small legs. Several genera have no limbs at all, others, such as Neoseps, have only reduced limbs. Often, their way of moving resembles that of snakes more than that of other lizards. Skinks usually have long, tapering tails that can be shed and regenerated. Most skinks are medium sized with a maximum length from the snout to the vent of some 12 cm, although there are a few that grow to larger sizes, such as the Corucia, which can reach 35 cm from snout to vent. Skinks are found in a variety of habitats worldwide. Some species are endangered. Many species are good burrowers. There are more terrestrial or fossorial (burying) species than arboreal (tree-climbing) or aquatic species. Some are "sand swimmers", especially the desert species, such as the Mole skink in Florida. Most skinks are diurnal, so they are active during the day. They like to crawl out on rocks or logs to bask (soak up heat from the sun) during the day. Skinks are generally carnivorous and largely eat insects, including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. They also eat spiders, earthworms, snails, slugs, isopods, other lizards, and small rodents. Some species, particularly those favored as home pets, have a more varied diet and can be maintained on a regimen of roughly 60% vegetables/leaves/fruit and 40% meat and meat products (cat or dog food)."

Now Jake is familiar with skinks because in May of 2006 after Allison's graduation, he took the remains of one home with him. We have had a "family" of skinks living near our front porch under the sidewalk. They come out from time to time and even scare people (Allison screamed as one that came past her).

In early May I was tilling the soil in the area that they live forgetting they would be there. I guess one came up for a look and in an instant there was a skink tail flopping on the sidewalk without the rest of the body! It flopped for about 5-10 minutes and was then still. About 15 minutes later the rest of the skink was on top of the soil, maybe looking for his tail. He went under the dirt and we didn't see him again till we took this photo two weeks later. Not sure where the snake lives when not near our porch, but he had a good lunch. He wrapped his body around the skink a couple of times and was chomping down on the head. The poor skink was flinching with each bite. The snake had to have been about 5 feet in length. The skink that got eaten left behind a family or at least his partner. We see it running around the same area.

Chris Banman

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

* Adventures in Little League - Jake's #1 team
* Met Charlie Louvin, very exciting.
* Saw the living legend, Loretta Lynn in concert.
* Very exciting!
* Jake scored above and beyond in end of grade tests, well done.

What worries you about the month of June?

I twisted my ankle Saturday and hope I can keep running. Otherwise, no worries! Life is good!

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

Birthday week is always fun. I did a half-marathon Saturday and that was pretty darn fun. Summer with no homework or bedtimes is fun.

Sandy Banman

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

The month of May has been busy with school ending, but most importantly our boys track team doing so well. They were regional champs, for the 3rd year in a row, and took the most events to the state track meet that Goessel boys have ever taken! As I think a lot of you have heard, the Goessel boys were Class 1A State Runner-Up. We were only 7 1/2 points out of 1st place. There were many exciting events with the highlight being that Garrett set a state record in the javelin throw. Another highlight is that Craig brought home 4 medals, with this being done only one other time in the history of GHS track. Our smaller girls team brought 5 events to state, with 3 of them placing. We had some fun individuals, but the last week was really dampened for my fellow coach and I. We decided to change a relay runner so that we could have our 4 fastest girls on the track at state. HHHmmmm, don't you want to have the best possible athletes participating at the state level?? Well, not according to some of the girls and their parents. It was all about not hurting feelings. Needless to say we had several athlete and parent confrontations that week, but we stuck to our decision and the relay team ran 15 seconds faster than they had all year. And who said those Goessel coaches don't know anything! :)

I've been doing some searching on the job front, looking for a full-time PE teaching position. I had an interview at a middle school in Newton. The job was not offered to me, but later I found out some information that makes me glad I didn't get it. Apparently the principal in the building is not well liked because he is very controlling. The comment was made to me by some other teachers that I was "too good' and "had too much experience for him". Could be true, he hired a first year teacher right out of college! I am also pursuing an Elem. PE opening in Hesston. Should find out something this week.

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

Summer plans are keeping enough food around the house for a growing 16 year old, tending to my flowers, and possibly helping with summer school.

Sue Banman Sileci

What are three things that happened in the month of May that were pretty exciting?

• I finished one quilt and started another which I then finished June 1. They’re both full of quilting and look really cool.

• Four of the six books I’ve been working on for three years were finished up and sent to China for printing. The last two are due in China at the end of September but it’s a long, long road till there.

• I pretty much consistently humiliated Riccardo in doggie soccer. Doggie soccer is a game in which we throw a Frisbee-like disk at a small opening in our outdoor garage, hopefully throwing it through the opening and crashing into a metal door just beyond. Cookie chases the ball and brings it back. We play every evening after dinner and no matter what Riccardo will try to tell you, he seldom brings home a victory.

What worries you about the month of June?

Not a lot beyond the cold. You all laugh that it’s not that cold here. “You don’t even have snow!” But it can get down to 40-45 degrees and we don’t have central heating. You do and you turn it on with those temperatures. So I’m worried that it’ll get cold like that again as it was last week and stay that way for too long. Last night I did figure out a cool way of warming up the bed which involves minutes of strenuous scissor kicks and fake bike riding under the covers but Natalie claims it made no difference and only messed up the sheets. She’s a bit of an ingrate, I must say.

Is there anything in June that looks pretty darn interesting or fun?

The girls will finish school on the 15th so then we can start staying up till all hours of the night watching movies and wrassling around. You gotta love that.

The Jamminest YouTube Sites

Allison!
this isn't my favorite of the week, but more like my favorite of the year. i know its weird




Chris!
It's hard to pick my favorites. This is a biggie. The guy just absolutely loses his composure. Cursing has been deleted.



Then who could forget Pinkie?



Bad Day Mom, a classic for all time and a must for any family newsletter.



Audrey!
Charlie the Unicorn goes to Candy Mountain!!! This has become a classic to me… It’s great!



Sue!
A classic stupid dog.



The U.S. needs to be very nice to China. These guys are my heroes. And the bloopers at the end are so sweet.



Riccardo!
Trick or Treating.

Jammin' Craig Banman: The Interview

What is your favorite smell?
Probably farm

What movie do you think everyone in this family should see?
Robin Hood, Men in Tights

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Mechanic or something Ag Related

What’s the last book you read that you really liked?
I dont remember the last book i read at all

What do you think you’ll look like when you’re 40?
Like a 40 year old

What’s a joke you think is really funny?
I dont know any jokes

What are you wearing right now?
Shorts and a T-shirt

What are three places you’ve never been to but think you might want to visit some day?
Montana, Canada, Arizona

When was the last time you went to the doctor and why?
This Winter when i was sick – I think I had a fever for about a week

What is your special talent?
Popping my neck a lot

Who is someone you look up to?
Football Coach

If you were stuck on a desert island for three years, who would you like to be stuck with?
I would have to think about that one – a good friend

Mystery Pix

"She's a mystery girl..." Who is this lovely child?

Jammin' June Pix

Allison takes a little spill at Bethel.

Dad's poppy picture.

A quilt Sue made for a friend moving back to the States, Barb Wright. (front and back)

A quilt Sue made for a Brazilian family member, Gabriel. (front and back.)

Sue and Steve swingin' with the sixties.