I delivered a bracelet to classmate and friend Denise yesterday morning.
This bracelet was a stunner. Loved it.

I walked to Denise's place and chose early morning to do so. The heat has been oppresive the last few days. I haven't minded one bit staying in the AC and beading bracelets. I have another one about 3/4 finished. When you are hot- you are hot!

Butch has been working on the support boards-getting them ready to install. He needs a helping hand on this part so may have to wait for someone to come to his rescue. We have said from the beginning we were not going to get into a toot about any part of this process. If we have to wait for people or circumstances to become more favorable, that is okay. I could be in there working on the last room of insulation (closet) but the heat has held me back. Things are coming along quite nicely despite any complications.

Yesterday on the walk home I spotted these mushrooms.

 They were in a yard that needed mowed. I suspect the house may be a repo. The mushrooms were enough of a distraction for me to come home, get my camera and return for photos.

Today it is cooler so we may return to the construction/destruction zone and put in a days work.

Webster City RV and Tri County Lumber

This morning Butch and I were up bright and early heading to Webster City RV to have a new fridge installed. We arrived at 8:05 AM. They took the old fridge out and the new one in through the passenger side window. We had wondered how they were going to do the transfer. They finished up at 10:40. That seemed like pretty quick work! They did a good job and we have only good things to say about Webster City RV and the people who work there. It was a nice little trip with the RV and we are so glad to have our fridge back.

Another little commercial: Butch has been shopping for 2 x 6-20 foot boards to reinforce the rafters in our ceiling. We had seen some in a Menard's ad for about $13 or $14 each. This afternoon Butch went to our local lumber yard-Tri County Lumber. Those same boards were $8.80!!! And they delivered them within an hour of purchase at NO Charge. It sometimes pays big to shop local. We had decided when we moved here to shop locally as much as possible. It was sure a good call this time.

Jason's Scoreboard

Mid-State Steel, where Jason works, have been putting this scoreboard together for several months. It is a Biggie.
http://www.kcci.com/r-video/28396051/detail.html

Friday the fridge quit

Friday the fridge quit working. We had a strong smell of ammonia and in an RV fridge that is not a good sign. So we have been wheeling and dealing ever since...rather Butch has. Bottom line is we drive the motorhome to Webster City RV to have a new fridge installed tomorrow. We have an extended warranty and they will pay part of it. They would have put in a new cooling unit but Butch felt we should have all new so they will pay part of it...the part the cooling unit would have cost. Be glad to have all that todo behind us.
Yesterday I finished up with the black insulation. Still have one room of fiberglass insulation to go. Insulation is ugly stuff to deal with and I am glad we are done with most of it. Butch has been doing some on the electrical. Mostly taking out old outdated stuff we will not be using yet keeping enough so we have power to work with. He has run into some very funky electrical nightmares. In two places he found where they had used an electrical outlet as a junction box. Butch was incensed! People will do crazy things and sometimes without realizing the dangerous situation they are creating.
 I would say the demo part of it is perhaps 80% done. It is starting to look like a shell, one we can work with.
So there is a heavy agenda today. Getting ready to roll early in the morning. Getting laundry caught up. And that is the two things I can think of fast. I know there is more.
More as it happens...

From Grandpa Gary

Elise spent two nights with us this weekend. Whoo hoo! Lots of great Grandma and Grandpa time. Here are two short snips (there is a LOT more raw video) from the weekend.

 

Sing Pretty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMX4w-23LI

Outdoor Walk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeYcj7Ap3b0

The Big Blow

While Leo, Keri, her sister Lori and Butch and I were in the basement wild things were happening outside. There were two big blows and this one probably happened on the second one. Big mess! Good thing Leo likes landscaping, huh?
By the way, forgot to mention that Lori, Keri's sister was in on the cooking done this weekend of which we were the grateful recipients. Lori was visiting from eastern Iowa.

These two were at our place. We got off easy.

Lexi wonders what Leo is up to.

Two major trees were affected.

Patio furniture blown askew.

Big Storm

We had a big storm last night. The first we have been involved with for several years. We have branches to pick up in the yard. Leo called to tell us his yard is a war zone. Will go out and take pictures. The tornado siren went off and we went out to Leo and Keri's to get in the basement. High winds and heavy rain. It did not go into its twirly pattern. Thank God! But then we returned home and there were winds on the back side of this storm stronger than the first ones. I do not think it settled down until about 1:00 AM.
We used to take these type of storms in stride. After all we lived in the Midwest. But after you have had peaceful weather for about ten years it takes some getting used to all over again.
Pictures later...

Sea Salt? What is the big deal?

I wondered about it. Have you? This is from a friend.

 Salt of the Sea

FRIDAY FOOD THING

To most folks brought up in my generation and beyond, when it rains, it pours: Morton’s“iodized” table salt is the tableside norm. Years ago, someone decided many humans weren’t getting enough iodine in their diet, so that same someone convinced the government to add it to everyday table salt — kinda like that questionable someone who did the same thing with fluoride in toothpaste. An added benefit of adding iodine to salt is a more free-flowing (and marketable) salt product. Hence Morton’s advertising slogan, “when it rains it pours”. Very clever.

One day — in my ongoing search for culinary curiosities — I tried Kosher salt, which excludes iodine from its formulation. What a difference. No more Band-Aid aftertaste. On yet another day, I experimented with sea salt, and — I gotta tell you — what an amazing BIGGER difference! I will never go back.

Sea salt is as varied as the seas around the world from which it is produced, and the taste and color and texture vary wildly. If you need proof about how much better sea salt tastes than the iodized variety, buy some at your supermarket and perform your own taste test, side by side. Your taste-buds will know the difference.

It’s only fair to point out that Morton has kept up with the times and has seriously increased their product line accordingly with many sea salt offerings. However, to truly understand the available differences in taste, I highly recommend expanding your culinary curiosity to include the virtual smorgasbord of imported varieties readily available on the Internet.

And then...

Yesterday- Saturday- Butch and I went back to work on the house. He to a greater degree than I. I did my best to go at it in a very conservative manner. I was successful. I removed the sidewall insulation in the kitchen. Not a hard job really as there isn't much of it and it is somewhat enclosed in black paper. Has a seal on it that says balsam/wool. It bags up fairly easy.
Butch took out some inner walls. His job was much more strenuous.

Our RV refrigerator quit. And of course it was on a Friday night. Butch went to talk to the RV dealers in town but nothing will happen till Monday. We have an extended warranty and thank goodness for it because RV refrigerators are very costly. Much higher than home refrigerators. We will see what can be done about it tomorrow. In the meantime we have the little refrigerator that was in the house. It works just fine. It just means we have to run to the house every time we want something out of it. One of the petty inconveniences of life, they happen to all of us now and then.
Keri helped me out by bringing us a wonderful breakfast casserole and muffins this morning. Saved me several trips to the house.
Finally went for a walk this morning. The first 3 blocks had me wondering but soon all the kinks were walked out. We walked downtown to the post office and back. About an 18 block walk all told. Felt much better after we returned home. I needed to get out and moving.

I never stop seeing things worthy of a picture...the latest.

A Civilized Cat

I could not decide which was a better picture. The sunlight illuminating the squirrels tail intrigued me.