Insulation Day-August 16th

I do not know what there is about August but it always seems to get very busy. I noticed this last year as well....and today was insulation day as well as a planned visit with my first cousin once removed Joanna Neff. Joanna, her son Caleb, Colleen and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon visiting at Colleens while Butch was in charge of watching the insulation installation. The installers from Iowa Foam Insulation out of Carroll Iowa were in no need of supervision. They treated our house as their own and insulated it very well even throwing in extra little things not on the quote. We were very pleased with the job they performed.

All of these photos were taken with natural light. This is looking into the bathroom.

The bedroom

Door on the back of the house

Living room window on the west side of house

The south wall -door leads to breezeway

Future kitchen

To the right of the front door- future kitchen

To the left of the front door-part of kitchen- future crafting area

looking up in the attic 

Kitchen area and attic

west end of closet

east end of closet

In the bedroom looking toward the breezeway door

in the bathroom looking toward future kitchen

The attic area looks as if a giant blizzard came in and filled it with snow.

More attic

and even more attic

You can see our RV in the back yard

Another attic shot

Looking up into Attic in breezeway area

Things fall into place...

Way back on June 1st. when I was a bit perturbed that things were not moving in a forward direction and in a snit I made a note when the insulation would be installed in the back of my notebook. The date was August 15th. Yesterday the phone rang early A.M. asking if we could be ready by today! We said we could so our plans for the day immediately changed course. We had 3 vents to install. Butch had to get the start of the walls for the shower in place. Everything had to be moved away from exterior walls and there was lots of that stuff. We had previously covered light switch receptacles so we didn't have that to do. We figured we could easily get it done and we got it done but by the end of the day it did not feel easy. Friends of ours from Corning Iowa, Jerry and Edna Walker, we know because they too go to Magnolia Park stopped by and took us to lunch. Their timing was perfect and it gave us a most pleasant break. They got the grand tour of the house and plan to come back again to see our finished project and perhaps get some golf played. We look forward to that for more than one reason!
So today they are installing the insulation and they should be done in a couple more hours. That will definitely change the looks of the place. Butch called our drywall guy and he said he was tied up til later next week but even so things seem to be galloping along pretty good right now. Pictures later!
Singing a happy tune...

Papa Leo with Brady

Naked Ladies with Bicycle

Zoomed in on the Prez bus

A busy three days...

Saturday night I failed to mention that Jason, Laura and Ethan came over to eat out at the A & W drive in as well as visit with us. So I have two Ethan stories. Laura and Jason told us to be careful with our keys because they could end up in Boone. Ethan loves keys and as far as he is concerned keys belong in pockets so if he would happen to find them lying about he might decide they belonged in a pocket and possibly his pocket. And then when we were at the A & W a very noisy youngster came in looking to be about Ethan's age. He was fussy and crying. I asked Ethan,"What do you suppose his trouble is?" He said  very quietly and simply, "naughty".  I thought that was very insightful. Ethan is getting more talkative every time we see him.

Sunday Butch and I went to Leo and Keri's to assist with laying a laminate floor. Really we wanted the experience before tackling our own floor installation. I was inspector and Butch and Leo were the main  installers. Keri and Emily fed us very well for our efforts. Their floor looks great.

This is in process but it is easy to tell what a great look it will have when finished.

Today Butch and I made our way to Ames for my final eye exam after my second cataract surgery. That was all good. Then we had lunch at the famous Hickory Park restaurant. It was a wonderful lunch. We made better choices than the last time we ate there. Then we were off to Lowes. Butch needed to look over the showers so he can get the walls built to accommodate the shower. Butch wanted a one piece fiberglass shower and I had conceded to it but the first question asked was how wide are your doors. Answer 32 inches. Cannot get a 36 inch shower through a 32 inch door. So we will be getting an Onyx shower...the one I wanted to begin with. Pricey though, but this time we do not have a choice. We also looked at flooring and chose the design and type but did not place the actual order yet.

Then we headed home. Now we knew President Obama was going to be in Boone Iowa today. We go through Boone on our way home from Ames. He had not arrived in Boone when we came through but on the way home about 3 miles east of town we met up with the bus tour and about 30 or 40 state troopers and other escort cars to the Prevost bus containing the President . We had to pull off on the shoulder because they take up both lanes of the highway. I tried to get pictures but they didn't really show much but I will include one that we will say the President was riding in. There were two buses and we had no way of knowing which one held the President.

 We have had three very busy days but they have been fun too!

Friend Mickey's Granddaughter

 She train's wild mustangs
http://youtu.be/d04lDOu3J18

Lately

Butch played in a golf tournament yesterday. There are three courses in and near Jefferson and they hold a 3 course tournament every year and he has looked forward to playing in it and this time it worked out.
So Colleen and I planned a road trip. We went to Cumberland to see my old friend Floyd Pearce. I do not have the time or the patience to tell you all there is to know about Floyd. I have known him about 30 years and have just scratched the surface of who he is. I knew Colleen would enjoy him because they think along the same lines in many areas.
So off to Cumberland we went stopping at Floyd's house for poetry and much much conversation. And then Floyd treated us to lunch at Scooters. Scooter's is located where the senior center used to be and where I was manager for 14 years. Then Floyd had to be off to Lewis Iowa  where he volunteers as a tour director and oh so much more at Hitchcock House. Floyd is in his mid 80's and how he keeps up the pace is mindboggling.
Here are some photos from the day and be sure to check out the Hitchcock House website at http://www.hitchcockhouse.org/:

Floyd sharing his poetry with us. We loved it!

Floyd has a vineyard and these are some of his grapes

This old pump  in his yard is from the original house .

Colleen put together a whimsical stack.

Prairie plow

The Pottawatamie Indians had a settlement and the Mormon trail are within view in this photo

Floyd conducting a tour. Colleen in the hat.