Thermostat Wars

 He has thyroid issues so I tell him his thermostat is broken. It seems it doesn't matter where we are; Iowa home, Texas home, or in the car one of us isn't comfortable. I exaggerate. It really isn't that bad. It just seems that way sometimes. 

We knew a couple a few years ago, Bonnie and Fred, who had extreme thermostat issues. I think Fred set it on his age. He was in his 90's. He was never warm enough. They were a late-in-life couple and Bonnie was from a way-up-north state. The situation got to the point that Fred would not go with her in the Spring because he had a hard enough time staying warm in South Texas and way-up-north was out of the question. They are both gone now so their thermostat war is over. I trust they are both comfortable.

Many, many years ago I helped my nearly blind grandmother walk home from church. I know it was during lent because there would be no other reason for walking home after dark with her. I must have been 8 or 9 years old. I wore a light and airy dress that was new and I had not worn a sweater or a jacket. We stopped in the "Little Store" so I could warm up. It was in the days of Neighborhood Grocery Stores. A young boy of 10 or 11 happened to be in there. His name was Butch Brooker but I didn't know that then. When we stepped in Grandma Brock said, "If you would wear some clothes you wouldn't be cold!" Butch has never forgotten that.

So here is hoping your thermostat wars are amicable.

Ageless

Activity Overload

 It boils down to decisions that I understand get more difficult with age. Butch and I were quick deciders all our lives with mostly good results. We can still make quick ones today, they just take longer. (That's a joke.)

The number of activities taking place in Trophy Gardens this month could boggle the soundest of minds. If you cannot find your niche, you aren't trying. Trivia is still taking place on Tuesday nights in the main hall. And we have dedicated groups that are hanging in there but we had two teams who decided to do something different last night and that is A-OK. My guess is they were resting. 

Oh,yes! Team Part Timers won with a score of 128. It was noticed that they spun a pencil in the middle of the table to decide the answer to some of the questions. Hey, whatever works, right? Congratulations!

There are over 600 people in the park, way up from the covid years, and I think everyone is trying to make up for the lost time. We must admit it was an event that touched everyone's life in one way or another, still is, and probably always will!

So choose your activities wisely and keep some quiet time for yourself to recoup.

Best wishes always!!

Iowa Potluck

 Yesterday afternoon we attended the Iowa Potluck supper in Trophy Gardens Main hall. There was a guestimate of 70 people in attendance. The twins, Mary and Marge host it each season and they do an excellent job. These things do not happen by themselves and it gets a bit more of a challenge when we hit the 'birthday button' each year. An abundance of volunteers magically appears and that helps too. 

After the meal, we played trivia. We were divided into teams by the tables we were seated. There were 20 questions all about Iowa. Our table won an ice cream treat from DQ by answering 17 questions correctly.

I am sure they thought it might have been a bit slanted in our direction with me heading up trivia every week. But the truth be known, putting the questions together isn't that much help. Butch, Darrel, and Linda were much quicker and more correct with the answers. Also, there is a guy back in Iowa that helped a great deal and he wasn't even here. Denny Lautner is an expert on Iowa trivia and he came to the trivia sessions we had each Thursday in our pool hall. And every now and then he would give us a few Iowa questions so I guess you could say we practiced.

Gotta Few...

 Gotta few... minutes before going to the pool hall to line up the mixed doubles event this afternoon at 1:00. I am committed to two of the events taking place in the park. This and trivia. There shall be no more on my todo list. I do enjoy both of them.

Yesterday Darrel and Linda Millard came by for happy hour. Darrel and I were classmates from kindergarten and grew up in the same neighborhood. We started reminiscing and discovering all kinds of connections through various people. He casually mentioned one of his best friends Donald Zimmerle. Donnie is a cousin of mine. And it went on from there. Butch and Darrel both set pins at the bowling alley but having 2 years difference in age they didn't work at the same time. It was a fun and happy hour. A happy surprise!

My few minutes are up for now...