Nature equals beautiful



















View from Berniece and Dr. Keith Swanson's home 

For all those who are asking, Butch is great. I cannot believe how well he is doing. We are walking at least two miles a day with weather permitting. Also trying to get last minute visiting in before we head south next Saturday. The weather forecast makes us wish we could head out sooner but we also have to get two different doctor visits out of the way...one on Thursday and another on Friday. I plan to wear my heavy coat.;-) Butch looks good and feels good and is not having problems of any kind. If it weren't for that lengthy scar on his tummy you would never know he had surgery. So...we are very grateful for all the good fortune we have been blessed with in the past and look forward to many more blessings in the future. A million thanks for all the helpful thoughts and prayers that came our way.

Silos&Smokestacks National Heritage Area

Butch and I saw a sign on I-80 near Des Moines and decided to check it out since we knew nothing about it. More places to explore in our own backyard!
Silos&Smokestacks National Heritage Area

At Jefferson Ia

Great picture of the blimp at Jefferson Iowa. Taken by Leo Brooker Thanks for sending it Leo! 

Goodyear Blimp

Butch and I are both from Jefferson Iowa and I have received many emails from numerous people about the Goodyear blimp making a visit to Jefferson. You can also read about it and see pictures at www.offenburger.com. And it must have flown north-northwest over Rockwell City Iowa when it left Jefferson because my sis Myrla was able to get this picture. The following email is from Lois Brant of Jefferson, a long,long time friend of ours.: "If you would like to see the excitement in Jefferson last week go to Google and type in Goodyear Blimp Jefferson Iowa lots of articles about the visit. It was a real kick for the town. We could get up close enough to touch it and could talk forever with the crew members. Wonderful experience for all. Limited space for riders (6) so a few people got to make the trip. Free BBQ every night and free donuts in the mornings. And it made a stop at the Homecoming football game.
Small towns do have fun. "

Sweet Dreams

Yellow monk's cloth with Red Heart sage,white and pink yarn. Venice pattern with the sweet dreams done with loop stitch. The end rows I nearly always improvise and I did so in this case. 

Wal-Mart Pillow with Swedish weave pattern Riverwalk plus my own addition. I used Bernat Camouflage yarn and one row in each riverwalk of Red Heart pink that does not show up that well in the picture.

Normalcy has returned. Butch is home from the hospital and we have returned to our daily walks. He is feeling good and I am too. We are having the itch to head south but we are just a few blood draws and doctor visits from being able to do that but the promise of it is just around the corner and it will be a YIPPEE day when it gets here. We are having an Indian summer. I even said we could stay here as long as the weather is like it is now. I am very much aware of how it can change in a heartbeat however. We plan to do some visiting while we are still here and able before joining up with our south Texas friends for the winter. See ya'all soon!

Butch is doing fine. He is feeling good and would love to go home but he is in for at least the weekend. His blood levels have to be right and they are not yet where they want them. He has had many wonderful phone calls and visits from relatives and friends and that has helped to keep him busy and distracted. We are hoping to hear that he can come home Monday. Will let all know. Till next time...

Things are better as of this morning.The dreaded catheter is out and all systems are go. They warned him that incontinence could be expected but so far that has not been the case. The pain from the blood clot has let up completely but he is still in the hospital with an IV getting heparin and coumadin tablets. We are still parked in Avoca (I will not move this thing;-)) and will be till October 12th. We still have no idea when Butch will be released. They have not mentioned it as a possibility yet. Say!!! The hospital food is fantastic...no kidding!!! Come on over and we will eat in. I took Butch his computer today so he is online through the hospital wifi. His email address is roadramblin@gmail.com . He will probably answer messages as long as he is confined but I would not count on it once they let him loose.

Can you guess what it is you are seeing in this photo? It is the weathered top of a post.


Sumac













Buzzard Creek 

Holly berries

A trusted source tells me the berries are holly berries.;-)

Bill and Jo Brooker are on a relative visiting expedition and stopped in Avoca for the weekend with their 5th wheel. Butch will not be happy until he loses some of the tubing he is carrying with him so we didn't do too much. We did go to the The Embers restaurant and enjoyed a great supper on Saturday and an equally good breakfast on Sunday morning. Saturday night we happened to see Berwyn and Irma Cleaveland from Oakland and that was a pleasant surprise.
Saturday afternoon Bill and Bev Gunderson stopped by for a visit too.
Butch is taking it easy and trying to not be a pain in the butt. He is succeeding most of the time. We have an appt on Wednesday to get rid of the aforementioned tubing and all thoughts are set on that goal. Till next time...

SV Sandpiper - Captain Tom & First Mate Amy's Log

While we are sitting still you can read up on this travel blog that is taking place on the water!
SV Sandpiper - Captain Tom & First Mate Amy's Log

"A positive attitude may not solve all of your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."

Passport Home

If Mexico is in your future you may want to get a passport
Passport Home

ER Morning

Butch and I went to ER in Atlantic this morning. He had pain in his foot, ankle and leg we thought might be a blood clot. They did an EKG, chest x-ray and ultrasound and concluded he had an achilles tendon problem from inactivity and not a blood clot. BUT since his surgeon was in Atlantic anyway...ahem...we were able to see him and Butch was able to get his staples out and get a very good pathology report. There was clear tissue all around what had been removed so they consider that a cure. He must continue to get PSA tests every 3 to 6 months to assure that he remains cancer free. I was so dreading driving in to Omaha tomorrow and now I do not have to...not this week anyway. We do have to go back next week so the catheter can be removed. So here is the latest info and we hope all is well with ya'all on this rain-filled Thursday morning.

34 Degrees!!!

We are in Avoca and doing fine. Butch is feeling good but wishing he was further down the road in the healing process after surgery. He was on the go all day yesterday and I kept trying to get him to slow his pace. Friends Leslie and Dick came to Avoca to watch their grandsons play football so we had them over for a chili supper. Dick had surgery on his knee awhile back so the guys are both in recovery mode.
Our next appointment with a doctor is Friday the 22nd. We should get an update from him at that time. Butch has not talked to him since surgery so I am sure he will have many questions.

The thermometer registered a whopping 34 degrees this morning and there was a coating of frost on the car! The cat didn't even want out. We are ready to head south at the first opportunity!!! ...and you can bet that we will!!

I received this tip in a newsletter two days before Butch's surgery and our kids
were able to use this info to save some money on there motel accommodations
while in Omaha.


"TODAY'S TIP(s): SENIOR'S Department
Just Say Yes
My girlfriend sent me these and I thought they would come in handy for
subscribers. I have received a discount at a hotel when my mother
became sick on vacation and had to be hospitalized for a week longer
than our original stay. The hotel was very generous in their discount
and let us stay in the same room. This was in Iowa were they had a
great hospital at the University.

Hotel/Hospital Discounts: My husband is having surgery at a hospital in
another city. I checked the discount sites online for hotel rooms. The
average price was $109 a night. I found the hotel closest to the
hospital and went to their site. It was also $109 a night. I called
their local phone number and asked about a discount for the hospital.
The same room is $52 a night. It never hurts to ask. All they can do is
say "no." - - - - - "

Storm Clouds in Omaha

Last night the clouds were building and we were told we were in for a stormy time of it and we were! I got some interesting cloud pictures and I very much enjoyed watching it build up from the 5th floor Bergan Mercy Hospital window.


 

Miss Angel

Sometimes the Swedish weaving gets slowed up by Miss Angel 

J.I.G.'s

Some Jefferson Iowa Girls (J.I.G.'s) get together every Friday for a potluck. Mickey and I, official members rode our bikes from Yale to Jefferson to join the group. We rode to Russell park in this wonderful jeep for great food and conversation. Pictured from L. to R. Colleen O'Brien Clopton, Mickey Sanders Starr and Chris Henning. 

Butch and I went to Mickey's in Clive IA on Saturday. Enjoyed a delicious meal and played Mexican Train with the grandkids. On the way home at 9:00 PM we saw a bicyclist on the bike trail! Sure hope he didn't run into any raccoons.

Ledges

At the Ledges State Park near Boone Iowa
Old Rock Face...Looks like he was blowing a bubble and it popped on his face.
This fountain is at Jason & Laura's place in Boone

Sister Myrla sent this picture. I think it is excellent and even more so if you know the story of these two cats. The one nearest to the camera is Tippy rescued from a life of hardship and crime by Myrla and Scott. The one outside is Scrappy, Tippy's brother who was somewhat rescued by a neighbor but does not have the same sort of life that Tippy enjoys. Write the rest of the story as you see it from the picture.

Yesterday I did not leave the house all day. It was a rainy chilly day and one made for staying inside. We listened to a book. 'The Kite Runner', I did some Swedish weaving and took a nap. Spaghetti and meatballs for supper. We do not often have days like that and they are nice for a change but not ones we want frequently. We will be in Yale until the 10th or 11th. Butch has his pre-surgery physical on the 11th in Atlantic so we will have a one or two day stopover there before going to the East Pottawatamie County Fairgrounds at Avoca IA., where we will be for the upcoming month.

Surgery Date ...Butch's surgery date is Friday,September 15th at 7:00 AM, Bergan-Mercy Hospital Omaha, NE.

Chuck Woodbury'sRoadside Journal

Chuck Woodbury's
Roadside Journal

I have been terribly neglectful lately but we have been in a holding pattern. It has been a weird summer all around! Butch was diagnosed with prostate cancer about a month ago so we have been involved with tests and lots of research. It was caught very early so the prognosis is good but still something that needs tended to. After to talking to lots of folks and reading lots of medical info he has decided on surgery. The actual surgery is two to three weeks off so we continue to be in a holding pattern but at least at this point we have a plan. I like having a plan. ;-) So instead of heading east and south this fall we will be staying put until the ol' guy heals up and is back to his usual hyper self. Then we will head back to the old stomping ground in south Texas to hole up for the winter. It looks like we will be in Avoca Iowa shortly before and after surgery. We need a place with full hook-ups as near to Omaha as we can get and that seems to fill the bill. Actually it is the only one that fills the bill! Maybe now that I do not have quite as many question marks in my head I can be a little better about posting. I had hoped to fill this space with the new and wonderful sights we were seeing as we traveled east and south but it will have to wait for awhile and maybe the fuel prices will go down. Yeah Right!!!

Another view

Another view of the overgrown bike trail 

My friend Sherri Clark took about 10 of her current and former daycare kids on a bike ride. She is pictured here with Parker. I went along as back up. It was a 6 mile ride on the T-bone trail and all but one made the entire trip. We did have one ,Sara, who crashed and ended up with some nasty scrapes but she too was a trooper.

Hannah has made the turn. 3 miles down-3 miles to go

Whoops!! I wanted to get this picture in with the ones about Floyds winemaking. Too good a picture to merely pass over so here you go even though it is out of sequence.

Matt is starting back

Overgrown T-Bone Bike Trail near I-80

A close up of a pine cone at Floyd's place

Went to see my old friend Floyd Pearce who we discovered has added winemaking to his numerous other pursuits. He is pictured here with grape, peach and rhubarb wines in the works.

Rolling Hills of Southwest Iowa

On Lake Anita- Butch's co-worker Marty Mills used to call it Lake of No Bites.

Butterfly

Chicory

A Crane on his perch and Swans

Butch didn't golf so well. Decided maybe it was too soon after his biopsy procedure and I must say I agree with him. Sherri and I biked twice around the lake. That translates to a little over 8 miles. We saw lots of deer in many different locations. There is one hill I do not feel up to so I walk it. Sherri was able to make it and waited for me at the top. Friends Sherri and Randy went to Fort Dodge this weekend and on the way home came through Jefferson IA to specifically stop at the A & W Drive-In. They called to tell me it has been closed!!! What a tragedy!!! This will disappoint many people. Till next time...

A great site for cloned recipes. Maybe your favorite is here.

Today we change location and will be at Lake Anita for a week. On Thursday, Butch will be having a prostate biopsy due to an elevated psa test. We are told there are many reasons for an elevated psa reading but to be sure he needs the biopsy. So we are on hold till we get some test results on the 17th. Till next time...

Fun Family Weekend We met the kids at Mozingo Campground near Maryville MO. It is also near the Mozingo Golf Course where Gary and Butch were entered into a golf tourney. Gary brought their camper trailer and Jason and Laura brought their tent. So the weekend was spent eating good-but-not-always-healthy food and playing Mexican Train. A fun time was had by all. It was extremely hot but from all we hear we may as well get used to that for weather. Till next time....