More Lake Anita Pics

My yarn scraps are in the robin's nest

Boys fishing with their dog

Merlin and Bevs grandson Mike

Merlin helping Mike with his catch. Merlin and Bev put their new pontoon on the water for the first time and we were lucky enough to get a tour of Lake Anita in it.

Catch up

I have added more photos to the Lake Anita Album. Just click on the album below and you can see the added photos along with the ones already there.
Butch had an appointment with his surgeon this morning and his PSA was at zero which is the desired result so he is "good to go". I am in the midst of dental fittings and such with one of the last fittings on Monday. Tomorrow is my annual physical. Other than too much weight gain things should be okay with that.

Storm Damage

We keep getting phone calls inquiring how we weathered the storm. We barely noticed it! But today we left the park for the first time and discovered we were very near some serious damage. I would say we missed it by less than half a mile. There are pictures in the album below of Jack Longs place south of Anita on highway 148.

Anita Storm Damage

Lake Anita Web Album

Click on the picture to view all pictures in the album. Keep tabs on this one because I will add pictures as time goes on.

Anita State Park

I have been trying to get some pictures posted to the blog and it has been so slow going that I am still trying. Today I am adding 1GB of RAM to this computer and I have hopes it will make a difference. It can be so many things when something isn't as it should be or it seems to suddenly behave in a different manner. This wasn't sudden. Ever since we left the valley it has been slow and I have attributed it to the change in Internet connection from cable/DSL to Verizon dial up. And that alone may be the issue. At any rate I am taking measures to alleviate the problem today. So there may be pictures on this site and the Magnolia one later today or tomorrow. Kay Voss got some great bluebonnet pics on their way home to Minnesota and I would like to share them with all of you.
We have had appointments every day since we arrived at Lake Anita. I thought we were going to get a four day break but it hasn't worked out that way. The dentist called yesterday and he didn't like the impression we had taken the day before and wanted to try again. So we did. Just arrived home from that when the computer place called and were ready to add the memory but I put them off till today.
Last night Jack Long (Butch's second cousin) and his friend took us out to eat at the Redwood. We had a nice visit and a wonderful meal.
Tonight we are eating at the China Hut in Atlantic with Oakland IA friends Dick & Leslie Cleaveland.
I haven't sent a reminder to look at the blog in quite some time. When I visit with friends in other ways, such as on the phone or in person I have no problem telling if they are blog checkers or not. I know life gets frantic at times and keeping up with us isn't always easy in more ways than one! The blog is a way for me to stay in touch with many people at one time without being too intrusive on your inbox. So check in on the blog and I hope make a comment if you are moved to do so.
The Lake Anita campground is full. Every year the State of Iowa offers a free camping weekend to Iowans and it is traditionally the first weekend in May. We were forced to close windows and turn on the AC last night due to smoke from campfires. This too shall pass.

Casey Square Dancers

Those who could make it from the Casey Square Dance Club met at the Redwood in Anita on May 1st. There were about 25 to 30 people in attendance. Some we had not seen for a very long time. Phyllis and Adele are pictured above.

Keith and Lonna Jennings pictured above

Webshot album

If you would like to view the webshot album in a might easier fashion click on the link on the right side of this page.

Meyer 50th Anniversary

Meyer 50th Anniversary

Lake Anita

We are enjoying our place on the lake. We have seen Canadian Geese, about a thousand Coots, Deer, a Skunk, a Beaver, Ducks, Fishermen and many different birds. There aren't many folks here yet so we pretty much have the place to ourselves. We decided to stay near one of the restrooms because it is tornado season. A run for cover would be easier to do here than in some places we have stayed. Although Butch seems to have a fatalistic approach to that sort of thing I believe in doing what I can within reason.;-)

Spring in Iowa is something special and not experiencing it for a time makes one appreciate it even more. The way sunlight plays in the trees with only partial leaves on the trees makes me grab my camera. The trees are budding and some are blooming. All things are new again in a way that is never true in the South. Every part of the country has its special features, true only to them. I am reminded to "Love the place you are"...and I do.

My Verizon Internet connection here is better than the WiFi in Peculiar and Carthage. It seems that WiFi is great in some places and a frustrating experience in others.

We have arrived at Lake Anita State Park and we are paid up for two weeks. We had a nice calm trip North from Peculiar Missouri. The only little bump was a turkey who decided to cross the road with barely enough clearance. Kinda scary after having a windshield so recently replaced.

We had a pleasant week with the Gary Brooker family.

Ahead of us now are doctor and dental appointments.;-) Not nearly as much fun but necessary. We anticipate that all is well.

We are on lot #108 at Lake Anita State Park. That is near the newest restrooms.

Truman Library and Museum

Click on pic for entire album:
Butch and I had never been to a presidential library before but now we have.

Truman Library and Museum

At Gary and Susan's

Click on the picture to view the whole album

At Gary & Susan's

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

I cannot take credit for taking this photo but we saw a bird like this while in Carthage. It is Oklahoma's State Bird but we won't hold that against it.;-)
 

Short Smooth Trip

We had a short smooth trip north to Peculiar MO on highway 71 or 71 highway if you are from Missouri.;-) Our windshield was replaced yesterday and it was a long day trying to entertain ourselves waiting for it to be done. Angel, who was locked in the bedroom didn't like it either and was also glad to see the day end.
We are going to be here for a week and then we will continue north to Lake Anita State Park until our doctor appointments are all taken care of.
Hope to see many of you soon.:-)

Sittin'...Waitin'

We are waiting for a new windshield to be installed before moving on. We caught a sizable rock in the drivers side windshield on our trip south last fall. That was after the tangle with the toll booth guard rail in Oklahoma. About an hour after. So we may wait till fall, October, before getting the rest of it fixed. So we are sitting and waiting...a little less patiently.;-)

Eastern Bluebird

There is an Eastern Bluebird nesting in the park. She has babies and is too busy to be shy. Bluebirds have always been a favorite of mine.
 

Brrrr

Southern Missouri...not that far from Texas...44 degrees at 2:30 PM. It snowed this morning. No, it didn't stick but it did snow.:-(
We are hanging around the house (motorhome) watching golf (not my choice)bundled up in afghans. There is chili in the crockpot for supper. All in all a cozy little winter day in APRIL!!

Quiet

Been awful quiet for a number of reasons. I have soft water, REALLY soft water at Coachlight RV park and I am washing everything in sight. The water in our deep south Texas location is so hard, really hard and the contrast is remarkable. Secondly it has been cold here too and we are not acclimated to it so I have been hibernating. Thirdly, I am working on a Swedish weave afghan for Amanda and Brad who are getting married in July. I did have it started this winter but had darn little time to actually work on it. I can say now I am only a few rows from being half finished. So we really haven't done much that is noteworthy. We do enjoy hitting the best restaurants in the area that we like. We have already looked over the historical sites in the area in years past. And fourthly my Internet connection in Texas is super(cable/DSL) and what I have to rely on when we leave (Verizon ) is less so and takes some getting used to.
Butch went golfing today. It looks like it will be the best weather today till sometime next week. I love to be able to go out the door without a seconds thought about needing a jacket or coat. Haven't had much of that this past winter and now not getting much of that this spring.
Bad news: Not spending much time outdoors
Good news: Getting caught up on indoor work projects.;-)

Catching S-no-wfish

 

Hwy 71 North to Carthage MO

I had myself really worked up about this trip north. Butch had decided that he had had it with Oklahoma roads and I did have to agree with him. They charge you for the privilege of driving on them and the roads are the pits. So he decided we were going to give highway 71 in Arkansas a try.
Highway 71 is far better than I had imagined it to be. There is sufficient shoulder and for the most part the road surface is smooth. It is twisty turny but
not to an extreme and it was not all that difficult to find
places to pull over. We stayed at the Y City Mountain Inn and
Campground. They have 3 spots with 30 amp electric near the road and
they offered us a spot for $10. We are happy about that.;-) We do not
mind paying a reasonable fee for a minimal service spot.
I am a far more nervous traveler than I would like to be. I
frequently have little mental talks with myself about how Butch is an
experienced driver. He has driven trucks all his life and has never
had an accident. etc. etc. I also ride with my eyes closed in some situations.
But now I know that highway 71 in Arkansas is not all that bad.

So now we are freezing our buns off in Carthage MO. We are paid up for a week and we have some things to attend to on the motorhome and it will depend on the scheduling of those issues on how long we stay here. Also with this cold I can't say we are all that anxious to go any further north any too soon.
I saw a beautiful little Mountain Bluebird this morning and couldn't get to my camera soon enough. But I will get back to taking some photos ASAP.

Rockport Maritime Museum

It is an album...so click on it.;-)

Rockport Maritime Museum

Flower Collage

Click on picture for larger view. I got these shots in an interesting way. I held the camera by the strap at ankle or calf level. I like the way they turned out. I am guessing it looked weird to onlookers.
 

Rockport Texas Area

Click on photo below to view entire album

Rockport TX

Rockport TX

We left the Rio Grande Valley this morning. Angel got out when I was putting my frog planter in and we had quite the ordeal getting her to decide she was coming with us. But after surrounding her with the help of neighbors, she let me pick her up. Our trip up to Rockport was uneventful and that is a good thing. We are staying at the Ancient Oak RV Park at the south edge of Rockport. The smell of the sea is awesome! We ate at Charlotte Plummers, said to be a great local restaurant right on the coast. The food was good. While waiting for our dinners of shrimp(me) and catfish(Butch) a boat came in with several burlap bags of oysters. We watched the negotiations on the selling of the catch. It looked like serious business. We are settled in for the evening but tomorrow I will take my camera and walk along the shore. We are here until Wednesday morning unless we decide to stay longer. We shall see!

Keeping Up

Magnolia Park looks pretty empty today. Not many of us left here. Butch and I will be leaving Sunday morning and going to the Rockport TX area for a few days before going to Carthage Mo so the motorhome can have its annual physical before we head to Iowa so Butch and I can then have ours.

Best friends

Huey and Tippy are best friends and rarely seen apart at my sister Myrla's home in Rockwell City Iowa

 

Click on pic

By the way, if you click on the flood picture you will get a much larger view. This works with all single pictures but not the albums.

Aftermath

First the snow now the flood. This is Leo Brookers front yard. I see he has also acquired some ducks.
 

Hood Ornament

Niece Emily Brooker picked up a new hood ornament on her way back to Creighton U.
 

Gladys Porter Zoo- Brownsville TX

Click on picture to view all of album

Gladys Porter Zoo

Blizzard Pics

Click on picture to see them all

Blizzard- March 2007

Thanks Connie!

Electricity is down the road

 

Butch doesn't miss it!!

 

Iowa Winter

Sister Myrla says they have had 8 inches of snow with 2-4 more expected today. They are getting weary of the white stuff.

 

RV Code of Conduct;-)

“Dear Fellow RVers,

Some of the most respected RV consumer clubs have joined together to support your right to park on private businesses’ parking lots overnight under the following code of conduct:

Industry-Sanctioned Code of Conduct

(RVers’ Good Neighbor Policy)



1. Stay one night only!

2. Obtain permission from a qualified individual.

3. Obey posted regulations.

4. No awnings, chairs, or barbecue grills.

5. Do not use hydraulic jacks on soft surfaces (including asphalt).

6. Always leave an area cleaner than you found it.

7. Purchase gas, food, or supplies as a form of thank you, when feasible.

8. Be safe! Always be aware of your surroundings and leave if you feel unsafe.

If your plans include touring the area, staying for more than one night, or necessitate conduct not within the code, please relocate to a local campground. It’s the right thing to do!



Most of the complaints lodged regarding RV parking on business parking lots have to do with aesthetics and perceived abuse of the privilege. There are a variety of competing interests that were balanced to arrive at this industry-sanctioned code of conduct. As you can see, the Code of Conduct is nothing more than an RVers’ “Good Neighbor” policy.



Not following the code has serious consequences and is detrimental to the rights of all RVers. Already, some municipalities have passed ordinances to prohibit parking on private business property overnight.



Please do not take offense to this letter; it is only provided as a reminder that RVers must be perceived as good neighbors, or there will be more pressure to institute state, county, and local ordinances to prohibit parking on private business property.



We wish you safe and happy travels,”

Haircut Chart

Which of these 1950's haircuts do you want?

 

After Haircut

Not quite as short as last time!

 

Another Haircut Day

Border patrol...patrolling
 
Before Haircut
 
During Haircut
 
Little Dude with pacifier
 

Padre Island Album

Click on picture below to view entire album.

Padre Trip

RV facts of life

The tool you do not pack for a trip will be the one you need. And the special ingredient you needed for your award-winning recipe will be the only one you left in your cupboard back home. These are RV facts of life.
And that's why we make our RV our home!!

Angel waits

 

RV Carpet Issues

Stop Right Where You are… Don't take another step! We have all experienced that feeling…either as the culprit or as the viewer. It never feels very good for either party. The inevitable, filthy, dirty, unexpected mess of the worst kind being tracked onto your carpeting. Don't worry, there are ways to quickly clean up, the right way.

Oil/Grease – If you're dealing with freshly spilled oil or grease, try to sop up as much of it as possible with paper towels or other absorbent materials to prevent it from spreading. The next step is to pick out an inconspicuous little piece of the material on which to test cleaning agents. You can try using mechanic's hand cleaner on the greasy spot. Liquid detergent and dry–cleaning solvents also work. Carburetor cleaner will work very well for all types of oily stains (this is a highly flammable and high–vapor compound so care must be exercised when using it). Finish up by washing the area with cold water and laundry detergent, then rinse and blot dry.

Tar – Road tar can make a real mess of things inside a coach. You can try the remedies suggested for oil and grease, but if they don't work, try turpentine. Surprisingly, mayonnaise will also cut tar. As always, make sure you test a hidden piece of the material before cleaning the main spots.

Mud – Allow the mud to dry out first. Then you can brush it to knock loose as much of the caked–on dirt as possible and vacuum it up. Any mud that remains can be removed by soaking it in cool water. If there is a residual stain, use a household detergent, then rinse and blot dry.

Coffee – This is one instance when you want to use hot water to remove a spot. Begin by soaking the stain with an enzyme presoak laundry product or, if the fabric can handle it, a color–safe bleach or chlorine bleach. Then finish up by washing the stain out with hot water. Blot up as much of the moisture as possible with paper towel

Quote

"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself."
-Benjamin Franklin

Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA

Okay, for all those people(2?) who have been on pins and needles waiting for word on whether or not we have the campground hosting position at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA at Winter Park, Colorado you can rest easy. We do!! June 1st will find us in the mountains of Colorado for the summer.
It is sounding like a very different way to spend the summer and we are excited at the prospect of it.

Penny Post Cards

Here is an interesting web site. Check out the postcards from your county.

I'm a pun loving woman!!

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off ? He's all right now.
The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference.

The butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.
To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

When fish are in schools they sometimes take debate.

The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

A thief fell and broke his leg in wet cement. He became a hardened criminal.

Thieves who steal corn from a garden could be charged with stalking.

We'll never run out of math teachers because they always multiply.

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, U C L A the math professor went crazy with the blackboard. He did a number on it .

The professor discovered that her theory of earthquakes was on shaky ground.

The dead batteries were given out free of charge.

If you take a laptop computer for a run you could jog your memory.

A dentist and a manicurist fought tooth and nail.

I fell through a screen door and strained myself

Whine, Whine, Whine

Today for the first time in nearly two weeks the sun shone and the temperature rose. It seems there is a winter weather lottery for Florida,Texas and Arizona and Florida wins this year. We were the winners last year. Our weather has been cool and damp...and we do not like it. Yes it is better than whats up north but it is far from what we are used to enjoying.
The plus side of it is that I have been working on getting the directory for the park done with pictures and it is taking more time than I counted on. With the weather being icky staying indoors and working on it has not been much of a hardship. So I have been less torn.
But now...I am all but finished with the directory and ready to move on to other things.