In Ol' Mexico

There is one store in Progreso that sells some craft supplies. The yarn is $1.25 a skein. I purchased three skeins to give it a try. It was nice to the touch. Appears to be two-ply but the ply's are heavy. They also have a large supply of embroidery floss.

Pecan Bill and Norma otherwise known as Pinky are having a discussion in Elsa's.

Thoughts of leaving

As the end of March is upon us we start to think about our trip away from Magnolia Park. Just as I always look forward to arriving I also look forward to departing and moving on to see other people, places and things.
We leave the park April 1st and will go to Palacios TX for a couple of days and then to Stephen Austin State Park and then through Houston on Sunday morning and then we will go to Pass Christian MS to see friends from Snow Mountain Ranch, Lum & Donna for a few days and then to Moultrie GA for awhile and then we shall most likely head north. Do not have any firm set plans for length of stay in MS or GA. We need to get our annual doctoring done in Iowa late April or May and then be at Snow Mountain Ranch by June 1st. I imagine a chunk of April and May will be spent parked at Leo's. But I am getting ahead of myself. It is a beautiful day here with light breezes and warm temps. Big fluffy clouds in the sky. Laundry is nearly done and getting close to lunch time.

Keep Movin On....

I have the GPS out again and am working with it again to see if I can justify the money spent on it again. We went to McAllen the other day and I took it with me just for fun. While waiting on an appointment I programmed it for our return trip. There is nothing like setting it up for failure when you are in familiar territory and know how it is messing up. I had programmed it for the town of Donna. We live on the edge of the city limits east of Donna so I knew we were going to pass our turn...the one programmed into it and we did. The GPS had us going clear to the next town to turn around. I told Butch that if we had been in an unfamiliar area we would now be having an argument over the darn thing. It simply cannot be trusted. I view it as a very expensive toy nothing more. The screen is too small and too dark too. Now before I paid big bucks for this tiny little thing I had used the one I have with the computer. The screen is bigger and it works much better. The downside here is it is bulky and I have to find a place to set it where I can keep it from falling and still see it. I am going back to this method on our trip out of the valley. Butch likes to know the elevation as we travel along. Like I said, it is a toy.

Apple Pie!!

Yesterday we went to Harlingen to visit with Marlene and Bernard. Marlene cooked us a scrumptious roast beef dinner with apple pie for dessert. Then we enjoyed an afternoon of cribbage and the guys were too, too lucky.

Ethan's Latest

There are some great pictures here of the handsome boy but that last one might find it's way around the Internet. Just think of the captions that could be added! Look below for one that comes to mind.

 

 

 

 

PHRRRT!!!!

Old Picture

Taken in about 1957

March Birthday Party

The birthday celebrants are Dale Cooklin March 1, Bill Stilson March 3rd and Barb Brooker March 6th.



The women at one end and the men at the other...some things never change.

Berwyn isn't shy about wearing his wifes hat!

What does it say on that bottle? Monkey what?

Growing like a weed!!

These babies grow so fast!!! This is good friend Connie Jones grandson Hayden.


"Hey World, I am looking you over!!"

Butch has/had a cold

Butch has/had a cold. You do not see this guy slowed down by much but he said this one was a BAD one. He could not get the faucet shut off. Finally resorted to Nyquil which the doctors tell us no one should ever use. So then he was able to sleep and get the faucet turned off. He missed golf yesterday if that gives you an indication of how bad he felt.
Allergies are bad down here. The humidity is high and the tree pollen is high, making for a bad situation. In northern climes the cold kills off all kinds of tiny bad boys but down here they thrive.
Next season I plan to start the allergy meds when we first arrive. Maybe I can ward it off. AaaaaaCHOO!!!!

Jared Hall and the Governor of Iowa

Jared is the son of my good friend Sherri. Be sure to check out Jared's website below. I love listening to Jared's music while checking out his website.

This is from Jared:
I played at the Heart Ball for the American Heart association last
night and the Guv and his wife danced to our last song "Piano Man"
-he liked the accordion!
www.jaredhallmusic.com

Trivia

Butch sleeps in. If he didn't it would really mess up my routine. I get up at 6 AM and make coffee then get on the computer. I check out the Des Moines Register, the Atlantic News Telegraph, my old YAHOO! email address that I never use anymore and then I go to igoogle which is set as my homepage and look at the headlines and the comics and last but not least I go to the blogs and post stuff. I forgot email...I do check and answer the stuff that requires one.
About 8 or 8:30 Butch gets up and I mess up his routine because he would like to get on the computer and do the jigzone puzzle and then spider solitaire but by then I am ready to go for the first of my required walks.
Last night I had fun setting up someones new computer. I like doing that for some odd reason. I know this gal fairly well and know what she uses and what she likes to do with her computer. It seems it is always easy to forget some little detail and I am sure I have. I plan to get it back to her today and we will find out what I forgot.

So now that I have posted to this blog I will go to the Magnolia Park one and find something to ramble on about. Have a good one!

Picture taking

I have quite a time getting my picture taken. I am never happy with it. I know many people that way. I knew when this picture was taken I wasn't going to like it. The young lady taking it was standing too far away and I could tell she didn't zoom in. The background is too busy etc, etc, etc. I really do need a good picture for the directory. Perhaps I can get one sometime before next January.

Mini-Reunion

Marlene and Bernard, Bill & Jo, and Butch and I are getting together today so we could call it a mini family reunion. We plan to eat out and go to the flea market/fruit and veggie market just up the street.

Butch and Bill Brooker

Butch and his brother Bill participated in the Senior Olympic Golf event in the Rio Grande Valley. They shot a respectable 75 on the Las Lagos Golf Course.

Old Time Photo

I always look at the old time picture on the Des Moines Register website and on Valentines Day I noticed in the upper left hand corner on this picture that it looked like it says Teddy Brooker on that Valentine sack. Cannot be sure though so what do you think? It may be Brooks which is much more common. Anyway I loved the picture. Sure brought back memories.

From 1955: Here is the caption that ran with this photo on Feb. 14, 1955: "Schoolrooms throughout Des Moines Monday - St. Valentine's Day - were decked with paper hearts and lacy paper frills, and into paper sack "mailbags" were stuffed many a finger-smudged envelope and crayoned message of love. These young first-grade romancers at Longfellow School, 820 E. Seventh St., were typical of small patrons of the saint in Des Moines schools. They are Susan Shutt and Jimmy Morgan."

Baby Pictures

Baby Lukas, grandson of friend Sherri Clark is not feeling well. I have a good idea that you will never have to wonder what is on this boys mind


And below we have the grandchildren(Delaney and Hayden) of friend Connie Jones. What is more fun than a grandchild? Two grandchildren!

What has happened?

What has happened to me? I used to be fairly organized, prompt, dependable and a few other adjectives. The days are whizzing by and I am not getting much done it seems. I always have such good intentions but the next thing I know a nap sounds like a good idea and boom it is time to go to bed.
But here I go again trying to turn over a new leaf and set a goal of posting something to the two major blogs for me every day. I suppose my bad habits have earned me a few less loyal readers and if so I fear I deserve it.
Yesterday I was reminded of a photo I took awhile back. We were at Pepe's on the River, a bar,dance hall, loud music, food and drink kind of place and we were there with 10 or 12 people when we look over at the next table and saw a man and woman reading a book! Yup, reading a book!
Here is the proof.

Angel's Doctor featured

Cumberland vet works with area farm critters, pets
by Jo Arn
Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 8:46 AM CST
Dr. Gregory Schmitt, D.V.M., of Cumberland presented a "Veterinary Medicine" video program for residents and guests of Allen House on Thursday afternoon. He recalled treating some of the farm animals and pets of several Allen House residents' through the years, and the audience enjoyed visiting with him about those days.

In fact, Dr. Schmitt took over the Cumberland Vet Clinic from the late Dr. Ray Denham in February 1986. Denham's widow, Helen, is a resident of Allen House and was there to visit with Schmitt.

ISU education

A graduate of Iowa State University in 1979, Schmitt received his DVM degree and was employed from June 1979 to February 1986 by Orange City Veterinary Clinic, P.C. of Orange City. .

He grew up in Marne, the son of Elmer and Shirley Schmitt, and graduated from the Atlantic High School in 1973. Schmitt and his wife, Karen, were married in 1975. They now live in Cumberland, where he has his veterinary office and also owns an acreage near town where he raises a few cattle. The couple has five children: Megan, Teri, Jedediah, Marielle and Levi; and one grandson, Colby.

Schmitt's main patients are cows and calves, but he also works with hogs, sheep, horses, and pets. The friendly vet works out of his office a block off Main street, where Teresa Stender serves as secretary, and Richard Swain is his assistant. The hours are long during calving time which starts in February and lasts until May.

When an auction is held at Massena Livestock Sales, Dr. Schmitt is there to help with the transfer of all the data needed in the identification of the animals being sold. USDA tags are used to identify animals at the sales barn. Brands are not used much in the state of Iowa as they are used in the western states for identification of animals.

The clinic's office numbers include: 712-774-5414, 1-800-497-2597; and after hours, Dr. Schmitt may be reached at 712-774-5618.

Dr. Schmitt remembers one client who brought her dog into his office. The dog was having urinary problems and the client was describing what she had been doing to "help" the dog because it was leaking urine. She put a pair of her undergarments with a sanitary pad on the dog so it wouldn't make a mess all over her house(the client was very sincere about the actions she had taken to help her dog.)You can only imagine the energy it took to keep the outbursts of laughter held in.

Monk's Cloth?

This is a somewhat long story and most likely only of interest to Swedish weavers.

I saw a lady Swedish weaving on a piece of
what she called monk's cloth she had purchased at
Wal-Mart. She said she had shopped at
Wal-Mart, Hancock Fabrics and JoAnns looking for
monks cloth and they told her
that was monks cloth. It looks nothing like any
monks cloth I have ever seen before. The squares
are not distinguishable as squares and if that is
monks cloth of the future my days as a Swedish
weaver are limited. She said she would never do
another afghan with it either. They told her at
Wal-Mart that the manufacturers had changed it.
This lady has done several afghans but was sure
this would be her last unless she could find some
"Real" monks' cloth.

I wrote to my supplier and asked her about it and she doesn't know of any changes other than the selvage being a little funky.
So to see a really good picture of it the best place is this blog as you can click on the picture to get a really good close up.

Click on the picture for a close up. Reva said she had to decide if she was going to weave in the top or the bottom part.

Better

It has been a long road with what people call the "Texas Crud". Sinus drainage, constant tickle cough, sleepless nights etc. But after three long weeks I can finally say it is a past experience and I definitely plan to take more precautions next year.
Feeling such as I was I didn't have the inclination to take many pictures but I have managed a few. It felt rather strange but I didn't spend much time on the computer at all throughout the past 3 weeks...But I AM BACK!!!
We have friends here from the Canyon Lake Texas area and it has been a fun and busy time. Last Friday we went to "Ropa Usada", used clothing in Spanish. It is quite the experience, a local thing that has to be seen to be believed.


Here we have Roxie and Lisa looking over the pile. They enjoyed it so much they plan to go back today.

Friends on Padre

Friends Jan Tallman, Brian Carlson, Jack Tallman and Mary Carlson doing beach talk.

Jack Tallman looks like he is ready for any kind of fun you can think of on South Padre Island

Boone Fire

There was a fire in downtown Boone Iowa yesterday. Michael Morlan who was helping with the firefighters oxygen took several very good photos. They were sent to me and I put together this slide show.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Kite Festival

Sunday we went to the Kite Festival on South Padre. The crowd was light due to the Super Bowl. We understand it was packed the day before.

Under the weather

I have been a bit under the weather lately with a respiratory incident but I am getting better. I could say the posts would be more prolific but we are having friends from the Canyon Lake Texas area come to the park next week so if I have time you will see more posts. Gotta get those excuses in early...wink,wink.

Baby Ethan and his Uncle Mike

Kay's Birthday

We surprised our friend Kay Stilson with a birthday party. Kay was sick and in the hospital on the actual day-January 5th- so we had to delay it a bit.

Nina's Blanket

I finished Nina's blanket and it is on it's way to Georgia. Pink monk's cloth does not photograph well so I think it was much prettier than the photo suggests.

Nina Grace

Look at those bright little eyes taking in her world.

More Awwww!!!

Baby Ethan started out less than 5 pounds and he is now over 8! Proud Grandma Laura is getting some great photos of him too.

AAAAWWWW!!!!!

Beautiful Baby Delaney Jones

Proud Grandpa Jones with not one but two little grandbabies to enjoy. Delaney on the left and Hayden on the right.

Peaches and Hewy

My sister Myrla now has two dogs, Hewy and Peaches. I have posted pictures of them in the past. She also has a cat named Tippy and a many-times-beaten-up outdoor cat named Church. But this is about Peaches.
From Myrla: "When Hewy gets a big treat Peaches will go bark at the window until he comes & takes a look & then she runs & grabs his puppy treat !!

Making Snowmen

My friend Sherri who runs a daycare in Atlantic shared photos of the kids making a snowman. The result was absolutely kissable!

Jefferson Iowa Winter

Click on picture below

Leo's Pics