Hard to believe

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is nearly here. It is my favorite holiday. I love the food. You can tell that by looking at me but that really isn't why it is my favorite holiday. I love it because of the meaning behind it. Being grateful and thankful for all that we are blessed with in our lives. Taking time to express that gratitude and all that it means. For me every day is Thanksgiving. My gratitude list is exceedingly long.

For SMR People...

And those who live in Colorado.

Snow Mountain Ranch Volunteers: You're from Colorado if...

Sweet!!

Ethan's First Birthday!


He loves birthday cake!!!

Humdrum

No AC this morning! It is a nippy 45. But it is supposed to warm up to the high 70's today. Tuesdays are a busy day for us. We have coffee hour at 9:30 and being an officer of the park association my attendance is required. Golf starts at 11:00 and it is a few miles away so Butch wants to head out at 10:30. We are usually through golfing about 1:30. That includes some social time at the clubhouse. It can be even later when we have more golfers participating. That puts us back in the park by mid afternoon but also puts me in the mood to put my feet up and forget it...bear in mind a morning and afternoon walk in addition to the walking on the golf course. We always try to make the two walks mandatory regardless of how much other walking has taken place. When it comes to walking more is better!
Today Butch plans to get some electrical work done for a couple of folks. I plan to get a haircut. I will have Yolanda do it this time. Kate is my favorite but she is in Atlantic IA. Butch does an okay job in a pinch.
I also have a couple of computer assistance calls to make. One will not take long. The other could be lengthy since she has a new computer.
So now you know what we are up to...not much!!

AC

We have had the air conditioner running the past two days but it looks like we can shut it off today with highs in 70's. The weather has been superb since we arrived. The only negative is the bugs. They thrive in this warm, moist environment and the chiggers are the worst! I spray OFF! on my feet and legs every morning before I head out the door.
The only thing that will take care of them is bug spray or a cold spell. We usually get at least one cold spell during the "season" and it usually happens in December or January sometimes but rarely in February. After the cold spell we have Spring!

Picked it up

We picked up Butch's computer this morning and I spent a fair amount of time getting it set up for him. So he is back to having his own to play games and check his email. He does check it more often when it is on his own computer. That doesn't mean he will answer anything just so you know.
It is a cute little thing and hasn't given us any challenges yet. Seems to be zippy enough and Windows 7 doesn't appear to be that much different. I found my way around without a hitch. It doesn't have a ton of hard drive so I do not plan to use it as back up for this one. I have an external hard drive for that tucked safely away. Oops...it does need to be updated. How easy it is to forget that!!
I do not have any idea what I did to this one to make it straighten up and behave itself but it is working fine. I have no plans to make a change until I am forced to. Setting one up for Butch is a whole different ball of wax than setting one up for me.

Butch has a new one

I finally purchased a new computer for Butch. He will have a Samsung Netbook once we go pick it up from Best Buy. He would get enmeshed in Freecell and Spider Solitaire and I would have to scoot him off to get my stuff done. He also missed his settings on his computer-the ones to get him to his financial sites and jigzone and his gmail which he probably hasn't looked at for a month or more.
So after I get it set up for him he will be back in business. Should be most interesting...it has Windows 7!

Reseeded

They reseeded the greens at the golf course Butch likes to play best so he hasn't been able to golf much.
Also there aren't that many people here yet. Much lighter in numbers than in years past at this time. Not sure that will hold true all season.
I know of an RV for rent if someone wants to come down. Email me and we can see about details.

Fun in the sun

We tend to get in somewhat of a rut while here...Tuesdays is golf...Fridays is computer class etc. But what that means really is that life is rolling along smoothly. We both feel well and are doing what we enjoy doing. What more could anyone ask for.

Butch has been doing some electrical work. I have had a few computer calls. We get our two plus miles of walking in every day. Life is good!!

Misting

We are getting a mist of rain today. So we are listening to an audio book. Angels and Demons. More Butch's cup of tea than mine.
This was taken this morning on Cherry street.

Sugar, Sugar

This is a sugar cane field. Not ready for burning just yet.

This truck was on the expressway loaded with cane. I assume it is headed for the factory where it is extracted.

Solar Oven

So how neat is this!!! I am thinking I would like to have one but I am also thinking I will be told there is no room. Neat though and very interesting.

http://www.solarovens.org/

Chicago Hot??

Note* I obtained this recipe from an August 1955 Workbasket Magazine. it
interested me because of a similar one I put together last winter. The salt content
worries me a bit but I plan to cut the recipe in half and try it.

Recipe: Chicago Hot
Category: Relish
Author: Mrs. Theodore Edner-Minnesota

8 C Tomatoes, cut fine
1 C Salt
2 C Onion, cut fine
3 C Celery, cut fine
2 Red and
2 Green Peppers, cut fine
2 C Sugar
1/2 C Mustard Seed
1 qt Cider Vinegar

Let tomatoes and salt stand, covered overnight. In the morning, drain well and add
onions, celery, peppers, sugar, mustard seed and vinegar. Mix, heat to boiling and
can in sterilized jars.

Snippets and a ladybug

You know how you accumulate little scraps of this and that- a meter reading- a recommended book title-tax info that needs filed-recipes- a recommended website ,etc. Well today I started sorting through this scrap pile and ran across a receipt for a package I had mailed on 8/31. It had included a check so went to check out if it had been cashed and it had not so followed up on that and asked for a picture of precious little Nina Grace Cortes while I was at it and got very lucky. This is Nina Grace with her Grandma Donna. You just never know where things may lead you on any given day.

Tuesdays in Texas

Golf is so much a part of Butch's conversation that sometimes someone will ask me if I play. I usually respond with "On Tuesdays in Texas". So I played yesterday and shot a 41. The first 3 holes I didn't do so well but it improved after that. There were 4 of us from the park who played. That number will expand as the season progresses. I think we had as many as 28 last year.

Warm and Wonderful

The weather has been wonderful and the ten day forecast promises more of the same. This picture that I took was through our south window of a mesquite tree with a reflection of a palm tree from the north window. Interesting concept, don't you think? Click on it to make it bigger to get the full effect.

It seems

It seems many of my friends have gone to Facebook. I do have a Facebook page but I have no plans to abandon this blog for it and it remains sparse. Our news and updates will remain here. I find Facebook chaotic and confusing and I am way too busy to "farm" or even help others out with their "farming". Scrolling down to find messages I want to know about is like sorting through spam. The only time I check facebook is if I get a reminder in my email and I may respond at that time. It is easy for me to see who reads the blog and who doesn't...maybe I should just go back to email only.
Hmmm perhaps I awoke on the wrong side of the bed this AM.

Butch went to the flea market. Looking for new golf clubs. Like that is going to help.
Geez...I am grumpy!
This too shall pass....

Plunked

When we arrived on Wednesday we felt as though we had been plunked into a hot humid day in the middle of August in Iowa! I haven't sweat that much for a long, long time! And the wind doth blow!! But now a cold front has made its way down and we are considerably cooler. Not supposed to exceed the low seventies today.
Yesterday we went to Mexico for meds. Progresso hasn't changed although they are digging up the street in the first block and replacing sewer pipes. Are they doing it safely? Well no, Mexico hasn't changed that much! We didn't stick around long just grabbed our meds and scooted back to USA. They were being very thorough on the check of the guys ahead of us but we sailed right through the border check. On our return we decided to go to Gonzales Burgers before the crowds get here. We were too late!! The place was packed and we waited just as long as we always do. Butch and I shared a burger and it was plenty for both of us. The prices have gone up though. A humongous cheeseburger is now $4.10.
It takes us a bit to settle in for 5 months and we are not fully settled but we are making progress.

Arrived in the Rio Grande Valley

We have arrived in very warm,windy sunny South Texas. We are settled in Magnolia Park. I must say not many people are here yet but a little down time before the deluge starts suits me just fine. I will put the time to good use getting ready for a busy winter.
Our trip down started with a bit of excitement of the negative sort. We use a brake buddy on our car. For the uninitiated, it is a device in the car that puts the brakes on in the car when Butch puts the brakes on in the motorhome. It is an additional safety device. Well the little bugger failed and not in a good way. The brakes came on in the car and stayed on!! Fortunately Butch noticed rather quickly as we have a device in the MoHo that lights up when the brakes in the car come on and we were able to exit I-35 and attend to it. We disconnected it and continued on our trip without incident...except for the wind. 40 MPH headwinds all day. But we are here!!! We saw this H.E.B. truck and took the advice. We went to the store first thing!



We had a fun time in Canyon Lake with the Linders. Butch and Terry played the Fling L golf course in Bandera TX while Lisa and I explored the town of Bandera. It is full of cowboys,bikers(the Harley type) and old people. It is a very interesting town indeed. I took a photo of an artist who was working in the senior center thrift shop. She had on very interesting pants.

Rain Day

Yesterday was a rain day so we spent it in San Antonio. We enjoyed a shopping expedition with friends Terry and Lisa Linder. It poured rain all day but with the promise of sun and dry for Tuesday it didn't seem too bad. Butch and Terry have golf plans for today.

Movin on down

We left the Pecan Plantation and our friends Mike and Sharon Bryce and moseyed on down the road to Canyon Lake TX...north of San Antonio.

When we open the door of the MoHo and hear the twirling chirp of grackles we have arrived in sunny South Texas!

Swedish Weaving Class-Granbury Texas

I met Cindy a few years ago online through a Swedish weaving site on Yahoo. I met her in person last year about this time. I told her we were in the area and she told me about her class so I stopped in yesterday afternoon.

Shortly after this photo was taken Cindy poked herself with a very large needle (the blood really spurted!)and had to go for medical attention. So our visit was cut short but Cindy is okay and will live to weave again.

Rain, Rain and More Rain

It rained all day yesterday and all night last night. There is standing water everywhere. Our home is on somewhat of a gravel pedestal so we didn't have any immediate worries. I know it was in excess of 3 inches of rain perhaps closer to 5 inches.
But today the sun has finally made a reappearance. Yippee!! We need to get ourselves outside for some exercise. And perhaps we can do some touristy things without getting wet.

Deer

The deer are plentiful on Pecan Plantation

Our son Gary

This is a great picture of our son Gary- the Missouri son.

Situation

Here is the situation as we have it right now. We are located at the Pecan Plantation Campground near Granbury Texas visiting friends Mike and Sharon Bryce. Our Internet connection exists but it is weak, slow and intermittent. I am able to check mail and do basics. Our Verizon phone connection is always or nearly always searching for signal which draws our battery down very quickly. So to reach us it is probably best by email while we are here. And we are not sure how long that will be. I can make phone calls however. The whole situation is a little weird.
They tell us it is really hot yet in the valley and the weather is nearly perfect where we are so we find ourselves in the midst of a balancing act. So while we are in limbo bear with us. I hope you blog checkers still check in and I will continue to try for daily posts but if I do not, you will know I ran into a technosnag(my word).
We arrived here about 10:30 this morning and Butch and Mike headed for the golf course shortly thereafter while Sharon and I visited the afternoon away.
Sharon made Runza Casserole and pecan pie bars for supper so you know Butch was in heaven. Golf and his favorite casserole and dessert to boot.
Tomorrow it is supposed to rain so not sure what we may be doing...but it will be fun for sure.

Parade Chickens

It was way too cold for us to go to the parade yesterday so we watched on tv and I took photos just like I was really there. No, the quality is not as good but we were much warmer. When the parade was about 2/3rds done it really poured! That made our decision even more sane!
Here is the slideshow!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Oops!

Butch just checked our "repair" on the fridge. We will be sticking around in Carthage until it is really fixed.

Maple Leaf Festival & Parade?

Maple Leaf Festival & Parade take place this morning in Carthage Mo and we seem to find ourselves in this area every year. Creatures of habit, aren't we all. Last year was chilly and damp but we went anyway because it is such a nice parade. One of the best we have ever seen. This year it is dark, dank and just plain COLD. We will most likely pass on it this year. Butch is still in bed for one thing and it takes us longer and longer to get ready to go anywhere. But more so the cold. It does not take much of it for me to go into hibernation. I received an email from an online Swedish weaver acquaintance who winters in La Feria TX every winter and she is in her Texas spot and says it is HOT. I am ready for some hot.
Yesterday we kept our appointment to have our refrigerator looked at. I was getting condensation around the door to the point where I needed a rug there to catch the drips. It was a simple fix. Something was not making a connection. Now it is and no more drips. Simple if you know what the problem is!
Tomorrow our Missouri kids are coming to see us before we leave the show me state for warmer climes. Monday AM will find us on the road aimed at Texas. Earlier than usual rather than later actually.
Till next time...

My Cousins Slideshow

My Cousins Slideshow of the Pacific Northwest-Photographer Howard Zimmerle
Way to go, Cuz. I am impressed.


The Pacific Northwest

Helpful Steps to Prevent the Swine Flu

In addition to the article below I want to mention a neti-pot. Butch has had trouble with allergies for several years and has taken medication for it. I have had a problem in the last few years and particularly in South Texas. We have started using a neti-pot. It is simple and easy to do although it can seem a bit daunting to begin with but after the first time or two it is easy...very easy. Butch has stopped taking the allergy meds entirely. Wal-mart carries the neti-pot we purchased. It is made by Neil Med. I used to use saline nasal spray with limited success. This is much much easier and more pleasant. Your sinus and nasal passages feel so clean and refreshed after using the Neti-pot.
www.NeilMed.com

Helpful Steps to Prevent the Swine Flu

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1, in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):



1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).


2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*


5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits).. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.


6.* Drink as much of warm liquids (Tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the rever

Chili Weather

Rained most of yesterday, still dark, dank and dreary today. They are promising sun tomorrow afternoon. But highs are not expected to be above 55 whether we have sun or not. I do not mind a few days like this but a few is all I like.
I need to get back to walking and hope to do that today rain or no rain.
The park is full so there is plenty to watch. It is like being at the zoo. People are funny and do the funniest things.
We had chili last night for supper. Every cook I know has their own special chili recipe. Here is mine:
Barb's Chili
1 lb hamburger,browned and drained
1/2 large onion chopped
1 can Mrs. Grimes or Bush's Chili beans
2 cans Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with green chillies (one hot and one mild)
8 oz. can of V-8 or tomato juice
1 T. brown sugar

Combine ingredients in a crockpot and let simmer 6-8 hours
Sometimes I add green pepper,grated carrots or different kinds of beans. Butch prefers I use 2 cans of Ro-tel hot diced tomatoes. I also double this recipe if we are having company or I want leftovers.

Carthage MO

Arrived in Carthage yesterday around noon. Butch started washing the MoHo almost immediately! Been talking about it for months but yesterday was thee day. The water is exceptionally soft here. It always amazes me.
We are paid up for a week and then we do not know for sure. May decide to stay a bit longer or move a bit further south. We may make that decision on Friday when we have our appointment for the MoHo. In the mountains I was getting what we assumed were grease stains on my clothes when I washed them. They always had the same pattern and Butch was sure it was the washer. After we called for this appointment Friday it hasn't done it since. And then we were also having condensation around the refrigerator door, enough to make a puddle. That has let up also I assume due to less humid weather. So these two tenuous things are what our appointment is all about. So the outcome is also tenuous.

The Maple Leaf Festival is this Saturday in Carthage. It seems we are always in the area when that happens. Last year the weather was 'see your breath cool' and the forecast is for the same this year. It is always a good photo op though and they always have an excellent parade.

Long winded update

Jason & Laura,bride & groom with Michael,Laura's son and Nicole,Laura's daughter holding grandson Ethan.



It has been a busy week. Jason and Laura were married at the Willow Creek Glass Chapel near Minden IA last Thursday evening. It was a beautiful wedding. During the ceremony a little mouse was watching from above. The owners were mortified but it was cute. The glass chapel is a very beautiful place for a wedding set in amongst Iowa cornfields. It is worth a look even if a wedding is not in your plans.

Butch and I stayed at the Bluffs Run RV Park near the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs. It reopened in June of this year. It had been an RV park back when the dog track was the only business in that area but closed when the casino came in. We could never figure out why they closed it because it was always busy. Security makes frequent drives through the park and surrounding area. $30 a night with taxes included so considering location, security etc. it is not a bad deal. The wedding party stayed in the nearby Springhill Marriott. The wedding supper was at Tish's an excellent restaurant not too far away. It is a restaurant I would gladly go to again. Excellent food and reasonable prices.
Friday we all went shopping and to a movie (Couples Retreat)etc. It is always a treat to hang out with the kids.

Saturday morning we awoke to the record breaking snow and cold that hit the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. We had read the forecast so we had unhooked our water hose from the motorhome. The lowest reading we had on our indoor/outdoor thermometer was 27 degrees. But it was slick and slushy with 5 to 8 inches of snow so we waited until near 11:00 AM to hook up the car and head south.

We had an uneventful trip south to Peculiar. Saturday evening I was in bed and Butch was about to be when we heard a crash. He couldn't tell where it was so we assumed it was on the highway. It wasn't! A truck from an upper level came over the side and crashed into a car and motorhome on our level two slots to our right. The recipients of the crash will not be getting to Arizona as soon as they planned.


They were in bed asleep when this occurred.

Below we have Wiley, Angels 20+ pound son who lives at the Gary and Susan Brooker home.

Today we are headed for Carthage MO. Minor motorhome business before wending our way slowly southward.

Jason & Laura Brooker

We attended a very special wedding this past Thursday. Our youngest son Jason married his best friend Laura. She has been a loved part of our family for a long time and "At Last" it is official.

Make a Smilebox greeting

Sun Kissed

Every now and then Iowa offers up a special treat. The sun was low on the western horizon and kissing the tree tops offering us this special view.

Lake Anita Walk

Make a Smilebox greeting

Frost on the Pumpkin

Woke up to frost this morning! 32 degrees! I looked at the 10 day forecast and the prediction for frost on the pumpkin is steady through the next 10 days. That is about how long we will remain in Iowa before we go to Missouri and see if it is better there.

There was a new post on the Magnolia Park blog about their first garage sale. Two things I noticed-people were wearing shorts and someone had a tee shirt that said "Keep Austin Weird". Texans thinks Austin is weird! How interesting.

Auction Results

It didn't go so well. There were no buyers there. The car brought a reasonable price but the rest of it brought next to nothing. Slightly better than giving it away which we nearly did. Butch and I have had two auctions neither of them very successful. The one conclusion we have come to is that when and if we furnish another home we will do it through auctions. A perfectly good bedroom suite- 3 pieces-brought $12.50! If a person is patient and persistent an entire home could be furnished for next to nothing.

We had not been to an auction for a long time so from an unattached perspective it was interesting. And I could have been tempted a time or two but the old question of where do I put it in the motorhome stops me every time.

As the year goes by we do put things aside for sale when we get back to Magnolia Park in south Texas. I have never seen sales do as well as they do there anywhere else in the country!

Cold & Rainy!

We are all cuddled in our cozy little home. Todays weather is like the worst weather day we could get in the middle of January in south Texas. The high for today in Anita Iowa is 45 degrees!!! It is a TV and popcorn day.

Movie in Lenox

My sister Teri is a teacher in Lenox IA where they made a movie. She sent me a link to the trailer for the movie.
"There is a trailer on youtube for “The Crazies”. My room is in the very last scene in it, where the room is full of gurneys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNwEtEnf0M4"

Teri

Jason & Laura

A week from today Jason and Laura are getting married at the Willow Creek Glass Chapel in Minden IA. I will take pictures of course and post them.

At Lake Anita

We left our spot in Jefferson yesterday and made our way a few miles further south to Lake Anita State Park, Anita Iowa. We will be here until October 8th when our youngest son, Jason is getting married. More on that later.
After we arrived yesterday we went to Atlantic to visit with friends Randy and Sherri. Randy has been seriously ill but seems to be slowly on the mend now. We have been concerned about him. He isn't out of the woods just yet but we hope he is headed in the right direction.
We also stopped by Bob's apartment and picked up a bit so it wasn't quite so disastrous. We left the keys so we can close that chapter completely now. I plan to go visit him but after the auction.
Rainy day- I hope to get a walk in but we may have to work it in between showers.
Later...

Life goes on...

Yesterday Butch filled in for our friend Randy as he is under the weather. He played with Sherri and two other couples in a golf tournament in Red Oak. I stayed in Jefferson and went for a long walk around the town. Bumped into friend Shirley Franey and we chatted a bit. Other than that it was me and the cat. I did watch Our National Parks by Ken Burns on PBS and enjoyed it very much.
Oh yes, they did well in the golf tournament with a 64 but they did too well and didn't cash in. It is the nature of things.
Today we are headed to Clive, near Des Moines, to assist friend Mickey in some gutter work on her house.
Soon, like Wednesday or Thursday we will be changing our location to Lake Anita.

Just too funny!!!

I could not resist on this one...Really struck my funny bone! Click on it...should make it bigger.

Free at Last!

Butch and I finished up with Bob's apartment on Wednesday. His auction will take place Oct 1st. It was a big job but we kept at it till it was all done and now we can return to our normal routines. Yesterday was a day of rest and doing only what suited us. We went for a two mile walk, I took a nap in the afternoon,Butch played golf.
I stopped at the courthouse to have my memory refreshed about tax sales and when they take place etc. So next June something may be available for us to buy. Too early to tell now but we were told it is very likely something will be available.
The weather has been uncommonly good. Moderate temperatures with more than enough sunshine every day.
Life is good!

Golf tournament

Randy, Sherri, Doug, Karen, Butch and I played in a golf tournament in Atlantic on Sunday. We came in the money! I felt okay about how I played considering I haven't touched a club since March. It was a fun day and I sure needed one. I am pictured here with my club, a golf ball and a red beer. Doug asked me if I wanted a beer. I said only if you have a V8 for me to mix it with. And he had one!! It is such a rare sight to see me with a beer that they HAD to take my picture. I am with Sherri in this shot.

New Tires plus Bob

We got all new tires mounted on the motorhome today. That was a major bite in the budget. We should be good to go for another 5 or 6 years now.

I am still snowed under with Bob's stuff but I made great strides yesterday when I called the auction people to come give me an assessment. They were very encouraging and I now feel I can see the end of the tunnel. There will be an auction in Atlantic of his things including car on October 1st. It might pay his way in the nursing home for one more month. The whole experience has made me grateful we have nursing home insurance.
It has also once again made me aware of material things and their lack of value. Bob has a list of over 100 items he wants me to bring to the nursing home. He will not have room for even one fourth of his requests. Many of his things will be stored in the nursing home basement where he can "visit" them. Among his requests are 4 mirrors, all of them larger than 2'x 3', 10 to 15 decorative items to hang on the walls, 7 or 8 stuffed animals, 4 personal pictures and a plethora of plastic flower arrangements. He also wants his fishing poles,tackle box, tool box,recliner, marble topped coffee table, desk, home theater system, radio, side chair and 4 lamps. He made me a list. It covers both sides of an 8 x 11 sheet of paper and he writes very tiny. And now you have had a glimpse of my life for the past two weeks. And I haven't even mentioned the law suit he wants to bring against a surgeon and the Cass Co. Hospital. He was really hot to go visit with lawyers on that subject for the first week. I have hopes he has backed off on that one but there is no guarantee the subject will not come up again. The man has trouble letting go of anything!!!
On the positive side- He loves the nursing home food. Says it is top notch.

I will let you all know when I am once again free of the ties that bind.

Yesterday and today

Yesterday was catch up day for me after not being home much all week. So laundry and cleaning took the bulk of the day. And then in late afternoon we went to Spring Lake for a retirees reunion for Iowa Electric/Alliant Energy. Not only did Butch work for Alliant Energy my father was an employee of Iowa Electric before he died. So I knew most of the people there. It was great to see all those people again.

Today we are headed to Atlantic to play in a golf tournament with our friends Randy and Sherri Clark. I haven't played since Texas but I doubt that it matters much. Doesn't to me anyway!!

Another update is that we met with the landowner in Jefferson that we had high hopes would develop into something. It won't. It seems Jefferson is not really very interested in new citizens. We are still looking at Cooper, Jamaica and Yale. Jefferson went even further down the list when Butch found out there is a surveyor who runs this town and the property herein. Even so far as to tell a property owner, the one we wanted to deal with, what he can ask for his property and what he has to do to it to have it ready for sale. This guy goes to every city council meeting and puts his two cents in every time property is discussed. It is no wonder this town is sinking!
Butch checked with another surveyor in another county and the rules the Jefferson guy are instituting are peculiar to this town. So is he making his own rules? We tend to think so.
Maybe we will take a closer look at Cooper.