A special Day

I was busy cleaning house and Butch was busy with the east wall in the breezeway when the phone rang and it was Jason. He said, "Wanna go to an auction?'. I said that I would check with Butch and see if he was up for it. He was. So we cleaned up a bit and met Jason and Laura at the auction in Grand Junction. This was a big auction and at one time the people who lived there were among the very rich. The house was set in a wooded area at the end of main street. Three acres of land with a servants house besides the main house. The house was 4 stories tall if you counted the basement and attic. The attic held an old-fashioned pool table with three  2 inch plus thick slabs of slate. We had one very similar when we lived in Aurora Ne. We moved it from Jefferson to Aurora. It had been in the pool hall in Jefferson years ago. I bought it from Beachy Kendall whose father owned the pool hall. I am sure it is still in the house in Aurora because they are extremely hard to move. We all do things in our youth we wouldn't dream of doing in our old age. Moving a slate-topped pool table is one of them. 
This house was wonderful and so many things to see in it. Like tapestry on the walls. At first you thought it was wallpaper but closer looks said it was a fabric. The many details of this house were extraordinary.  And it had been filled from basement to roof with antiques.. The roof was tiled by the way. So was the servants house and they perhaps will take tiles from it to repair the main hose. The house was not kept up so the young folks who bought it will be many years and many dollars getting it all renovated.  They paid $75,000 for it. It will be even more remarkable when they have it all finished if it does not kill their bodies and souls.

The servants house

I remember what this chair brought-$275

Baby buggy

An old pump organ.

The electrical worms nest

Sinks in the basement

This does not give you a true size of the house.

Part of the auction crowd

Old trees have a beauty all their own.

The elves live here. I am guessing the elves wear fur coats.

After the auction we all came back to our place. Jack Lewis brought us some tomatoes and corn and stayed awhile to visit.

After Butch and crew had margaritas we went to the Mexican restaurant  Casa de Oro for supper. Butch and I had Nachos and they were very good.

Then after supper we drove by Colleens house because for a long time I had wanted Jason to see it and it seemed the time was right. We stayed for a good long time and the conversation was wonderful. It was getting dark by the time we left. It was a wonderful and surprising day all round. A serendipitous day.

Hummers in Alaska

 But Alaska isn't the only place this can happen. We did the same thing in Colorado at Snow Mountain Ranch. We didn't get the fancy photography however. It is amazing and so special to experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EUEZkwJulBY

Breezeway

Butch tore out the east wall of the breezeway and is reconstructing it. Poorly done to begin with and not at all weather proof.
The assessor came down this morning and is reassessing our place. Of course the devalue of it will be temporary but will save us a few dollars in the meantime. And then the city has a revitalization program that will save us a few more dollars for 3 years but that will be after the renovation is complete. So we are learning the ropes and saving some future money.
I was alone on my walk this morning but took my camera and got a couple of shots

On west side of square facing southeast.

Russell Street Squirrel

On our walk today...

We received our tax bill a few days ago and noticed that the homestead discount was not on it so we stopped at the courthouse to check on it. It is a timing thing just as I suspected so it will be on there next year. In the conversation Butch talked to the assessor and she is coming down in the morning to look at the house to perhaps readjust the assessed value. I am looking at Butch like he is out of his mind knowing that in short order it will look considerably different  and the value will most likely be much higher than it is now. Just not sure we needed to stir that bucket of worms but she did mention something about applying for a 3 year revitalization tax break of some sort. So perhaps we will find out more about that tomorrow.

A little further down the street Butch and I stopped for an extended conversation with Duane Ogren. After 15 or so minutes it was on with our walk.

Then I remembered that Estel and Pat Ott  told me that if I wanted some tomatoes to stop down Thursday or Friday and it seemed like a good time to do so.
Estel and his first wife Joann were good friends with my Mom and Dad so I have known Estel my whole life. My very first babysitting job was for Estel and Joann. Going back even further when I was in kindergarten we only went half days and since my name started with a bee,Brock, I was in the morning group. My friend Jean Bartley ran ahead of me one day and I became lost, so recognizing Estel and Joann's house I stopped there. Joann called my Mom but then I had to wait for my Dad because Mom had little ones at home and no car. It was a different life in 1948.
Estel was a bit younger than my Dad. He is now 85 years of age. His mind is razor sharp and no one would ever guess he was even close to 85. In his youth, he would have been labeled as hyperactive.  He is only a little less so today! I remember being at their house when the Friday Night Fights were on TV. Estel would sit on the very edge of the couch and he would fight each and every round of those fights right along with the boxers. It was something to see! And after the fights were over he would be exhausted. Yup, Estel was and is quite a guy.

Vintage ads

These vintage ads from long ago are interesting to look at. And if you really want to you can buy one.
http://store.vintagepaperads.com/servlet/StoreFront

Fact finding

Butch and I went on a fact finding trip yesterday to the Des Moines area. We needed to find out more about pocket doors. Of course we stopped to see Mickey and go to lunch. Kinda got stuck there but that was okay. Mickey gave me a clump of a flowering plant from her yard. I had seen it flowering in the past and taken a picture of it. Seen here

The ones Mickey gave me were drooping pretty well by the time we got home so I quickly stuck them in some dirt and they look perky this morning. They are the ones closest to the camera. The other is a hosta that stayed too long in the pot so looks a little haggard. I hope it comes into its own next spring.

Here is some more info on this clever little plant.

After we had our enjoyable visit with Mickey we stopped at a lumberyard in Grimes and picked their brain about pocket doors. They were quite obliging and I think we know enough now to proceed.

We stopped at the Farmers Market when we arrived in Jefferson because I wanted some tomatoes and to look over the other offerings. We ran into Jack and Denise right away and the guys had their picture taken with the Farmers Market Fairy, Chris Henning.

All in all it was great get-away day. And we had not done that in awhile.

BLT Salad

The tomatoes were late this season due to unruly spring weather but they are starting to come on now. Yum!!

BLT Salad Rated: Submitted By: D. L. Mooney Photo By: wannabe chefette Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Ready In: 25 Minutes Servings: 6 "Crumbly bacon, chopped tomato, shredded lettuce and a creamy dressing with a hint of garlic - this chopped salad has BLT down pat." INGREDIENTS: 1 pound bacon 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper salt to taste 1 head romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried and shredded 2 large tomatoes, chopped 2 cups seasoned croutons DIRECTIONS: 1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat, turning frequently, until evenly browned. Drain, crumble and set aside. 2. In a blender or food processor, combine mayonnaise, milk, garlic powder and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Season the dressing with salt. 3. Combine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and croutons in a large salad bowl. Toss with dressing, and serve immediately. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 8/17/2011

Work Day

I had a long post all written and what I thought posted and then I find it isn't there. So it is LOST forever! I will try again...

Yesterday was  a busy work day with much accomplished I washed bedding including spread and mattress pad. We did the heavier items at the laundromat and brought them home to dry on the line. The line broke so now I get the new line I have wanted since we arrived here. I dry the bulk of our laundry on the line robbing the utility company of many dollars.
Butch prepared the southwest corner of the roof/house for Russ Cosens to fix. And Russ showed up about 4:00 PM.  So now all of our spots for potential leaks should be good and dry. Since it rained last night we will soon find out. Butch also worked on the inside door situation in the house getting ready for pocket doors.

We also washed moho windows inside and out. It has needed done for longer than I care to admit. They sparkle now.
And then we went to Wet Goods for a tenderloin. Yes Wet Goods is the name of the place. It is a bar on the east side of the square and they have top notch tenderloins. Some of my perhaps fussier friends think the place could use some sprucing up and maybe they are right. But then they haven't been to our favorite places in Sunny south Texas. I think my focus must be food related. I seem to care little for the ambiance.

So now I have rewritten my long and brilliant post. Unfortunately it isn't nearly as brilliant as the first one but oh well,
-heavy sigh- it will have to do.

Videos from Grandpa Gary

Got a little video from this week's babysitting opportunities. Wish Elise was feeling better. She has had some mysterious illness involving runny nose and hives.

 

Dancing Elise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo1oIc9l_K4
Elise makes choice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F5jMNd8kHc

 

Great-Grandma Barb says : Sounds like allergies to me. Figuring out  what is causing it can be tricky though.

Party & Pedal

Last night we went to a party made up of people we went to school with in our youth. All of the people present had lived other places most of their working lives and now have come back to make Jefferson their home. There were 10 of us total. This is something I never thought for a minute that we would be a part of. It was a whole bunch of fun talking over old times and the pranks we pulled or ones we knew were pulled. There was some talk about the statute of limitations. And the food was fantastic. Our hostess Judy Peacock Wills is an excellent cook. Sure am glad there are lots of those good cooks in my circles of friends!

Today Butch and I rode the bikes instead of walking. We rode to the river bridge and back, a total of 4 miles. It felt good to be giving different muscles a workout. 

I have started on a wide bracelet that will be a wedding gift. I have a good start on it but it is wide enough that I will be working on this one for a few weeks. My to-do list of bracelets to make keeps growing.

Hot August Nights

Last night there was a car show in Jefferson. They were all packed in around the square. There were many cars, people and lots of food. I took a few photos.

Butch's Dad owned a '57 wagon like this one. It was his work vehicle. He was an electrician.

Oh, Doesn't this just make you long for a tall, cold A&W rootbeer. I car-hopped at the A&W a very long time ago. I never tired of a nice frothy root beer.

This tree is on the courthouse lawn. I thought the roots were interesting.

This car belongs to classmate Keith Conroy.

We checked all the cars out hoping to see a Studebaker which happens to be the car Butch was fond of and owned way back in our youth. Did not see even one!

Still here-must be busy

The guys got the final house leveling done on Tuesday. I meant to take pictures but got caught up in the process and forgot all about it. Jason came over from Boone after his work and Everett Beebe came by after his work too and with the two of them it was done in short order. Butch has added the bathroom/bedroom wall and removed the wall he replaced. And the old chimneys have been removed and the roof repaired. So progress has been made.
Yesterday we met sister-in-law Joyce Brooker at the Tea Garden for lunch. Butch doesn't care for what he calls frou-frou places to eat. He prefers cheeseburger and fries. No surprise there, right? But I am telling you the food was excellent and in my opinion it is THEE best place to eat in Jefferson.

Today Butch has a small electrical chore for someone else and then he plans to mow. I do not yet know what I plan to do ,perhaps wash windows.
Remember...whatever you do today... Enjoy the process!

At Last!!

It has finally cooled off. It was a pleasant 65 degrees when I arose this morning. Sunday Butch and Leo were looking over the north side of the house that contains our closet. The consensus is that it needs some leveling so tonight that feat will take place. Crawl spaces by their very name conjure up an unpleasant experience. I am genuinely sympathetic.
Yesterday a classmate of mine Rozetta Renner Fiscus contacted me and wants to spend some time next winter in Sunny South Texas. I was successful in getting her and her husband lined up to rent a spot just a few doors from us in Magnolia Park. It amazed me how easily and quickly it all came together. We do enjoy showing off our little piece of winter heaven and they will be a fine addition to the park.
Then last evening we went to Carroll Iowa to meet up with our Oregon sister-in-law Joyce Hundling Brooker for her surprise birthday party. She was indeed surprised and it was great seeing her and getting caught up on that branch of the family.

Leo, Keri and Butch are in the background in this photo.

Heidi holds the cake for Joyce to blow out those candles.

Saturday at our house.

Butch is ready to greet the day.

Copper wire that we are burning off. I think it would make an excellent jigsaw puzzle.

Leo has the path laid out. He says if it is curved the imperfections are not as noticeable.

These  last photos are of the work Butch and Leo did with Leo's new edger.

This is looking south.

This view is looking North.

This is looking east from our front steps. Looks like I need to get some salt poured on the cracks to take care of the grass growing there. This summer has been a doozy for keeping up with the growing things. It has been so incredibly humid all summer. I thought my memory was failing me as I did not remember it being this bad but a long-time resident commented that this was as bad as he had ever seen it for humidity. It seems each year there is a different challenge with the weather. Humidity may be one of the easier ones to deal with...as long as the AC holds out.

Recipe: RV Bread Pudding Breakfast        8/6/2011
The toast can be stale, so make it at home if you like. Don’t butter it. It will keep in a
cool, dry place for up to a week.
10 pieces dry toast
Butter or margarine
2 bananas, sliced
8-ounce milk chocolate bar, broken up
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Butter the toast, cut it into 5 “fingers” then cut each finger into 5 pieces. Put in a
buttered
casserole for oven baking or a heavy pan (preferably cast aluminum) for stovetop
baking. Scatter the chocolate pieces and banana slices over the bread. Whisk
together the sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla and pour carefully over the bread. Let
stand about 15 minutes until the mixture soaks in. Bake at 350 degrees or until the
custard tests done. Mixture will be puffy and golden on top. For stovetop baking,
cover and place over a very low flame. Test after 20 minutes, then continue
cooking if necessary until the custard is “set”. Variation: substitute a well-drained
can of sliced peaches for the bananas.

Did you think I forgot you? No, just not much happening here that is out of the ordinary. Butch helped someone with electrical work yesterday. He is needing some help with a wall in the house. I told him I would help but he has no faith in my physical strength. I certainly have no idea where he got that notion!
Last night Leo brought his edger and worked on our sidewalks. Will take pictures and post later.

Most Recent Bracelets

These are my latest bracelet creations. In addition to these I have made 3 wavy flag ones. All of these are wider than the ones I have made in the past, therefore they take longer but I think the quality of my peyote bracelets has stepped up a notch. All of my bracelets are injected with 'Indian Spirit'. Somewhere within the bracelet is a bead that is a different color. I purposely make them difficult to find. 

The one below is sold.

The bracelet shown below is not for sale at this time. There will never be another like it because it would be tedious to duplicate...and it is a favorite of mine.

This one is done with hex beads and they are a bit larger so even though it is the same number of rows as the others it becomes much wider. It is close to 1 1/2 inches wide.

From Gary-Pella Iowa Trip

Wish I knew more about the car but we had an itinerary to keep!

Old Car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56T2JSqwg2c
Tower: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4QZ7vUnqE0

From Gary-Elise Eats

Ever seen a 15 month old baby beg for a whole ear of corn and then eat every last kernel after she's already eaten half a thick pork chop and corn cut from the cob?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFe2C_J0qGE

We missed getting Elise today sticking her booty way out to find seating and her brand new dance moves. Mom's worried about us always getting food videos of Elise.

Eating Chips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyNRTXh7vMQ
Spaghetti: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yu347NymQo

Relief!!

We have finally had a break in the weather. It is strangely quiet without the AC running. Maybe it will give me a boost of energy to get some other things done besides making bracelets...although I am still a bit behind on them.
Butch and I went to the Tuesday Farmers Market on the square and enjoyed a meal provided by the Cooper Methodist Church. We have been going each Tuesday evening. Each week a different group provides the meal as a fundraiser. Last nights hamburgers, coleslaw, applesauce bar and iced tea were delicious.
We won't talk about the week before. The group that provided it will most likely not have a successful fundraiser next time if people retain a memory of it. I am not fussy but it was bad.
Gertie the Garter snake is still a resident on our property. I didn't see her but she left a path through an anthill that was unmistakable. Judging from the track she is about the size of a gas pipe.
Everywhere I look this morning I see dust and/or clutter. So it is time to make order out of chaos. Till next time...

Another early morning walk

We managed to get up early and get our walk in but the sweat was dripping off us before we returned home. I am ready for this heat and humidity duo to break up. They are telling us there is a cold front coming through late Tuesday. I hope they are right.
Todays pictures are  a macro shot of a tiny little mushroom in the yard and a cat on a porch.

Our Morning walk

Butch agreed to go for a walk with me this morning. I told him it would have to be early and for him that is a sacrifice. We were up and out of the house by 6:30 AM. Our thermometer registered 74 degrees so even at that hour it was plenty warm. We were able to get our 2 miles in before the serious heat started. These photos are ones that caught my eye as we made our way.

This one is on the alley side of a local business.

Butch says this guy has been working that corn field for quite some time.

Gary and Susan's Morning Walk

Gary and Susan are having a mini vacation in the Pella Iowa area. Here are pictures from their walk.
Gary writes: We explored the Volksweg trail by Red Rock lake today. Nice to have some shade on a hot day. Pretty place! You can't hardly see Susan but she's on the bridge looking back at me. Looks like the trail might have some tough hills for bikers.