Elise keeps growing

Elise keeps growing even when we are not looking. I reminded Grandpa Gary that we hadn't seen any shots of sweet Elise for too long. So he sent me some... All the items Elise is pictured with are items from Amanda's childhood.

Great party

Went to a great party last night at Pat Limburg Rusnak's home. Notice how I still use her maiden name. It is difficult to make the switch when you knew them 'back in the day'. It was a great time with old/new friends and great food.
Butch is doing fine as long as he is medicated. It makes him loopy and sleepy. He was able to stay awake and not appear loopy at the party last night. But the minute he gets home he is ...well, you know.
I heard someone comment at the party last night that the last two weeks have been especially busy and I had to agree with them. It seems it is much like in the Spring in South Texas. As time draws nearer to leave the pace seems to pick up. I do not know what it is here. Maybe it is as it gets cooler we all know summer is winding down and it is time to get the parties in before we hibernate for the winter. I hope they do not hibernate all winter! They will all be loopy and sleepy by Spring.
I do not know any more about how long we will be here etc. Maybe I will know when we get the results from Tuesday's MRI.
Today we have another party at Spring Lake. It is the retirees of Alliant Energy annual gathering.
Till next time...

Butch's back

Butch's back has given him trouble all summer-off and on. The other day he took  4 hits with a spade and messed up his back again. Yesterday we went to the doctor...again. He is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday and most likely is looking at his third back surgery. The first in 1985, the second in 2000, and the third most likely in October of 2011. This may change significantly our schedule for going to Texas. Only time will tell.
So Butch is reading the Kindle. I am still knee deep in bracelet orders and we are getting a walk in now and then. Work has stopped on the house and will resume next spring. So being in the holding pattern that we are not much happening.
Todays plan is to do some laundry and perhaps look at getting the house put up for the winter. Return some tools to Leo. Move some stacks of lumber around and batten down the hatches. I plan to go through things in the Moho and leave some unnecessary items here and I know there are a few items in the garage we plan to take with us.
We do have a party to go to tonight. That will be fun.
More later as I know it.

Bracelet Page

The bracelet Page above has been updated. Check it out

Visitors and visiting

Tuesday I had a previous appointment for a J.I.G.S. gathering. Lisa and Gail were willing to come with me. I am going to post what classmate Denise wrote about it.
From Denise:
 "Dear Jefferson Iowa Girls (JIGS)...About 20 of us had a wonderful get-together today at the tea room in Jefferson...Our honored guest was Jean Toal Brown, whom many of us hadn't seen in more than 40 years. Jeannie is the same beautiful, funny, peppy and feisty girl she was when she was a JHS cheerleader, and we were all so happy to see her. Jean and her husband Berry (who took about a  million pics of us) live on Lake Tahoe.

Here's who was there (going around the table) Donna Kafer Lawson (who made the arrangements for the lunch), Janet Smith, Dorothy Wilson Salisbury (Class of 1960), Wanda Freeman Richards (who has recently moved from Muscatine to Altoona and will be able to become a JIGs regular, we hope);

Ellie Stougard Brown, Pauline (Dona) Saba Borst (Class of 1963), Andrea Sigenthaeler Blume, Denise O'Brien Van, Pat Limburg Rusnak, Sue Durlam Lucht (Class of 1962), Judy Peacock Wills (Class of 1962), Mardi Thomsen Stream;

Rozetta Renner Fiscus, Jayne Owen Tomes, Jean Toal Brown, Colleen O'Brien Clopton (Class of 1962), Mickey Sanders Starr. Barb Brock Brooker, Toni Averill Roberts and Bonnie Strunk Campbell. (Hope I didn't miss anyone!)

Mary Nipps Hanson Harrison started JIGS (and named it) following the Class of 1961's 45th reunion. We central Iowa Class of 1961 girls have been meeting monthly for lunch ever since (and we've invited other JHS girls to join us). We always have a great time, no matter how many show up. It was so fortuitous that Jean Toal was in Iowa and could join us at today's lunch. Just so great to see her!

I've put all the girls on my Class of 1961 e-mail list on the JIGS list, so those of you who live far away can see what we're up to!..Be sure to let us know when you'll be in central Iowa, and we can get a get-together organized while you're here.

Best to all of you from Denise..."

Sue, Pat, Denise and Andi

Donna, Wanda and Dorothy

Janet,Lisa, Bonnie,Toni

Mickey, Judy and Colleen

Jean, Jayne and Rozetta

Jean and Jayne

Rozetta and Mardel

Sue and Pat

Jean and Sue

The meal was great as always at the Tea Garden and I was glad that Lisa and Gail were able to enjoy it with me. After the Jigs gathering we returned to the SummerTime RV Resort otherwise known as Barb and Butch's place and just hung out for the remainder of the afternoon. At about 5:00 we walked uptown to the Farmers Market. After returning we gathered in the yard for a joke telling session that lasted till after dark.
We had a great time with the first time visitors to the SummerTime RV Resort and we hope they return. They pulled out this morning heading south to their home state of Texas.

Texas Visitors by way of Colorado and Michigan

Terry and Lisa Linder and Mel and Gail Morton of Texas are visiting us. We met these fine folks in Colorado at Snow Mountain Ranch while volunteering there several summers ago. This summer,after their stint at Snow Mountain Ranch they made their way to Hillman MI and workamped at Thunder Bay Golf and RV Resort where we volunteered last year. They are now slowly making their way back to Texas but stopped to see us and the progress we are making on the house they have heard so much about. Last night shortly after their arrival we treated them to some Iowa Ham Balls, Cheesy Potatoes, Green beans with onion and bacon and Lemon Bars. Keri fixed the cheesy potatoes and Norma Milligan had treated us to a whole batch of Lemon Bars. I can tell you I looked forward to this meal as much as anyone. These Texans had never heard of ham balls. No big surprise there. So it seemed the perfect thing to have and it was. After supper we played some poker and those Texans took these Iowans for a bit of a ride. We ate supper and played poker in our house. It is primitive but it worked.

And then this morning we took a bit of a tour around Jefferson. Showing them the town square and all the stuff around it. I think our courthouse is a fine example of one and that is where we started.

After our mini tour we came back to our RV's for a quick lunch. The guys then were off to the golf course. We women sat around and visited a bit and then we took off on bikes to check out the bike trail.

Lisa and Gail on the trail.

We did a 5 mile ride out to the trestle bridge and back on the Raccoon River Valley Trail. When we returned, Gail who hasn't ridden since she was a kid, said she had no idea riding a bike could be so much fun. I am sure you know that really warmed my heart!!

History of our country in a nutshell

Probably the best capsule of the history of our country ever put together.  It's fascinating to watch the evolution of growth from the 13 colonies up to the present, with dates, wars, purchases, etc. included.  As much as you may know about American history, I guarantee you'll learn something from this short video clip.

This “moving” map of the country, shows it from the beginning of the 13 states through the present. It includes the acquisitions from England and Spain, the Slave states, the Free states, a segment on the Civil war, it includes some mentions of Central and South America, etc.   It also shows the Indian Nations as they were during the Indian Wars: Modac, Miwok, Mujave, Nez Perce, Flat Head, Crow, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Navajo, Apache, Dakota, Sioux, Kiowa, Wichita and Comanche. A great site, especially if you enjoy American history, but have forgotten a lot of what we learned in school. Turn on your sound, as the narration is a significant portion of the presentation. Click on the link below. (When it opens, don't click on Go at the bottom .... click on Play at the top.)

http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie.html

Dan Kelley and his granddaughter Peyton Kelley. Look at that watermelon!!! It's a whopper!!

Give me a break!!

I am not going back to see where I left off so this might be a repeat of what I have already said. The fine folk at Webster City RV fixed the furnace in short order and then spent 4-5 hours hashing over the new washer deal last Tuesday. We were scheduled to go back up Friday to get a new washer- which we did. I knew it would take awhile so I took my beading and my purse to the waiting area. I thought if I tired of beading I could balance my checkbook. We came home in the early afternoon. Butch started on some construction and I dusted and vacuumed. At 5:00 the phone rang and it was Webster City RV telling me I had left my purse up there!!! Damn, damn and double damn!! There was nothing for it but to go right back and get it. They said they would be there a couple more hours. I called Jason to see if they would be home as it is on the way. Jason and Laura decided to ride with us. It sure made the trip go much faster having good company to visit with. After retrieving my purse we went to a local restaurant recommended by the guys who guarded my purse. The Grid Iron in Webster City Iowa. A very good choice.
It is no mystery to me why the little old ladies in nursing homes can be seen in their wheelchairs tightly clutching their purses in their lap. I understand completely.

Hewy and Peaches Videos

Video's of Myrla working with Hewy and Peaches. They were not in the mood to cooperate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKlyZS3_N9o

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

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

-- 

Early Tuesday

Early Tuesday morning we were on the road to Webster City RV. It seems when they hooked up the new air conditioner something was overlooked with the furnace because on a chilly morning last week we decided to run it and it would not go. It didn't even show up on the thermostat. It was fixed in short order but Butch decided to ask them about our washer. It has made an awful sound for quite some time. Our warranty runs out next month and another extension on it is way up there in dollars. Like $3400 for a year. So we are not going to extend it. Well, after diagnosing, discussion and wrangling with the extended warranty folks they will pay part of the cost of a new one so we are progressing with that and will be headed back to Webster City RV on Friday morning for a new washer. Geez, I sure hope that is the end of it!! I am sure Route 66 warranty people do as well.
We came home about 4:00 PM and it felt really good to be here.
By the way, Keri ( I know she reads this every day) The folks at the fair would like the recipe for Crockpot Pizza that you so kindly sent with me. It was delicious! And the Pecan Pie was a died-and-gone-to-heaven experience. Keri's stove suffered a malfunction while we were gone and Butch is headed out there this morning to see what ails it. We do not want Keri without a stove!

Post Fair on Monday

We stopped in Rockwell City to visit my sister Myrla and her husband Scott partly because we hadn't seen them in a very long time and partly because we had an appointment with Webster City RV and Rockwell City is straight west of Webster City about 40 miles. We had a great visit with Myrla and Scott and their "children" Hewy and Peaches.

 Butch played pool with Myrla all afternoon. 

Rockwell City has a city RV Park with full hook ups and that is where we parked the motorhome. Then we walked to and from our house to theirs through the woods and city park. I took this picture on the way.

At the Fair- Part 3

They use horses and ATV's to park cars at the fair.

Kids and Lambs

 At Grandpa's Barn - One of the highlights for me at the fair. Be sure and let me know your favorite fair pictures.

Goats at Grandpa's Barn

I did not know I was getting a 'grinning calf'. It reminds me of the dog commercial about dentures for dogs.

Butch getting a kitty fix.

This pair loved to climb on the big equipment. The bigger the better.

"Come on up, Sis. This one is a two seater", He hollered at his sister.

The horse arena.

After the fair we went to Terril Iowa and the farm home of Butch's sister Marlene and bro-in law Bernard Kelley. This is Bernard's Resting Chair. Do you see him resting? Neither do I.

We went to visit Dan and Sara. They have some giant watermelons but I did not have my camera. You would think I would learn by now. When we returned we had some heated cribbage games. I do not remember who won or lost...ahem.  And this was followed by a scrumptious feast of all homegrown items. Steak, Tomato Spoon Salad, Green beans with bacon and onion, Newly dug potatoes , skillet fried and probably more that is not coming to mind at the minute.

Right now we are sitting at a campground in Rockwell City. Butch is washing the motorhome and when he finishes we will walk over to Myrla and Scott's place. More later.