Two windows and a skylight

Russ and Butch installed 2 windows and a sky light yesterday so indeed the place has a different look.

Living Room -Interior-Old

Living Room -Exterior-old

Living Room -Interior-NEW!

Living Room -Exterior-NEW!

Bedroom Interior-Old

Bedroom Exterior-Old

Bedroom Interior-NEW!

Bedroom Exterior-NEW!

Butch has some trimming out to do and I have some painting before we can get the completed look.

This next part is the mind-boggling one. We installed a tubular skylight in the bathroom. The bathroom and closet will not have windows so we needed as much light as possible. Our friends Jack and Denise have these tubular skylihts in their house and it is hard to believe the amount of light available without electricity. I have taken the pictures below without any additional light. I am not sure how well you will be able to grasp the concept through these photos.

This view is from the bedroom looking into the bathroom. This is all natural sunlight.

From the kitchen looking into the future bathroom

The roof apparatus on the right is the globe for the tube light

Russ is on the roof  installing that part of it.

Roof view. 

The lights we purchased are http://www.menards.com/main/doors-windows/windows/roof-windows-skylights/odl-10-in-composite-flashing-tubular-skylight/p-1715831-c-9465.html

$153 each and that was an online price. I did not see that low a price anywhere else.  However shipping is free and that really sweetened the deal.. ODL is the brand name. We did a bunch of shopping and we are happy with our choice. The result is amazing. Stop by and check it out!

Tractors at the fair

The bike trail is right beside the fairgrounds so I snapped some pictures. There are 7 steps up to the cab of these tractors. I could not get up there much less drive one.

Rain glorious rain

We received 1.1 inch of rain this morning and the ground sucked it up like a sponge. This happened between 5:00 and 6:30 AM and I doubt if you would get your feet wet if you went out now at 10:00 AM. Colleen and I did not walk this morning but Butch and I did. It was so so nice to have the rain. I have not checked my rain barrel but it should have a healthy amount in it again. I also had a one day reprieve from watering.

We are so happy for the Leo and Keri Brooker family and their new grandson. I think he looks like his grandpa but I am sure not everyone will agree with me. That always seems to be a big difference of opinion when we are looking on a new little person for the first time.

Brady Scott Westergaard

Leo and Keri's first grandbaby- Let the fun begin!!

Grandpa Leo and Brady

Grandma Keri and Brady

Beautiful Baby Brady

Dad Greg, Mom Erin and Brady

New Daddy

On the Verge

Butch has the electrical done! Whoohoo!! and we are on the verge of some really visible improvements. Butch has help lined up this weekend for windows, exterior doors,pocket doors and solar tubes. Of course it most likely will not all get done this weekend but it will be a great start. Also we are getting an energy audit lined up in preparation for the insulation job. So it has seemed like a long time coming but the puzzle pieces are at least moving a bit and it will not be long now till they are in place.
The pictures below were taken while Butch was wiring. Wiring really does not show up much in pictures but I hope to have some really big change pictures some time next week.

Looking north- Butch is standing in Bathroom door and to his right is the bedroom.

Taken from the far south wall looking at the bedroom

Standing in the bedroom looking toward kitchen/ living room.

Standing in Bedroom. The pocket doors are laying down waiting to be installed

In the bathroom looking toward kitchen

In closet looking at east end

and then looking at west end.

trying to show you wiring...didn't work

Last Pass

I have mentioned Last Pass but have not said much about it. I wanted to learn all I could about it before recommending it to anyone but now I think I am ready. We all need to have passwords and ideally they should all be different. Yeah, right you say and just how are we going to remember all these passwords? That is what Last Pass does. It makes them for you and remembers them. All you have to do is remember your Master Password and that IS important. Last Pass does not have access to your master so if you do not remember it no one can bail you out.
We all tend to use the same password for everything because it is easier and hackers know this so if they can find out one of your passwords they are fairly certain there are lots of other goodies they can get access to as well and they are most likely right.
So not a long preachy thing here but you may want to check out www.lastpass.com and if you have trouble I think I know enough about it now to help you.

Newest Arrival to the Brooker Bunch

Check out the newest arrival at brookerfamilyposts.blogspot.com

Goodbye, iGoogle

iGoogle is going to quit. They are going to give us about a year before they do but I have started my search for a replacement and I have found one!!  It is called www.protopage.com . It has taken me a bit to get used to it and I have had to find a work-around or two but the more I use it the better I like it. I hate to think how many people I have helped set up their iGoogle page. So the good news is that we can get our Proto pages to look, act and feel like what we are used to and we will have plenty of time to do this.
If you have any questions about this, email me.
This only applies to people who are using iGoogle for their home page. Google is not going away, just iGoogle.

Happy Dance

Loved this too and simply had to share

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ab9i0s4WEY0&feature=related

A Different Kind of Morning

When I awoke this morning I could tell it was a cooler day because the AC wasn't humming away at 6:00 A M. Isn't supposed to last long however so we must enjoy it for the bit that it is here. I went out at at 6:00 and watered everything and that is my usual routine unfortunately. I must use the hose to water now because my rain barrel is dry. It takes less time using the hose. It would be so nice to have a break from the daily watering chores. The trees are now becoming stressed.
 At any rate I finished early and had some time before meeting Colleen for our walk so I turned on the computer. It seemed everything I encountered was of interest. Just one of those very different days. Josh Nelson is a grand nephew by marriage of Butch's at least I think that is the way it is. He is the grandson-in-law of Butch's sister Marlene. On Josh's Facebook page he had the post I will place below.

Josh Nelson

If you are a startup tech business or have a business idea and want to test it look into this program. Much like shark tank with local people.

http://www.technologyiowa.org/index.cfm?nodeID=39293&audienceID=1

I know some people who may be very interested in this so I sent it on to them. They are young college grads with lots of neat ideas.

Then I checked my email and Kay Voss, a magnolia park friend had some Junk Art that is really cool so I had to share it on the Magnolia Blog and here it is on this one.

Junk Art has intrigued me lately. Love this, Kay!! She says the body is an ironing board, bowls are on the chest, vacuum hose for arms, coffee pot for a head and a pie pan with flowers for a hat.

The 20 minutes I had on the computer before my walk flew by and I had to finish it up after my walk. 

Also on Facebook from my cousin Sherry's daughter, Joanna. "Forgive or forget, pick one." I loved it! What a great quote.

Cooler

It did feel cooler this morning but I still worked up a sweat on my walk and even more so when I came home and pulled a bunch of weeds taking advantage of cloud cover. The minute the sun came out I was done. Later after Butch played 18 holes of golf we went out to Leo and Keri's for a visit. On the way we noticed how distressed the corn is. I checked the 10 day forecast and there is not a drop of rain in the forecast. I am afraid it is a death sentence for the local corn. I am sure it is spotty but Jefferson has not been lucky this season in the rain lottery. What little rain Iowa has received has not fallen on our little town.
We are looking at cooler temps for the next week or so and this makes the prospect of getting house things done looking like a more pleasant possibility.
One thing I have failed to mention is that we are part of a Neilsen rating this week. Wednesday is our last day. Watching TV is tedious at best and then keeping track of what is being watched is even more tedious. However it does give us the chance to tell them EXACTLY what we think of TV. Butch gets perturbed with it and I get downright livid. I could shut it off and never look back. Butch does not share that feeling and that is why we still turn it on. Anyway, you now know one of the families who have taken part in a Neilsen rating.

DNS Malware warning-It is real

The article below will tell you how to check and how to fix it if it isn't okay.
http://savemybutt.com/kill-dns-changer-malware/

My computer checks out okay.

Here is a more direct way to find out.
Click on this link and it will tell you if you are okay.
http://www.dns-ok.us/

A & W Experience

We went out to the A & W for our first meal and drink in that location for over 5 years. We have missed it and so have a whole bunch of other folks. They are busy and doing the best they can. We must remember that everyone working there is a brand new employee. We witnessed a whole bunch of rudeness. We knew it was going to be a time when we might have to wait. And we were willing to be patient. We witnessed many who were not and it really ticked me off. Give these folks a break people. We want them to stay in business and we missed them when they were gone so I sure wish people would be kind and patient. I know that all those employees were doing the best they could and I did not witness any goofing off or horseplay etc. Everyone was trying very hard to please their customers. We had a wonderful root beer and cheeseburger. The burger was hot and the root beer was cold. And we did not wait an excessive time considering how busy they were. Could not ask for more!

Bill & Jo's New Pet

This is 5th. day in a row he has come in for food!!  Maggie did not even upset him!

Still Plugging Away

I am still getting my walks in with Colleen at the only possible time of day. 7:00 A M and this morning I came home and we put some cool of day time in on the house. We are dealing with excess heat but should be getting a break on Saturday.
 Butch said he really hates work in the crawl space. I said I know you do and I really hate cleaning up throw up but over the 53 years we have been married I think we are about even on how many times we have each had to do our most hated chores.
Yesterday we attended a gathering of Rebounders and then went out to eat after many phone calls trying to find a place that was open. Finally ended up at Pizza Ranch. It was good but no ones first choice. The A&W is open now but word of mouth did spread and the place was so busy you could not get near it. Butch and I are considering it for lunch today but the same may be true today.

Southern Kids

Nina and Scarlett Cortes and their Mom and Dad

Ann and Anthony Cortes

Too hot for comfort...and other stuff

Yesterday we were off to the eye surgeon/doctor in Ames at the Wolfe Eye Clinic. And I was pleasantly surprised. Butch's eye situation when he had his done was lengthy, tedious  and  expensive. Mine should be none of those. Butch had several eye conditions that required extra measures that I do not have. His surgery cost us $900 per eye while mine should be covered by insurance. My first surgery will be July 19th in Jefferson and my second one will be in Boone on July 27th. Dr. Vos said my vision will be very upsetting to me between the surgeries so suggested I have it done asap in the closest location and that happens to be Boone. So all in all I was much happier after finding all of this out. Once finished I will only need glasses for reading so now we both will be unable to read menus unless one of us starts to once again carry a purse.

It is too hot to work comfortably in or on the house so we are sort of in a holding pattern. There is that and Butch has reached a spot where he needs specialized crawl space help and our number one guy for that (Jason) is on vacation. Our windows arrived today and they look great but will look even better when they are planted in the wall. Every now and then I feel that we are nearly standing still or spinning in one spot. I know from experience this is only a feeling and that it will pass and also that it is not true because we are getting things accomplished.

The other day I looked out the window and saw two cats "fighting" on the roof of the neighbors house. Here is a photo after the "battle" was done.

And then this morning I placed a wine bottle on a stubby little branch sticking out of a tree and later I looked out to see Mr. Squirrel resting.

Some days are very entertaining around here!

Google Offers course on searching

http://www.google.com/insidesearch/landing/powersearching.html

Be a Certified Google Power Searcher

I have registered for the course. I thought there may be others of you interested in doing this. It would be good brain exercise even if I don't pass it It is Free!!

Be a Certified Google Power Searcher

Overpass update

Snipped from Jefferson Iowa News on Facebook. It looks huge and high! But of course we will get used to it. 

And I am told the A&W will be open on July 4th!! An Unadvertised opening but word will spread like wildfire.

Latest snapshots

Bergamot-also known as Bee Balm in bloom along the trail

Butch the electrician doing his least favorite part of the electrical work down in the crawl space. It is hot!

Out to eat with friends at B'J's in Glidden Iowa, 20 miles west of Jefferson on Hwy 30. Pictured above is Jack, Pete and Butch.

Jerrilyn and Denise.

Watching Elise Grow

Headphones: http://youtu.be/ONk1R2ncM-Q


Swimming: http://youtu.be/gIeQNLVUJ7M

A Trip out of town

Yesterday we went to The Wolfe Eye Clinic in Ames, IA for Butch's follow up after the laser treatment to remove the film some people develop after cataract surgery. Everything is A-OK , come back in a year. We will be returning to the same place for me to have the initial consultation about cataract removal next Monday.
 After Butch's appointment we went to Hickory House, a world famous place in Ames, for lunch. It was good but each of us will order differently next time we go. It is a great place to eat but it is one of those places where you can benefit from someone else's positive experience when it comes to choices.

We spent a bunch of time in Lowe's after lunch picking up electrical items so that home projects can proceed. We stopped in Boone to spend some time with Jason and ate supper at one of his favorite places in Boone, The Colorado Grill, another great place to eat but I was so full from lunch I tried to eat light but with a minimum of success.

I have a collection of pictures I have taken lately and will try to have them posted soon. I have sure enjoyed our great-grand Elise and her pictures. Her Momma is a teacher and has the luxury of getting to spend more time with her this summer.  

Our little engineer

From Amanda Teeter

Have to be a bragging mom for a minute. If you can't read the sign it says she pottied 11 times on the big girl potty today. She's doing so well for the first week out of diapers.

This is the more...

We hurried through our wonderful farmers market supper so we could make the 6:30 movie. It was Brave, a Pixar movie. It was good and kids will like it very much. It always surprises me a bit when I can get emotionally invested even a little bit when it is really only a cartoon. Good movie but only a one timer in my opinion.
What a shock when we came out of the theater and hit with the powerful heat and humidity. Today was supposed to be the hottest for awhile. Sure hope that is correct.

Triple digit heat and such

Jason came over yesterday and helped Butch with getting things done in the crawl space. I offered but I have rules...like can you get me out after I get in there. I think he had reservations as to my skill levels beyond the concerns of getting me into and out of the  crawl space as well. But we are both glad for Jason's help and I wondered to myself what I could fix for supper that would be a special treat. I mentioned creamed eggs on toast and Butch thought it would be a good choice. We tried creamed eggs on toast as a breakfast choice in Magnolia Park with minimal success. BUT we used gravy premix and I did not do that. I used a made-from- scratch old fashioned white sauce. You know butter, flour and milk and all like in the old days. It was wonderful!!! And Jason loved it which is the most important part. He said, "I bet you thought you were going to have leftovers." and indeed I had thought that but it was okay. I haven't had someone rave over my cooking for quite some time. It was nice.
After supper Leo stopped by with some sweet corn he purchased at the farmers market. Can you believe sweet corn before the 4th of July? Unheard of!! Colleen was telling me this morning that it was planted March 15th! And then I helped Colleen with her computer and she brought me some peas and new potatoes from the fore-mentioned farmers market. We are eating very well these days.
Butch is nearing the halfway mark on the wiring...so I am just full of good news.
I am in a bit of a push as we are thinking of going to the movies so more later...or tomorrow A M.

A-OK

I must be much better as it is hard to remember to take the medication. It was not at all hard in the beginning.  I am now able to eat normally and eating is one of the things I enjoy best so that is a good thing.
Butch is working on the electrical and I am helping with that on occasion as well as doing other odds and ends like laundry, cooking...yes, I said cooking,,,and watering plants and pulling weeds.
I am still getting my 2 miles in every morning with my friend Colleen. We keep each other going and there are days we each would pass on if we were on our own.
I walked through the garage yesterday afternoon and I could smell garlic...and then I remembered the garlic Colleen gave me to plant. So I looked at it and it was sprouting. In other words it was screaming to be planted and so I planted it. In two different locations. That tells you how humid it has been lately. Also tells you that plants have their own way of screaming and garlic is pretty damn good at it. I love the way this garlic looks when it matures. It looks like a graceful crane. I hope it takes off so I can get some pictures...or perhaps I can find some on Google images.
Found one!

The road to recovery

The mouth is better. It is not 100% yet but I would say 80%. It seems as we get older the little irritating things we must deal with come out of the blue and stay too long. The plus side of this is that I have dropped a few pounds. Most likely it is temporary but hey I will take what I can get out of the situation.

Our doctor guy came and pulled up all the flooring so it was nice that all worked out. Butch had a short break from his electrical chore because the loose flooring was all over the place. He enjoyed the break and played golf a couple of days. I am assuming we will both be back at it come first thing tomorrow morning. First thing for me and first thing for Butch have some space between but that works great for both of us.

Our Southern Belles

Great grands Nina Grace and Scarlett

Think I will make it

Yesterday was not a good day for me. My mouth hurt and throbbed throughout all of it so I finally broke down and went to the doctor.  Am on a different kind of antibiotic and today is better...or at least I think it is so far. It feels like I may be able to tolerate solid food later. We will see.

Wednesday I went to J.I.G.'s (Jefferson Iowa Girls) There were only five of us there but smaller is often better and I would say it was one of those times. It works better to be able to visit with everyone. If I had felt better I would have enjoyed it even more. The next one will be in the same place, The Corn Patch in Grimes Iowa on July 21st. I know our organizer Jayne reads this blog so I will take this opportunity to tell her that in visiting with people about the number who showed. you should consider it just one of those things. It really does not matter how many shows up as long as it is still enjoyable and it certainly was that. Circumstances can sometimes get in the way. When we have our house finished I plan to have a JIGS gathering and ask my sister-in-law Keri to cater it for us. I am really looking forward to it.

We had an answer to our Craigslist posting about the floor and a chiropractor from Ft Dodge who is renovating a house wants the oak flooring. He came last night and finished the bedroom floor and will return on Sunday to remove the remainder of it from the living room. I am so glad that worked out and that the oak flooring will find a new home.

Tuesday evening Butch and I went to Ogden to see my grandnephew, my deceased sis Jayne's grandson, play his last ball game of the season. These are  pictures of Devon. 

And here is a picture of Ethan with his mower from Father's day.

More info-Tony Hamilton

http://www.jonesfh.com/

Here is the website for Jones funeral home for anyone that would like to go online and offer condolences to Tony's family.

Leo
And from Joann Jorgensen
http://iowa.obituaries.funeral.com/2012/06/19/anthony-jay-tony-hamilton/

Elise does drive

Not the best week for me

I have a semi-blocked sluggish salivary gland under my tongue. This feels basically like a tooth ache. I have researched everything there is on the Internet...yes, I know that is an exaggeration...to do for a blocked salivary gland and I am doing them all frequently. No I have not gone to the doctor...yet. I am taking antibiotics among other things and if that doesn't do anything for me I will get to a doctor soon. This started Sunday evening. I seem to be getting better but of course it is never fast enough. This is not only painful but also a big nuisance. So if I tend to be a bit cranky you now know why. My salivary glands seem to be a bit dried up and this also results in creative juices drying up a bit as well. So...I will catch you up later on the bits and pieces of our lives

From Sandra Holtz and Leo about Tony Hamilton

Wanted to get this info out to the Brookers although you all might have heard by now. Terri Hamilton Duffy called this morning to tell me that Tony was found dead. Don't know the cause yet but his diabetes may have played a role.
Sandi


( PS from Barb-This is the son of Darrell Hamilton(deceased) and the grandson of Paul and Norma (Brooker) Hamilton.)

visitation Thurs. 5-8 at Jones Funeral home and no time yet for Fri. service

 services for tony-visitation on Thurs and service Fri. at St. James


(PS from Barb -This info is spotty and I do not have the particulars...like city but this is all I have. I suggest you all get in touch with those you know for details).

From Susan Brooker-Elise's Nana

Susan Brooker

Here is my conversation with my two-year old granddaughter last night: "Elise, Mommy and Nana are going to Target. Would you like to go with us, or stay home and play with Papa?" Response from Elise: "I want to go with you............I'll drive!" It took Nana quite a few minutes to regain composure. That girl is just a hoot!

Her mama says that Elise said this with a straight face too.

Her great grand says that you do not have to be around her long before you realize she is a natural comedienne.

Elise at the zoo

I didn't get much today but any bit of Elise is always good.

http://youtu.be/qZ-rsXQHsXU

It's all okay

Everything is good here just not much change. We are plugging away on the house and making progress. Butch has started on the electrical and we have discussed the floor situation with an expert. He says removal is too labor intensive when you can buy new so up it will come and most likely into the burn pile. We will not worry about taking it up carefully. Things happen much quicker when you can rip and tear without care.

Butch made a sacrifice this morning and got up soon enough to go with Colleen and I on our walk. Then we walked up to the Uptown Cafe for breakfast. He was hungry for biscuits and gravy.

Jason, Laura and Ethan came for a visit later. On the way over Jason said they saw a deer get hit by a truck. He said that happens all the time and we do not think much about it but watching it happen was quite disturbing. It did not die instantly. 
Ethan is being worked on for potty training and has been for quite some time. Jason was telling us that he started to take Ethan over to the neighbors to ride in their little electric car when Ethan said he had to go potty. So Jason wheeled him around to take him to the bathroom right away. While in there Jason asked him how it was going and Ethan, age 3, said, "You are driving me nuts!" I think he must be tired of the process...or perhaps it is the hovering that he is tried of.

Ethan and his first catch

Ethan's Nana Phone

Ethan likes his Nana phone because the best messages come from Nana! Ethan is spending the weekend with Papa Jason and Nana.

BooBoo

Look at those sad eyes

Appointment in Ames

Butch had an appointment in Ames yesterday for a laser treatment on his eye. It seems about 10% of people who have cataracts removed have to later have this treatment and wouldn't you know Butch is one of them. They said it was a simple procedure and in fact it seemed to be. It sure did not take long and the Wolfe clinic in Ames seems like a very well run facility. I made an appointment for a prelim on getting my cataracts removed. July 2nd is my appt.
We stopped in Lowes afterwards and were disappointed in the Ames store. Their selection was very limited on nearly everything we seemed to have an interest in obtaining. We did pick up $200 plus worth of stuff but that is never hard to do. What we needed most were items Butch needs to get started on wiring and we have most of that now

Oak Flooring Fizzles

It seems that as soon as people find out there is a bit of work involved to attaining this "free" oak flooring they are no longer interested. We have had 6 inquiries but no takers as yet. So plan B is to go ahead and take it up ourselves and then set a price of $200 plus . It would still be a bargain.
Butch started on the electrical while I put together one of his favorite meals as a reward. Pot roast. Also got my early morning walk in and did 3 loads of laundry.
Daily watering of plants and flowers is also necessary to keep everything alive but I imagine many of you are in the same boat on that one.
My friend Sherri who runs a daycare had a post on Facebook that really made me chuckle. "Cleaning house with children in it, is like brushing your teeth while eating oreos." Every mother I know understands that one completely!

Gary and Susan's Summer Vacation 2012

After spending hours this evening finishing this I realized I left out our visit to Glen Eyrie Castle:http://www.gleneyrie.org/

 

I worked to keep it short but it is still over 8 minutes long

30th Anniversary Summer Vacation: http://youtu.be/007gSffYHRo

2012 Summer Vacation visiting areas around Denver, Colorado including Red Rocks Amphitheater, Downtown, Parker Days, Cherry Creek North, Arvada, Castle Rock, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, and Garden of the Gods.

Leo's Pal

Leo's father was an electrician and salesman would call on him every week to see if he needed any electrical supplies. One day as the salesman was taking the order Leo would wander into the room and  say, "And a puppy for Leo." He did this several times and after the business was finished the salesman told Russell (Leo's dad), "I didn't want to say anything in front of your boy but we do have some puppies that are ready for new homes." And Russell said,"Well if it wouldn't be too much bother you can bring one next time." And so he did. And that was Pal. Pal was a very special dog and I say this not being a dog person myself. This picture had to be taken shortly after Pal arrived at his new home.