Not much of note

 Butch and I still play pool for an hour every day at 4:00. I must be getting better because he is starting to grumble when I win. I told him he could suspend the "woman rules" anytime. I assume I will have to get used to it sometime, somehow. We would really like to have some pool players drop by but that doesn't seem to happen. As aging takes place, our peers increasingly can't keep up with us. I attribute much of my good health to being married to a Brooker. I was born into a sedentary family. My mother could sit for hours every day and talk. There are merits in that, but it doesn't help the body stay finely tuned. The Brookers had trouble sitting still! After a few family gatherings on my side, my siblings asked me if Butch ever sat still and in his youth, I can say, "Not much!"

This past week, Gary and his grandchildren came for a few days so I have a few Little Leo stories. Elise hid out in the RV mostly. She is very near her teen years so we all know how that goes. Back to Leo. Elise went with the guys to play golf so Leo and I started to put a puzzle together. I asked him if he would like to try playing pool. He looked apprehensive and I knew why so I said we would have to keep it a secret from Papa Butch. I asked if he could keep a secret. He said, " I can keep a secret but it is a lot easier if I don't have to." So with those words of wisdom, we let it go. I also asked him if he had given any thought to what he might like to do as an adult. He said he would like to be a zoo keeper. He said it takes a lot of math to be a zoo keeper. You have to know what each animal needed to eat and how much each day so you could order the right things for them. I then said there was one job of being a zoo keeper I would not like. He asked what that was and I said "scooping poop". He then informed me that elephants do not have nearly the poop you might think for their size. So apparently that is not a deal-breaker!

Gary took the kids to Big Creek Beach two days in a row. The beach towels make a colorful photo.

Back when it was cooler...But we are still at it!

My Friend Mickey...

 Mickey, one of my lifelong friends, has been battling cancer for the past 6 months or so and she has been on my mind a bunch these days. She has developed some compression fractures in her back, which is a lot of pain to bear. Mickey is tough as nails and has always been so. She carved a very successful life for herself with hard work and true grit. So this seems so unfair. My greatest wish for her is to not have this pain.

I mention this because I usually write about what is on my mind and this is what is on my mind

Car Buying

 Well, it is done! Finally! I find the whole process tedious and nonsatisfying so I am happy to say it is done. It is a Toyota Highlander XLE White and we expect delivery the first week in August.

And it is the very first one we looked at. The trips to and from Texas will be a whole different adventure.

Butch's Brother Don

 New Diamond Lifemaster

Don Brooker is Well-Traveled

Don Brooker recently attained the rank of Diamond Lifemaster and continues to quickly rack up

masterpoints with his partners. Don took up bridge after he graduated from college and began

working for Western Electric in Chicago. Having no bridge experience, he watched others play and

when someone started up duplicate bridge play at the plant, his colleagues set him up with a part-

ner. He has natural talent because without taking lessons, his partner and he won the end of year

tournament.

His success with the corporate club continued. In 1957 their club held play offs to determine who

would represent the club in the Corporate National Tournament. Don’s team won, beating a team that

consisted of four life masters. HIs team went on to win the Corporate National Championship.

He married at age 20 during his senior year of college. He has three sons in Kansas City, all of whom are

successful. After he and his wife divorced, he remarried and his second wife’s ambition was to move to

France after they retired. They did just that – sold the house and flew with their dog to Paris to drive

around the coast, searching for a place to settle. They discovered Saint-Jean-de-Luz which, as a popular

vacation spot, allowed them to stay for 9 months out of the year but they had to move during the sum-

mer when much higher rent could be charged. They became part of the bridge community and be-

cause they played well, they were popular and made many friends. This came in handy when they

found a place they wanted to rent. The landlord said, “not so fast,” since they were an unknown risk.

Good friends of theirs, a doctor and his wife, vouched for them, and he happened to be the landlord’s

doctor. They rented for six years, “the best six years of my life,” said Don. They returned to the US when

his wife’s son had triplets and needed help with them.

While in France, they traveled around and played bridge. The French games awarded not only points

but money, and Don was a frequent winner, often having his picture in the local paper. He once won

$4,000, and on other occasions won trips to Club Med. Most important were the friendships they made

through bridge, and they visited with those friends throughout the years.

Don met frequent partner Don Stack at “Murial Bridge,” a club that held games several times a week

with huge turnouts. Brooker says his claim to fame was when he partnered with Stack as he earned his

300th point to become Lifemaster. They have been partners for 55 years. In the past two local region-

als, the Holiday Regional in Kansas City and the Topeka Regional, as well as the recent Summer Section-

al, they were the top masterpoint winners. They also played in the Nationals in Reno, and in one of the

National events, they were leading the field by the maximum amount after the qualifying round. Unfor-

tunately, they arrived at the final event a half hour late due to a misunderstanding of the start time.

Their penalty took away their lead and they ended up coming in 6th overall.

They keep their agreements simple, without too many conventions. “Weak no trump has been the big-

gest change,” Don said. When asked about Brooker’s play of the hand, Stack said, “C’est formidable!”

Do Not Call list?

 I have been having trouble with getting porn spam in my messages on my phone. I have gotten quite good at blocking the number and reporting spam. It just kept getting worse! So I contacted my carrier which happens to be Google FI. I will enclose my answer from them in a bit but I wanted to ask my dear friends and neighbors how long it has been since you assured your current phone number is on the National Do Not Call List. I know for me it has probably been 20 to 30 years!

Here is the email I received from Google FI. They told me to wait 31 days before taking further action however it worked right away! I have not received another porn one since I added both of our phones to the list! What a simple fix! And that is why I felt I should share the info with you.

Hi Barbara,

Thanks for contacting Google Fi Support.

I understand that you're getting spam messages on your Google Fi phone.

I appreciate your efforts in trying to block all of them and report them as spam. 

I see that the issue still persists. In this case, please be informed that these types of Unwanted/spam calls and texts are problems across the US. These issues are not limited to a specific carrier. However, there are currently multiple resources available for this issue and we are continuing to develop innovations to help combat this problem.  

Please be informed that when you get a phone call, Google Fi also automatically checks if the call is from a fake number. A fake number may happen when a scammer makes an incoming call that seems like it is coming from a number similar to yours or in your area code. If you get a call that says “ Google Fi verified” above the incoming phone number, Fi has verified the call and confirmed that it is not a fake number. 

Fi verifies calls using STIR/SHAKEN technology to identify spam. When you get a call, the caller's phone carrier lets Google Fi know that the call is coming from a real number. Google Fi then verifies that what the carrier says is true. 

In order for numbers to be verified, both parties must be on a carrier network that uses STIR/SHAKEN, so calls that are not verified may still be valid.

As you're still facing issues, we'd recommend you to perform the below troubleshooting steps on your device which could help you in resolving the issue. 

Note: Please ignore the steps which you've already performed. 

Do Not Call Registry: If you are still receiving these types of calls and texts frequently from different numbers, I would request you to register your number to the FTC's National Do Not Call Registry at https://www.donotcall.gov/register/reg.aspx. After 31 days of being on the Registry you should report unwanted messages directly to the FTC.

For more information, please refer to this link.

I am positive that after performing the above instructions, the issue with spam texts should resolve, just in case the issue still continues, then the last option would be changing your Google Fi number. If you wish to get a new number, help us with the ZIP code and preferred area code, so that we'll check and proceed further. 

Hope the information is helpful! 

If you have any further questions, please feel free to reply to this Email, contact us via Chat or Phone (1-844-Talk2Fi). Currently, phone support is limited. We are 24/7 at your convenience! 

Thanks,

Esha
Google Fi Support

Iowa PBS=YES!

 Last night was trivia night and as a rare treat Keri stepped in as moderator and I enjoyed it very much. I was able to be a participant! It also enabled me to visit with the players a bit more than usual. I used the word "bendy" and was reminded of where I first picked it up. I asked Pat if she ever watched The Durrells in Corfu on PBS. It is a comedy. In that series, the oldest son had an ongoing relationship with a contortionist. She was not nice, and his sister asked their mother whatever he saw in her. Her mother replied that men tended to like their women "bendy". It was a wonderful series and we greatly enjoyed it. And now on to a raving endorsement of PBS and particularly IOWA PBS. As we have traveled throughout the country we have found Iowa PBS to be head and shoulders above the rest. Others are starting to catch up but it has been a long time coming.

We have been longtime fans of Iowa PBS. Texas is another long sad story when it comes to PBS in the RGV. There have been years where it wasn't even available there due to lack of funding. We as members of Iowa PBS are able to use PBS Passport in South Texas giving us access to Iowa PBS while down there. We enjoy that perk. As long as we have good internet we are set for the winter.

The holiday is coming up

 And now that we have the Pool Hall ready to receive friends and family we are planning a gathering. So I am working on it...

Butch made what I hope is the last trip to DesMoines to drive a car. He is trying them out to find out what he might like. So far the verdict is we will be keeping our 2009 Hyundai Sante Fe for a while longer. The way we operate is that the right one will come along and fall in our laps as if it was always supposed to be. So many things have happened to us in just that way. In the meantime all is good.

I had my annual appointment with a heart doctor and he said the ECHO looked good and that I had a strong heart. So happy there! 

Last weekend a longtime friend, Sherri Clark from Atlantic stopped by with her friend Sam. We had a great visit. I have so many friends sprinkled throughout the country that I enjoy so much and wish I could see more often. 

I have so many things lined up to do and the list is too long. I am looking for the day I can say I am all caught up or maybe just the day I can say I only have one thing left to do.

So once again I apologize to the people who have kept up with the blog. Keep trying! I think of you often!

Trivia Thursday

 Jan M., Sharon McQ., Jerilyn D., Sue L., Dee V.

Denny L., Butch, Pete B., Larry J., Rolfe B.

Chickens!

 This mural is on the hatchery that I walked past every school day in Jefferson Iowa. I love it and thanks to cousin Joanna Neff for posting it on Facebook so I could snip it. Great picture!

I had to add the info as to how this mural came about. A great part of the story.

http://beeherald.com/news/greene-county-students-paint-massive-mural-old-hatchery-wall?fbclid=IwAR0tULVNd20Vilhu_EBQG_r0mMCQCDSBff6cq-Qp8ljfoxNBrc16Rz6OW8o

Last nights sunset

 

Butch took this one. He rarely asks me to hand him the camera.

Peppermint

 I may have shared this with you before but thought it worth sharing again. In the past, we have had a bit of trouble with spiders, ants, earwigs, sometimes mice and on rare occasions, snakes. The one formula that has been most effective is peppermint.

In October before we leave for Texas I spray everywhere I feel likely to need it with peppermint and when we come back in the Spring I am happy to report we do not have issues with any of them. The most persistent are the ants. That is an ongoing battle as I spray entryways and anywhere I see them at any time of year and sometimes I resort to giving them a feast of Terro.

My formula is 1 cup water, 1 tsp. peppermint oil, 4 to 5 drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid. I put it in a spray bottle and spray away.

It was funny to me...

 Perhaps a few of you out there know my sense of humor can sometimes be called...let us say off-kilter? Butch and I went for a walk on the bike trail yesterday. A house not far from us can have as many as 9 cars in the driveway. We know there is a story there but we do not have any idea what it is. There was a man removing items from the back end of an SUV and there were 3 children of various ages there as well. The man was quite vocal and a little loud and speaking in Spanish. The children were answering him in English! There were several exchanges and the pattern never altered. I found this remarkable, interesting and amusing!

Tonight is Brookers Pool Hall Trivia. That might be funny too.

And I am thinking of starting a game night...or maybe a game afternoon. Say playing Mexican Train or Fast Track or Dirty Board? Don't know...Will see...

And then?...

 Last Friday we got the title in hand for the MoHo so we could get it to the new owner. We had thought it would be a simple thing of getting it from our lender but when it came down to it they said they didn't have it and to contact the state we lived in at the time we purchased it. We had purchased it when we were full-time RVers so our mailing address was South Dakota. We had a service that forwarded our mail to us wherever we might be. So I contacted the County and they told me the loaner had the title according to their records. I thought "Oh, no I might have a catch-22 on my hands." but it got worked out. So the RV chapter of our life is closed now.

I am back to getting some pool played. It is quite the roller coaster. Some days I do well and some days not so well. It does keep me moving and I enjoy working on the game in a productive way. As long as I focus on it being a learning process and not a win/loss situation all is well.

We are having another rainy day! It seems like out of 7 days, 3 to 4 of them contain some rain. The good news is that watering the plants is easier.

Right now I need to get Thursday night's trivia questions lined up so until I can think of something exciting or funny to relate to you, I will be otherwise occupied.

Barb in 1985

Looking through a journal and I ran across this clipping. I might not have liked this pic at the time but now I think it is wonderful! Funny how time changes things...

 

Creamy Pea Salad

 This is the recipe from my youth! And I loved it. Plan on making it asap.

Creamy Pea Salad

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste as needed

4 cups frozen peas, thawed

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, cubed small

A couple of things from yesterday

 It was Bell Tower weekend in Jefferson. We planned to go to the parade but it rained right up till starting time so we passed. We did make it to the Firemen's breakfast and it was as good as always. Then later we walked up to the square to check out all the festivities. And I fell! Yes, I fell after misstepping on a slanted curb while trying to avoid getting in the way of a "train" that was taking folks for a ride around the square. The worst part initially was my hands. I thought I had scraped them up pretty bad. In actuality, I was not hurt at all! My white pants didn't even get dirty! I have some achiness' in my arms and hands but nothing serious. 

And then after we came home I decided I had enough of the disorder in my kitchen so I started into a decluttering mode. I opened one of the 3 tubs I had sitting in the way and found my journals. I was reminded that before my blogging days I kept journals. I randomly picked up one and the entries were from 1988. Now I could have let this sideline me but it didn't. I continued the decluttering but those journals are in my mind as a treat for some rainy day.

Recent photos: No More MoHo...

Squirrels?

 I think Brian Crane has a hidden camera at our house...at all our houses!

Park Model exterior photos

 If we tick off all the things one would want in a park model in South Texas this place has them all. Metal roof, hardly any grass, shade shutters, large protected deck, storage room, washer and dryer, propane furnace, central AC, covered carport, and golf cart parking. We did not have to cave on even one of our wants for this one.

Our South Texas Home

Some have asked about pics of our South Texas Home. They must have missed them the first time around.

A utility room has been added to the park model. It can be entered through the bedroom or the deck. 

Butch built a workbench in the utility room. A guy always needs a place to work!

Bedroom

Living room area

Deck

Main entry door.

 

Our very workable kitchen

Does anyone want to buy an oversized recliner?

It will be a new adventure for us next season...
 

3 Baby Robbins

3 Baby Robbins a week or so ago. They have been progressing nicely.

...as you can see

I have been so busy watching them with the hope that I might see the leaving of the nest.

Contemplating...

...the first flight?

It looks so far...

Hmmmm...

Are you two ready?...

I knew it was going to happen any minute!!! 

And then I was called away and when I came back the nest was empty! Now I knew this big boy was ready but his 2 nest mates I was not so sure. BUT the nest was completely empty and has been ever since.

Maybe there will be a repeat performance with a new batch of babes. Time will tell...Oh well!

Jar opener

 We had 7 players last night and the guys won. It was so good to see our friends and play once again.

After the game, we were talking things over and Sue L. mentioned that she had purchased a recommendation I had made a while back and it was one of the best purchases she has made. It is a bottle/jar/cap opener that installs under your cabinet. We used to have one years ago when we lived in Cumberland and when we moved I forgot to uninstall it and take it with us so I recently bought a replacement and I thought there were others who would benefit from it. Our hands are not as 'handy' as we age and this is fantastic for those of us who struggle with arthritic hands.

It installs under a cabinet and it works to open all sizes of jars and bottles. EZ Off Jar Opener - Under Cabinet Jar Lid & Bottle Opener - Opens Any Size Jar - Great for Arthritis - Perfect for Seniors & Weak Hands $18.95 

The Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/EZ-Off-Opener-Sizes-White/dp/B000X6K9J8/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?crid=38O2VVJO8DBJ3&keywords=jar%2Bopener%2Bfor%2Bweak%2Bhands&qid=1654259637&sprefix=Jar%2Bopener%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-4-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExOU9aSFQ1REtWNzFVJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjQ2MzU4MkhKNjVTWTFWVE5NViZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDA1MzgzMjlQMDZGMlhaREEwWSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1

What a week this has been!

 We have had several people come to look at the motorhome in the hopes of buying it. And there was one story after another and one obstacle after another. Last  Monday the phone rang and Charlie called and asked if he could come to look at the motorhome, of course, we said, "Yes". He said there was another he planned to look at in St. Charles Ia unless he was happy with ours. It went well and he asked lots of questions and asked if he could drive it. It was a very windy day and Butch told him it would be a good test because it handles well in the wind. He was openly happy with it and gave every indication he was highly interested. When Butch and Charlie came back from the test drive Charlie got in his pickup and left. Butch said you are not going to believe this but he just bought it! He said he was not going to haggle because he knew it was fairly priced. He promised to come back the next day at 9:00 AM and would go to the bank with us and in fact, he did. But Butch was worried about his baby and offered to take it to his home. Charlie thought that was a good idea. So we hooked up the car for the last time and headed to Lake City. Butch spent a couple of hours showing all the ins and outs of what it takes to run our traveling home efficiently. And then we went to his bank where he wired the money to our account in Jefferson. The whole thing seems miraculous! We have a copy of the bill of sale and the money is in our account and we will be able to give him the title next week. We have never had something go this quick or this smoothly!

Now before you think there was too much trust in an unknown person on our part let me give you a few details. He gave us several details of his life and when he left I googled him and not only everything he said was validated it was impressive. Among his accomplishments were 30 years of being an ER doctor, He owned and ran a heavy equipment business and add to that he was/is a farmer.

It was such a whirlwind that we have been pinching ourselves ever since. So next on our to-do list is a new car. We can go slow on this one and probably will. Stay tuned for the amazing adventures of Barb and Butch!

Bird and Flower pics

 On our walk this morning...

 

We have had house wrens for many years and they are back. I swear they sing all day long!

And this year we have robins. Butch did away with their nest early on but they didn't take long to redo it. There are 3 babies in there and I have observed that both parents are very active with the care and feeding of their offspring.