Pete and Jerilynn have boats (small ones) that they take out to Spring Lake and race around in the water.
Spring Lake holds special memories for me because as a child our family went to the lake almost every evening in the summer. That was before AC. So today when Butch suggested we go out to the lake I gladly said "yes". I grabbed my camera because I can always find a good picture out there.
Our neighbor across the street was a tractor collector. He passed away last winter. Before his death, he had set a date, May 23rd, to sell his tractors. He has over a 100 I swear. His yard is full of them getting ready for the sale. I took a picture from our place that only shows a portion of them. The auction will be online as well as on-site. It should be a very busy place next Tuesday.
A run to Costco is a much bigger deal for us in Iowa. Yesterday we went to the Ankeny Costco for the second time. We used to go to the West Des Moines one, which is a couple of miles closer. Our route would take us to Wendover Road, which I always called Bendover Road. After we traveled a ways it turned into Old Alice Road and since Urbandale is expanding to the west, they have many different construction projects in process. The Ankeny Costco is a couple of miles further but for now, it is much easier to get to.
While shopping in Costco, Butch usually goes off by himself to explore. I saw him coming toward me with a shoe box in hand. They were not a style he would usually consider BUT they were $5.00! Yup, that is right. $5.00.
Butch's feet have been on our minds lately. He had an appointment with a podiatrist and we were thinking he might have a toenail removed. That didn't happen! Doc started cutting his toenails and I was getting amused watching the cuttings pinging around the room. His feet looked much improved! Butch cannot reach his feet anymore so now we have regular scheduled appointments with the podiatrist. The nail he was most concerned with has a fungus situation so Doc told him to use Vicks vapor rub on it on a regular basis and it would straighten itself out. We were both relieved to have the situation resolved.
I got a haircut on the 16th and it has been 6 weeks without one. I do not feel fit for public viewing. I decided to take some before shots for comparison.
So here are the results of the cut. The haircut looks great but the old lady under it looks way too old.
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Gary called yesterday (Mothers Day) and we talked of many things. Gary will be retiring in a few days. He said people keep asking him what he plans to do and he does not know how to answer. I suggested he say, "Anything I want!" Our conversation took me back to when Butch and I retired twenty years ago in October. We did have a plan of sorts and that was to live in an RV and wander around and that is indeed what we did. But the truth of it is, it does not matter where you are located with your body. It is where you are located in your head. Much of what we did then still holds true today. We like to get some work in every day and mix it with a thing or two we consider fun, like going for a walk, reading a book, playing some pool, or perhaps working in a nap. I will admit there is some adjustment to completely changing your daily routine. Whatever we did, it always had a positive twist to it. I often say these are absolutely the best years and it could not be more true.
And now to get on with my retirement. I think I will start the laundry. I have about 3 loads. I plan to make some egg salad so getting the eggs boiled and peeled is on the agenda. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to clean up the breezeway. That will give me a sense of accomplishment and we will see where it goes from there. And birdwatching! I think I will get in some birdwatching!
Butch is rather traditional in his choice of clothing and what he chooses seems to concern him far more than it does me. The other day he was looking at his pile of shorts and shirts, many of which he had not worn for some time. So he decided to flip the piles over and wear what was on the bottom. I applaud his idea.
He tried to throw these shorts away a couple of years ago and I said, "No".
We haven't been doing much these days. We do have our own little happy hour every day at 4:00 and we play pool. We only have each other as partners for the most part. We did play with Pete and Jerilynn the other day. I sure hope we didn't scare them off. I do plan to start trivia soon.
I had an allergic reaction to fluconazole a couple of weeks ago and that did slow me down a bit. I was on prednisone for 5 days and that was okay but getting off that stuff is a whole different thing. Ain't gonna let that happen again! I am starting to feel normal. I like normal.
The more "senior" we get the more "senior" we behave.
This morning there are dozens of things I should be doing but what I was doing was sorting pictures, deleting duplicates, and other unwanted pics. I ran across this one and loved the theme. It was taken in our backyard about a year ago while sitting at my computer.
Here we have a squirrel, a rabbit, and two BlueJays sharing space and a meal.
Settling in doesn't seem too noteworthy. So then a writer's block comes upon me and I sometimes can't get past it. So if I start on something that carries no interest for you, walk on by.
My sister Myrla spends much more time in my head than I thought would happen. She was loaded with friends and they really stepped up for her and us! Myrla was a storyteller in the best meaning of the word. She found the funny in every situation. Her last year on this earth was difficult for her and her friends. Being the dedicated smoker that she was it was difficult to visit with her in her home. Last fall, before we left for Texas, she was confined in the hospital for a few days. We went to see her because of the fact the hospital room would be smoke-free. In true Myrla fashion, she was covered with nicotine patches sitting Indian style in the bed. Now that was a funny sight. I had notified others of her friends and family she would be there and they also took advantage. We didn't know it would be a last visit although it was on the agenda and we did know that. For the first time, I found out that she was a dedicated Harry Potter fan. She watched the series on tape over and over again. We had a long discussion about Harry Potter and she knew her stuff. She would have been a trivia ace on that subject. It is never easy to guess where someone's strength of knowledge might be or what subject they land on.
Butch has been playing some golf and we have returned to our pattern of going to the pool hall every day and playing some pool. We have some new plans for the pool hall as we are giving Myrlas pool table to her best friend. We have no need for two and it will give us more room to entertain whenever the emphasis is not on pool. We have RV renters (Pete and Jerilynn) in our back yard and they like to play cards and games so we have also been doing that when doctors' appointments don't interfere. I haven't started trivia yet but plan to when the one pool table finds its new home.
Here is my latest Bird pic. I am quite fond of this one.
Last season we had a homing pigeon try to make Trophy it's home. She was named Hazel by Dot and a few others. She would hang out around one certain fan's home and wait for breakfast every morning around 8.
Hazel was a beauty and a faithful visitor.
I am sitting in my favorite spot, looking out of my favorite window, and seeing many things to take a picture of.
We say this every year, "Next year we won't come back till May!" And even so, today's high is predicted to be in the '50s. 55 to be exact with the overnight tonight 38. Maybe we should make it mid-May!
We have lots of outdoor stuff we would like to get done. It is too cold to be in the pool hall unless we run the heater.
No worries. There is plenty of other things to be thankful for but this cold weather stuff is vexing.
We have some doctor appointments this week and that always eats up time. We intended to add some eye exams to our "doctor duties" last winter and did not get it done so today I made appointments for eye exams for the two of us next November with Thurman Eye Associates.
It is always good to get details taken care of.
Leo gifted Marlene and Bernard with this photo of their three children. It is a great gift! The Kelley kids from left to right are Danial, Dwight, and Diane. This was a black-and-white photo and Leo got it enhanced. Great Idea Leo!
We are successfully reconnecting with our up north life in many ways. Butch is busy getting the old garage, the one that is too small to accommodate a modern car, into a shop. He is enjoying the process even though it is a cool 50 degrees out there today.
I haven't started trivia yet but it isn't too far off. I have about 3 areas to clean up in the yard. My goal is to invent it so it isn't too much of a burden to keep looking spiffy. We sneak in a few games of pool in between projects.
Yesterday we went to Marlene and Bernards's home in northern Iowa and delivered her pecan bits. Jason and Laura went with us and we had a super fun day. Diane and Blaze were there due to a funeral they had attended. But all of us enjoyed a top-notch dinner and then we played Pegs and Jokers. It was so good to see them all again. Lots of reminiscing took place.
Yes, we are getting settled. Yesterday Butch made huge strides in getting his workshop/old garage cleaned out and organized and I cleaned out flower beds and raked leaves. We leave before all the leaves have dropped in the fall making it necessary to deal with them in the Spring. I am about half done.
Today we are headed to see Marlene and Bernard in Northern Iowa. Marlene and Bernard played a huge part in our going to the Rio Grande Valley every year and we miss them each season. Marlene asked us to stop by the Weslaco/Donna fleamarket to buy her some pecans. She likes the ones that are bits and pieces and says it saves her time when she is baking. Marlene and Keri are the best cooks in our family and the rest of us have enjoyed their endeavors for many, many years. So today is delivery day for the pecans. And we are taking her one of Keri's famous Key Lime Pies. Everybody wins!!
Oh, and we sneak in a game of pool now and then.
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Inspired? I hope so.
I am hoping this can be viewed easily. Special thanks to Craig Cunningham for putting it together.
https://clipchamp.com/watch/wHInKuGVaGa?utm_source=share&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=watch
We celebrated Myrla's life in fine fashion. I visited with many of my cousins and Myrla's friends and enjoyed every one of them. It was a pleasure. She would have enjoyed it and would have been the first one to relate her many adventures; enhanced of course. She always greeted everyone with a smile and you were impelled to smile back.
I wrote this bit before hearing from those in the know about Covid. The message is that if you are fully vaccinated and have no symptoms it would be safe to go to the celebration of life for Myrla so we have changed our mind and will be going.
Feel free to read the rest of my previous message.😃
...it's another. Our trip home was fine. Not as relaxing as in the motorhome but quicker. We arrived on Wednesday and it was much easier to make the transition from the car to the house than it was from the motorhome to the house. But then we are in a cold snap. It was 37 degrees when I got up this morning; tomorrow is supposed to be worse. Butch is itching to get outdoors and work and it is way too cold for comfort.
On our first day here we were very busy taking care of details and I finally got around to reading my texts I had one from Gary, our Missouri son, telling me he had tested positive for Covid. He is a teacher so it is not unusual for teachers to get it along with all the other issues teachers must deal with these days. We stayed with Gary and Susan overnight. Neither of us had too much contact but it could be enough. We don't know. They say to not test before 5 days to see if you have it because you could get a false reading so Monday we will be testing. Neither of us is sick, at least not yet.
Gary and Susan had planned to come to Myrla's celebration of life but of course, they cannot now. And then do we go?? We would so hate to be the cause of an outbreak so we are not going. My niece Karla and son Jason and Laura are going and I am thankful for that. I am the last remaining one of my immediate family and I am very disappointed that I will miss it. I am the oldest of our siblings and Myrla was the youngest. I do plan to have a gathering of cousins and friends later when it warms up! Myrla's birthday was June 7th so I am thinking June 10th. More on that later.
So between being isolated for covid and the temps in the 30's there is not much going on right now. We can use some downtime.
We will be leaving the RGV on Sunday, and headed for our friend's house in Canyon Lake (north of San Antonio) We will stay with Terry and Lisa Linder overnight.
Monday we are headed for Thackerville OK and the Winstar Casino. We stay at The Inn.
Tuesday will be our longest day and we will be in Peculiar MO with Gary and Susan Brooker.
Wednesday we will be traveling to Jefferson, unpacking and getting ready to go to Rockwell City for my sister Myrla's celebration of life on Saturday.
We have finished many small projects in the last couple of weeks. It is very satisfying to know that they are taken care of and all these little chores will be done when we return. The artificial turf around the tree, the pruning of the oleander bushes, cleaning and organizing the utility room, and many others.
We are mostly packed. The remainder will be the kind we do on the day before departure. That is tomorrow. There is so much to learn these first few times and it takes time to develop a routine but I think we are there!
These are phone pics. The camera is heavy and not always handy. The picture quality is much better with the camera and I feel I should apologize.
There is an onion field next to the golf course and Butch has been keeping track of the progress. I was with him yesterday. The "Jacks" are still there.
Five days from departure. The worst part of this is all the thinking that takes place. We recall with fondness the days we were full-timing and we could be ready for departure in no time at all...in comparison. I assume it will get easier the more times we do it. We hope to do this for many years to come. Most of you know how old we are and thus realize how tenuis that statement might be.
Things are very different around here now. Most of our fellow residents are gone or are about to be gone. I noticed this morning when I sat in front of this computer that I used to have trouble getting everything done that I needed to but now I am sitting here wondering if I have forgotten something because I feel as though I am pretty well caught up.
We are looking forward to a fun summer. They are all fun but this one just might be more fun! Our friends Pete and Jerilynn will be renting our RV site in our backyard. They have "youngsters" staying in their house so will be using their RV this summer for their living quarters. So playing pool, cards, and board games will be a part of our summer much like when we are in Texas. 👍
Stay tuned and drop by!
Wink and Dot are a couple in Trophy who are regulars at the 'Happy Hour' we attend regularly. Yesterday Wink was relating the time they went on an Alaska Rail Tour with John Hall. John Hall Tours works out of Lake City Minnesota. The story of their trip was riveting and got me all fired up about finding out the details. I also thought I knew several people who might like to know about it too. Wink said every detail of their trip was handled well and beyond expectation. Here is where you can find out more.
I told you 'Happy Hour' was educational!
I received this message from Butch's sister Marlene and thought it made an appropriate add-on to the last post.
Barb = When I started reading your note on the green bean recipe, I just knew you were going to tell a story on our oldest son. I think of it every now and then – we were visiting Mom and Dad in Jefferson with the kids one weekend. Danial was probably 7 or 8 yrs. Old We were sitting down at the table to eat and Mom had made the green bean casserole where you put mashed potatoes on top of the casserole with cream of mushroom soup and some cheese. Danial puts some on his plate and tastes it, then said “ Hmm tastes better than you’d think to look at it-“ I don’t remember if Mom was amused or mad I just know I was quite embarrassed. Marlene"
I am guessing she was amused because grandchildren are special. I enjoyed knowing there was more than one 'green bean' story.
Glad you enjoyed it! Sounds yummy! Glad you liked it! ReplyForward |
We are making progress on the transition from Texas to Iowa. I told Butch I had a brilliant idea! I am cooking everything I have in the freezer and we will eat leftovers all week. It seems to be working. Last night was pork loin and tonight we are invited to an easter meal at a friend's house. On the horizon are chicken and noodles and hamburger and green beans. The story is...
When Butch and I were in grade school, one of the cooks in the lunch room was Grandma Hanson. Grandma Hanson was a neighbor to the Brookers. Grandma Hanson knew the recipe she cooked at school for 'hamburger and green beans' and shared it with Butch's Mom because oddly enough it was a favorite for Butch. Those who know him will realize just how much of an oddity that is! I happen to like it too and our kids grew up with it and like it as well. It has always been my go-to choice when I couldn't think of anything else. I usually have everything on hand to put it together at all times. It is so simple I almost hesitate to tell you how to make it.
But here goes; Brown one pound of hamburger in a medium to large skillet. Drain most of the grease leaving a tablespoon or two. Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of flour over the hamburger and stir till it is all incorporated. Add two cans of DRAINED green beans. Stir and add approximately 1 cup of milk. Salt and pepper to taste. There will not be much of a sauce because there isn't supposed to be.
And that, my friends, is all it takes! I have added onion at times and sometimes I will sprinkle a bit of cheese on it. Some of our classmates think it is awful but we stand by it firmly as being quite tasty.
The food business of transitioning is the most difficult. But after this season I am sure I will have a plan that works on both ends. Practice makes perfect! Till next time.
This project has been in my head for quite some time but it has now come to pass. The flowering bush in the background is an Oleander and it started blooming shortly after we arrived and has bloomed all winter.
Our golfing years in Atlantic IA- Nishna Hills Golf Course
My sister Myrla passed away either late Saturday the 1st or Sunday the 2nd. She was 62. Myrla was my half-sister although I never felt halfway about her. I am sure her other sister on her fathers' side, Karen, never felt halfway about her either.
Myrla was a smoker and she started at a very young age. Her health deteriorated because of it but quitting was not something she would even consider. She chose her path and never wavered.
She was always fun and funny. A pleasure to be around if you didn't take her too seriously.
I could write a whole book about her. Perhaps another day...
We are 18 days from take off!!! If that doesn't set a fire under us I don't know what will. It suddenly seems imminent. Let us see, what clothes to pack, can we eat all the food we have, don't forget this and then there is that. Where is the checklist?
Get the picture?
Running out of fresh ideas for supper? Have you noticed the top of the blog page where you will find a recipes saved from the blog tab? I must admit I have not added any new ones lately. Even I can get inspired if I look at these recipes once in a while. Give it a try!
