Ragbrai 2023

 RAGBRAI

Registers/annual/great/bicycle/ride/across/Iowa

This event happens to go through Jefferson this year, in fact 2 blocks from our house. Keri and I passed on walking the bike trail this morning as getting across the highway to get on the trail would have been nearly impossible. I have photos. Butch and I walked down to the trailhead to see the swarm. So here are the photos. Keep in mind there are no duplicates. These riders had biked from Carroll Iowa to Jefferson Iowa and then on to Ames. From Carroll to Jefferson is 28.9 miles and then it is another 42 to Ames for a total of 71.

This is Butch walking ahead of me. We are on the bike trail while the bikers are headed east on Old 30.

These 3 were on our street as we were headed down to the trail.

Philosophically Speaking

I read this on a Facebook post a few weeks ago and the truth of it touched me. Now I know not everyone will have that reaction. In fact, I suspect some will have an entirely different take on the whole thing. But if you are a kindred spirit and get the drift of it, it can change the way you look at nearly everything.

 Best Wishes Always, Barb B.

150 Years From Now

150 years from now, none of us reading this post today will be alive. 70 percent to 100 percent of everything we are fighting over right now will be totally forgotten. Underline the word, TOTALLY. 

If we go back memory lane to 150 years before us, that will be 1872, none of those that carried the world on their heads then are alive today. Almost all of us reading this will find it difficult to picture anybody's face from that era.

Pause for a while and imagine how some of them betrayed their relatives and sold them as slaves for a piece of mirror. Some k*lled family members just for a piece of land or tubers of yam or cowries or for a pinch of salt. Where is the yam, cowries, mirror, or salt that they were using to brag? It may sound funny to us now, but that is how s*lly we humans are sometimes, especially when it comes to money, power, or trying to be relevant.

I remember those days in my secondary school when some people fought and did so many unimaginable things just to have their names shortlisted among those to be made school Prefects. Ordinary school Prefects o! But today nobody in that school right now remembers that I even schooled there despite my popularity then. Now, imagine what happens after 150 years! 

Take Michael Jackson as an example even when you claim the internet age will preserve your memory. Michael Jackson died in 2009, just 13 years ago. Imagine the influence Michael Jackson had all over the world when he was alive. How many young people of today remember him with awe, that is if they even know him? In 150 years to come, his name, when mentioned, will not ring any bell to a lot of people.

Let us take life easy, nobody will get out of this world alive. . . The land you are fighting and ready to kill for, somebody left that land, the person is dead, rotten, and forgotten. That will also be your fate. In 150 years to come, none of the vehicles or phones we are using today to brag will be relevant. Biko, take life easy!

Let love lead. Let’s be genuinely happy for each other. No malice, no backbiting. No jealousy. No comparison. Life is not a competition. At the end of the day, we will all transit to the other side. It is just a question of who gets there first, but surely we will all go there someday.

Omenana Igbo by Ogazi Amaka... .written by father kelvin ugwu

Today’s thought

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” ―Confucius

This has been a quote I have used many times over throughout my life. I think it is because I have never been one to move quickly. I can move quickly but it rarely happens.

At our house,  life has been progressing in its normal fashion. Our friendly neighbors Pete and Jerilynn will soon be returning to their sticks and bricks home and putting their RV in storage. Jerilynn's son and his wife have purchased a home so their life will return to some normalcy as well. We have enjoyed having them in our backyard ready to play "Golf" or "Wizard" at the drop of a hat. 

Butch is playing real golf as often as possible and I am walking the bike trail not nearly as often as I should be. We both try to get a pool game going every day at 4:00. My game has improved some through the summer and Butch's doesn't need to. 

We still do trivia every Thursday night and if it works out we might play a card game after or play some pool. The pool hall has definitely been used as we intended.

The summer is moving swiftly as it always seems to. And who would have thought that Iowa would be the Mecca of the US because of our moderate weather? We have had a few days in the 90's but then it seems a cold front moves through and we are back to pleasant.

So I am writing this hoping I still have a few readers of the blog. I know it has been a while.

Best Wishes Always,

Barb B.

Kindred Spirits

Today’s thought

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” ―L.M. Montgomery

When I saw this quote it hit a chord with me. When I see a post on Facebook from a "kindred spirit" I always take the time to appreciate it and know it did indeed come from a kindred spirit.

Brookers Gather

 I am a bit late getting these Pic's posted but I like to fiddle a bit with my photo's before they are seen by many. You know, crop them a bit if needed and perhaps adjust the light or clarity. So these are the photo's taken this past weekend either at Leo and Keri's place or our pool hall. This was a quick trip, primarily for the Brooker siblings to touch base with each other after the loss of Jo Brooker, Bill's wife. We all miss her.

Barb O'Roake and Jason Brooker looking at pictures of the late Mark Brooker.

The siblings from left to right, Don Brooker, Marlene Kelley, Butch Brooker, Bill Brooker and Leo Brooker.

They all have the Brooker name: Jason, Don, Butch, Bill, and Leo.

Bill, Butch and Marlene

Leo, 'splaining to Bill

Bernard Kelley and Leo.

Carolyn Kelley, Don and Marty

Anna Scott, Keri going after supplies, Marty, Marlene and Bernard

4 handed Cribbage Game

Picture Sorting

 When it comes to photo's I can lose track of time, whether it be taking photos, sorting photo's or looking for photos. The most frustrating one is looking for a specific photo, let's say from ten years ago. When I was holding computer classes I recommended categorizing by years and months and way back when I had more time (wink, wink) that seemed to work for me. These days not so much. ANYWAY...yesterday and this morning I am attempting to catch up. As I was downloading from my camera yesterday, that would be my real camera, not the phone one I ran across this one.

 

Squirrel Chasing

 

Power of Love

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." - Jimi Hendrix.

Vacation

Jason and Laura went on Vacation this past week. And Jason loves to fish.

It looks like he had a very successful vacation.

So don't tell me...

 There's nothin' to do!

Jefferson Iowa Area  Attractions

The Brooker Pool Hall

     Cards of various kinds

     Playing pool on an A1 table

     Trivia on Thursday nights

     Simply the best conversations

Walk around the square in addition to the businesses

     Jefferson Gardens

     Tuesday night Farmers Market

     Mahaney Tower (birds-eye view)

Places to eat

     Peony Chinese Restaurant

     Doc’s Bar

     The Centennial by appointment

     The Twin Shop (ice cream and sandwiches)

      A & W

     Casa de Oro

Greene County Tour

     Spring Lake

     Squirrel Hollow

     The Hill (Golf Course)

     Lakeside (Golf Course)

     Jefferson (Golf Course)

Other

     Jamaica Ia- ToJo’s Bar and Grill ( Huge Tenderloins)

      Paton IA- 209 Main

Good Grief, Gertie!
I left out the Wild Rose Casino! 

The Legacy

Great-Grandfather Butch teaching 10-year-old Great-Grandson Leo how to play pool.  

Latest Photos

 

Hang in There!

When Keri or Susan and I walk on the trail this kitty runs to greet us. Friendly to the extreme and very pretty.

Balloon Flowers 

Texas Wide

Game Changer?

 Last Thursday at Trivia, Glen, one of the regular players brought us a "thing" that he had made. He had watched us play cards after the previous trivia night and we had been using a lazy susan to move from player to player. Glen had made us an easier option and it is a hit. He made it from plexiglass. He said he would make them and sell them to any of us for $20. It works very well and slides easily from person to person around the table. Nearly everyone there said they would like to have one.

I kept trying to think of a clever name for them and came up with "Game Changer".

Here are some pictures of the Game Changer.

Cooler Hacks

Top 3 cooler hacks that will make your ice last longer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_towDY71OmE

Be Cool!

Doesn't get it...

 Butch doesn't get it that he is old. This weekend, we had some faster-than-normal winds and lost a branch from one of our trees. It was a fair-sized branch and he happened to see it go. So we are in the backyard looking over the trees and Butch says, "I need a bucket truck." I said, "So, where do you propose to get one?" For many years in the past, this would not have been a problem. He gave me the "LOOK". I said, "Hire someone." No more conversation...

We did have some weather go through this past weekend. Not nearly as severe as they predicted. I did get a few photos in case everything was annihilated. Fortunately, we had some nice rain and some small branches down. When the wind blows like that I think of it as Mother Nature combing her hair, getting rid of the nits.

Balloon Flowers

My Mom!

 Thanks to my cousin Howard Z. for sending this to me.

Smooth

Mostly, things are going smoothly, leaving big gaps in my blog entries. Well, there are also enough things taking place to slow down my writing time. I know that is a natural part of aging too. What used to take minutes can take as long as an hour these days. And in a talk with my doctor (annual visit) when I was lamenting feeling ill at ease on a bicycle, she asks, How many 80-year-old women do you see riding bikes on the trail? I have to admit there are not many but I would like to be one of them.

I can still walk on the trail and I do. Probably should do more than I do but it takes too long! (See above)

I always have plenty to look at while sitting at my computer. We have baby squirrels literally learning the ropes. I watched a young one trying to talk himself into taking a leap. He finally made it but it took a while.

Just before the leap!

Observation Trek

 I was looking over poems I wrote some years ago. Some things never change, or only slightly change, like going for a walk in the early morning.

Observation Trek by Barbara Brooker

Gray striped kitten washing its feet,

Soda can flattened in the street,

Elbows bent at ninety degrees,

Cooling shade of old oak trees,

Toys stand waiting in the park,

Interrupted breakfast of a meadowlark,

Newly mowed look of a weedy lawn.

Things I noticed close to dawn.

I wrote this while we lived in Cumberland Iowa. Probably 1994 or thereabouts. 

Outside City Limits? Costco? Sam's Club?

 I know it might seem strange but yesterday we were indeed outside the city limits. We thought we might go to Costco and we still might. But ended up at Sam's Club in Ames.

A few weeks ago I gained 1,750 MyPoints by joining Sam's Club for $35. I have been a MyPoints member for nearly as long as I have been on the computer. 1992? or thereabouts. They send me ads in my email and I can click on them or not. I can visit the site or not. If I got behind I deleted it all. It was never a pain and I racked up points just by clicking a few times. It became an automatic thing almost. Every now and then I would redeem my points for money. Just a few weeks ago I redeemed points and added $50 to my Amazon account. So spending $35 because of an ad was a bit unusual for me. I had a motive. In Texas, Costco is close and easy but in Iowa it is not. Sams Club is closer. I am not at all familiar with Sam's Club so we are in a new learning experience. If we are not convinced in a year we simply will not renew.

For those who doubt me, you can look it up but Costco has been in existence longer than Sam's Club and it appears to me that Sam's Club copied Costco's floor plan and operating system. I will not quibble over it. 

Costco's sample system is much more user-friendly. In Sam's Club, you have to sign your name before you get your sample and I doubt that you can repeat as often as you want as you can at Costco. I know, it's a small thing. Costco's system appears more customer friendly to me.

Sam's Club has far more variety in what they carry although we could not find many of the items we had on our Costco list. Overall, on things we do buy at Costco and they do carry at Sam's Club, Costco was cheaper. Sometimes by as much as $3.00.

Gas is cheaper at Costco. The aisles are wider...much wider in Costco. 3 carts wide.

Time will tell.

Older than Google

Advice to old people

I always say I can get up as long as I have a paint can. With a paint can I can get started. I must add I have not tested the theory lately.

Oh ,what a day

 Having quite the time keeping up. Age...it has to be age. Doesn't it? 

An eventful day here. Our neighbors had a bad day. they lost a member of their family...I think.

 I always called him Weird Guy. A few weeks ago another guy came and he looked like Weird Guy, only younger, and thinner. Weird is wandering around your yard, talking to yourself, manicuring your yard with scissors. You read that right. Scissors, sewing scissors. The new weird guy wanders around the yard, talks to himself, and throws imaginary objects in the street. He gave off an aroma of anger in his body language. I called them Weird Guy 1 and Weird Guy 2. This morning there was a news flash that said there was a dead man discovered in Jefferson Iowa on a street near us. It took a while for the info to get sorted out but it seems Weird Guy 2 did himself in. Even the small part I know appears to be a sad story. Mental issues are so hard to deal with and the general public (Me) doesn't have any idea what to do about it, how to help, or even if should we help.

Found

 I finally found a program that can be used to edit photos. I had one I liked on my old computer but then I got mad at Microsoft again and switched to Chrome. It is Photo editor Pixlr-Free. Still getting used to it.

These are "found" pics that I have fixed up.

This one is of my mother Fern whose siblings called her Sissy with her mother who we all called Grandma Z.

And this one is of Sissy (Fern) and her brother Jack.