Safely in Iowa

 We arrived home last Thursday and have been peddling hard ever since. This morning as I write this I feel we are about three-quarters settled. Since this is the weekend the last quarter will have to wait till Monday as they involve the courthouse, insurance payment, tax info etc.

It feels good to be back even though I wish for slightly warmer temps so a morning walk is not a decision. The leaves on the trees seem to be a bit ahead compared to other Iowa Springs.

Geez!!! I just noticed I did not get this finished and published in a timely manner!

Sorry about that! Will publish this one and start a new one.

Tomorrow

 We will be leaving tomorrow morning sometime heading to our humble abode in Jefferson Iowa. Keri has done whatever is needed to get the water hooked up and the refrigerator plugged in. It is so nice to have those things done so we can get on with the task of getting settled in.

We have had a nice visit with our Missouri family. Last night we all ate at the local Mexican restaurant. The food was great and the prices were typically low. After all, it was Taco Tuesday!

Leo played cribbage with both Gary and Butch. He recently turned 11 and he learned how to play cribbage last summer sometime. It had been a long time since he had played but those who know him will not be surprised that he picked it up quickly. His name has gone from Little Leo to Lucky Leo as he counted out some high-quality hands.

Elise works as director behind the scenes in theater productions. Being a stand-in is but one of her many talents. She remembers all of the dialog from all of the parts. This too might seem quite remarkable to some who don't know her but to those who do know she has been doing this most of her life. Even as a toddler she would lip sync with the kid movies she watched. Elise will be turning 14 next month.

It is always fun to watch them grow.

1000+ Behind us

 We left the RGV early on Sunday morning and 500-plus miles later we stayed overnight in Mineral Falls TX. Up again bright and early we had another 500-plus miles to Peculiar MO. Both days were smooth sailing and without incident. We are at the Gary and Susan residence and we will be until Thursday morning. We will then be on our last leg to Jefferson.

If you have the opportunity to enjoy one-on-one time with your grown children and their spouses you will know how much we are enjoying our couple of days here. As I write this I am listening to Butch and Gary playing cribbage and grousing with each other. It is a tradition.

It is also remarkable how different topics of conversation seem to come from nowhere; some about the good old days and some current happenings you do not think to share while on the phone.

So we will soon be back in our summer home doing what we enjoy in the summertime. Till next time...

Desert Rose!

 On my morning walk.

A  photo of a Spectacular Desert Rose.

This bird did not make it.

Almost?

We can almost hear our neighbors breathing, it is that quiet here. We are doing a little each day to get ready for take-off. This morning we went to a restaurant named Biscuits and Gravy. Butch was certain it was his kind of restaurant. He liked it. I am partial to my own, thankyouverymuch. Although it has been getting to the point where I do not have to cook it, it is a very good restaurant.

After breakfast,we went to the pharmacy to pick up some eyedrops for Butch. We were too early so we went to the DonWes flea market to kill some time and time was already dead! Most of the vendors were gone so we stopped at Walmart and looked around a bit.

When we got home Butch had a sudden streak hit him and we made a dent in getting our outdoor chores done.

I briefly wondered why he was in a toot until it dawned on me; this is Masters weekend. Now it is most likely not much will move until Monday. In the past, I have made the mistake of booking our stops going north on this most famous of weekends. I won't do that again!

Till next time...

My friend Sherri!

 I met Sherri on the golf course and we quickly became friends. Our husbands were also friends and a big part of our lives in our Cumberland/Atlantic Iowa years.

Sherri's occupation was offering the very best daycare for working parents. She was and is top-notch. When I shopped in Atlantic I would stop by her place and hold a baby for a while if I was lucky.

Today I saw her Facebook entry and asked if I could share it with you.

 The policeman did an excellent job and let them explore!

Sherri's current crew.

Time creeps...

 Time is creeping up on us. We have 1 1/2 weeks before takeoff. Today is Dermatology day. When you reach a certain age, it seems that you and a dermatologist are going to become well acquainted. And the more time you spent in the sun the more true that will be. Butch's line of work as a lineman and his offtime as a golfer sealed the deal for him. Being fair-skinned, all it took for me was the golfing years.

Tomorrow we will be going to Mexico to see our longtime friend Hector, get a pedicure, lunch at Jessica's, and load up on vanilla! We do enjoy these trips.

As we get closer to departure we will be concentrating on the many steps it takes to  be ready. We have done it enough times now that it isn't scary but you cannot get too comfortable. Make lists and don't lose them!

See you soon our northern friends and family!

Info About Jicama

 Happy Hour can be interesting. Today we were talking about jicama and none of us knew what it looked like above ground knowing that the part we eat is the root of it. This photo is the above-ground look of Jicama.

Jicama growing plants have green lima bean-shaped pods and bear clusters of white flowers 8 to 12 inches (20-31 cm.) in length. Only the tap root is edible; the leaves, stems, pods, and seeds are toxic and should be discarded

Here is how we buy it at the grocery store.

And this can be what it looks like before we eat it.

We are fond of Jicama at our house.

How Long?

 Even though Butch and I no longer have an RV life we still look in on the RV Newsletter. We have enjoyed it for so many years. It has lots of RV info of course but also many other articles of interest.

This one may not interest everyone, in fact, Butch said he didn't want to know. 

The number is not the focus. 

https://www.rvtravel.com/169-years-resolutions-1090/

The writer of the article says she has 16.9 years to live according to a chart. My number is not that high but I will be okay living one day at a time!

There is a list of things all of us "older folks" ought to be fixin' to do.

Iowa police report

 I was reading the police report for our hometown and these 3 entries made me think "Only in Iowa". Living in a small town can be such an adventure!

1.  "Mrs unnamed" of Jefferson reported a loose cow in the 1200 block of South Mulberry Road. The cow’s owner was contacted and removed the animal.

2. An Officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East BLANK Street for a squirrel having bit a person. The Officer caught the squirrel and it will be sent in for rabies testing.

3. Mr. Unanmed of Jefferson reported a person walking in the 300 block of North Elm Street not wearing shoes. The Officer checked the area and found no one in need of assistance

Oddity?

 Trophy Garden and our neighbor park, Winter Ranch are looking like ghost towns. Usually, when Renie and I go for our early morning walk we see plenty of people doing the same...but not now. Easter happened. I know from years of experience that many people use Easter as the compass that heads them north. This was an early Easter this year with it falling on March 31st. So I looked up when it will be next year and it falls on April 20th in 2025. So we will have the company of our peers for a little longer next Spring.

Birders 2019

 The kids will be arriving back home in Missouri today. They had fun in south Texas. Speaking of fun; last night Butch and I watched a Netflix Documentary called 'Birders'. It was about birding in the South Texas/Mexico area. We recognized most of the places they were featuring. It was filmed in 2019 but that was not a factor that took away from the enjoyment.

You can find it by going to this link (https://www.netflix.com/watch/80244682)

We are birders but on a casual basis. We give this a high rating.

PS: The Alamo Inn featured in the Documentary is across the street west from the El Dorado!

USB Wifi Adapter

Even though I have been a follower of Thundercloud for more than 2 decades I sometimes pass over their newsletter. I didn't do that today and I might want to put my hands on this one. Butch's computer is sometimes erratic with the internet. https://www.thundercloud.net/infoave/new/a-usb-wifi-adapter-may-be-a-quick-and-easy-fix-for-your-internet-woes/#google_vignette

Where we are...

 Alamo Texas- See that tiny red dot on the bottom? 

Would you like to know more about it? Check it out here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamo,_Texas#Geography Some interesting facts : if we headed in a straight line south we are 9.1 miles from the Rio Grande river, our elevation is 82 feet above sea level, our population has more than doubled since 1990. Current population is 20,958. Enjoy!!

Visitors

 Our Missouri kids are here for a visit. Gary and Susan Brooker, Amanda Teeter and her two children, Elise 14, and Leo 11. We all have been busy. Yesterday we went to South Padre. Butch and I are familiar. We used to go down at least once a season and walk the beach, and eat shrimp at Dirty Al's. Covid changed many things and this is one of them as we had not been there since before covid. Maybe once with Renie and Alex but I do not remember specifically what year that was.

The kids love the beach so that is basically what we did. They have gone back today to do a bit more besides the beach. 

It is all about FEET!

Butch and I dressed for the sun but we forgot to protect our feet so we are struggling with sunburned feet. 

Put your right foot in...

Butch BEFORE the burn!

 

Butch Two Foot

GullOneFoot

Pic of the kids on South Padre: Gary, Elise and Leo.

Waiting for the wave!!

Leo, Elise and Amanda

Leo has a plan...

The Missouri Five

Elise in her happy place...the beach!

Time Flies

 I know it has been a while since posting. Life gets in the way. Living it is far more important than telling about it. One of lifes many lessons. However I do love sharing funny, unusual, interesting, informative happenings. 

Right now I have a pesky head cold and nothing changes your everyday life and brings you up short like a cold. Today is Tuesday and that is trivia night so I am going to have to make a decision about being healthy enough to do it myself or arrange for someone else to do it. It would be easy enough to hand it over. I have all the questions and answers ready and the activity directors have told me they would be glad to help. And I know Renie would help as well.  So....later!

Butch took me to Dirty Al's in McAllen for my birthday. There is no other shrimp in the world as good as Dirty Al's and I am not the first to say that! Linda and Darrel Millard went with us. My birthday was on the 6th and Linda's was on the 8th so it was a natural to share the occasion. That and they are good company! 

While we were at Dirty Al's a woman was helping her elderly mother to the restroom and she was unsure of its location so we pointed it out to her. When she came back she leaned in close to me and said, "I love your hair." I said thanks and then she asked if she could touch it. I said sure. I once had a hairdresser down here tell me my hair was soft as a bunny. My hair does seem to attract attention. Better that than other possible things!

The Missouri kids are coming down the end of this week. The last time they were here Amanda was twelve and now Amanda's daughter Elise is twelve! It will be a funfilled week.

Spring in Iowa 2024

 Jason sent me these photos taken in Boone Iowa on 3/13/2024! 

Daffodils

                                                    Rhubarb!!

                                                     Tulips!! Pella's big celebration will be in jeopardy.

Rhubarb!

 Rhubarb doesn't grow in the South. But it will be starting to peek its leafy head before long in the midwest. I have had a Rhubarb Pudding recipe for most of my life that was a must-make every Spring.

Here is the recipe from an earlier post;This is an old-time, all-time family favorite and one the whole family asks for every Spring. You cannot even imagine my relief in finding it. Like finding a long-lost friend. Thank you, Sherri Clark for sending me on the last of many searches for this recipe.

 Rhubarb Pudding

3 C. Rhubarb, Coarsely Chopped

1 C. Sugar

1/4 t Cinnamon

Dabs Of Butter

1 Egg

1 C. Flour

1/2 C. Milk

1 t Baking Powder

1 C. Sugar

[Note: Via Shirley Franey and Marian Feld. A very old family

favorite. ]

Place first 4 ingredients in a 8" x 8" pan. Mix together remaining

ingredients and pour evenly over rhubarb mix. Bake 45 min. at 350 deg.

 

And now!!!!! Here is the recipe for an upscale one I found today. It is similar to my old standby. I am anxious to try it. Butch will like it, that's for sure.

Magic Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Yield: 9 servings. Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

2 cups of rhubarb, chopped

1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup white sugar (for topping)

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup sifted flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2/3 cup boiling water

Directions

Cover the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with fruit.Mix 1/2 white sugar, brown sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, extracts, milk and flour together. Add a little more milk if it is too thick to pour; pour over fruit.

Instructions

Grease or spray an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish

Put the chopped rhubarb evenly in the baking dish.

Mix 1/2 cup of white sugar, brown sugar, butter, baking powder, vanilla, almond extract, milk, and flour. If batter seems too thick to pour over the fruit, thin it with a little more milk.

Pour the batter over the rhubarb. Make sure the batter reaches clear to the edges of the pan.

Mix the remaining 1 cup of sugar with the cornstarch. Stir well, so it's thoroughly combined.

Sprinkle the sugar/cornstarch mixture evenly over the batter.

Gently pour the boiling water over the sugar mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. The top will be crinkled and crackled.

Have You Ever Thought About This?

In 100 years like in 2124 we will all be buried with our relatives and friends.

Strangers will live in our homes we fought so hard to build, and they will own everything we have today. All our possessions will be unknown and unborn, including the car we spent a fortune on, and will probably be scrap, preferably in the hands of an unknown collector.

Our descendants will hardly know who we were, nor will they remember us. How many of us know our grandfather's father?

After we die, we will be remembered for a few more years, then we are just a portrait on someone's bookshelf, and a few years later our history, photos, and deeds disappear into history's oblivion. We won't even be memories.

If we pause one day to analyze these questions, we may understand how ignorant and weak the dream to achieve it all was.

If we could only think about this, our approaches, and our thoughts would change, and we would be different people.

Always having more, no time for what's really valuable in this life. I'd change all this to live and enjoy the walks I've never taken, these hugs I didn't give, these kisses for our children and our loved ones, these jokes we didn't have time for. Those would certainly be the most beautiful moments to remember, after all, they would fill our lives with joy.

Some of us waste it daily with greed, selfishness, and intolerance.

Every minute of life is priceless and will never be repeated, so take time to enjoy, be grateful for, and celebrate your existence.❤️

Salisbury Steak?

 There was a happy hour conversation about Salisbury Steak so I started perusing the Internet and came across this recipe. Sounds like a good one!

https://bellyfull.net/salisbury-steak-recipe/