What a difference a day makes!

 A little more than a year ago the rumors were flying fast and furious that a Cement plant facility was proposed near Trophy Gardens. Nobody wanted this except the cement people. Across the street from Trophy is an elementary school; the proposed place was next door to the school. The cement folk did not win on their plea for a facility. Yeah for us!

I was much surprised to see there is a new proposal and again, Yeah for us! They are going to build a park on that land.

Here is a drawing of the proposed park.

I don't know who will have access but hopefully, they will let us have use of it.

Who knew?

 The rest of the country has been roasting but the upper midwest has been relatively cool by comparison. First thing you know, we will be the mecca of the country as folks down south and west try to avoid the extreme heat. I am not sure we are geared up for it although Iowa does handle RAGBRAI very well.

We are back into our usual routine after Pete and Jerilynn moved out. They were here just long enough for it to seem strange that they are not here. When they were here it actually felt like it does when we were in South Texas. The neighbors are close and interaction takes place daily. Butch and I adapt well to most situations so we will this time too.

Recent Photos:

On a warm and humid day, my daily glass of pickle juice was sweating and created this look that intrigued me. Pickle juice you might ask? Yes, and I find it quite tasty and refreshing. I dilute it with ice and water, 3/4 water to 1/4th pickle juice. Oddly I am not fond of pickles.

This is a sight we pass by on the bike trail. I have taken many photos of it in the past. The pampas grass in the foreground with the tree and the field of corn/soybeans in the background.

Dug In

 This past week I really dug in and did things I have had on my todo list all summer but I never seemed to get to it. There is always something to do. That is just life. But now my list is greatly reduced and it feels good!

We hit the ground running when we arrived in the Spring and I set aside things, like taking care of the many items we had to bring in from the motorhome when we sold it. Having an excess of tubs that needed to find a new home or the contents done away with etc.  Low and Behold! Decisions have been made and executed!

The house is as clean as it has been in a very long time. I know it won't last. That is a truth of housekeeping that is constant. Right now, I am enjoying the moment.

Yesterday, my friend Mickey and I toured Jefferson. We drove around the old neighborhoods we lived in as youngsters and then as young married couples. We drove out to the new facility for orphaned cats and dogs and looked it over. It is plush! I said," With this fine a place to live why would they ever want to leave."

Some new rentals are on the agenda to be built and we looked at the proposed areas chosen to build the housing. It was a fun time reminiscing and looking at things with new eyes.

Shoes

Our Missouri Kids

On vacation. I snipped a few of my faves.

Little Leo ready to hike?

Amanda and Leo

  

Where's Leo?

Amanda, Leo, Susan, and Elise!

 

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!