Too many irons...

 I told Butch this morning I have too many irons in the fire. And I do but it is all fun.

I have intentions of planning 2 events this summer and attending one. 1. I am planning another Zimmerle family gathering. 2. A square dance reunion. There are not many of us left but it still takes a phone call or two. And Butch's brother Bill turns 90 this year and there is a reunion/celebration planned for him that we look forward to going to in August.

I am still working on the photo reduction episode. I found more photo's yesterday which will lead to some slide shows. 1. Our remodeling of this house 2.Our stint work camping in Michigan. 3. My favorite pics from my photographic collections. 

In addition, Butch and I plan to tackle the old garage, getting rid of stuff and organizing it more practically. And I have been slowly going through every drawer and cupboard in the house, cleaning, discarding and donating.

If we accomplish all of this it will be a productive and fun-filled summer!

And then...Yesterday a woman contacted me through Ancestry.com and she is a long-lost relative. I can't really say she was lost because for me she was never found. To make this as short as possible; My father was born a Van Horn but adopted at 3 months of age. His birth father was a twin. The woman who contacted me was the other twin's connection. I know, it was confusing to me too. We are now corresponding. In all of this, I find that I am related, 2nd cousin, to a woman who lives here in Jefferson and I know her!  

So hang in there with me! I have doing this blog for nearly 25 years but will continue...

3 squirrels

 Butch has a never-ending battle with squirrels. I won't let him shoot them with the BB gun but now all he has to do is cock it and they scatter. I have bought him one of those feeders that spin the squirrels off. It will get here near his birthday. Appropriate, right? This morning I looked out the window and there were 3 squirrels on one ball feeder!! Butch is going to get great satisfaction in watching them fly when they get spun off.

Done With That

 Now this! I found my major recipe box that has been missing for a couple of decades. First recipe in the box, right up front, like you know, you put it back in the front instead of where it should go? Anyway, here it is and it will be on the menu within the next week or two.

 

Not done with 3 day project

 I found a 4th tub of pictures and it was the 'motherload' because it contained the best of the rest. So I am still at it. Now we have two tubs we will be burning. So if you wonder why no posting has been happening...now you know!!

Done with 3 day Project

For over 3 years I have been "planning" to tackle the three tubs of pictures I have accumulated over a lifetime. I have accomplished this in three days by keeping my nose to the grindstone, being determined, and being ruthless. I  kept in mind who was going to care and what would happen to the bulk of them when I was gone. I  am left with less than a shoebox full for myself and a handful for 7 or 8 people. It is such a relief to have it done! Those three tubs have been moved numerous times continuing to take up space.

Yesterday was the biggest eye-opener. When Amanda, our oldest granddaughter was born I went nuts! I swear two albums were loaded with over 200 pictures each of Amanda's pictures. Most of them are mundane. The poor child couldn't move without me taking a picture. I saved perhaps 4, maybe 5 of these.  She was such a little ham. No wonder her daughter Elise, is in theater!

90 percent of the photos I saved have a story connected, like this one...

My boy's little league team couldn't find a coach so I said I would do it. Now I am the most unathletic coach ever! But Butch's brother Leo said he would help me. Why not Butch? Butch was playing himself, fast-pitch softball and he was the pitcher. My two boys are in the front row, 5 and 6 counting from the left. They only lost 2 games! I love this picture!!

At the end of the season, the boys all signed a baseball for me. I still have it and this is it.

Elise is 14!

 Elise is 14!

Simple Skillet Supper

 Tried this last night and it was a hit!

Simple Skillet Supper

Ingredients

14 oz. kielbasa sausage sliced into about 1 in. slices

1 tbsp. oil olive

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup green pepper, diced

1 can pineapple chunks

1 cup rice jasmine

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. apple cider vinegar

2 cup vegetable or turkey broth 

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil on medium heat.

Saute kielbasa, onion, and green pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, allowing the kielbasa to brown on both sides. Remove from heat.

Add rice, pepper, salt, brown sugar, soy sauce and vinegar. Stir well until the spices are completely mixed in.

Add broth. Return to heat, turn to high, and cover with either a lid or if you don’t have a lid that fits your skillet, cover with a large piece of foil.

As soon as it comes to a boil, remove the covering and stir, turn to low, and cover again. 

Simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is done. 

Garnish with parsley or cilantro for extra flavor, and serve.

I'm a Writer...

I AM a writer! You might say "So?". The surprise is that I am just now realizing that fact. Definition: "A writer is someone who writes regularly and consistently, someone who engages in the process." Never been published by anyone except an occasional news clip. But then I never planned to be a writer. For me, it started as a way to get my point across when no one seemed to be listening. I never planned for it to be more than that.

But here we are knee deep in the past, trying to minimize what we leave behind and I run into my writings. I guess you would call them journals. They started when I was a young mother and wife. I haven't run across the very first one I started yet but I know it is in a tub somewhere and I remember it because in it I write about asking permission to visit a friend. Who do I ask? Butch! This was what you did as a wife in the fifties! When I found that journal many years later I could not believe those words ever came out of my mouth! 

Moving on...

I know I have at least 3 journals that were designed for making entries every day. My sister-in-law Jo Brooker had these too. I haven't run across mine yet but I will. I only quit doing that because the company who made them went out of business.

And then I did find a journal I kept while taking classes at Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic Iowa. We lived in Cumberland Iowa at the time and I needed something to do so I enrolled in some classes, English Comp and  American Lit. I took others too but these were the two that touched my heart. I didn't get a degree but I did get an education.

I may find more as I keep digging. As you already know the Internet changed everything and in 2002 I started a blog. They are still in existence of course and can be found at www.brooker3.blogspot.com. I cannot even imagine how long it would take to read them all. My soul purpose has always  been to express myself and it remains so today. I am flattered when someone reads it but the choice is always yours. When you start your journal/blog lead me to it and I will always read it.

In Your 80's...

 It does something to you being in your 80-decade. My friend Mickey went through all of her pictures distributing some and disposing of the rest and after mulling it over she is on the right track. I have 3 tubs of photos and other memorabilia. And that would take someone many hours to go through and the many decisions connected with that could be overwhelming. So I decided to tackle the process.  I have been saying that for many years but today I took action. I am one tub down and being ruthless.

I found some things I cannot yet part with. 1. Christmas letters from 1985 to 1999 when I started doing them on the computer. 2. My baby shoes. 3. 40th Anniversary scrap books(2) I made at that time.

Jason brought me a Mother's Day gift that knocked my socks off! It is something I have looked at, liked, and longed for but too tight to buy.

Now Jason has the ability to make one of these himself and he did add some features. He bought it from a friend and got the friend discount. And it has lit a fire under him to do some of this art that will be "all Jason". I have been waiting for him to do this!

While Jason was here he looked at the scrapbooks I had made around the time of our 40th anniversary and he said they needed to be kept. And they will. 

Starting the process of deciding what is left after I/we are gone has become a new project and I am excited about it. I am looking forward to the extra space it will provide. I like to be a minimalist and when the clutter bit starts to take hold, it lights a fire under me!

On my walk today I took some trail and tree pics but they can wait till the next post.

My baby shoes...

50 degrees

 It was 50 degrees this morning and I decided it was time to take the bull by the horns and get out on the trail. I am listening to an audiobook and the weather is beautiful. Walking in the morning for an hour gets my day off to a good start. I cannot begin to tell you how many years I have been doing it. Thinking back on it I was not walking when we lived in Nebraska. So it must have started when we moved to Lake Panorama in 1979. Wow! That is over half my life. 

This morning as usual I was seeing photos everywhere I looked. Tomorrow I plan to take my camera and do a photo walk. It is different.

Rhubarb patch. A story is behind it. Isn't that always true? When we moved on the property there was a rhubarb patch in existence but it was in a place we had in mind for the RV parking. So we moved it. Of course, we had differing ideas on where it should be located so we each chose a spot. Butch won. Mine didn't make it. Anyone who wants to harvest from it is more than welcome.

H.E.B in Texas carries rhubarb. They sell it for $12 a pound last I looked. 

Iowa countryside

 We drove to Massena IA yesterday for a visitation and we visited with people we had not seen for 20 years. Then we enjoyed a tenderloin and fries in the local bar and stopped at an ice cream place in Guthrie Center which is a hidden jewel.

M & L Ice Cream 106 State St, Guthrie Center, IA 50115-1348 

Local people are very fond of an ice cream place in Glidden IA and the one in Guthrie is as good or better. Butch had his favorite marshmallow malt and I had a small lemon cone. We were both happy.

Another part of the trip was the Iowa countryside. We seem to forget how green it is. We both grew up here so maybe it is just us but the green is so green it kind of hits you in the face when you haven't seen it for a while.

And then...A classmate of mine,Toni Roberts, posted on Facebook and I just had to save it. For me, today, it is the perfect reminder of the "luxurious" life we live.

Have a good and luxurious day! 

One of those days...

On the same day, we found out about two deaths of people we were close to in our past.

Butch worked with Marty Mills for nearly 19 years. They kept the lights on in a big part of southwest Iowa during that time and they enjoyed playing golf. Marty had a very distinctive, big, and booming laugh. When something tickled his funny bone it was not a secret. A friend I worked with for many years, Connie Jones, told us about Marty's passing. 

And then shortly thereafter she told us about another friend who passed, Bev Gunderson. Bill and Bev Gunderson were a big part of our social life in the years we lived in Cumberland IA. I met Bev on ladies' day at the golf course and we played together regularly including in tournaments on other courses. They joined us for square dance lessons and then regular dances. On top of that, we played in a bridge group with them. 

Both of these people were such a part of our life that the memories came flooding back two-fold.

We will be attending services for both, Marty's is tomorrow and Bev's is on Saturday.

Spring Pics

 Grosbeek.

Cardinals are ground feeders so this is typical.

Iowa Drought Conditions?

I came across this map of Iowa drought conditions. They are greatly improved by the way! But when I looked at the map I saw something different. It looks to me like Lady Iowa has extreme pain in her chest and abdomen. Is it just me again? Pareidolia? 

A look backward and forward.

 Before Trophy, we were in another park for 18 years. I kept up with numerous blogs in those years. It wasn't easy and I have only the original that I have been consistent with.

A friend, Deon Spangler, has kept up with the one we had in the former park, Magnolia Park. ( https://magnolianews.blogspot.com/) The only thing that has remained the same in that park is the location and the blog. I checked in with it this morning and then added a post to the blog.

The story of Magnolia is a sad one for all concerned. It has become a family "village" and doesn't even remotely resemble what it used to be. The people who loved it have moved on to other parks and made a new spot for themselves.

And our life is different now. We sold the motorhome in 2022 and yes, we miss it at times; like the trips down to SouthTexas and back. Time marches on and it is impossible to ignore it. It seems the right time to make the necessary changes happen in such a way that you were guided to it and know the time and place were meant to be.

 Now we are mostly settled into our summer home. We removed last Fall's leaf drop yesterday, filled the bird feeders, paid all of the April bills and even played some pool. Butch was a bit distracted allowing me to beat him one game. I think the times I have legitimately won games from him are now at 2!!

Waiting for it to warm up a bit and get these tornado-laden storm events to slow up so Keri and I can get back to walking the trail!

Happy hour in 2023! Butch and Paul Kelleher had just returned from the Senior Valley Olympics with their first-place medals for the doubles Pool.

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...