September 2016

74º in Clarinda, IA -- woke up last couple mornings to silence --- no ceiling fan running, no window exhaust fan running, no Air Conditioner running.  Has been cool and not really-high humidity so windows open.  Feeling like fall -- which means cooler weather -- which means I am making plans to go south - probably leave in just over a month and spend a couple weeks going, seeing people in Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas on the way down with our travel-trailer.

Finally, after couple months of trying, got to go with our neighbors-in-the-country to eat at Pizza Ranch in Maryville, MO.  This was new last spring and they had been wanting to go to it.  The Whipples, and neighbor Marceen Von Dielligan are in the mid-to-upper 80's.  Jim doesn't drive anymore (eyesight problem) and was glad to get out.  

The Whipples just bought this house here in Clarinda a stone's through south of us across Highway 2.  They aren't moving right away--he says it is ready when the get around to it.  He wants to sell the buildings off his farm before they move, but "if something happens to me, she has a place to go".

I have been working (in a slow fashion) on putting the last half of the ceiling with insulation in the shop building.  This shows the corner that is done so far.  Actually have another joist filled since this picture was taken.  Using R-30 insulation that I got from a left-over job of friend in Shenandaoh.

The ceiling boards are the 16" x 24" plywood sheets I got from the pallets delivered to our farm place in the 1990's from Japanese ball bearing plant here in town.

All the 2" x 4" and cross pieces to tack the plywood to are used lumber that I accumulated on the farm and moved to town 8 years ago and am finally getting around to using up some of it.  I did spend $26 on screws the other day at the lumberyard, but otherwise have been just re-using stuff.

With all the August rain we have had I have had to mow the lawn every 4 or 5 days.

This is the bank of the yard to the neighbor's to the west of us.  They are gone for a couple weeks and have mowed the yard twice, but this bank only once.  It is really steep - in fact I did it around noon and in the shaded area to the left of this photo where the dew hadn't dried off, I spun out.

This is the same bank -- looking down.

Last evening we went to New Market, IA to concert of Blackwood Quartet - a religious singing group (CLICK HERE for website)
that had their origins in Shenandoah, IA in the 1940's and 1950's.

Here are Steve, Rick, and Kevin Cabbage, who sponsored this concert for their Mother's 80th birthday.

They did several a Capella numbers

Here the boys, and their families escorted          La Donna Cabbage (white-haired lady facing camera) in just before the concert.

Had quite a crowd gathered at the old school gymnasium in New Market.  They school has been closed for years and they use the building for community activities.

Today was first day for choir back to the Methodist Church in Clarinda - sang with them, small turnout for first time.  Going to go to the local Museum in a bit for lecture on the Lewis & Clark Expodition.  They have a different presentation each First-Sunday.

Later, Lynn