Rain and cooler temps in SW Iowa

72º right now in Clarinda, IA.  I dumped .70" of rain from rain gauge this morning.  Rained most of the night.


Last evening, Saturday, our good friends from Villisca, IA, Mary Jo and Oliver Herzberg, came to our place.  Ate supper at the local Subway and then came back to our house for a couple card games of "Hand & Foot".  Always enjoy visiting and playing cards with these friends--and enjoyed some lemon pie (Made with juice Phyllis squeezed from lemons picked in our RV Park in Texas)  Our friendship, and visiting with the Herzbergs in their winter place in Texas some 10 or 11 years ago started our going to Texas.  They are unable to go anymore (after some 21 years) and we always try to visit them as much as we can during the summer months we are here.

Got word yesterday of Cousin Donna Weiting's husband Maynard's passing.  He had been in pain for many years with back and hip problems.  Determined several months ago he had cancer in his spine.  Is suffering is finally over.  Photo at right was on Facebook just this last Thursday of the two of them on their 60th Wedding Anniversary.  They have had a wonderful, loving life and Maynard will be missed.  They lived in the Watertown, South Dakota area and many years ago had farmed with a dairy.

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Phyllis has been working for many months, along with couple classmates here in town, on their 55th Clarinda, Iowa, 1962 High School Reunion.  It is to be next Friday evening and on Saturday.  They Friday event is to be outdoors.  As noted on this 10-day weather forecast, small chance of rain for Friday, with bigger chance on Saturday.  Guess it will be what it will be.

Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday's 4 pm to about 7 pm and then Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm, Phyllis helped with the dispersal of items from the old Methodist Church building on Washington Street.

 On Friday, when it was open to the public, several people, including one antiques store here in town, donated for many items, including the pews from the balcony and tables, chairs, etc.

These two photos were taken as it closed down at 2 pm on Saturday.  Probably 10 to 20  times the number of items shown here were  available when it first started.

What remains will be donated where possible, or taken to trash.

Before the rains came in Saturday morning, I started out by spraying
all around the outside of the house with "Home Guard" bug preventive.
Hopefully this will defend until we return in the spring.  Will spray around
the outside edges of the house on the inside this week.

Used weed whip to trim all around the house, including by these roses in front of the house on west side.

Even trimmed along the sidewalk and all the driveway (first time this summer)

Next was cutting back the low-lying Juniper by our front entryway.
Ended up with a wider entryway by maybe a foot.

Next, I put a coat of  water-sealer on the bench-glider

This morning was first time for Choir at the Methodist Church for this school-year.  We sang 4 songs during the service.  Dear friend Leland Brown took these photos for me.  This is the only Sunday we will sing at the service since we leave for Texas later this month.  We will be able to sing with the choir during the Church Building Dedication service on the afternoon of September 24th.

Leland Brown - along with Bob Nassen

At coffee after the morning church service

At coffee after the morning church service

At coffee after the morning church service

This is a telephoto shot of a small frog that crawled up the outside wall of the church to
get in the sunshine.  Guess he is "The Church Frog".  Left him basking in the sun.

Time is flying and we only have 11 days before we must pull out with the travel trailer and pickup packed for everything we need for the next 6 months as we travel, first to eastern Iowa, then southeastern Missouri, central Mississippi, panhandle of Florida, north central Florida, then to Rio Grande Valley in Texas with stops in Louisiana, and the gulf coast of Texas.  Lots of stuff to finish up here, including winterizing the house and shop, stowing away all patio stuff, etc.  Guess will get it all done.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Steven Spielberg was discussing his new project -- an action docudrama about famous composers starring top movie stars. Sylvester Stallone, Steven Seagal, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger being courted for the top roles.   Spielberg really hoped to have the box office "oomph" of these superstars, so he was prepared to allow them to select the composers they would portray, as long as they were among the most famous.   "Well," started Stallone, "I've always admired Mozart. I would love to play him." "Chopin has always been my favorite, and my image would improve if people saw me playing the piano," said Willis. "I'll play him." "I've always been partial to Strauss and his waltzes," said Seagal. "I'd like to play him." Spielberg was very pleased with these choices. "Sounds splendid." Then, looking at Schwarzenegger, he asked, "Who do you want to be, Arnold?" Arnold replied, "I'll be Bach."
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A guy was walking along the street when he saw a crowd of people running towards him. He stopped one of the runners and asked: "What's happening?" The runner replied breathlessly: "A lion has escaped from the zoo."  "Oh my, which way is it heading?"   "Well you don't think we are chasing it, do you?"

Later, Lynn