At our Summer Home

 41º and overcast in Clarinda, IA at 10:00 am Wednesday.  Just realized I haven't posted in over a week.

We spent part of each day from Monday afternoon until Friday evening with my brother Don & his wife Vicki.  Played some card games and a couple different dominoes games -- which we were advised would help stimulate Don with his dementia problems.  He did well, sometimes needing help in deciding which card or domino to play, but was generally thoughtful, quiet and going along with the game.  

We ate two meals with them in the dining room and took them out to Chick Fil-A one day and then Vicki did some shopping.  We hope to see them again on Monday April 25th in afternoon & evening.  We will have our travel trailer and be on our way to Lincolnton, GA to  The Little Roy and Lizzy Music Festival.

Saturday we drove to Marengo, IA, parked the travel trailer, which we had drained all the tanks and all the water system since it was to get down to 19 degrees both Saturday night and Sunday night at Sudbury RV Court in Marengo with electricity plugged in and heater running inside the unit.  (If you are familiar at all with Recreational Vehicles you know that unless you have a 4-seasons unit (which has insulated layers underneath everything and heat with either heat-tapes or heating units, you must "winterize" the vehicle by eliminating all water.)  We spent Saturday evening through early Monday morning at son Cam's and had a great visit with his wife Patty, daughters Ashley & Emily and Ashley's family-husband Heath, little 5-going-on-6-year old Jessica and littler, just-last-week 1-year old David.

Did go out to eat Saturday evening, but spent most of our time in their family room.  Jessica is wound like an 8-day clock and cannot sit still for 10 seconds while little David moves around slower.  Lot of reading to Jessica, having Jessica read, playing cards, and just plain spending time together.

Lots of rough & tumble with the little ones..

On our way home Monday we found The Brickyard Burgers & Brews in Adel, IA - some 6 miles off the interstate and had excellent lunch.  Had found them through an internet search.  Waitress said the brick factory is still active there, as well as in Redfield, IA nearby, due to the Clay in the area.

Access to the Raccoon River Valley Trail is just across the street from the restaurant and near the brick factory.

Some more pictures with the family.

After some stops in Des Moines to stock some groceries for home, we reached our home in Clarinda around 3:30 pm and spent the rest of the day transferring all the "stuff" from the pickup and travel trailer to the house.  Got the pickup emptied and the one recumbent trike we brought with us re-assembled later Tuesday.

Taking a bit to adjust to this place and remembering where things are.

Will go to Choir practice this evening.

Here is a photo I just ran across in my computer.

Later, Lynn