September is ebbing away

72º with bright sunshine in Clarinda at 11 am Tuesday.

Got my mower back! 

Was a major fix, and a bit expensive, but have had it for 13 years without any major problem--maybe it will make it another 13 years.

Must show a comparison photo of our Great Granddaughter Jessica's Kindergarten picture from year ago compared to her new 1st grade picture.

Photo at right is from

the Miles Shoe Repair Shop.

 PAUL HARVEY'S LETTER TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy / girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it... And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he/she is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

Later, LC

Visiting some important friends and relatives

 75º with bright sunshine and 20 to 30 mph wind at 2:00 pm Sunday..  Went for a ride on the trike a short time ago and the north wind sure discourages you to ride into it.

These two pictures were taken from our living room, through the picture window, to the southwest.  Cornfield is across the street from our neighbor to the west.  They pulled in and within a few hours had the field harvested.

Photo at right while on ride, in Fareway Grocery parking lot.  They are closed on Sundays, so a good relatively flat are to ride on, though the wind was a bugger---especially since I haven't peddled much this summer and I felt it in the legs.

We were fortunate enough to drive

to Hiawatha, Kansas last Friday and

visit and have lunch with LaRhoda Neher and then went to the Hiawatha Hospital where Harold has been hospitalized for several days account pneumonia.  He was happy to see us and sat up long enough that we played three games of Pegs & Jokers--on a set he had hand-made years ago.

 As we were leaving, an X-Ray technician rolled in a unit to x-ray his lungs and sounded like if the pictures came out good he might be released to go home Monday.  The Physical Therapy gal was waiting to help Harold exercise, also.  Hoping he gets to go home.

LaRhoda had couple trees of apples that needed some apples picked.  I got some of both kinds, Jonathon's and Golden Delicious.  A little small this year, but really taste good.  We shared some this morning with Leland and Bonnie Brown when saw them in church.

On the way home from Hiawatha we drove through St. Joe, MO to stop at Aldi's for groceries and got gas at Sam's Club for $3.25.  Took a "scenic" route across the city and drove for some time on Lover's Lane.  With our age, it didn't have a lot of effect.

Yesterday we drove to 

Nebraska City and spent

a little time at the Apple Jack Festival.

CLICK HERE for website.

We met my oldest brother, Roger

and his wife Carolyn there.  They came

with daughter Angie and grandson

Michael.  We walked around a bit

and spent some time at a picnic table

where there were food trucks..

Was good to have the short visit with them.  Had visited them in early April at their home in Lincoln just after we returned from Texas.

Here are some pictures

I saw that I thought

was interesting.

Though I am only getting 3 to 5 reads on each post these days, I see that I have 100,827 views since 

I started this blog some 10 years ago.  I am not

posting regularly anymore and may be the problem.

On way home from Nebraska City yesterday we stopped in Sidney at nursing home and had a brief visit with Phyllis' cousin Patricia Conrad.  Her father, Keith Runyan, was a brother of Phyllis' mom, Pauline Runyan Cabbage.

Tell next time, LC Miles

Almost first day of Autum

 62º and overcast here in Clarinda, IA at 3:00 pm on Thursday.  Definitely cooled off--from the 90º weather a few days ago.

  Have not set off to accomplish a lot this week and I have pretty much got that done.  Have been reading some on Chuck Offenburger, the "Iowa Boy" from the Des Moines Register for many years.  He just got married early this month -- read some of his, and his wife's, columns HERE

Picture of our good friend, Harold Neher.  He had been our neighbor in La Feria, TX for many, many years.  Is having a stay in the hospital in Hiawatha, Kansas now.  We are planning on visiting him tomorrow.

Pictures below are of our great grandkids at a football game in Marengo, IA.

Nancy Tarrant Schaurte was a classmate of Phyllis in High School.  She and her husband, Jim, stayed at our place last Friday and Saturday nights and went to the Class Reunion gatherings on Saturday.  They live in Florida, and just this year bought a house in north part of Chicago and have been fixing it up.  The came here from Wyoming, having been on about a 10 day trip visiting her brother and other stops.

Another picture of our

great-grandkids, this

time with their Mom.

My Niece Angie who lives in Lincoln, NE.

I had a cedar board that was from Harold's workshop in Texas, and finally got it finished and used to expand the top of my bedside stand.

Washed the front of the trailer.

Had quite a few "smashed bugs"

Will be heading to Branson with it

the first week of October.

Having to get some repairs on our riding lawn mower................so worked on the powered-push mower that hasn't been run in about four years.

With draining the little bit of

gas from it and getting

a new spark plug it fired up.

With it less than half the width of the rider, and with walking behind it-----I am looking forward to the return of the rider.

Have been preparing a place

for Phyllis to plant some

of the flowers that have

been in pots in front of

our picture window.

And we got them done this afternoon.

Had thought we would get our

booster Covid-19 shots this

afternoon, but found out we

are a couple weeks early for

the 3 months waiting period

from our last booster.

Got the winter Flue shots last week.

This doesn't really show the

brilliant colors that are in

the pots on the deck.  With the

flowers surrounding the tomato

plant is quite colorful.

I have finally gotten my photos from Macon Bluegrass Festival up on Google - Click HERE

Horse Racing............

One day while he was at the track playing the ponies Mitch noticed a priest who stepped onto the track and blessed the forehead of one horse lining up for the 4th race.  Lo and behold, that horse--a very long shot--won the race.  Before the next race, as the horses began lining up, Mitch watched with interest as the old priest stepped onto the track again. Sure enough, as the 5th race horses came to the starting gate, the priest made a blessing on the forehead of one horse.  Mitch made a beeline for a betting window and placed a small bet on the horse. Again, even though it was another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed won the race.  Mitch collected his winnings and anxiously waited to see which horse the priest would bless for the 6th race. The priest again blessed a horse.  Mitch bet big on it, and it won. Mitch was elated. As the races continued, the priest kept blessing long-shot horses, and each one ended up coming in first.  By and by, Mitch was pulling in some serious money. By the last race, he knew his wildest dreams were going to come true. He made a quick dash to the ATM, withdrew all his savings, and waited for the priest's blessing to tell him which horse to bet on.  True to his habit, the priest stepped onto the track for the last race and blessed the forehead of an old nag that was the longest shot of the day. Mitch also observed the priest blessing the eyes, ears, and hooves of the old nag.  Mitch knew he had a winner and bet every cent he owned on the old nag.  He then watched, dumbfounded, as the old nag come in dead last. Mitch, in a state of shock, made his way down to the track area where the priest was.  Confronting the old priest he demanded, “Father! What happened? All day long, you blessed horses and they all won. Then, in the last race, the horse you blessed lost by a Kentucky mile. Now, thanks to you, I've lost every cent of my savings--all of it!”The priest nodded wisely and, with sympathy, said, “Son, that's the problem with you Protestants. You can't tell the difference between a simple blessing and last rites.”

Later, LC

Clarinda High School Class of 1962 class reunion (finish)

 73º with bright sunshine here in Clarinda, IA at 11:45 am on Monday.

Phyllis had a whirlwind weekend with her helping gather her classmates from 1962 for their 60th class reunion on Saturday.  Click the photos to enlarge.

Janet and Leanna

had left before

the photo below

was taken in the

morning.

Some casual photos from the

Saturday evening get together

at Jay's Pizza & Steakhouse.

After the gathering at Jay's Pizza & Steakhouse, several classmates went to Bill & Sherrill Lisle's home where more conversation was had over  coffee & cake.

I am copying here an email Phyllis had me send yesterday.  September 18, 2022 - Dear CHS 1962 Classmates:

               60 years ago, we had 81 members in our graduating class.  We have lost 20 members to date that I am aware of. 

               This weekend we gathered Saturday morning, September 17, 2022, at The Garrison House.  There were 17 classmates and 4 spouses.   In the evening we went to Jay’s Pizza & Steakhouse where 16 classmates and 9 spouses enjoyed more visiting and a meal.

               A big thank you to all who helped out in making arrangements – Nancy Stotts, Chris Schindler, Diane Ferguson, & Elaine Whitehead, Phyllis Miles.  Also, thanks to my husband, Lynn Miles, for the computer work.  And, to Bill & Sherrill Lisle for cake, coffee, and enjoyable conversation at their house after Jay’s.

               It would not have happened if you who attended not been there.  Thanks for coming and making it a great day and making more memories.

               Phyllis Miles

Till next time, LC Miles