Our last week in Iowa for 2016

58 degrees at 8:00 am Monday - Radar looks like we may have a shower coming our way.

Well, we spent the weekend at our son's place in Marengo, IA and granddaughter Ashley with Great Granddaughter Jessica was with them quite a bit so we could get some Jessica-time.

Jessica was born in late June, so she is just about 3.5 months old.  When we return from our winter home next April or May we suspect she will be close to walking, probably doing a lot of jabbering, etc.  So we will do with the pictures posted on the social media for the next 6 months.

My cup of tea Saturday morning. 

Keystone Bank presentation.

Saturday, mid-day, we went to the town square in Marengo for their Holloween party.  Grand-Son-In-Law Heath helped with sound for the school's music group, then led the band group to start off the entertainment.

We walked the area and here are some of the displays to be judged.

Big G Grocery store - Ashley works there.

Heath announcing the band group

Heath leading the group, and also playing trumpet at the left.

Sheila and Tom Long - Grandson-in-law Heath's parents

After supper at Cam and Pat's house with Ashley and Heath (& Jessica) the four of us went to a movie house in Belle Plaine, Iowa for the movie SULLY
This movie went into much before and after the flight itself.  Hadn't realized the scrutiny he, and his crew, were under by the  National Transportation Safety Board.  Very interesting film.

This old theater has been painted and kept up

Screen

Well, we have this week to button up the house, put everything away and winterize the place, pack the trailer and the pickup with all we want to have with us the next 6 month so we can leave next Sunday.

Keep watch.  Lynn

Visiting the family in eastern Iowa

55 degrees in Marengo, IA at 10:00 am on Saturday morning.  Was 43 earlier.

Well, with cool weather here and getting close to our leaving the country, Phyllis picked all the tomatoes Thursday, red and green, and I chopped down the plants.  They had really grown large over the summer.

Here is what it looked like Wednesday.

Some of the green tomatoes.

The rest of the green and the red tomatoes picked

Thursday noon we ate lunch with Roberta Rarick.

Was in Tornado Watch Thursday evening - this was sky

More clouds Thursday evening.  Color was much brighter than here.

Friday I mowed the lawn and Phyllis packed the pickup and we left home about 11:30 am.  Ate lunch at one of the "Mom & Pop" restaurants from our 'Our Iowa' book on Iowa Restaurants in Corning, IA.  Took all county roads and a few state roads for the almost 200 mile drive to Marengo, IA where our son and family live.

They took us out to eat at Williamsburg, IA -  photo at left is of our Great-Granddaughter Jessica.  Guess this weekend trip is all about seeing her while she is still this size -- she will be bigger next April-or May when we see her next.

Grandpa getting smiles from Jessica

Grandma holding Jessica as we waited for our meals.

We will be here until Sunday afternoon.  Going uptown in Marengo in a bit to watch an event that Grandson-in-law Heath has some of his high-school musical students in a program on the town square.

Later, Lynn

Worth Repeatin’ From the collection of Pat Young (From this week's Callaway Courior

Rose
The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.. She said, “Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I’m 87 years old. Can I give you a hug?” I laughed and enthusiastically responded, “Of course you may!” and she gave me a giant squeeze. “Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?” I asked. She jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids...” “No seriously,” I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. “I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one,” she told me. After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up. At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, “I’m sorry I’m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I’ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.” As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, “We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. “There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. “We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it! “There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. “If you are 19 years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn 20 years old. If I am 87 years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn 88. “Anybody! Can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets. “The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.” She concluded her speech by courageously singing “The Rose”. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those months ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over 2,000 college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be. When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they’ll really enjoy it! These words have been passed along in loving memory of Rose. 

* * * Exam question In a college level advanced biology exam, the last question was, “Name eight (8) advantages of Mother’s Milk”. This final question was worth 70 points or zero, none at all. One male student in particular, was hard put to think of eight advantages. However, after some serious contemplation, he wrote this answer:

 1. It is a perfect formula for the child. 

2. It provides immunity against several diseases. 

3. It is always the right temperature. 

4. It is inexpensive. 

5. It bonds the child to the mother and vice versa.

 6. It is always available as needed. 

... and then, the student was struck dumb for two more answers so in desperation, and only just before the bell rang to indicate the end of the exam, he wrote: 

7. It comes in two quite attractive containers, and . . . 

8. It’s high enough off the floor where the cat can’t get at it. 

He got an A+

Meeting friends in St Joe, MO

57 degrees here in Clarinda, IA at 6:30 this morning.

Had about an inch of rain in rainguage yesterday morning.  Left here about 8:30 and drove to St. Joe, MO, about 70 miles south.  Took some scrap iron to a salvage yard there, then stopped at Walmart and a grocery store before going to Cheddar's Restaurant to meet some friends.
At left is Bev Mayer from Reno, Nevada and Donna and Burl Penny from Troy, Kansas.

At left is Phyllis, Harold and LaRhoda Neher from Hiawatha, Kansas and Gordy and Bev Mayer from Reno, Nevada.  The Mayers are traveling in their motor-home, on the way to Tennessee and spent about a week at the Penny's home in Troy, KS.

 After eating at Cheddar's, Donna rode with us and we drove west to Troy, KS.  She showed us around town a bit as we had never been to Troy.   We then went to her house and spent the afternoon playing Pegs & Jokers, and later, doing more eating.

Bev & Gordon spent many winters in their motor home in Kenwood RV in La Feria, but last year stayed in their house in Reno.  They had been living

 full-time in their motor-home for seven years, but moved back in to their house a year ago.  Burl and Donna were in our park for two years, then re-located to another park to the western end of the Rio Grande Valley a few years.  Harold and LaRhoda are our next-door neighbors in Kenwood.

Was a very enjoyable day -- we got back to our house in Clarinda just after dark last night.
Watching the television about the hurricane approaching Florida and being concerned about brother Darrell and family in Miami.  Looks like the worst will be just to their north, though they will, no doubt, get lots of rough weather.  Got message on phone yesterday that they had gotten all the storm shutters on the house and were okay.

Later, Lynn

Some rain coming

70 degrees in Clarinda at 10:20 am with strong 20 mph wind out of  South East.

This is radar at this time showing rain to the west of us.

 Some photos I took from the choir loft Sunday just before service started -- and one as communion was starting.

 A few photos after church services when we were in Fellowship Hall for coffee.

Photo from Facebook - this is our Granddaughter Emmy with her niece - our Great Granddaughter Jessica taken this Sunday when Em was visiting Marengo, IA from Kirksville, MO

Tomatoes are slowing down insofar as ripening, though there are a great many green ones on the vine.  Will be taking them off before long, since we will be cleaning up the vines and closing up the place next week, getting ready to head out for the winter.

Had our annual eye check-ups Monday -- neither needed new lens -- and then walked across the street to the Page County Courthouse to cast our absentee ballots for the November 8th election, since we will be in La Feria, Texas on that date.


Might mention, I ordered a 128 Gigabits Flash Drive and have used a tiny portion of it to put about 50 hours of music which can be played directly in the pickup.  Nice to have it alternately with the Sirius XM Radio as we do our travelling.

Later, Lynn

Cool October 1st

65 degrees here in Clarinda, IA at 5:30 PM.  Has been overcast and cool most of the day.  Today was Band Day here in Clarinda - 61st year that they bring in marching bands from the 4-state area. Phyllis went with our friend Patty Steckelberg and a classmate of Phyllis' to the parade at 9 this morning and a little while to the program at the stadium after lunch.

This is photo taken by our pastor on Friday.  The construction of the new church building at the north-west corner of town is progressing.  All cement poured and good start on the red-iron.

Thursday we went up to the church to help unload the Food Bank truck that delivered to the food pantry that is operated out of our church.  Mix-up on time it was to arrive and was a new driver so I waited outside the church main entrance over 2 hours so could direct him to the back alley to back the truck into.

While waiting I took these photos of the surrounding trees -- they are starting to show color.

This small lending library has been up for better than a year now and it is being used, with people returning books and even adding some.

Wednesday evening we went to choir practice.

Well, someone has to clean the windows, and I guess this time it was Phyllis.

Tuesday evening we ate at the Ice House Restaurant with Phyllis' classmate Dennis Geer and his wife Bonnie.  Had a good meal and a good visit.  They flew back to their Florida home Wednesday evening.

Caught Mr. Squirrel in one of our trees just over the bank behind our hedge in the back yard.



Started putting things away for the winter today.  Took several yard ornaments and such in the garage.  In 2 weeks we will be on the road for Texas.

Later, Lynn