Rain in August!

Clarinda, IA - 76º with forecast of 81º for high today.  Was really muggy and hot yesterday - in the 90's and humidity close to 65%

This was taken about 3 pm yesterday as we left

to walk across the street to the hospital to one of their "Market Days" to get some tomatoes, apples, Zucchini, etc.  Pretty muggy at the time.

About 9:30 pm it started to rain and rained all night.


I dumped 2.75" from the rain gauge.  Official "sky-watcher report" for Clarinda listed 2.9", though a friend posted photo of his rain gauge on Facebook with 4.5" about 3/4 mile north of us.

 Finally -- picked the 3rd and 4th red tomatoes from my back-yard patch.  Lots of green ones starting to turn yellow.

Got this 2 lbs from the market at the hospital yesterday for $4  -- hoping my tomato plants hurry up in ripening.

Cashed in a few cans and bottles yesterday.  Iowa has a 5 cent deposit so got a few bucks for the wait at the busy redemption center.  They are only open two part-days a week, so has a line almost always when they are open.

This 5" hole in concrete street near our mailbox is in "new" street-6years.

With rain last night flowers & tomatoes look good.

Wondering if I should put mortar on these bricks.

My Mom's chair that we brought back from Granddaughter Ashley's so I could glue the loose joints on it.

Some stories

This was copied from the Callaway (Nebraska) Courier:
 The confession

“Hi Fred, this is Alan next door. I have a confession to make. I’ve been feeling guilty these past few months and have been trying to pluck up the courage to tell you, but at least I’m telling you now in a text message as I feel bad about you not knowing. “The truth is I have been sharing your wife a lot lately.  In fact, probably more than you. I haven’t been able to get it at home recently, but that’s no excuse, I know. The temptation was too much. I feel so guilty and I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies.It won't happen again. Please suggest a usage fee and I’ll pay you.”

Fred, feeling betrayed and insulted, grabbed his gun (He is an American!) rushed next door and shot his neighbor dead. He returned home, poured himself a stiff drink and sat down on the sofa to reflect. Then he took out his phone and saw he had a second message from his neighbor:

“Hi Fred, Alan here again. Sorry about the typo on my last text. I guess you figured it out anyway — the darned Auto-Correct changed ‘Wi-Fi’ to ‘wife’. Technology, hey? “Regards, Alan”

* * *

Little Johnny

A teacher asked her sixth grade class how many of them were Hillary Clinton fans. Not really knowing what a Hillary Clinton fan is, but wanting to be liked by the teacher, all the kids raised their hands except for Little Johnny…

The teacher asked Little Johnny why he has decided to be different… Again.

Little Johnny said, “Because I’m not a Hillary Clinton fan.”

The teacher asked, “Why aren’t you a fan of Hillary Clinton?”

Johnny said, “Because I’m a Republican.”

The teacher asked him why he’s a Republican.

Little Johnny answered, “Well, my Mom’s a Republican and my Dad’s a Republican, so I’m a Republican.”

Annoyed by this answer, the teacher asked, “If your mom was a moron and your dad was an idiot, what would that make you?”

Little Johnny replied, “That would make me a Hillary Clinton fan.”

* * *

Wet paint

My wife, Julie, had been after me for several weeks to paint the seat on our toilet. Finally, I got around to doing it while Julie was out. After finishing, I left to take care of another matter before she returned.

She came in and undressed to take a shower. Before getting in the shower, she sat on the toilet. As she tried to stand up, she realized that the not-quite-dry epoxy paint had glued her to the toilet seat. About that time, I got home and realized her predicament. We both pushed and pulled without any success

whatsoever. Finally, in desperation, I undid the toilet seat bolts. Julie wrapped a sheet around herself and I drove her to the hospital emergency room.

The ER Doctor got her into a position where he could study how to free her (Try to get a mental picture of this).  Julie tried to lighten the embarrassment of it all by saying, “Well, Doctor, I’ll bet you’ve never seen anything like this before.”

The Doctor replied, “Actually, I’ve seen lots of them. I just never saw one mounted and framed.”

* * *

Sayings

There are two sides to every divorce: Yours and dip’s.  The closest I ever got to a 4.0 in college was my blood alcohol content.  I live in my own little world, but it’s okay. Everyone knows me here.  I saw a very large woman  wearing a sweatshirt with  “Guess” on it. I said, “Left  Tackle?”

I’m old, and I don’t do drugs. I find I get the same effect just by standing up really fast.  I don’t like political jokes. I’ve seen too many get elected.  The most precious thing we have is life, yet it has absolutely no trade-in value. 
  If life deals you lemons, make lemonade. If life deals you tomatoes, make Bloody Marys.

 My Best Shopping tip: You can get shoes for a buck at bowling alleys.

 Every day I beat my previous record of consecutive days I’ve stayed alive.

No one ever says, “It’s only a game!” when their team’s winning.

Ever notice that people who spend money on beer, cigarettes and lottery tickets are always complaining about being broke and not feeling well?

Isn’t having a smoking section in a restaurant like having a peeing section in a swimming pool?

Marriage changes passion suddenly you’re in bed with a relative.

Why is it that most nudists are people you don’t want to see naked?

Snowmen fall from Heaven unassembled.

Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can’t even get into my own pants.

I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose fitting clothing, I wouldn’t need the freakin’ class!

Don’t argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.

Wouldn’t you know it!  Brain cells come and brain cells go, but FAT cells live forever.

In Clarinda -- weather excellent

Thought For The Day – I’m great at multitasking; I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at once.

Clarinda, Ia - Temp - 88 degrees with humidity at 65%  Click on any photo to enlarge.

Got home from our 10 days in the Travel Trailer Sunday about 3 pm.  Found some sorta-red tomatoes on my plants!

Jessica asleep in grandma's crib.

 After we left the Kenwood RV gathering in State Center on Friday, we drove to Marengo, IA and set up our trailer in driveway of our son's place.

Granddaughter Ashley and 7+week old Granddaughter Jessica were there and we spent
time with them (and Grandma Patty) until went to eat Chinese supper at Williamsburg Friday night.

 In her car seat on way back home.

Saturday morning, while I caught up on the Internet stuff, Cam mowed the lawn.

Then we drove to What Cheer, IA to there 3-times a year Flea Market.





Lots of stuff set up.  We walked from about 11 am until close to 3 pm and did not see all the booths.

 All above photos taken as we walked around the Flea Market.

For a buck I bought this old 5-record LP Album of Christmas Through the Years published in 1984.

It's 90 degrees out, with humidity still at 60%, so I am taking the time, in the basement, to put the album from the records onto the computer and then will put them on a CD so can play in the Pickup.

 Using the old desktop computer which is hooked to the record player.  -- having TV running on the side with a movie and typing on the laptop that is in front.  Looks like I am really doing things, heh?

This is cropped from one of the photos I took of signs, and other things, at the flea market.  Posted it on Facebook a bit ago.  Something to think about.

Just realized hadn't posted any photos of the family at the Flea Market.  Here is Patty, Ashley and Cameron with Jessica in the stroller

 Cropped this from a photo taken at a bit of
a distance of the three ladies doing their "looking around" at all the stuff.

 Saturday night, when Heath got off work and could join us, we played Pegs and Jokers.




Got the bugs off the front of the pickup and the front of the trailer yesterday and cleaned the vent fan over the restroom in the trailer.  Lots accumulated in the 17 months we have had it.

 

Mowed the yard with the push mower yesterday.  Needed the exercise, but was very noticeable on the knee by last night.  Was able to bag all of it so put some mulch around some needed spots along the hedge in the back yard.

More later, Lynn 

Visit with Great Granddaughter (and other relatives)

Marengo, IA - 80 degrees with nice sunshine at 2:45 pm.  Arrived here in Marengo about 12 noon and set up our travel-trailer in driveway at our son's place.  Wife, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, and great granddaughter are out to the shopping mall while I catch up on some computer stuff having use of WIFI here.  Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos taken Wednesday, August 3, 2016 in State Center, Iowa

Standing, left to right:  Bill Connally, Tescott, KS; Dick Messer, Princeton, MN; Butch Giesking, Titonka, IA; Dan Erbst, Panama, IA; Orville Crane, Greenville, WI; Bill Oberholzer, Shoppe, Ames, IA; Patsy Gallaway, Owasso, OK; John (Bud) Toft, Canton, IL; Jim Gallaway, Owasso, OK; Roberta Mahany, Canton, IL;  Jerry Witt, Middletown, OH; Lavon  Schaefer, Independence, MO; Lillian Witt, Middletown, OH; Ed Stanger, Independence, MO; Jerry Rank, Lincoln, MO; Frank Parker, Liberty, MO; Judy Parker, Liberty, MO; Lynn Stivers, Callaway, NE; Don Foote, Topeka, KS; Helen Miles, Elmwood, IL; Earl Osman, Nevada, IA.

Front row – Kathy Connally, Tescott, KS; Jan Theulen, (Dan Erbst’s sister), Panama, IA; Linda Crane, Greenville, WI; LaRhoda Neher, Hiawatha, KS, Phyllis Miles, Clarinda, IA; Lolla Schappe, State Center, IA; Diane Messer, Princeton, MN; Anna Mae Schaefer, MO; Kaye Stanger, Independence, MO; Sue Rank, Lincoln, MO; Lynda Foote, Topeka, KS; Sharleen Stivers, Callaway, NE; Lee Miles, Elmwood, IL;  Debra Osman, Nevada, IA. 

Not included in group photo above - Judy Chroninger, Edon, OH

 and her sister Maxine  Koch,  Montpelier, OH

Monday evening Ed Stanger, and his wife Kaye, provided supper - hot dogs to roast over a fire Ed made, and beans, and potato chips with fixin's for smores later.

 Some full and satisfied people after eating all the hot dogs they could.  Ed had watermelon, but everyone was so full we voted to have it on a different day.

I think we had 12 RV's parked by Lola's shed, and several who came just during the day as well as 5 or so who stayed in motels in Marshalltown.
This photo was taken from up on the hill to the northeast of the building and RV's.

 This photo was taken from northwest of the building and RV's.

We got in several games of "Pegs & Jokers" over the 4 days of our get-together.  Justin Schoppe (Lola's grandson) is in between Linda Crane and Sharleen Stivers on this game.

Harold Neher was in on most games of Pegs  & Jokers

Dime Bingo was played one night.

Many made Tee shirts like this on front and their name and years attending the summer rally on the back.

One evening a "Pass Left, Pass Right" game was played with $5 gifts each brought.

Each opened their gift and showed others what they got.

 On Thursday about 32 of us drove northeast to Gladbrook, Iowa to eat at Spanky's.

 We split a special meat sandwich and was hardly able to eat it all.  Delicious and a generous portion.

 Then we went about a block away in this really small town, and went to Matchstick Marvels Museum  (Click on that link to go to their website)

This has many items one man has made from matchsticks.  And, as many or more are located at various other museums, Ripley's Believe It Or Not museums, and places.

 Each sculpture had a label showing the number of matchsticks in it and the hours it took to make it.

Even the sails on this clipper ship are made of wooden machsticks.

 This photo, and the one above and below, are of the National Capitol in Washington, DC.  It is built to scale

 and even the small statues on the porch-like entrances are made of matchsticks.

 This is a very expensive airplane that was used for a while in Renaissance years ago.  One of our group spent time in the Air Force around planes like this and said he knew it had cost $1 Million per hour to operate (counting all the ground personnel, etc.)  It became so expensive the few built are now only at museums.  He said this was very, very true to scale.

There were several ships, including the USS Iowa that we have been on on the west coast, and this "flattop" air craft carrier.

 This morning, Friday, our last day of our week-long get-together, pancakes and sausages were served for breakfast.  It is the only breakfast of the week that we all ate together.  At left is Bill Connally, who helped Jerry Witt fry the pancakes.

 Everybody, once again, ate their fill, as we had done all week.  We had gone to a sweet corn patch of Lolo's on Monday and gotten a lot of sweet corn so had corn-on-the-cob for most of the meals.  In fact, the whole week was something like being on a cruise ship -- really good food and a lot of it.

Everyone pulled out this morning and some headed to spend some more time on the road (like us) and some headed directly home.  With people from 9 states, they went off in several directions.

Will fill in about our visit here in Marengo with our family and 4-week old great-granddaughter next time.
Later, Lynn