Back to work

It's harder to go back to work after five nights at home. I get all settled in or something. Now I'm in Des Moines through Friday as I have a conference call meeting that day. Long Week.

Amy is a good story teller. She entertained me as we drove (I rode) home from Earlville on the phone - thank goodness my cellie didn't cut out in the badlands - the hills north of Creston. The place Amy works, Marzyck's, a gourmet market owned by a couple brothers Pete and Paul Marzyck (thus, the name) provides much of the fodder for Amy's stories. It reminds me of the crazy grocery wholesaler I used to work for. Maybe it's the food business that's nutty. (Nuts ARE food...hmmm maybe I'm onto something)

Today (it's now Tuesday) I began writing this on Monday and didn't get too far. It's November 30, Joan McFee Bentley, my roommate's (landlady actually) birthday. Joan is one of the nicest people I have ever known - but not one of those "so sweet I want to smack her upside the head" sweeties. You know the kind. They make my teeth rot. They seem fakey, like they're putting on an act, and when they get behind closed doors their head swivels all the way around and they breath fire!

Nope, Joan is the real deal. I've known her for twenty years now - since Jud was one - that's how I remember. Back then we went skiing with Jeff (her bro) & Bobbie and Moose & Kay, Dennie & Mendy and Joanie & her fiance Kevin who was recovering from colon cancer treatment. But after that he had a recurrence and unfortunately it got the best of him. She never got to marry the love of her life.

She stayed single for a long time - moved to Kansas City with Fed Ex and back to DSM. Paul even helped Jeff moved her and her gazillion shoes. A few years ago she married a guy from Diagonal whom she dated after high school - Billy Bentley. He's here tonight after bringing her roses and taking her to supper. They spend weekends together, mostly at his place in Diagonal. Happy Bday roomie!

Goldsmith Christmas

Dave and Jean (Santa's elf)

Kids wait ever so patiently for presents! Hannah, Ryan, Eric, Carson and Mark

The day after Thanksgiving has been Goldsmith Christmas for many years now. George and Laura had to compete with lots of in-laws for real Christmas, so they decided long ago that the day after Thanksgiving would be a good time to get together.

We used to meet at their place in Earlville. It was ideal because the basement (or the "cellar" as Laura called it" was fully carpeted - even the walls. Good for sound absorbtion! And George and Laura left the Christmas tree decorated in the furnace room, just covered with a sheet. So setup was easy! Paul's old Hot Wheels set was down there along with a few other toys to entertain the kids.

Some of us out of towners even stayed at the house and there was a bedroom downstairs. No it wasn't carpeted on the walls, but it did contain beds that I think were from the 1940's - I think the mattresses were made with horse hair! If you got to stay down there, everytime someone walked up stairs you heard the floor creaking.

The old kitchen table from the farm was downstairs, so George felt quite at home sitting their during present time. The kids would be very excited of course to open gifts. We usually had a special exchange for them. Then each child usually received a gift from his/her godparent and from G&L. Through the years the adults decided it would be fun to do a system where each person who wanted to participate brought a gift and drew a number. When it was your turn you picked a gift - either from the stack or from someone who already had picked. Each gift could change hands 3 times max. It gets quite rowdy at times!

Once G&L moved to assisted living, we began hold Goldsmith Christmas at the Earlville Mealsite. It works out very well for the large group. The acoustics aren't good but it's nice that our large group can fit in! This year there was over 40 people. Since this year marks the occasion of Carol, Paul's oldest sis's 70th birthday, all 3 of her children were here - a first in many years.

Jud thought all the little kids would drive him crazy! I thought that was funny cuz back when he was one of the loud lil kids - these kids' parent were the college kids bitching about him! They were loud, but they were having good clean fun - no eyes were poked out.
Attendance:

1. Carol Goldsmith Meyer Kragenbrink



2. her son Tom Meyer and wife Misty along with kids Quenntin, and twins Lane and Aaron (they're just 2)



3. her son Terry Meyer and wife Bonnie and son Ryan 5, Hannah 3



4. her Daughter Barb and husband Mike Archer and their kids Mandy 12 and Greyson 13?



5. Jean Goldsmith Fox and husband Dave



6. their daughter Kris Fox Cook and her husband Chris - his kids Aron and Megan - in high school and their son Carson who is 5



7. Dennis Goldsmith and wife Kelli



8. their daughter Karen and husband Andy Krueger and their boys Erick 5, and Mark 2



9. Larry Goldsmith and wife Regina



10. Their son Craig



11. Their son Kurt and wife Erin



12. Pat Goldsmith Vorwald and husband Dave



13. Ken Goldsmith - wife Mary was working at the CR Library



14. Daughter Katie Goldsmith Lee and husband Albert and son Jacob age 1



15. Son John



16. Dorie Goldsmith Nielsen and husband John



17. Son Chris



18. Paul Goldsmith and me



19. Son Judson

It'a always hard to get around and talk to everyone. I never did get to talk to Kris Fox and then it was time for them to go. The exchange was fun - the golfballs I took were popular, and so were the movies the guys took. I ended up with an ISU stocking cap and Paul got some tools. Jud got a nice thermal lunch box. A good time was had by all!

A strange dichotomy

I'm a strange one. I put lots of my life out here online, yes I do. Intimate thoughts at times. Personal stuff. Yet I consider myself an introvert when it comes to some things.

Like having people visit our home. Jud invited his friend Kara to Creston Sunday evening for supper and over night. I'm not a natural entertainer (though I cover it well - I think) and I find it a bit uncomfortable to have people up close and personal like that. At least until I know them better. Though Kara was easy to talk to - it's all my own lack of confidence.

Plus I don't like people up close and personal - in my space. Getting my hair cut is a stretch. I wouldn't like a friend to comb my hair for example and am not comfy rubbing a friends shoulders. I'm just not a touchy feely person.

So I am okay with laying some stuff out there - with words. But other stuff - bodily functions, and touching, are okay to talk and laugh about. Yep, I'm weird.

Thanksgiving was very relaxing and low key with Jud and Paul. Missed our baby girl - she was entertaining guests at her place in Denver. Today we head to Earlville for Goldsmith Christmas. Odie has to stay here as the motel we're staying in has no room in the Inn for dogs (shhh don't tell her!).

Many Thanks

I started out Thanksgiving morn the way I like to - by attending Mass. It's really one of my favorite masses of the year. I always liked Midnight Mass as it was fun to see all the families home for the holidays - though the past couple years we've been in Vail, Colorado. But Thanksgiving Mass is small - it's not a holy day or a Sunday, so people don't have to be there. So it's small.

Why do I like it? Because it's truly a chance for me to take time to give thanks - to whomever is out there...a higher power, nature...for all of the good things in my life. Because even though at the very time I was at church, our water heater was being replaced for $700 (after the old one chose Thanksgiving Eve to leak all over our newly cleaned downstairs).

And there are some other things I'm worried about, and to not be so thankful for. Like our two-party system. WTF!?! They seem to have become the parties of obstruction of each other - not about governing for the best of the people. Supergerms - how are we going to conquer these things? Aging - I can't be nearly in my mid 50's can I? I hope we stay healthy because we are enjoying this stage of our lives. Jobs - what are Paul and I going to do when we grow up? Will Iowa's new Gov cut my job? Is the environment going to hell in a handbasket?

But stuff to be thankful for totally outshines those things - at least on a day-to-day basis!

• Our family - Amy and Jud are growing up to be great, responsible, fun loving people.
• The rest of the fam - Goldsmiths/Bullocks - who could ask for more? No bad actors dipping joy out of our buckets. My niece's wedding in LA last summer was such fun - seeing extended family. We'll see lots of Goldsmiths tomorrow - can't wait! George/Laura & Pat/Dave would be so proud.
• Friends - I've said it before how blessed we are with friends. If friends were cash we'd Oprah and Bill Gates. Starting with friends from early childhood - like Robyn, Sal, and Christie Jo to the rest of my Atlantic buddies - too many to list. What a great group! On to college - the people I really grew up with. Jane, Vicki, Sally (again), Moose and Steve and then Paul and his friends.
• Creston - our hometown and the people here. As we ponder our future - where should we live? It sucks to live in 2 places, we know that much is true. No matter what happens parts of our hearts will always lie here - with the town and the people who helped raise 2 wonderful kids, and helped us mourn for the baby that didn't make it.
• Iowa State University - the place I really grew up. I truly love it there, even though it wasn't easy. I had to learn to study and parcel out my time between social time and school. I learned to cheer for the Cyclones - a very humbling experience which has lead me to wonderful highs and depressing lows. Though I never pressed it I was pleased when both Amy and Jud chose to attend ISU.
• A wonderful warm house - with water that should soon be hot! And for attentive service providers like Glenn Orr who took time out of his own Thanksgiving to install our water heater.
• For Lila and Bill, and the Taylors our pet sitters. They make it so we're able to leave town knowing our pets are safe.
• My job at the Department of Natural Resources - I feel like all my other jobs were leading up to this one! I can't believe I've been there two years already, and hope the new gov is selective about cuts. I love what I do.
• Books! I love to read. My laptop - keeps me in touch and is my creative outlet for things like this blog.
• My Subaru - please little car, don't hit any more critters and keep trucking through anything this winter throws at us!
• Time to go make the Scalloped Corn - another thing I'm thankful for...Mom's recipe. Yum!
• Oh - I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Poolboy - my husband Paul. My rock and lover.

Snappy marital repartee

for those of you who aren't into vocabulary, the word means "banter". Paul and I traded texts yesterday that kept me smiling internally all day. Ya see I appreciate cleverness - even if it's my own, but especially when it comes from others close to me.
Paul tried to talk me into coming home Tuesday night from Des Moines - I kept trying to justify it, but felt I needed to be at the office Wednesday morning after being out Tuesday all day at a meeting. Plus I had dropped a glove at Valley West Mall last week (I hoped it was at Joan's but no such luck).

It when like this: I had a wild hair and sent this text to Paul yesterday a.m.
If loving you is wrong, I don't wanna be right....but I must stay here tonight for operation glove rescue at Valley West Mall. And work.

He sent back:
Nice line. now i know i rank just below gloves.

And I said:
you're above mittens though!

He said:
Whew!

Now that's funny! We're good together - he and I, even after all these years. He gets me. And when I start treating him badly - taking him for granted, he finally snaps and treats me badly back so I snap out of it. And when he gets all into himself hunting and watching the Packers, I get bitchy and he figures out that he should be sorry. Give and take - that's what marriage is all about.

In our house there is very little yelling and few angry words - at least directed at each other. I grew up with some of that, and learned I don't much like conflict. Of course I am 53 now and occasionally can be provoked at work or a sporting event - too little estrogen left to oppose all the testosterone I suppose. Or, perhaps it's all those years of squelching my true feelings - all those times I wanted to say, "hell no I don't want to clean up after the men at work and get paid $.50 to their $1.00." But didn't. My muffler slips off every once in a while. But not usually with my beloved Pablo the Poolboy.

I did go on my Glove seach mission - no luck. So I bought a new pair and returned to Joan's place in Waukee. When I popped open my computer and took a look at the weather I saw that today may hold some freezing rain. Crap! I thought it over while I ate supper, and Joan came in. Then I made the break - around 7:45 PM I headed for Creston. Paul got his way after all - and he ranks above those gloves after all!

Turkey week

Memories of turkey day at the Bullocks. It's been so many years since I've celebrated Thanksgiving at my grandparents' home at 909 Poplar in Atlantic. It was a cool old house and we spent many holidays there - the rambling three story place plus an attic.

My grandparents passed away in 1982, and they had lived in a condo on 28th street? several years at that time. But they lived in the old place through my early high school years at least. By the last few years though, Mom was in charge of holiday cooking.

Momo, my gran, was a great cook in her day. The house had a big dining area with a long beautiful table (I think Susi has it now) to fit the whole fam. We even invited Bubba's bro Uncle Max (they called him Nig cuz he was a tan old guy - I know, not very PC). His wife was Mary Lou. They weren't the friendliest folks to kids.

Momo and Bub didn't have lots of toys, but they did have some of Dad, Aunt Marty and Aunt Jean's old game and books. We'd play tiddly winks into a corn bread container. The attic and the basement were each kinda scary! The attic had fiberglass insulation that I was told I would fall through. So I stayed away! There were old prom dresses up there and Nancy Drew books! The basement had a coal chute and and old gas range.

One year Uncle Max was carving the turkey on a card table, when the table collapsed! Mom whisked the turkey back into the kitchen and wiped it off - when she brought it back out she said, "lucky I had a spare!" Witty Zora! Another time she had gotten extra turkey legs to cook with the bird as we always had people wanting legs - and she joked that it was a 4-legged turkey! We loved to put the black olives from the relish plate on our fingers.

After supper I remember Dad laying on the floor complaining about how full he was. The girls always had to help with the dishes. (sexist - no?) I learned to live with it though, and now I'm more comfy on dish duty than cooking.

Thursday this year will just be Jud, Paul and me - but we'll have all those relatives in our hearts!

Colbymeister

Colby Lefebvre is under the knife. He's having surgery on his jaw - a congenital defect that left him without nine permanent teeth. It's a family thing - I'm missing four myself. Three of the baby teeth are still hanging on.

One gave up at age forty when it started causing me problems. Dave Buck pulled it and after it healed I was fitted for a bridge. What a deal that was! I remember going in for a wax impression of my jawline. The mistake I made was eating a giant cheeseburger first! Why oh why did no one tell me the waxy stuff would be causing me to gag - threatening to cause said cheeseburger to reappear in Dave's dentist office.

I was lucky that I got a Maryland bridge - so they didn't have to file down my other teeth like they do with regular bridges. But the thing has come loose a couple times in the past twelve years. One time whilst Debbie P and I were kayaking on the Upper Iowa river. We always take snacks along, (hey we burn lots of calories) and I had a nice box of Milk Duds.

It wasn't a scorching hot day and the Duds were kinda firm - so when I chewed them, my bridge (which is a fake tooth with metal sticking out to attach to other teeth) stuck to the gooey caramel. I proudly showed the gob of candy/tooth mixture to Deb, laughing! I had to put the whole sticky mess in a baggie until we got back to the motel that night. Chuckle. At least it's a ways back in my mouth so I'm not noticeably a Hillbilly.

Back to Colby Breton Lefebvre. He is Cindy (my sis - #2 Bullock girl 3+ years older than me and Brian (Bolder) Lefebvre. They live in Edwards, near Vail, Colorado. Colbs is four months younger than Jud. He is a culinary whiz kid - his chef team won the national competition in high school and he got a scholarship. He attends Johnson and Wales in Denver - finished the culinary part of his school after two years and is finishing a BS in management now.

He and Jud are polar opposites. Even when they were little they didn't get along. Jud would egg Colby on and Colbs would bite him. Ironic as Colby ended up missing so many teeth! They had to wait until his jaw was full frown (he was a late bloomer like Jud - grew several inches after high school). Colby has never been interested in team sports - even watching football doesn't seem to interest him much. Though as the boys grow older they get along better. And Amy and Colby are buddies - especially after she spent a winter living with the Lefebvres two years ago when she worked on the mountain.

His jaw is being broken - top and bottom. The top is being broken in 5 places. ARgh! Cindy is shopping for liquid nutrition. I'm sure it will be wired for several weeks. Then the plan is to eventually insert implants - fake teeth. It's all costing a fortune, very little of which is covered by insurance. Still, his parents have to feel fortunate that it's not some serious illness. I'm sure this doesn't feel to easy about now though!

In a few months, okay maybe it will be years - after all his teeth are screwed in, this will be a distant memory. And my baby teeth will be falling out! I am very careful with Milk Duds...

I could teach Time Management Training

Today nearly everyone I work with attended a training session on Time Management. I aced it. Or I would have, had we been graded on our present lifestyle.

I already knew I was an organized person. And I live with another organized person - Paul George Goldsmith. In many ways he's more organized than I. And there was "the Big O" Jolene MaGill - who organized our ski trip sophomore year - down to who brought what article of food - very specific (in a crazy way). But I digress - I was talking all about me!

Our trainer, Carol Tripp teaches several courses for the State of Iowa and teaches for Phoenix University as well. She's an Iowa native who did her graduate work in California and lived there for many years until she and her husband (a Cali guy) moved back to Marshall County. Interestingly (to we trash folk) he's an IT guy for a large garbage company who owns a hauling company and a transfer station in Ventura, California. He does his work online.

Back to me. We worked our way through a booklet she put together - talking about being organized in our own personal lives, and at work. Carol spoke of being on time. "If you're not early, you're late!" Thank you Dave Bullock for teaching me for that. I think we have successfully trained Amy and Jud on this important point.

Prepare for morning the night before. Aha! Again - I'm ahead of the curve by putting my purse in the same chair each night at Joan's. On the nights before I head home, I take my laundry bag out to the car so I don't have as much to carry. On Sundays of course, I pack my bag and put stuff in the car for the next a.m.

So did I learn anything new at this training? Yep! We talked about peak times. I've known for most of my life that I'm a morning person, but have never considered that I should schedule my toughest jobs during that time. Also I am not a phone person - I avoid calling people if I can. Carol suggested scheduling tasks you usually procrastinate doing - just set a time to do that each day.

We also talked quite a bit about trimming the unnecessary things out of our day. I must say I don't have a lot of interruptions at work. If anything I go bother others when I'm bored. And I tend to be my own worst work flow interrupter - stopping to check personal emails and read media etc. I have work ADD at times I guess!

The training got a little long in the afternoon (after all, I do already know it all...) and I was heading home to Creston after the class. So I was ready for it to be over at 4 PM. Overall a pretty good day though. I will go back and be a little better organized thanks to this training.

My car is fixed

Thank goodness! I'm so glad to get it back to normal. I picked it up a couple weeks ago - but there was a part missing. And I discovered my squirter wasn't squirting. I'm mean the washer squirter. It seems they hooked the rear squirter up to the front squirter motor and viceversa. Duh!

Last night I stopped at Valley West Mall after getting my hair hi-lighted. I ended up buying 4 used CDs for $20. At first I picked out 3 - and the check out chick told me it was cheaper to get 4. So it took another 20 minutes to pick out the last CD. My musical taste in used CDs is eclectic. I selected: U2, Divas - including Celine, Aretha, Mariah, Gloria Estefan, and Rascal Flatts.

Then I selected a 2 CD Disco set - with such classics as YMCA and lots of other good songs. Alas when I got to Joan's to pop the CDs in the computer, that disco CD was a dud. It was the wrong disc - a ringer. So I took it back and got the Dixie Chicks - which took another 20 minutes to select! You know, it's amazing how many of the CDs I saw yesterday were gone - those things move baby!

Road Trip

McKims and Goldsmiths take a road trip to Boulder! Headed out in the cold rain around noon Friday after Donnie finished checking eyeballs (he's an eye doc). Luckily Diana brought deer sausage and cheese so we didn't have to stop to eat. We made good time!

We stopped at a gas station about 7:30 PM, and it was time for a drink - Donnie was driving by then as we drove into Boulder and made our way into the Millenium (I called it Millenium Falcon - you may recall that's the name of the airship on Star Wars). It was a large older motel, rambling and huge. The rooms were okay. We found the bar right away, as we got credit with our room for $100 for drinks and food. Shazam!

Service wasn't the greatest in the bar, but we made sure to get both. Several drinks, wings and a wrap later I poured myself into bed. I made sure to take my migraine med so I didn't suffer from a giant headache hangover the next day. I needed to tailgate! We got up and ate breakfast in the motel (we still had more credit to use up dammit) along with lots of other Clone fans.

Then we headed out to the tailgate party in the grassy knoll - with our fellow Iowa State University Alumni and friends. They were serving Bloody Marys, beer, other mixed drinks and breakfast burritos. The place was rockin' with a huge flat screen TV featuring the Iowa game at Northwestern. Hawks were losin'. yay! Amy showed up - fresh from her ride on the bus from Denver. So fun to see her! I fixed her right up with a Clone jacket. Her dad got her a drink and a breakfast burrito (and some cash).

Amy took off to tailgate with her buddies and we talked with other Clones including star player Jake Knott's mom and her sis. Soon it was time to head to the game - only a short walk on a scenic sidewalk to Folsom Field. We tracked down our tickets and headed into the stadium after checking out the Buff statue and recycle bins. We walked through a field house that looked suspiciously like ISU's Amory where I took Riflery back in 1979. We found our seats in the 15th row amongst lots of Cyclone Fans - saw my buddy and co-worker Becky. Then Amy and roommate Carrie stopped by.

Ralphie the live buffalo tethered by several handlers led the Colorado team into the stadium. It was quite the show. Unfortunately the game wasn't. The Cyclones had a Husker Hangover. Ick. Icky Ick. They were bad. We gave ourselves a half hour to pout. Then we were over it. After the game we went back to the hotel for some additional coupon redemption - we had a total of $400 between the 4 of us to use in 2 days and we were up to the challege! It was only 4 PM so we took a break to shop so we didn't turn into total lushes drinking straight through the night. We ended by eating in the bar again (surprise) with a couple from Lenox, Iowa.

The next day we hit the road jack. Nine hours back to Ioway - Donnie and Pablo driving Dee and Leslie. A good trip was had by all. ('cept for the game part)

Adnah David

And no he was not a nurse. That's what we always thought when we used to see his name on the war memorial in the middle of the park in downtown Atlantic where I grew up. But to the little Bullock girls, the name Adnah sounded, well...kinda like a girl's name. And what would a girl do in the Civil War? She'd be a nurse of course.

But he wasn't. He was an 18 year old boy - only 5' 5" when he mustered out of the Grand Army of the Republic in June 28, 1885. He had joined up for one year with his brother Miles the previous September 2nd, but they must have no longer needed his services. I am the fortunate keeper of the memorabilia - Adnah's medals and the pins from his uniform. They've held up pretty well for items that are now nearly 150 years old.

A couple years ago, when I was between jobs, I spent a great deal of time on genealogy - gathering all the information I could from both sides of my fam and compiling it on my computer. Then I got my present job and stalled out. Today, in honor of Veteran's Day I took time to scan Adnah's medals and ribbons to share with the rest of the family - ah there lies the value of Facebook! I had never taken time to really look at those things before. The bars he wore on his uniform displayed the unit he served in.

Yay for Google! I discovered the initials stand for Light Artillery 1St Regiment Company A. I knew he had joined up in his home state of New York as I have his mustering out papers framed in my living room. Today I found the listing of his enlistment with Miles.

I would like to read in more detail about what happened during the timeframe when he served. I know he and his son Wayne attended the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, though that battle took place before he was a member of the army - in 1863. His obituary though says he joined up at age 16, which would be a year before the official record show?!?
They don't write obits like that anymore - it says he didn't take any drink (what happened to the rest of us AD?) and was proud that he didn't have false teeth - but he did have 2 of his own left! Must have been rare at age 95 back then. I just noticed one of his brothers is listed as being from Earlville - hometown of my beloved Pablo. Small world! (Never mind - that's Earlville, New York - near Sherburne where Adnah was born).

My dad remembered him well as he was around 12 when Adnah passed away. He was quite a character and I wish I could talk to him now - what tales he could tell!

Veteran's Day

Dad in his Kemper uniform with his sis, my Aunt Martha

The older I get, the more I realize how very much we owe our country's veterans. Wow, what a sacrifice they have made. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all who have served our country!


In my family, my own father served in the Korean Conflict - was it ever called a war? Dad's parents sent him away to Kemper Military School in Boonville (sp?) when he was in high school with the thought that it would make a man of him. Several Atlantic boys went there, along with others I've heard of - including George Lindsay of Goober/Mayberry TV show fame.


I'm sure at the time they sent him there my grandparents weren't thinking it would lead to Dad being shipped off to Korea. Dad attended Kemper for his last couple years of high school and for junior college. Then he headed to the University of Iowa. (I know - I come from 2 generations of them...)

Mom and Dad were married at the beginning of their senior year of college (1950) and Susi was born that next September - 1951. Lore has it that when they graduated from the University of Iowa (Mom was 2nd in her class - a Phi Beta Kappa) the person checking out the graduation robes said, "how nice, twins graduating!" They didn't look that much alike, and she was just starting to show.

Dad was in ROTC at college, so when the Korean Conflict started it was evident he was going to go there. Susi was born in Atlantic - my hometown. Then I think my parents moved to Fort Benning, Georgia (I think - this is all from memory) for basic training. Dad was doing all he could to avoid getting shipped out - he wanted to stay with his little fam. But eventually away he went, and Mom went to visit her sis Dorothy in California.

Mom saved Dad's airmail letters from Korea. And when dad passed away in very late 2006 - that next spring my sisters and I got the awful chore of going through my parents' life possessions as we prepared their condo for sale. I found all those letters and the official letters on Dad's behalf trying to muster him out of the service for a variety of reasons. He ended up being some sort of supply officer (2nd Lt.) at a base there. I have a menu he put together for Thanksgiving. And thank goodness he came back safe and sound!

I didn't end up reading his letters to my mother. They were too intimate - love letters. Not for my eyes. I recycled them after keeping them here at my house for several months. Some things daughters just don't need to know about their parents! Even though my father didn't participate in active combat, his service was a hardship on him and his family. I can't imagine my son being overseas today. Bless those troops and families!

As time goes by

Yesterday was the first work day after "daylight savings" time was over. We rolled our clocks back Saturday night. Monday afternoon I was working hard (not hardly working). It was about 4:15 PM, I noted on my watch - yet so many people were still about. What the hell were they doing there? Usually the joint (the Wallace Building) clears out by 4 PM.

Have I mentioned how much I love driving my own car again? Ah my little silver Subaru - you fit me like a glove. Much better than a dented Toyota Camry. I am avoiding Hickman - I hear it's loaded with deer. (I know it's a little late to have found out about that, but better late than never).

Speaking of time - do you realize how soon the holidays are? Yikes! I think Paul and I are giving each other a trip to Boulder, Colorado for a football game for Christmas. That takes care of that. And shopping for the cherubs will be easy - computers for both this year. Kinda boring, but I like it!

Heading home to Crestonia tomorrow - Thursday is Veteran's Day. Bless our troops and veterans. Not sure what I'll do all day - besides sleep in and get ready for the Colorado trip.


I looked at my clock. A cute little recycled number - made from a tuna can. Yep. 4:15 PM. But - wait. My computer says 3:15! It is on satellite time - I neglected to set my work clock and watch back. Damn! A whole nother hour two hours left to work!

Manic Monday

Another Monday another breakfast with the girls. Today we were celebrating Linda Kilgore's birthday - her first without her spouse Rudy, who passed away last year due to a lung problem. She quit coming to breakfast for a while, so I'm glad she's back.

We were filling everyone in about the big game - ISU/NU in Ames last weekend. Diana was over it (NOT). And was wondering what to give Donnie for his birthday - Tuesday - the same day as Linda's. Bobbie suggested "take him to the ISU game in Boulder!" Bobbie and I said, "We're up for that!"

Stay tuned - we could just head to Boulder on Friday. Diana is checking into it. Pablo says it could work. He's not working this week - (it's hunting time ya know). I have Thursday off and Friday could be a comp time day. Amy is going to be at the game! And it's the last ISU/CU game in Big 12 history anyway.

Work was, well work.

Afterwards I headed to Younkers at Jordan Creek to take back some jeans that Jud didn't like. Found a Columbia vest I liked - cream colored. Then I headed to Scheel's to see what was new there. As I headed out the door to my car, a couple youngs guys went out the door at the same time. Then a woman scooted past me and jumped in front of the guy on my left (his pants were hanging off his ass - one of those). She said "Store security - come with me please!" Yikes! Glad she wasn't talking with me. Makes me glad I don't shoplift - that was scary!

The day flew by

Of course it did! Just like they always do on days like yesterday at the Big 4 Plus More reunion. The event was one of the bigger ISU games in the past couple years. ISU was playing Nebraska at home for the last time in, well that's it. Kaput as the Fuskers take off to join the Big 10.

The More part - crazy! Several other people joining my three college roomies and me. A plast from our past! It all started...(wayback machine/swirly thoughts above Leslie's head) four girls ended up living in Schilling house in Maple dorm in 1976. From this start, lifelong friends were made. I had known Sally Rodgers from childhood, but we didn't plan to live on the same dorm floor. It was karma. Vicki Gernand (now Behr) and Jane Flack (Conn) were two other smalltown girls we started hanging with, thanks to a ping pong table in between the 'vators.

Sally's daughter Lauren was admitted to Vet School at ISU this fall, so Sal called to say she was coming for the November 6th game. Things took off from there. Sal now lives on Portland, Oregon so it has been many years since the four of us have gotten together. Jane lives in Waukee (where I live during each week) and Vicki in Northfield, MN. I warned Vic "if you don't come, we'll talk about you!" haha.

Another ISU Schilling girl in attendance was my good friend Julia Hoilien - Atlantic friend, now living outside Boulder, CO. Another Atlantic buddy Marci Merrick (Hinners) stopped over and brought along her sis Cindy - ah memories of my Sunnyside Pool lifeguard days. It was old home week!

Our buddy Hauser lives in Eagan, MN - he's our buddy from the Big 4 years. In fact he may have started that nickname. We were hoping Moose would/could drive over from Chicago but no such luck. ;>(

When Paul and I got together we successfully melded our two friend groups together - and while he was just hunting with Mike Huston, (best man at our wedding and veterinarian near LaCrosse, WI) he must have waxed very poetically about this weekend. Before you knew it, Mike and wife Paula (also a vet) were on board! Add Tom Sullivan, our Des Moines pal (another vet) and his friend Shirley.

All these people were in addition to the regular crowd - our great Crestonian tailgate crew - McKims, McFees and Higgins. This game Matt Buck had offered to smoke ribs and other meats for the game. I swear I could smell it at Hilton Coliseum when I got out of our car! Our tailgate was a beehive of activity.

Pablo mixed up Bloody Marys asap when we got there. So let's say I was relaxed and happy all day. And those years (it's been 30 since the Big 4 met) do simply melt away. I love those ladies - living together for 3 formative years really bonds people permanently! So no matter what happens - and that we have gone on to become different people with our own busy lives. We's sistas!

The game - that's a whole different story. I didn't go though - stayed out with my girlies and Mike and Tom to catch up. Watched the end on the RV TV. Hauser used my ticket and he had the time of his life. Except ISU lost in OT. Heart breaker - damn fuskers and fans. Just like the Hawks - so satisfying to beat. But this game. This was about my friends. We better not wait another 20 years to get this group back together! (hell we'd be 73!)

A swell birthday

For all my lamenting about my lousy luck in my birth week - you may recall last year I broke my foot. Now this year, the blasted incident with the rental car/deer whilst my car was in the shop being repaired. Then my car wasn't done on time. And I'm not feeling great.

But yesterday was my bday and I was determined to have a great day. I didn't tell people at work that it was the big day, but I stopped by the big HyVee on University and Jordan Creek Road for a couple dozen donuts - one for each section I work in - Financial and Business Assistance (my real section with new boss Jennifer Wright) and the other Solid Waste (with the engineers and that boss Alex Moon).

Last year I had scoured Des Moines for a good place to get Donuts - similar to Quicks in Atlantic or Mr. Donut. But Des Moines doesn't seem to have many of those. I tried Donut Hut on Grand, but that guy was like a donut Nazi - not the most cheerful. I know it was o dark:30 but jeez I'm a paying customer! So I went with an Iowa store this year. The donuts were fine!

People soon figured out it was my day 'o birth (when I spilled my guts). Then Robbiedob called from sunny Orlando (my buddy since 1960 or so...) to wish my a happy day! I was feeling better as I'd gotten some antibiotics the day before. Went okay and roomie Joan took me out for supper Wednesday night and had left a funny card on my purse to start my day right. Then Becky Jolly rounded up a small group of co-workers to go to lunch in honor of my big day. We walked to Jimmy Johns in the East Village.

I called and found out my car wasn't going to be done until 4ish. Fine - I handled it without snapping. I headed to Enterprise to turn in the somewhat dented rental car around 3 PM. The two cute Tylers (20 something guys who checked it out to me - 1 is in training) had to go out and see it. Of course paperwork took a while - but I took it all in stride. Hey - it was my birthday. I (not so cheerfully) paid the $500 deductible.

When I got to Ramsey Subaru my car was done in scant minutes. I paid the $500 deductible (not so cheerfully). Ru looks fabulous - all detailed and shiny. They cleaned her out and put everything in the back - I found that missing book on CD the library asked me about. Yay! Headed home arriving just before the tailgate planners - seeing nary a deer. Paul baked me a cake! Ugly angel food but tasty.

Pablo had a meeting but Dee, Bobbie, Sharon, Jeff and Donnie and I met to discuss food. Then Jeff and Don went to do manly things and it was the girls. I broke out a bottle of chardonnay. Popped on the tailgating music track on my computer. Sally and Jules called - they're in Iowa heading to Ames. I opened my funny cards from my friends and fam. I got lots of Facebook greetings and felt the cyberlove.

When the gals left I called my baby girl, who had tried to call earlier. (Jud had sent a mushy text). And when Paul got home I got my gift from the family - Mary Poppins tickets! Yay - I love the live stuff. Chim Chiminey.

The moral of the story is - I felt really loved. Even while those people were taking my money. I'm a lucky gal!

Sick and fragile ego

I'm sick. Just like many people in cubicle land who are hacking, sneezing and I've heard complaining of illness, I'm sick. Sinus infection - after all fall of suffering through allergy-land. It's finally got me! Or it was all those germy bottles I dug out of the trash last weekend.

Regardless, 1 scratchy throat and drippy nose later I called Sheryl Young ARNP to get some meds. Sheryl used to practice in Creston but moved to DM a few years ago so I saw her here back before my female problems. Then she moved from a clinic in Johnston to a clinic way on SW 9th and I haven't needed to see her - went to another woman in Creston for my physical. But she fixed me up with some drugs to combat these symptoms.

Between my cold symptoms, the election and my fragile, battered ego I hardly slept a wink last night. I kept reliving that "thump" of the deer bouncing off the front of the car. Another $500 deductible. I kept trying to tell myself that we have saved a great deal of money through the years by jacking up our deductible amount. But I'm up to $1,000 in 2 weeks damn it! Think how many shoes that could have purchased...

And feeling angry about all the $$ from outside Iowa spent to unseat judges who made the decision to allow same-sex marriage. Great, now cash is king when it comes to court decisions. I hope those who unleashed that particular monster are happy with the consequences when it goes against them someday. Courts should be above politics!

I didn't take the insurance

Yesterday when I got the rental car, to drive while my own car is being repaired. You may recall I hit some kinda varmint driving home from Des Moines not even two whole weeks ago. It was a smallish deerog (combination dog/deer). I can't quite make myself type dog.

I don't want it to be a dog. Maybe it was a coyote - Wile E. Coyote trying out his Acme rocket skates. Yeah, that's it. And he shot across the highway at the wrong time, hitting the underneath left front side of my Subaru. Breaking my fog light and my wiper fluid reservoir and cracking my bumper. Whatever the hell it was.

My first insurance claim in forever - except the hail damage on our house. And now just scant days later, whilst driving the damn Toyota owned by Enterprise I hit a big damn deer. Right on Hickman near I-35/80. It ran across from the south and the car by me slammed on its brakes and I hit the mushy brakes on this car but alas. Bam! The poor deer spun around on its back and looked like it was going to get up. I sped on hoping against hope there was no damage.

Damn cars - of course there is damage! The whole front end is torked. I think Enterprise will notice tomorrow when I drop it off. Tyler the rental guy made a big deal of walking around the car when I checked it out, noting any damage. F#*$! I called Paul to report that I am officially an accident magnet. I feel bad about the deer - stupid animal.

I feel bad for me. Another $500 deductible. Hope I don't get a nasty-gram from my insurance company!

November 1

Goodbye el carro - I dropped my car off at Ramsey Subaru to be fixed today. It was stressful. I didn't like leaving 'Ru. It was like leaving my child at his first sleepover. On my way into town this a.m. I had to stop at Joan's and drop all of my sh...stuff off - suitcase, hanging clothes etc.

Still - I left my raincoat in 'Ru and a coffee cup. My stuff ya know. I feel lost without my car and my stuff. I'm driving a Toyota Corolla from Enterprise for a couple days - grabby brakes. But hey, it's just a couple days. I can do this.

I got to have my birthday breakfast with my homegals first thing this a.m. Always a great way to start the day - especially when I get funny cards just for me! It was a full house today - everyone was there. We were loud and proud.

I'm happy to report that Nancy has returned to college - she's attending Upper Iowa University, a branch here in DM. I'm so proud of her and for her. She's taking a writing class right now. I love it when people keep learning and growing.

Election Day tomorrow - can't wait to get rid of all the negative ads! What an awful year. From both sides. I am sick of both parties. What will it take to get rid of the big money controlling our government? It's depressing. Paul and I voted a couple weeks ago absentee. The Union County race is as exciting as any - stay tuned!