Just a couple days...

Is it just Tuesday?
Tonight was our Anniversary date at Centro. Cool place!

Centro

We exchanged cards but didn't have any big gifts for each other...at this age we pretty much get what we want...if we can afford it anyway. So he is getting a big elk hunting trip in September and I received a beautiful ring that I designed myself. It was made from my engagement ring, the anniversary ring Paul gave me for my 13th year (lucky) and two small diamonds from my Mom's engagement ring. I took all those rings to my sis Cindo's jeweler, Dennis, in Edwards, Colorado.

Dennis gave me credit for the gold (he teased me that midwest gold is cheap because we're thrifty...). I described what I had in mind for a ring made up from the stones. When it was done, he sent it to Paul. One day, shortly after that - in June - Paul found me all sweaty on the deck after a walk, and he proposed again. It was very touching when he gave me the ring - my sweetheart. His first proposal may not have been too romantic, but that one meant a great deal to me.

 We enjoyed our meal at Centro! We both started with Cosmo martinis and toasted our 30 years.

Paul had steak while I tried the parmeson crusted halibut - we both got garlic mashed potatoes with our meals, plus I had asparagus. Very good! I have to say Alba is still my fave fancy place though. Maybe I was just hungrier that night...

We did a little shopping in WDM, then all too soon it was time for Paul to head back to Creston. I'll be home in 2 days and we're both excited to see our children this weekend. Amy flies in Friday evening and Jud and Kara are driving up. We'll all attend the ISU game Saturday. Go Clones! Feeling very blessed on our 30th Anniversary.

Monday night I made my first visit to the new Whole Foods store on University in WDM. It looks to be a pretty cool store! Lots of locally grown foods, with organic selections and stuff you can't get elsewhere. It seems much bigger than Trader Joe's but is probably a bit larger.

Outside front door

It wasn't very busy when I was there

Where old cigarette machines go - they become art o mat

No crappy recycling inside the beautiful store - this machine is outside the entrance

My lover, partner, best friend

8/28/82

 

We didn't plan to have a memorable date for our wedding date...we were just trying to avoid Hawkeye (my parents) and Cyclone (Paul and me) football games! But it worked out pretty well in the end.

We met at 230 Campus Avenue in Ames

 

 

See - cute friends!

Paul and I met the first time in the fall of 1978. I don't recall being all that impressed - thinking more that his friend Scheid was cute. Besides, Paul was just back visiting that weekend - he was working that fall in SW Iowa at Forney Lake, near Riverton. My next memory of Paul is when he came to our door to sign me and me roomies up for a co-ed softball team with him and his buddies. Hmm more cute friends? And I was right - his friends Tom and Mike were handsome guys too. Not that he was dogmeat...but I'd seen him walk by our apartment holding hands with a girl with long hair.

 

 

That spring before my senior year we went on a date. I enjoyed his company but still thought it was a passing thing. That summer I became a softball groupie - his team Minsky's was pretty good, and so was he. I liked watching him play. We dated that year - he took me with him for a class project. He had to clip the nails of a vole, a little mouselike creature. He grew on me. By spring I met his sister Jean and fam, and then his parents. Then I graduated off I went to my new job in Sioux Falls, SD. Paul had started school a quarter late - he thought he wanted to be a carpenter for a bit. So he needed to finish up. He was working nights as a pre-sorter for UPS, so he fell asleep on some of our dates - sexy!

 

So there I was in Sioux Falls, all by myself. I had a few thoughts that maybe I'd meet Mr. Right there. Wrong! Paul came to visit - and without the distraction of college and roommates, we really got to know each other. We became best friends. That's when I was hooked! He wrote me the most romantic letters from SE Iowa, where he landed after graduating - trapping turkeys to transplant elsewhere. Then karma took over - and I was transferred to Omaha and he got a job in Oakland, Iowa not far away. We saw each other every weekend. In January of 1982 we got engaged, putting the wedding together in 8 short months, thanks to the Pat Bullock machine. My mom was good at that stuff.

 

 

Bridesmaids - my roomies, Vic, Jane, Sal and sis Betso. Groomsen - Mike, Tom, Fitz, Schneid with Moose and Brad as ushers. It was a great wedding, and the priest got us out of there in 45 minutes with a full mass. Paul's sis Jean played the organ and Pat McCauley played the organ. Music was gorgeous - the Sound of Music Wedding March was what I walked in to. (No...nobody sang "How do you Solve A Problem Like Leslie"). If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lightfoot. No singers, no flower girls. (Mom thought they were too dramatic).

 

 

Our friends decorated a van with a bunch of stuffed wild animals for us to ride in after the wedding - complete with duck calls. We went to the hospital to see my Grandpa Bubba. Others went to the White Rose and got drunk. There was a reception at the Country Club followed by another one at my parent's home - with roast beef my folks friends cooked for sannies. We had a keg and everyone had a great time. I got chilly and put on jeans and my mom's golf sweatshirt. Paul still had on his white tux - when we checked into the Wise Owl Hotel near I-80 the staff probably thought the groom ran away with someone other than the bride!

 

 

The next day we opened gifts at Mom and Dad's. When I walked in the door Dad said, "You look...different." Hmmm I was thinking I shoulda looked different a while ago...haha We still enjoy many of the gifts we received all those years ago.

 

 

We didn't go on our honeymoon for a few days as I had to close out month end books at my job at the grocery wholesaler in Omaha on the 31st. Then we flew to Seattle and took a Grayline Tour to Mount Ranier. Then we took a big ferry to Victoria Island, and then across to Vancouver. There Paul found out he had been hired by the federal government for a job in his same office in East Pott County. The beginning of a 30 year career.  

 

 

And the beginning of a beautiful marriage. Not always fun, but mostly. Thank God he's a patient man (a saint really). And good thing I like sports, and am able to entertain myself during hunting season. We aren't jealous types - trusting in each other. I pretty much tell him everything - so if you don't want him to know something, don't tell me. We've been through some tough stuff - our child's death, our parents' passing. I can't think of anyone I'd rather walk through this world with.

 

Happy 30th Anniversary Pablo - may there be at least 30 more!

 

Betso is 50!

Look at Betso's curls! (I look still mad that she's not a boy..)

Monday August 27th is my baby sis's 50th birthday. Elizabeth Nelle Bullock joined 3 sisters all those years ago. I think my parents were hoping for a boy, but it worked out well in the end.

Dad was a "travelin man...love when I can" (thanks Bob Seger). He sold ladies lingerie for Lorraine a company that made underwear, pajamas, robes, nighties, slips - stuff like that to stores around Iowa. Back then, nearly every town had a store that sold such things. He also had the big accounts like Younkers and Von Maur. His job required him to leave most Mondays and he'd return Friday. With that schedule it's surprising any of us were born! Rumor has it I appeared after Mom traveled with Dad on a sales trip to South Dakota...

Back to Betso...so there may have been a bit of disappointment (as there probably was when I was born) that the baby was a girl. Bets was such a cute little thing (many called her Bitsy Betsy) that everyone got over it quickly. Except me. I had wished for a baby brother dammit! During Captain Kangaroo one morning - I distinctly recall it! I've mentioned in this column before what a tomboy I was (am).

Mom put this Styro bubble on her in Florida like it would save her from drowning...

Instead I got a girlie girl. She was adorable - always tiny, with curly hair that bleached out in the sun.  good about having her Barbies be the nurses for my GI Joes. And she played a good Jane West to my Johnny. Betsy and I roomed together while Susi and Cindy had a room (I could hear them punching each other out sometimes...). Bets and I played together a lot, and as the older sis I was able to pull the wool over her eyes at times. Like when we'd tickle each other's backs - I'd tell her she didn't do it right, and she'd have to do it over...

Along with being cute, Betsy was also lucky (or perhaps a little bit smart), because she would always win games. We had a bunch of them in the cupboard in the built in dresser in our room. Stratego, Mystery Date, Kerplunk. Our grandfather Morehead designed and built our home at 202 Crombie in Atlantic and it had lots of built in features. Cindy told Bets that a monster was in our closet (bi-fold shutter doors) so the doors always had to be closed when we went to sleep. Come Christmas morning, we'd wake up at dawn to go visit the Santa gifts! (Most likely, once she figured out the Santa gig...Betso had found where Mom had hidden the gifts earlier).

Betsy was kind of a spoil sport when the folks had parties - one night they had rolled up the rug and a bunch of them were dancing on the hardwood floor. Bets told them it was time to clear out. I guess she was tired! I must have been in college by then.

Betsy didn't physically mature until she was nearly through high school - so of course she wasn't in the popular group. In fact some of the boys called her "Plateau". (Not sure how I missed out on being called those names). Somehow she ended up with breasts...yet I didn't...

Nurse Betsy after her capping ceremony

When Betsy and her friend Julie came to visit me at ISU I couldn't even get her to party! But by the time she headed off to Creighton University in Omaha to study nursing, she was all growed up - and the boys noticed her then! I recall she turned 20 the day before we got married...all those years ago.

After graduating, with nursing jobs scarce, she took a position in Pueblo, Colorado where she met the man of her dreams, Dr. Wayne Kohan. It's funny how life works that way. Once Wayne finished his residency they moved all the way to Kennewick, WA - so I don't get to see her all that much. Together they have five great children - we got to see them all recently at the fam reunion.

The Kohans

We did a "surprise" birthday celebration in Cannon Beach for our lil sis. The pope (Bolder) was there! Susi gave her the medallion. Safeway spelled her name Betesy on the cake, and Ziggy nearly got a lick! She was a good sport about celebrating several weeks early. I made a video slide show to celebrate the occasion.

Bolder in the Pope hat

Ziggy goes for it...

I'm glad Betsy wasn't a boy after all.

Happy 50th Birthday sis! Love ya!

Making a difference

Thursday was a 13 hour day for me - but worth it! Colleague Scott Flagg and I started at 6 a.m. heading to Davenport for a ribbon cutting at the Waste Commission of Scott County Electronics Demanufacturing facility. It's been open since 2005, the facility is now the only public facility in the world to be certified by EPA as R2 or a Responsible Recycler. It means they ensure all down the line that the vendors handling the material are doing so responsibly. No dumping in 3rd world countries!

Kathy is one of the movers and shakers in the trash world...she can talk a mile a minutes and is really nice

I'm proud to say that Kathy Morris, Director of the Waste Commission credits the program I oversee, the Environmental Management System (EMS) Program with getting them starting down the path toward this certification. The audits that I helped perform on their agency helped prepare them for the rigorous audits EPA performed on the agency.

Did you ever wonder what your LCD TV looked like inside? They take 'em apart here...

There was a good turnout at the event - the Chamber of Commerce, her board, staff and others. It was a well-planned event, and media was there in full force. The photos tell it all.


Presently Scott County doesn't do much reconditioning of products delivered. Mostly because they're all about data integrity. If you recycling a computer with them, they make sure the info is gone! But one of their upcoming EMS goals will be to look into more ways to reuse materials instead of just recycling.


The blonde cutie on the right, Erin is the communications director

While at the event, Scott and I introduced ourselves to a woman with a ReStore shirt on. If you're not familiar with these stores, they take still usable materials from people remodeling their homes or businesses and resell them, a partner with Habitat for Humanity.
ReStore What they do



DNR runs a forgivable loan program that Cindy, the ReStore woman had applied to. They wanted to add a medical equipment/supply room. Scott sits on the grant application review committee and knew about the project. Cindy invited us to stop by. It's stuff like this that inspires me - and makes me love what I do! The pics tell the story. They have lift chairs, adult diapers, wheel chairs - all sorts of stuff. Before - people had to scour all the Salvation Army Stores, Good Will. Because that's where folks dropped off this stuff - sadly they even take it to the landfill when Gran dies, because they don't know what else to do. Now there's an alternative!

People can donate these things to a central place - where others can then purchase at a much reduced price.

Cindy showed us the rest of the store too.
 

Volunteers help get items ready for the "store"

There were many volunteers helping man the place. They have to check all donations to make sure they're up to date, safe and clean. I was amazed how big the building supply store was - cabinets, sinks, lighting fixtures, even furniture. Very cool! I need to stop by the DSM store again soon.

Next we were off to Dubuque for a quick stop at the landfill. It was about 1.5 hours up the road. Manager Doug Hughes showed us the new cell (that's where the trash goes) they're building, and Bev Wagner drove us by their new methane gas flare. Presently they're just burning off collected methane. They will eventually sell for power. It's all better than allowing it to seep into the environment - major cause of global warming.

Doug in the new cell area - off behind is where they'll build their new office and household hazardous materials building

Methane Flare - the collection piping is very expensive so only the larger landfills do it. A turbine to make it into energy runs in the millions.

 A few short miles down Highway 20 from the Dubuque Landfill is Epworth, where we stopped at the site of a former school. Scott Flagg runs the derelict building grant program. Towns of 5,000 people and fewer can apply for cost share to help them remove asbestos from these buildings and then take them down - the city has to own them. Materials must be recycled - the more recycled, the more cost share. Epworth is a success story. This lot is the site of a former decrepit school building.


They even have green grass in Epworth. This site was a crappy building a few months ago...

Last we scooted across Highway 20 some more and then North to Arlington, home of another falling down school building. Someday the site will be a community center.

We met with the City Clerk, Public Works guy and the project director. I took lots of pics there. These buildings are in every town...

Scary looking, huh?

They took us inside, where the guy who most recently owned the property (they got it back on taxes) left tons of unsold 20 year old "energy" drinks in plastic bottles in the basement. They had to get kid's groups to help them empty and recycle them. They still have a few to go...

Something interesting up there...

Good to the last drop - 20 years ago...

Dang - we forgot to sign in!
 

We didn't head out until after 4 p.m. so it was a late night. I got back to Creston about 8:30 p.m. Tired, but pleased by how the day went. What I  and what we do at DNR makes a difference! 

Bun costume payback!

I don't know about you but the past few weeks have been a blur? Perhaps it's been my pain medication...no not really. I haven't been taking anything too strong. I'm down to mere Advil these days.

This week I was in recovery from the fab time at Lake of the Ozarks. Fun but I do miss my home time! 16 hours to do laundry and sleep don't quite cut it. I was quite pooped. Had Physical Therapy a couple times - but with Geri, who is great. She's working on getting my shoulder blade back in place.

Then I decided to give attention to another med problem I'd noticed for the past few weeks. My ear hurt. Not really like an infection but inside farther than I could reach with a Qtip. Perplexing. I'd put off dealing with it because the darn shoulder. But I finally broke down and made an appointment for Tuesday, which made for a busy day. PT early, haircut and color touchup mid-day, then ear at 4:15 p.m. I barely had time to squeeze in work!

Sheryl checked me over and took a look in my ear. She said it was a little red but she saw a hair in there, would I like her to wash it out? Sure! So she brought in an assistant and a squirter, with a tray to catch water/suds. What resulted was what looked like an Odie hair! Yep - it had been in my ear since about 4th of July I figure...irritating. Odie does sleep in my spot when I'm gone - like the lil missus. So my pillow gets hairy. I got some drops to help any residual soreness in there. Thank God it wasn't a bug...my buddy Kay had that happen to her one time. Interesting note - I mentioned to Sheryl how my allergies have been so non-existent this summer, when so many others are miserable. She laughed and said I can thank my miserable shoulder and the steroid shots I received because of it! Aha - it all makes sense now...

The hair was prolly payback for this bun costume...

That night I celebrated the successful hair removal by meeting Pablo and Don and Diana McKim at "Meet the ISU Coaches" at the 7 Flags Events Center. It was a rah rah event but fun to hear what the coaches had to say. I was ready to strap on pads and run through a brick wall after hearing ISU Football Coach Paul Rhoads! Of course Freddie Hoiberg is dreamy and loved seeing my honey during the week too!

Wednesday night Joanie and I went to the Chinese place in the strip mall near her house. The food wasn't great but always nice to spend some time with my roomie/landlady. She's such a sweetie. We always say we're going to do that more often and then we don't. Note to self! Thursday needs to be a blog unto itself - big work day.

Long ride to see tiny boats

Riding to the Shootout

Saturday Donnie and Cap'n Paul plotted a big ride! First our house met the other house at my fave place on the lake - Miller's Landing for breakfast. That's where I got my best ever T-shirt. On the back it says, "The liver is evil it must be punished". Clever or what?

I had a mix 'n match breakfast - pecan pancake, egg over medium and bacon. Plus a spicy Bloody Mary. It all was bloody marvelous. Then we ran into some peeps from Osceola that we know - the Schippers (and their muy expensivo boat. We hung out with them in NYC at the bowl game last winter. Small world at the lake!

After consolidating all 10 of us into Paul's 28-foot boat, we headed up-river from like mile 26 to mile 60. It was a long trip! But we were very pumped to see the "Shoot Out". That's a boat race with those big long boats with giant engines. My heart was racing with excitement! I could hardly contain myself! We were looking for a place called Kelley's according to Donnie - we slowed as we approached the area we thought it should be - Bobbie called out - "I think I see one!"

We turned in and parked at a somewhat rickety dock, puzzled that we couldn't see more boats. Then we figured it out - the RC before Shootout meant Remote Control! They were tiny 1/8th size boats! Zing Zing! And the people - something else. Key word - bib overalls. Okay that's 2 words. I worked on an oversized frozen rum drink in a Styrofoam cup. I didn't think the waitress/bartender was up to much more than that. Sweet but refreshing.

This is me smiling and having fun on the boat  looking like a blue hair?

Bobbie and Paul await a boat driven by a tiny man

The guys went down to look at the tiny boats. Al said one even had tiny guys on it. Everybody needs a hobby I guess...I think we should have all had guns to shoot at them. Now THAT would have been fun! LOL

After we decided remote control boats were going to be boring we were off to our next adventure - Possum Holler. Donnie discovered it on a map - a cool (insert dive) bar.

I picked up a great T-shirt! (not as good as the liver one) It says "I got smashed at Possum Holler" and shows a beer truck that ran over a possum. We were the life of the place. (Not saying much).


Our next stop was at a place called Big Dick's Halfway Inn. There are minnows in that little cup by the shots. The big deal at this bar - it must be halfway between the end of the lake and the dam - is to shoot a minnow and a shot. Poor little fishies! Paul and I passed on that tradition.

Minnows look nervous

After that stop we went to one last place for supper - Paradise. I had a nice fish (not minnow) sandwich. Then I was stuffed. It was an early night - all that fresh air and all.

Paul looks happy!

We took off early Sunday for Creston. The others stuck around for another day of fun. Though I'm sure it wasn't quite as much fun without us...
How nice of Higgins and Eckhoffs to share their beautiful homes and boats with friends. We feel so fortunate to have friends like those two couples plus the Mcs - McKims and McFees. All good peeps. Life is good.

Oooh we love the lake!

Just back from the lake - Lake of the Ozarks, near Osage Beach, Missouri. We love it there - mostly because our friends are there and we have such a good time cruising a huge beautiful body of water in a boat with them. (refreshing beverages might be involved too...)



This ISN'T Diana McKim...her stylist won't let her go gray...

We arrived at Paul and Lucy Eckhoff's lovely lake home on Thursday about noon. That's right - we got up at 5 a.m. because we wanted to get there to get the party started! Everyone else had arrived either Tuesday or Wednesday. Alas I worked at the fair in the DNR trailer again Wednesday. I sent Diana McKim this photo in a text - saying I thought I'd seen her at the fair in her red hat and purple outfit...
Captain Paul fixed Pablo and me right up with Bloody Marys. I would have been wise to eat something - thinking back....


Diana, Bobbie, Sharon share a laugh

Next Bobbie, Jeff, Paul, Lucy, Pablo and I took the boat to Larry's on the Lake for more refreshments and some appetizers. Again...I would have been wise to eat more. The good news of the day is - I wasn't drinking cheap zinfandel and switched to water before the end of the evening.

We ended up at Al and Sharon's new place (after a little break in someone's boat slip during a rain shower) where we had grilled burgers. Their place is a work in progress - they bought it around the first of the year and are rearranging rooms and remodeling the whole thing. Knowing those two - it will be fabulous by next summer. The nice thing about it is how level the lot is - no huge climb between the house and the dock.

Speaking of huge climbs - when we got up the next morning, Bobbie, Jeff, Paul and I went for a walk around Eckhoff's neighborhood. Those hills kicked my now sore butt! I enjoy looking at all the properties at the lake - from the front and lakeside. Higgins and McKims arrived from Higgin's place and Paul E. then cooked up a great breakfast - assisted by the lovely Lucy. Biscuits, gravy, eggs, sausage - rib stickin' stuff. I did not go for a Bloody Mary that a.m.!

We headed off in 2 boats to find a place to float and enjoy the water. It wasn't all that hot yet, so when we stopped I sat in the boat for a while. The limestone in the area is gorgeous!

Paul G. never did break down and get in...

Captain Paul with Co-Pilot Lucy

We stopped at a couple places on the way back to Paul and Lucy's. At the first place Donnie showed off his glasses floaty things - Al had discovered them. Women were in awe.

The woman to the right of Don was impressed with yellow floaties!

The girls enjoy bevvies

 At the next place there was live music. The guys had fun tossing bean bags until we talked them into dancing a bit.

Then we headed back for some chops. Rumor has it Ryan McKim won them playing golf. They were quite tasty with hash browns, salad and green bean casserole. Living large at the lake on a Friday.