It pays to live...

Deep in the heart of Iowa. DSM. The Capital City, where people come to shop and work. And visit their children and their boyfriend.

Al and Sharon on a warmer night (San Antonio 2011)

We benefited from all of the above last weekend and Monday! We love it! Friday night I was tired from a long week at work. Paul had gotten home late, and we were just hanging out when I got a call from my friend Sharon Higgins. She and Al were on their way home from daughter Amanda's, and they could stop if we were home. Hell yes!

 

Our place can be a bit confusing to get to - especially in the dark. We saw them drive by once on Cody Drive. Our red rope lights on the deck helped clue them into our location. We enjoyed showing them our new home, then they sat and talked for a bit. We even scored a nice housewarming gift, a nice bottle of wine in a cloth Cyclone bag. It's so nice that people stop to see us.

Saturday we got up early and went to HyVee before the crowds. I enjoy all the choices there - cheeses and organic Stonyfield yogurt. Paul is going to try Chobani yogurt. (I know he's really going out on a limb, huh...) I baked cookies that afternoon while Paul worked on shelves for his hunting closet. The Cyclone Men's basketball team was playing late in the afternoon in Des Moines but we chose not to spend $70 per ticket. It was on TV, but we headed off to Mass at St. Francis at 4:30 PM. Just as I sat down, my old pal (and someone Pablo knew at Beckman HS in Dyersville) Jane Ertl, in town visiting her boyfriend Ken Root, tried to call. I quickly texted her "In Mass".


Ken and Jane on a trip

Turns out they were headed to Mass too - in Norwalk. They came to our place later where we shared a bottle of Kendall Jackson and some cheese. Dang - I should have had some good stuff on hand instead of just plain 'ol Kraft! Jane brought us koozies from her biz in Dyersville (Dville Diecast) and a potholder she knitted herself! Quite impressive.

Then we headed to a Hibachi grill near Costco. We sat in a booth, but could hear the entertainment on the other side of the wall - drums and chanting! We had a nice time chatting and catching up. We really liked meeting Ken who is in radio broadcasting. They seem to have a great time together - enjoying the same activities, biking, kayaking and travel. I'm so glad Jane has met someone like Ken.

Sunday was similar to Saturday - I ran errands and shopped. Don't tell Odie the wonder pooch but she scored a blingy pink collar. I'm saving it for Christmas though. I've been working on the Christmas letter, and then had to get the new printer set up to poop it out! Wireless, yo! I'm so proud of myself. Plus I baked another batch of cookies, as I wasn't sure I liked the new recipe I tried the day before - they had crushed peppermint sticks in them, and turned out kinda dry.


Don and Diana at last year's bowl game pre-game party

Just when the Packer game was winding down, Paul got a text from Don McKim, who was sitting at Champps sipping a cold one while wife Dianna shopped. So we headed over there to see our buddies. Hugs all around. I've missed those kids! D had texted me a pic of a lemondrop Friday night - she was celebrating after the Panthers knocked off the Harlan Cyclones in Boys hoops. It made me miss living in Crestonia. But here they were and we got all caught up!

Monday nights my bestie Deb Peterson works in Ankeny. After work she needed to do some errands, including a stop at Scheels, near our home. So I met her at the mall - (it was take your dog to see Santa night...lots of yipping!), then we came back to our place for some Pablo chili. Deb's such a wonderful friend and her visit brightened my week. Between all those Creston peeps we're now caught up on the Creston doins!


Deb and me at her son Keith's wedding

So fun to see everyone. Makes moving not quite so lonely. Perhaps we should keep this Christmas shopping pace going all year long. Naw. But we do enjoy the company!