My tiny hair

Who remembers La Petite hair salon in Atlantic? Does the name mean "the little" in French? I'm just guessing...because of my petite knowledge of French...I wonder how a hair salon came to have that name? Did the owner think it sounded fancy?

I remember getting my hair cut there, surrounded by the ladies getting their hair done. Cut 'n curl ya know. Back in the day some ladies would get their hair done weekly! Another Chestnut Street hair salon was the Powder Puff. Remember what powder puffs smell like? I got a couple of those powder puff sets for my birthday when I was 10 or 12.

I don't know why I thought of those places this week. But that's how I roll.

Perhaps it's my date tomorrow night - with Gordon Lightfoot. I began my romance with the folk singer in the early 70s. I remember learning the Spanish version of "If You Could Read My Mind" in Senior Seufert's Espanol class. Oh how I loved it! So much that I would sing it to myself riding my horse Jack on the dirt road near Guttenfelder's place behind HyVee in Atlantic.

Eventually I purchased Gordie's albums, followed by, years later - his double CD.
Did She Mention My Name
Sundown
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Get Out Old Dan's Records
Don Quixote

My fave is If You Could Read My Mind though - English version. One of my all time fave songs - played at our wedding (instrumental only - thanks Jean Fox and Pat McCauley on violin).

I enjoy Gordie's songs - they tell stories, are ballads. I'm looking forward to seeing him.

My sis Betsy saw him a couple years ago. She said he looks like Skeletor - skinny and skeleton like. I just hope he sounds okay at age 74. Deb saw Willie Nelson last year and said he didn't sound good at all. Go Gordie!

 I've been enjoying riding Albie (formerly known as Whitie - I love her) my bike. Yesterday I rode to 50th Street, to check out how long it takes to get to Saints bar. They have a patio right on the trail.

We may have to check this out for real soon...

There are a few bridges like these

 

Later that night I walked back along EP True to pick up litter along the walking/biking trail. I used to pick up litter all the time, as the manager of a solid waste facility. I can't drive or walk by it time and time again without doing something about it. I figure I'll just chip away at this little section over the next few weeks. Today more already blew in!

My task - mostly plastic/paper. One vodka bottle. A gallon water jug.

The people walking by and riding bikes on the path look at me with my black litter bag. I got the impression that most of them wondered if I had done some petty crime to deserve this "sentence". One nice woman asked me what I was up to as I walked back, bag in hand. When I explained, she thanked me!

Too bad rain and snow is expected in the next couple days...biking and litter picking is out. Oh well - spring will come again.

The weather gods finally smiled this weekend

Pablo and I took advantage of the good weather by getting up early. Okay we're old. We can't sleep late. We were up and at it by 6:30 a.m. Saturday after a quiet Friday night. (the NFL Draft was still on ESPN, duhhh - of course we'd be close by the television). We did get a short bike ride in that night though. My new bike Whitey has now been renamed. My friend Mary talked me into it. Her name is now Albie (Short for Albino). Mary thought Whitey was boring. She performed admirably. Paul helped me get my new helmet adjusted just right.

Saturday bright and early we wanted to go to our fave breakfast place - Waveland Cafe. But we were afraid Lolo Jones and her posse, or other Drake Relays folks might be taking up all the booths. So we decided to check out the new Cozy Cafe that just went in where the West End Diner was near Valley West Mall. They were right - the pancakes, flavored with cinnamon are yummy. The prices are more like Perkins than Waveland. We will go back - it was good. The bacon was thick and chewy and the eggs were fine.


At the Cozy Cafe

Next we were off to Earl May on 22nd Street to pick up plants and a pot to put 'em in for the front of our new home. There were so many to pick from! Today we've decided we need to go back and get another one to go with it.

loading up at E.M.

We headed to Ramsey Subaru to wash my car next - Paul had plans to wax both of his car and mine. Next we stopped at Fareway for groceries. We liked to purchase meat at that store. They had some prepared shish kabobs - we got chicken and beef for that night. There were a couple more stops after that - PetSmart and HyVee for carwax. I know - it was a busy morning!

By the time we got home, it was pretty nice out! I got to clean inside and Pablo started on el carros. I snuck in a little deck time.


Our new deck isn't as peaceful as the Creston place, but I'm glad there is a park across the street

I even helped Paul wax his car. Big of me, huh!?! He took care of my car very nicely. I did vacuum his floors in the house though...and washed his towels. Later, we took another bike ride - just over 4 miles, according to the little thingy Paul had Bike World install on Albie. The kabobs were good!

We ran one more errand that evening - to Target. I talked Paul into stopping and Menchies on the way home. It's a frozen yogurt place off of 50th and EP True - you serve yourself and pay for what your stuff weighs. It was delish!


Menchies

Today we went to early church. The church bulletin informed us that Father George Komo is overjoyed to report that he has received his 10 year green card. He's been in limbo for a couple years on that - sending documents in as requested, not able to visit his siblings in Kenya for fear he wouldn't be able to get back into the states. How cool is that. He's a very nice man and priest.

Later this morning, we headed to Creston to kayak with pal Debbie. I don't say this casually - because this my first time kayaking since sometime in 2011 - September? That is because of last year's unfortunate shoulder problems, combined with the crappy drought. It was a little breezy - so 12 Mile Lake was a little choppy, but it was still a great outing. Deb and I talked non-stop. Paul wet a line (that's fishing talk) without much success.

Deb

My shoulder did well - thanks to all those doctors and rehab people who helped me through! (fingers crossed on how my whole body feels tomorrow after this weekend of activities). I'm tired tonight - in a really good way. It's a good thing...because the weather is going to go downhill again soon. Here's to more sunny Iowa days soon.

Pablo - ready to fish

Heading into the backwater

 

What's Wrong/Right with People?

What motivates a person to set a bomb off? Or to start a fire, shoot innocent children, send poison through the mail, rape? Do we all start out okay, and somewhere along the line, certain people go off the rails of normal human behavior? Or, do some people just start with a pre-disposition to hate? I don't have the answer to those questions/ponderings. Unfortunately nobody does.

Thank goodness there are more decent people than bad people. And then there are the heroes. The ones I hear about and think "Whoa! What a thing they've done." or "That person exemplifies all that is right in this world - I want to be more like her/him." CBS news often has stories on their Friday night news about people like that. NBC does it too. People who feed the hungry in their towns, or start music programs from nothing. Those stories inspire me.

Photo from the Vail website

There was a story on NBC about the Adaptive programs in Vail, where my sis lives and works for Vail Resorts. Vail Veterans ProgramsThe program is set up to help injured veterans do the things they loved prior to their injuries. I saw another story about a similar program run by a vet running a biking program.

I have seen stories about amputees visiting the Boston bombing victims who have lost limbs. Their message is one of encouragement. One young man was a double leg amputee - he walked into the hospital room of victims. Another young girl lost a leg in an accident - her friend drove into her, crushing her leg. She too visited victims. A soccer player before her accident - she switched to the goalie position and still plays the game. I love that spirit!

I don't know how I'd react if I was faced with the trauma those people have been. And why? Because evil young men just felt like it - because of hate. And it all took place in a matter of seconds - fate and destiny. I'm sure the victims feel a great deal of anger, sadness and loss. Why them? Others who were nearby may be wondering  - why wasn't it me? Life is so random. And unfair - there's no doubt about it.

Speaking of good peeps, we ran into our longtime friend Jane Ertl's guy, Ken Root at Court Avenue Brewing Thursday night. We were there for a gathering with Paul's work group - mostly retirees from his agency. Ken told us (and he was kinda giddy) he's moving east to Dyersville this week. Yay! He's a radio guy and can ply his trade from any location. Though this means we won't see Jane in DSM anymore, unless her business brings her here - I guess we'll have to head that way to see them. We'll take our kayaks and our bikes!

Jane and Ken

Biker chick

Bubba (my grandpa) ran over my first bike with his VW bug. The VW was a '60's model, beige. And my bike was technically a trike - green with a white seat. It was the old kind of tricycle - the way the used to make them, out of metal.

My trike was similar to this one

It was my fault - I parked the trike right behind his car. Bub used to stop by our house at 202 Crombie for a cocktail on Friday nights when Dad got home from his week on the road. He probably wanted to hear about the Dad's sales gig - since he too was once a salesman.

The trike was okay with a little bending. But there was always a mark on the seat after that. I learned my lesson!

I must have had a "hand-me-down" bike after that. I remember training wheels. It was BIG when I got my next bike - a Sting Ray. It was so 70's cool. Mine was turquoise blue with a white basket on the front with plastic flowers. Useful for things like music books for riding to my piano lessons at Mrs. Sandhorst's house. I felt like a rebel on that bike. My friends (Robyn, Theresa, Lee Van Nostrand, Jill Grayson to name a few) and I rode around in little packs - taking up half of the streets of A-town.

Picture this in greenish blue with a basket

After I got to junior high age, I felt I had outgrown my bike. Then, the 10 Speed bike became popular. My parents took me to the Best Western Store in downtown Atlantic, I got a blue Western Flyer 10-Speed, with turned under racing handle bars.

My bike was blue with white tape

The first day I had it, I rode to Chris Deardorff's house to show it off. Riding down the big hill on 14th Street, I heard a big BANG. The tire went flat. On my NEW bike. How could it? Chris was watching for me to ride up, and I had to walk it. How embarrassing. Mom had to come get me so we could take it back and get it fixed.

I got a lot of use out of that bike. I rode it to softball practice, and when I got that job "pumping ethel" (working at Harry Hjortshoj's gas station pumping gas and doing the books), I rode it there too. I'm not sure what happened to it. I suppose Mom sold it at the garage sale when they sold the house.

My next bike was a Raleigh 18 speed (guess what color - right again, blue) from the Ames Bike store. Paul and I got the bikes in Ames - a matching set - a couple years after we got married. We rode them around the flattest town in Iowa - Osage. We lived there from 1984 - 1986. When we moved to Creston, since we had a bambino, we got a child carrier and a helmet and Paul hauled Amy around on the back of his. Of course Paul and I still didn't wear helmets - our heads weren't precious like our little angel's...

We kept those bikes for a long time. When we decided to "trade them in" on new bikes at a Bike World warehouse sale, they said they'd allow $15! Woohoo! So we took them home. Paul got his first good bike then at Bike World, since he was going on RAGBRAI. I didn't get a better bike until a few years ago when I purchased my brother-in-law Bud's bike  - a blue Trek crosstrainer - from sister Carol, after Bud passed away. It's a nice bike - but it's a guy's bike - a little too tall for me.

The pic doesn't do Whitey justice...can't wait to get her outside this weekend!

Now we live on a bike trail! So Monday I got my very own new bike at Bike World West. A white Trek crosstrainer. Not blue! I shall call her (it's a chick bike - but it doesn't look too girlie) Whitie. I won't be able to keep up with Pablo on his road bike - but it should be better than before. And I don't expect to be buying another bike for a long time.

Tuesday, my co-worker Scott and I walked to the State Library to pick up our Bike Passports and Des Moines area bike maps. Scott just got a new bike too, and he's now biking from his home on 31st Street in Des Moines to the Wallace Building each day. May is Bike month around here. I've been challenged to get stamps on my passport at various sites around the city. I may need to put a headlight on the new bike. A woman at work has talked about doing a bike ride together sometime.

I'm glad my long relationship with two (and three) wheels is continuing!

It takes all kinds

I doubt there were leftovers from those drinks...

My husband is a creature of habit. Seriously. Since we have lived in TBC (The Big City) he has taken a sandwich and potato chips to work for lunch 97% of the time. (I made that percent up but it has to be pretty darn close).

Paul makes his sannie - rye bread, lunch meat, perhaps some greens, cheese, mustard, and mayo, the night before. He puts chips into a plastic container. The man is ready. One time I slipped him my leftover pickle (I know it's kinda kinky) from a meal out. I put it in his sandwich container. He actually enjoyed it - good thing he didn't snap - it wasn't on the menu after all!

Breakfast? Orange juice and an English Muffin of course. He drinks coffee on our way to work, and switches to work coffee when he gets there. He never varies. He hasn't had nary a bagel or cereal since we have been here.

Me? I must admit, I'm a cereal girl. (not a material girl) I wait and eat at work Monday - Thursday. I take a banana along, slice that up and put it in with my cereal - mixing a couple types. I usually pick a base, like Wheat Chex, and a granola on top. If blueberries are in season, they go in there too. Sometimes I have oatmeal. When I'm at home, I'll toast a muffin to eat with peanut butter or that yummy Cinnamon butter.

Lunch is a mixed bag for me. It has to be. I can't imagine sentencing myself to the same sannie day after day. I typically take leftovers for my lunch, home-cooked or restaurant food. Otherwise I take a bagel, eat tuna, crab, or like today - I walk down to the local Jimmy Johns for a sub sandwich.

Paul can also eat the same thing for supper 3 or 4 nights in a row. He loves to do that with a big beef roast. He did that often when we lived separately during the week. I can go for that a night, or even two...but then I'm done! Boring! My taste buds rebel.

A Packer Fan and A Cowboys Fan

Tonight we are watching the NFL Draft! Doesn't that sound exciting? It does if you are Jud or Paul Goldsmith. They are two peas in a pod when it comes to sports teams. Jud isn't able to watch tonight though...it's his girlfriend's birthday - so they are going out for fondue. I'm picturing Jud watching his smart phone under the table like the TV commercial...I'm sure Paul will be texting him.

Isn't it fun that we aren't all the same! (even though I give Paul crap about how weird he is...)

Sports and Art

Our first weekend back has been a busy one! Bobbie and Jeff McFee phoned Friday to say they were coming to the Big City from Crestonia. We met them at Maverick's after Paul got home from work - they beat us there! My former roomie Joanie joined us later and we shared some nachos.

We decided to head to the Original Legends on 60th and Ashworth for supper. Maverick's is just a bit loud for elderly folks like us to chat. B & J's daughter Kim joined us after she got off work. Legends isn't flashy but the food is good. It was nice to catch up with our chums. We had missed McFee's surprise 30th Anniversary Party the night before we left for Florida. -so we got to hear about the big event. Kim and Krissy cleaned the house in case visitors stopped by, and then panicked thinking that might be too obvious...so they messed it up again. Funny.

Saturday Paul and I headed to Ames to the ISU Spring Football Game. The Gridiron Club had a barbecue at noon, so we grabbed sandwiches at that. We heard a rah rah pitch from Coach Paul Rhoads and picked up new football posters. Now I'll have something to look at in my cubicle (besides all of you readers who are in photos I have on my walls). The sun was shining and there was no breeze - fans showed up in force. Only 4 months until the real thing - then we'll fill up both sides of the stadium. My HS classmate Ted Simpson told me Nebraska had 60,000 at their spring games...Don McKim says that's because they don't have television there...

Section B - Row 13 is my spot!

This is the first time we've made a spring game. It was fun - but not nearly as much fun as a real game. All the fans sat on the east side - so we could see our Season Ticket seats West Side in section B from our seats. Paul and Jud (who wasn't able to attend, since he's taking a continuous education course for his job) know all the recruiting and roster information. So Paul especially enjoyed watching the talent. We sat in front of two non-stop talkers who started to drive me crazy. They knew it all! So we located our pals the McKims and made plans to meet later for a beer in the parking lot.

This week I heard the U got wise and refurbished the fountain in the Dairy Industry building. About time! It's only my fave place on the prettiest campus in the country. Okay I might be a bit partial...I did spend four of the best years of my life there. When the 4th quarter rolled around, Paul and I walked to campus to check it out. We had to go on a stealth mission to get in to see the most awesome place on the prettiest campus. It turns out they are still keeping it a secret. The building didn't seem to be officially open.

No problemo for me! I could still be a co-ed. If you don't look at me closely. And you're looking from the back. We found an open door and made our way to the enclosed courtyard. Paul had to hold the door open, so we didn't get sealed in the courtyard forever. But I got my photos!

The cows look so relaxed

I used to study here. Or pretend to.

Paul holds the door

 

 We walked back around central campus. A large man was chopping wood for the forestry department. Some women were doing their native dance near the campanile. I vow to make it back for the parade some year soon.

After a few brewskis in the parking lot with McKims and Ryan's girlfriend Laura's parents, we went downtown to Whiskey River where Kevin and Keri (from Davenport - they tailgate by us) joined us. Diana sat by this weird group - one guy had a stuffed snake on his shoulder. We asked if it was a trouser snake.

Snake guy - just over Dee's shoulder...

Kevin and Keri with Don

 

 Today after church, Paul headed to south to turkey hunt. I had a date with little sis Chiya this afternoon. We went to the Art Center for an Art Sampler event designed for kids to try different art. She was one of the oldest kids, so I was afraid she'd find it a bit lame - but she was a good sport about it.

Since Chiya is in 6th grade, she doesn't have official art class. Doing a project like drawing a still life is a new experience for her. A volunteer tried to explain to her what to do but she was still a bit confused about it. I tried coaching a little. Then I took pics. Volunteers praised her work - that pleased me! There were several other stations that involved gluing, bending wire and more.

The volunteer told her to draw an outline first, then color it in

Look at that concentration!

 

We got to talk to a guy who draws comics for TV - he showed us how to draw faces. Artists are amazing - how skillfully they move their pens to create. We also watched a couple people spinning pottery - so cool. Chiya seemed especially interested in that.

Last we had to look at 3 pieces of art in the galleries to describe what season each made us think of. The Art Center is a hodgepodge and they were hard to find even with a map! Chiya and I laughed at several pieces...I don't think that's what the artist had in mind. I hope she enjoyed the day - I know I did!

No turkey for Pablo. The gobblers are safe this season. That guy needs to kill something...

Shellfish

I'm a selfish old broad. I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy this "Big Sis" thing until I got matched with a little Sis - Chiya. She has no idea! And I've only been in the program a few weeks so far. Yeah, I know there are bound to be some bumps along the way. Kids (and their adults) are like that. Mine (and I) were. But it's so fun to have a little buddy to think about again!

On my trip to Florida I texted a photo of my favorite view (off the deck at our Marco Island condo) to Chiya one day. Just so she knew where I was. It's fun to text her periodically - and she texts me too, to see how my week is going.

This year was exceptionally good for shelling in sunny Florida. It's been a while since I paid much attention to shells. Mom was a big sheller. She had a book and would look up what they were. I believe Cindo has it now. But I have all the shells I need!

Amy and Jud's first Marco trip

When the kids were young and we would visit Marco Island, Mom and Dad were on a mission. They would help Amy and Jud find a shell for each of their pre-school classmates. Then we would write each of their names on a shell with a sharpie and seal it with special spray. Then we'd put the shells on the deck to dry. The kids were so proud to give each mate a shell upon their return. It was a fun project for the kids and grandparents.

I decided it would be fun to bring home some shells for Chiya from this trip. Each day the ocean gods deposited gobs of them on the beach for our pleasure. A few still had little creatures in them...I was careful not to take those! So during our walks I spent some time looking down for treasures.

One day during our beach walk, I lagged behind my best buddies Paul and Cindo to take some photos and to just take in the beauty of the beach. Sometimes when we power walk I forget to do that. I gazed down at the piles of shells, and thought about how they are so similar to people. Some were beautiful and complete, others broken down. There were large groups piled together and others were all by themselves - loners. Some - broken, yes, were still beautiful. I picked up certain shells that looked perfect, only to find out they were flawed. Yes...shells can be compared to humans. (And some have scary creatures inside - ick!)

I hope Chiya likes the shells I selected for her. And the birding book I got her at a book sale for $.50. If not - oh well! She can give them away. Perhaps just the idea that someone was thinking of her will be enough. It is for me!

Back from the Sunshine State

to the Rain State. Don't get me wrong though...after last year, so far this rain is welcome. I do hope I can get Odie to go out before we go to bed though.

The trip was good, and flights went well. Phew! The night before we left, we entertained guests - Jud, Kara and their college friends Pat, Jeff and Pete. They were in town for a gathering of their buddies. So we didn't get to see them long. They had places to go, people to see and beer to drink! We had to get to bed for our 3 a.m. wake up!

Jud and Kara

Pete, Pat and Jeff







 

We got to Florida around 1 PM, picked up the rental car from Alamo (got a great deal booking from Costco), picked up some groceries and dropped them off at our condo in Marco Island.

The spread -wings, peel N eats, and oysters

Looking up at the Gulf View - our home for 10 days

Then we went back to pick up the Colorado kids - Cindy and Colby Lefebvre. They were right on time - yippy! We headed right to our fave place Crazy Flamingo for shrimp.


Great pic!
 

The next day - to the beach of course!

Two of my best friends on my fave beach

 

We celebrate Cindo's birthday April 9th at the Little Bar

 



The week was pretty uneventful - except for the shark Colby caught! Paul and he went fishing with a guide twice. They had a great time. The guide got the 8 foot nurse shark off the hook.

 



 

We walked every day on the beach - alternating north and south. North is less commercial - Tigertail Beach. South is built up and there are motels and jet skis and sailboats available.

 

We went to all our fave restaurants - and tried a new one on Colby's last night there. Dad never liked Snook Inn - so we had avoided it. But Colby talked us into trying it - and we liked it! The day we took Colby back we met up with Cindy's Drake University pal Mary Hall. She's from Chicago, but her fam has a place near Sarasota - so she drove down to see us. She hadn't seen my sis since she lost our beloved Bolder. It was fun to hear their college stories.

 

 

Paul, Cindo and I went to the movie 42, about Jackie Robinson. It was really good - even Cindy liked it, despite the fact that it's a baseball movie. We also enjoyed several lemondrop martinis. The pool was just what the doctor ordered. We hung out there reading most days - with occasional dips. I got a bit sunburned at the beach the day we sat by the Gulf - no shade to be found there.

 

I do think I could live on this island someday. And I love hanging with my fam! It's nice that Paul had Colby to do guy things with. Cindy and he have had such a rough winter dealing with life after Bolder. It's not easy - and nothing I can say or do can make it easier. I made Cindo lemondrops and we hung out.

 

Then we had to come home to a monsoon, but Lefebvres went home to 3 feet of snow. Vail Mountain is re-opening Friday for the weekend due to all the white stuff. At least we don't have that!