One year later

It's hard to believe it's been a year since Paul started living in DSM with me. We were living in hotels this time last year, shopping for a home in town and selling our place in Creston. It was an exciting and stressful time. I'm glad it's in the rear view mirror, really!

It's amazing when I think back though. We were so lucky to sell our house so quickly! We're very happy with our selection of a town home at Diamond Brooke. Paul might get a little antsy though - as the government shut down goes on, he's going to run out of projects. He's available for honey do projects - phone: 1-800-Pablo. haha

October also makes me think of the terrible news we learned about my brother-in-law Bolder about a year ago now. He had battled prostate cancer the year before, and it came back in deadly fashion - the doctors told him and his family there was nothing that could be done for him. So I've been thinking of Cindy and Colby this month. There are so many emotions for them to go through as the anniversary of Bolder's November 11th death approaches. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Art with me at the MidAmerica Center

I feel like I've worked a week already - after traveling to Council Bluffs Monday and Tuesday for a Solid Waste and Recycling Conference. They were two long days of glad-handing my peeps - the trash folk.  The Mid-America Center was the site of the Conference - it's amazing the changes to CB since Pablo and I lived there as newlyweds. Scott and I set up the booth - complete with our co-worker Jim. Scott had to set Jim straight right from the start.

CB added these sculpture pieces to the bridge over the railroad tracks on Highway 6

Monday night Scott and I headed across another bridge to Omaha to the Old Market for a meal. I love that area - even though they made my former employer, Gamble Robinson, into a parking lot.

Old Market - still beats Court Avenue and East Village in DSM

 On Tuesday more of our DNR co-horts showed up at the conference and Alex gave the DNR update. There was a motivational speaker at lunch - speaking on customer service. Though he was a bit corny...(he showed us how to make WOW out of our fingers and our mouth in the shape of an O) he had a great message. People don't remember blah service. And often don't even bother to complain to managers about bad service - they just don't come back. Of course they don't have options when you're the government (and are here to HELP them...). But why not provide great service?

I also attended a good session moderated by my pal Susan Salterberg that reminded me that waste reduction is a step above recycling...but it's a tough sell. There aren't any companies out there in support of helping you purchase nothing! Our economy is based on sales, man! So that is a tough nut to crack. Reusable water bottles was a model we discussed. We plan to hold a forum on this topic in the future.

Today - on a gorgeous October day, I dragged Scott out to walk a mile for the Healthy Iowa walk. It was right in the Wallace Building back yard - at the State Capital! Former Detroit Lion Jared Devries was there to talk to the group assembled, then we did a lap around the block. A nice way to spend part of my lunch hour.