Classic

I spent a sweaty morning helping at an event setting up to collect water bottles Saturday. It was a good workout for my arm. I hope they got enough empties for the art. My supervisor's daughter was there helping. She's going into 8th grade and is a real cutie.

David, my supe Jen, and Molly, Jen's daughter

  We set up the clear stream recyclers to put by each trash container. Molly and I taped the posters onto each lid. Did I mention it was hot?

After a nice nap, Paul and I decided to go to the Indianola Balloon Classic. I've seen Creston's Balloon Days many times, but never any other event. When we arrived in Indianola it was sprinkling, so we stopped on the town square for a beer and wings. By the time we were done, the rain had stopped.

Then we found a delightful winery right across from the balloon field and as we drove up the balloons were alighting. Sure, the wine was too sweet for this chardonnay drinker, but it was fun. We set up our chairs on the driveway and the wine was in a cheery looking ice bucket that the proprietor had purchased at a garage sale that day.

There's something about balloons...

It was a fun evening. My favorite balloon was the pirate parrot. Ahoy!

Flee Fly Flow, We're the Class of '76

It's been a rough week, I can't lie. Oh, in the big scheme of things - it's nothing really. But I certainly didn't enjoy it. First of all, we need to replace our windshield for $500 due to that mysterious rock chip. Ugh!

Next, we've had fleas. Which made me think of that childhood song. "Flea Fly Flow" . It is much more fun singing that song than having fleas. I noticed Odie itching last Friday night - and spied one of the little bastards on her Saturday morning. We treat her monthly with expensive medicine - so I was not happy! After lots of thought, I decided the possums left them when the skeddadled.

I called the vet's office Saturday and they advised me to pick up a couple pills to kill adult fleas. Then I was to treat her with the monthly medicine the next day. We also purchased some spray for in the house and yard. We washed bedding, vacuumed and all the usual routine when one finds illicit visitors. On Monday I called Orkin and they treated the house that afternoon. None of this seemed to phase the evil biters.

Odie and I haven't slept well. She's been restless and itchy. I've been fretting and combing her frequently on the deck - producing dead and live critters. Even I have bites. I've poured over the Internet looking at options. I tried apple cider vinegar cut with water sprayed on her. I'm tempted to sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the yard. Paul think it sounds crazy. See...it's got me trying crazy stuff!

One week later I took her to the vet. Poor Odie isn't eating and neither of us can take much more of this! Dr. Merk prescribed an anti-itch medicine that is not a steroid. Plus she gave us a chewable flea med that kills fleas when they get on the dog - not after they bite the dog like her present med.

I hope this works. So does Odie!

The highlight of my week was a get-together with a group of my high school classmates - the decoration committee for our June 2016 reunion. We met at a restaurant in Ankeny. It's so funny how the years melt away when one sees old friends. Even though we didn't always go to the same school, Cindy, Dawn and I were in Catechism together most of the years. A bonding experience for sure! Jeanne, Cindy and Roger all went to Jackson school. And we all attended High School together - though Jeanne moved to Ames during our Junior year. I sure enjoyed seeing my homies!

We decided not to decorate but came up with some ideas for the Saturday night gathering at the Country Club - like nametags and a backdrop for photos. (Jeanne has suggested Zombie prom, but that sounded like too much effort for me...) On Friday night we typically do a picnic at Sunnyside Park with golf on Saturday. I'm in charge of looking into a walk or bike ride that morning too. Sounds like fun. Hope there aren't any bugs.

 

Outside the lines

Apparently the biggest craze going (it's a phrase my Mom used to say - and I love writing it) is adult coloring books. No $%@#! Check out this article from The New Yorker. The article proclaims that social media has fueled the new fad. It's stress reduction.

When I was a kid, I wasn't ever very good at coloring. My sister Cindy could color circles around me. Of course she is a talented creative person now working as a human resources specialist. I was a scribbler. I colored outside the lines. I ended up in the trash business. 

When I heard about the new adult coloring trend, my first thought was, "Are they too lazy to cross stitch or knit?" But then I realized that I like to read about cooking and gardening - but I don't really do either activity. I used to cross stitch though...so take that. It was hard to keep those threads straight - especially with a cat pawing at them!

I must admit that I did enjoying coloring with Amy and Jud when they were young. It was easier as an adult. Of course by then Crayola had invented large young child sized colors that didn't snap in one's hand. I had better hand-eye coordination. Amy was a very particular colorer. Jud...not so much.

I'd like to give every adult who colors a page a big blue ribbon and star. Congrats! I hope your stress is lessened.

HoJo's memories and more

The CBS morning show highlighted a gentleman who is trying to bring back one of my fond childhood memories - the Howard Johnson's hotel chain. In the 1960's when the Bullock women (mom and her daughters) traveled to Florida two summers in a row, we stayed at that chain routinely.

The Inn's iconic orange roof was a welcome sight after a day of riding in the green station wagon with my sisters. We'd fight over seats, sit on the floor (no seatbelts, remember), read comic books and lay in the back on top of the luggage. We always knew what we were going to get at HoJo's. A pool, at the restaurant, maybe ever vibrating beds - the whole package. Mom liked Howard Johnson's because they had a kid's menu that actually offered food that Betsy (picky eater) would eat, like macaroni and cheese. The hotel reminds me of bonding time with my sisters. Fond memories.

When we'd arrive at the location for the night, the routine was to wind down the back window of the wagon. There were no automatic windows then. Then the hanging clothes would come out, followed by each kid's suitcase. I admire my mother for managing four kids, ages 16 down to 5 on a trip that long. Along the way there and back we visited several historical and tourist sites. I was ten years old then and I still remember some of the stops, like the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's home - going on fifty years later.

After Paul and I retire (not soon for me anyway), we plan to visit that area again when we have lots of time to see things. This fall we plan to go to Atlanta where Amy will be living. I haven't been in that area much. I don't think we'll stay in a Howard Johnson's (HoJo's) though. The chain will always have a fond place in my heart.

Deb and me at Lakeside

Last night Paul and I met our pal Deb in Osceola, Iowa for a meal at Biggy's Italian Restaurant. It was good and I'd go back again. Then we were off for a concert at Lakeside Casino at their outdoor venue. It was a muggy summer night - perfect! Grand Funk Railroad was one of my early favorite bands with "Footstompin' Music" as the song that claimed my heart. It's not really one of their commercial successes, but I've got a keen ear for good music! Some of their others songs:
"Loco-Motion, Some Kind of Wonderful, We're an American Band, I'm Your Captain"

Grand Funk Railroad! Lake in the background

They sang some other songs that I didn't recognize, but they are clearly good musicians and the drummer treated us to fab drumroll as the rest of the band took a break.

There was a lake in the background behind the bandstand, and kayakers floated in the distance. That looked like fun! It was a quick concert - starting right at 7:30 p.m. and it was over by 8:45 - but for $30 it was a bargain. The wonderful evening featured a super venue with a backdrop of an Iowa lake. At one point turkey vultures circled over trees in the distance. I was just glad they weren't coming after this crusty injured winged gal. I had a cold beer, good music and two of my best friends by my side. When the music ended, we sat for an hour and continued to catch up on family and such.

I always hate saying good bye to Deb, but we'll see each other again in the coming months - somewhere! Odie was happy to see us when we got home. She went out the back door to potty to avoid possum confrontations. I love summer in Iowa. And air conditioning!

Paul continues to work on the deck - installing new side rails and posts before we paint. He's in heaven as he love, love, loves projects. I think I'll wipe down the kitchen cupboards. LOL.

Look how happy he is

Smokin' - not hot

Everywhere I look, it seems like there are still smokers. I don't understand it. The awful health effects have been known for many years now. Unlike when my parents started smoking.

in Florida with the Kohan kids

Cigarettes killed my mother. She started smoking as a teenager and never found it in herself to quit. Dad smoked too - perhaps even more than Mom, but he quit cold turkey in the late 1980's when he had surgery on a bulging aorta.

In 1996, Mom got a cough that wouldn't go away and small cell lung cancer was discovered. She was dead by the next summer. I think she always thought she was too tough to die that way. She wasn't. It was a sad way to go. I miss her and wish she could have stuck around to see her grandchildren grow up and flourish.
Smoking is prevalent in some of the Netflix shows I watch. Mad Men is one set in the 1960's. I find it fascinating to see the cars and styles because that is my era after all. But the constant smoking makes it hard to watch. It hurts to see those people killing themselves like Mom did.

Paul and I also treat ourselves to the decadent and violent show Sons of Anarchy. It's set in modern day and nearly all of the characters smoke. Yes, they're biker dudes and chicks but haven't they heard of lung cancer? I find the smoking distasteful and irritating. Much more than all of the murder and mayhem. Just don't kill any animals! haha

On a side note, I visited my surgeon today and my shoulder has improved enough that I can ditch my sling!

  Physical therapy is next. It's still sore, but is improving every day. Yay!

Boom! Didn't make it to fireworks

Another successful Independence Day is in the books. I'm exhausted!

Our friends Bobbie and Jeff arrived Friday evening in time to eat at Legends at an outdoor table, prior to the Iowa Cubs game. The weather gets an A+ for the whole holiday. Perfection - much deserved after floodlike rains and below normal temps.

We sat above first base with our gazillion ounce beers with a crowd of over 13,000 people. The Cubs disappointed, frankly - scoring early, then fading. But the experience didn't. Bobbie and I chatted and participated in the whole fan experience - hooting and hollering. Jeff and Paul talked farming, while watching the game. With the last out, the lights were turned off and a barrage of fireworks treated the eyes, with piped in music.

It was over very quickly, and I must pay homage to the Creston Fireworks folks - nothing compares to their show in our eyes. But it was a great way to end the day. Too tired to party on Court Avenue, we retired to the Goldsmith deck for "just one more" before beddie bye. Still it was after midnight before I hit the sack. Pretty late for this old, injured girl.

Farmer's Market fun

The next day we were up fairly early, hitting the Farmer's Market by 7:30 a.m. Jeff wanted to try a breakfast treat other than our fave burritos, and I was game. I got a Bosnian cheese and something quiche like parcel. It was delish and only $3. The Brazilian Twin entertainers were there - I could have listened to them longer, but we were on a mission to bike, so we headed on. Jeff ended up with an egg roll and some type of pastry.

We headed home and loaded up the bikes. Jeff discovered he had a flat - with some issue that precluded fixing it as each tube flattened as well. We drove to the launch spot at Woodward - near the Whistlin Donkey bar. That was where Jeff and I hung out while Paul and Bobbie peddled to the High Trestle Bridge.

Paul and Bobbie at the trestle

In the meantime, Jeff and I made friends with a fun couple from Urbandale. My shoulder makes for a great conversation starter! Bob, the guy, has had 3 shoulder injuries from cycling. I plan on making this my only one...as I eyed cyclists riding in on bikes with 3 wheels. We hung out there all day, trading stories with Bob and his wife. Beer, wings and lunch were all good as we sat on the deck of the outdoor bar, under an umbrella. Perfect!

Paul talked Jeff into putting Bobbie's tire on his bike and taking the ride to the bridge - so off they went. Bobbie and I took a nap in the car as we awaited the wayward travelers, who decided they needed one more beer in the Quonset hut bar in Madrid. It's a good thing nobody wanted to carjack 2 old ladies sprawled out in a Subaru. Guess they were too busy doing healthy things like biking!

That is what I love about the sport - that I hope I can do again soon. As I observed from the WD deck, families came and went. There were couples - young and old. Some people had expensive equipment and others had bikes from the local hardware store. Everyone wore helmets. Biking is something that keeps people active and brings them together. Iowa should invest more in the infrastructure that helps Iowa's small towns and makes living in the state attractive to people.

Jeff had haying to do back in Creston. So about 6 p.m. they started their return trip home. He's probably out there right now making hay. Paul and I were in bed by 10 p.m. as neighbors shot off fireworks in the park across the street. Odie burrowed under the covers. It was a fun day. Thanks to all who make our freedom possible!

Memories Broken and Independent

This isn't the first time I broke my arm. The story for the first time is much more interesting than a bike wreck. Wind up the way back machine - it was about 1961, and I was attending nursery school at Mrs. Luin's. All the cool kids were there!

Mrs. Luin would pick us up a couple days a week in her station wagon, and we'd sit in the back (loose - no seatbelts for we baby boomer kids) singing "Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch" as she took us to and fro. Her house/pre-school was located on the outskirts of Atlantic, just south of the cemetery. I recall snack time including graham crackers, Koolaid and sugar cubes. Healthy, no?

The basement of the house was a virtual smorgasbord of kid wonderland. Toys and blocks galore, sand box, water area and outside - even better! There was some type of train that went around the whole backyard. Inside there were several play areas including older style swing sets and a big slide.

I don't think it was quite this big...but to a 4 year-old...

The slide was my nemesis. It was during a play session of "boys chase girls" that I must have decided a quick jump off of the top of the slide was a good way to get ahead of a cootie filled boy who was coming up the ladder. I landed on my arm wrong and broke it. I think it was the left one - and not the shoulder. I recall having a cast on it. Beyond that, it's a foggy memory. I was only 4. Around that time my friend Robyn broke her foot (or was it her leg?) on the glider of the swingset too. I happened to be gliding with her. Is there a theme here? Can you imagine the uproar today if a pre-school had that safety record?

Yesterday I finally got into my stylist for a "broke shoulder" haircut. Yes please!

It's July 3rd - I'm off work celebrating the holiday a day early. I love Independence Day! I have since I was a kid growing up in small town Iowa during the best time to be a kid. My earliest memories are of taking blankets to the Atlantic Golf and Country Club for evening fireworks. Before dark they'd light "sonic booms" and we'd run back to the blanket and pounce on it like it was base. The fireworks would be set off down near the first green. By the time they were over, we were very sleepy and ready to be in bed.

Another memorable 4th of July was in 1976. Chris, Robyn, Trish and I went to Okoboji that week - celebrating our graduation from High School. It was my first big outing with pals - an exciting time that will always stand out as one set me on my way toward freedom and adulthood.

After college we (and 8-20 friends) spent over 10 years traveling to Wisconsin - first, as just out of college young-adults. Then as newlyweds and young parents. We stayed with our friend Mike's parents and family at their rustic farm just outside Ridgeland, Wisconsin. My dad would supply us with a big box of fireworks - purchased in Missouri as he and Mom traveled back from Florida in the spring. We would tube the Apple River, golf and eat Oscar Mayer foods. It was such fun and so relaxing. The small bars in the tiny towns are still something we talk about today!

Vic, Jane and me - Ridgeland 1980?

Once our own children got involved in activities in Creston, we began staying home for the 4th of July - and found out that town puts on a heck of a party! The parade (bloody marys at the Elks Club?), flea market, a street dance, stuff at McKinley Park and mostly - fabulous fireworks that take place in what became our front yard after we move to the west side of town in 1998. We'd invite folks over to watch the display each year. I loved it! Watching the goings on in the neighborhood - neighbors having barbecues, people driving and walking by. Such a fun day.

We've spent the past couple years here - attending Yankee Doodle Pops. I didn't want to face that in a sling this year! Tonight, friends are coming up and we're going to the Iowa Cubs game - and oh...there will be fireworks. Tomorrow - the rest of the gang will ride bikes. I'll likely read. I love it!

Visit to Saint Louie

Neither flood waters or a broken arm could keep us away from visiting our son in St. Louis last weekend. We were supposed to go last fall and a visit to an acupuncturist sent me into a tailspin with flu-like symptoms - so we weren't able to go.

Jud and Kara have such a busy schedule - it was hard to find a weekend that worked for all of us, so that we could finally visit the city with the arch! We put this date on the calendar long ago - way before my clutzy move on my bike resulted in a broken shoulder. Despite pain and a sling, I was determined to go!

We took off last Friday after working a few hours in the a.m. We'd heard they had rain similar to the onslaught we'd had in DSM on Wednesday night - but didn't realize we'd run into a roadblock an hour north of Jud's place. That resulted in a, not one, but two hour detour. Ugh!

We were happy to finally arrive about 7 p.m. Friday night. Jud and Kara had recently moved from one apartment in their complex to a larger ground floor unit - AND they'd stayed up late to put up pictures/decorations. Nothing like the looming prospect of visitors to spur you on! The place looks great.

We walked through their neighborhood to a corner bar for some supper. The area reminds me of the East Village 10 years ago - it's just on the edge of taking off to be cool. Now there are some nice things and some that aren't great. After we ate, we walked to a huge brewery for a beer. We were on the edge of a neighborhood (there are tons of them in STL) called the Grove.

 In the morning we picked up a local pastry at the corner bakery (Amy's Bake Shoppe). Plus some muffins - yummy. After a quick stop at a bike store to get a tire pump (they'd been riding on 20# tires) we headed to the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, the largest urban park in the United States. It's right in their neighborhood!

There were displays on the neighborhoods of STL - with what was going on in the city back in 1875. And there was another on Nazi propaganda. Did I mention it was all totally free? As is everything at the park, including the zoo. It was a great way to get to know some things about the city - like its sense of competition with Chicago.

Speaking of Chicago - the Cubs were in town. So the city was rocking with lots of traffic. Our plan to go to a barbecue joint for lunch was busted when we saw the block long line. Plan B was a delightful kosher deli off the beaten path. I had a great corned beef sannie with cole slaw on rye.

Note manila cards for "Now Serving!" love it



After a rest, we then ventured to Anheuser-Busch to see if we could experience the brewery tour. Alas...the crowds had beat us to it, and they were booked for a couple hours. So we took the short tour right to the bar for a fresh one! The neighborhood near here allows people to drive around in golf carts. What a world. It reminded me of the Atlantic Country Club.

After that, we headed to another neighborhood only about 10 minutes from Jud's place to a another brew pub called Square One. We were one a mission to meet up with an old friend and his wife. I met Kevin Aleshire (otherwise known as Dairy Cow or DC) during my sophomore year in college. He lived on the same dorm floor at ISU with our pals Steve and Moose, who we met when they became our flag football coaches. Through Moose and Steve we met the whole dorm floor - Pig Farmer, Dirger, Dirty, and a variety of other aptly named characters. It must have been much like a scene from Animal House, living on that floor. "We'll call you"...

Anyway...I'm Facebook friends with Kevin and he'd seen we were visiting his home of the past 35 years. He too works at Boeing where Jud now works. He and wife Julie have two children who are all growed up and successful. Their daughter is doing a residency after recently completing medical school. It was really fun to catch up with them - and Jud and Kara enjoyed it too. We hope to see them again before 30 years have passed.

It was still fairly early when we said goodbye and headed back to J&K's. So we sat in the little grilling/garden area at their complex and had a beer. Then we finished the night by laughing together watching the Lego movie. The next morning we caught breakfast at a good place called The Shack on our way out of town. Flood waters only took us out of our way by about 20 minutes on the way back.

It was a swell time. It's fun to have grown up kids!