Summer memories

Summer in Iowa is the best! I used to try to convince myself that Autumn was my favorite time of year. Who was I kidding? Me, evidently. Sure - there's football and the colors are pretty. Weigh that against days are getting shorter and you know what that means. And I tend to get migraines when the weather turns.

Being an empty nester in the summer is fun. Most Sundays Paul and I can be found biking and beering on the trails in central Iowa. Last Sunday we were on the Greenbelt Trail just west of 515 Brewhouse.

Nevertheless, I can't help being nostalgic for the summers of my youth in small town Iowa. What was not to like?

• Three months of glorious time off school
• A neighborhood filled with glorious Baby Boomer families - home all day long
• A backyard that held a swingset and playhouse - flanked by the "woods" 
• A nice shiny bike
• Grandparents who lived in a beautiful home near downtown
• Jud, the Wonderdog (25-pound full sized dachshund), who followed us about the neighborhood, ready to protect us at any time
• A Mom willing to cart us to the pool (complete with a snack shop)
• Dairy Queen, Popsicles, and ice cold Coke
• Summer camp - Bar-L Ranch in Guthrie Center! 

I didn't know how great I had it back then. The gifts my family bestowed on me - a warm house, my twin bed, in a room shared with my sis Betsobean. Susi and Cindy's room was across the hall. A mom that took care of us, laundry, cranking out 3 meals a day. Dad was home on weekends with his happy smile, grilling delicious. Our family wasn't perfect. I doubt any is. Still, we had a great childhood.

I'm grateful for the gift of my life today. It's the little things especially. Like summer.

But not my metabolism. I remember when I could eat anything. Oh yeah, that was when I was in the throes of Grave's Disease and shed 10 pounds without trying. Then menopause caught up with me.

Paul and I are coming to grips with our new older, slower metabolisms. MyFitnessPal is helping keep us in line. We have noticed that our shopping habits are becoming healthier. At the grocery store, we tend to cruise around the outer edges - staying with fresh stuff. Sliced bread is a thing of the past. When we used to have baked potatoes, we're now substituting other types of grilled or baked veggies like squash and asparagus. My sis Cindy recommended frozen tilapia cutlets from Costco - perfect cooked in a bit of olive oil and Penzes spices. We need to find more fish recipes to add to our repertoire. Some nights we eat meat-free salads - something I never thought I'd get Paul to agree to. He also takes them for lunch some days.

Eating out is still our guilty pleasure - but we so enjoy it. One must live, right? That's one reason why exercise is also part of our routines. (I've never been one of those "love those endorphins" people). You get to add extra calories (figured per type of exercise according to our App) onto your daily intake that way. Biking gets me more add-on calories quicker than walking! The App keeps track of sugar and fat intake too.

The pounds have not melted off me - I'm likely the only person that can even tell that I've lost a couple pounds thanks to how my clothes fit. I can hear you thinking - "cut out the restaurants and beer and you'll be svelte in no time". See comments about Living, Fun, Little Things. I can't just sit around and count calories the rest of my life. The important thing to me is that we've adjusted our lifestyles - we're not dieting, we're adapting to our new soon to be 60 bods. Can't wait for what's next.

Happy Summer!

Prank Calls and Spam

Remember prank phone calls? Not getting them, but the heart-pounding excitement and shame of delivering them. Of course, this was way back before Caller ID and *69.

A book I'm listening to, Laura Lippman's "Wilde Lake", brought back those fond, uncomfortable memories. The book is set in two different eras. Now and the early 1970's through 1984. The main character, a young girl described the phone set-up in their household.

We were a little younger than this when the push button phones came into our lives

In the Bullock home in Atlantic, Iowa in that same time period - a bit earlier, we started with two phones. The main phone was upstairs in the kitchen on the counter. Another on was on the wall where Mom spent a lot of time - the laundry room. She spent hours pressing our clothes on a huge machine and by hand with an iron.

During one period of remodeling, we got those modern "push button" phones (with extra long cords so we could actually sit in a comfy chair and talk) installed. At the same time, Susi and Cindy scored a lovely gold colored (matched their room) phone in their room. They didn't get their own "teen phone" number though. The Bullock girls were expected not to be big phone monopolizers, so Mom wasn't going to pay the extra $x per month for that luxury.

Besides slumber party group prank calls (my fingers didn't dial, so I'm not sure I could be prosecuted officer...), the downstairs laundry room phone was the location of my one big attempt at pulling off this rite of passage. I don't recall if I had a partner in crime or not. It may have been my next door neighbor Laurie Reinertson. All I remember is that whomever I called  with one of those "Prince Albert in a Can" jokes contacted the operator and she rang me right up to ask "to whom am I speaking?" Scared the shit right out of me! I stammered - my parents aren't here and ran out the back door, heart pounding. I spend the rest of the night freaking out - waiting for the phone police to come get me. Who knew they could reach back through the phone line like that?

I can credit that operator with my life on the straight and narrow. And my phone phobia. Just ask my former boyfriends. I would never play the "No, you hang up first" game. When they would suggest it... I would just hang up.

The book reminded me of more phone things - like calling long distance calls. The price of those calls made each so precious - $$. When Paul and I had a long-distance romance (he, in SE Iowa & Ames and I, in Sioux Falls), we only talked once a week and even then, it wasn't for long. Later, the companies began to offer rate deals - with lower rates on weekends and evenings. It all seems so long ago now.

Our plan with our provider US Cellular is an ongoing struggle. It's hard to believe that this has evolved from the same type of service that once made me excited to get a longer cord. They recently charged us a second time for sales tax for Paul's new phone. If we weren't the types to actually read invoices, they would have gotten away with it. We went into our local store to discuss this issue and got a credit. Gee thanks! We also discovered we could get more data than our present plan for less $. But the sales guy didn't share that until we pressed him on it. Such a struggle.

At least the operator didn't call me. Now if all those spammers would quit! I did just re-register Paul and my number on the Do Not Call registry.  You can do it too. It takes about a month to kick in and isn't perfect because some of them don't care about things like rules.

Still Dadding

My husband has been a dad for going on 32 years now. He is nailing it!

Best Dad

He had a good role model in his father George Goldsmith. But George was from another era when dads didn't change diapers or wash dishes. Paul jumped right into that stuff. Head first! It's a good thing because I came along at the tail end of the women's lib thing. Plus, I've never been a girlie-girl. I needed the support of a fella who could help with babies and kids!

Paul's role model - George Goldsmith

Happy Father's Day Paul Goldsmith! What a great dad. From the moment Amy Elizabeth was born, Paul excelled at the dad thing. He was a role model in treating his children's mother very nicely. And he expected the children to too.

When Amy was born, Paul started right in changing diapers and helping with anything else he could. Equal opportunity - without lactation. Both Amy and later Jud learned to run to him with most issues - even as young children.

When they got a bit older, Paul was Coach Dad. Even with sports he knew little about, like soccer. He also coached basketball, softball and baseball. He did grow to know and love that soccer. Amy and Jud's friends got to know Paul as he picked them up for practice and hauled them to away tournaments. He still treasures those times with Amy, Jud, and their pals. We still think of all of those young people as our team.

We'll add Corey in soon

When our children reached high school age, Paul left coaching to others. We were only cheerleaders for the team and our child's biggest fans. Paul continued his support of our children's lives in other ways. He made sure their cars were in working order. He had eyes on them - ensuring they were on the straight and narrow - just like his father did for him.

Through Amy and Jud's college years there have been more Dad/child parenting sessions. What do you need? How can I continue to help you get ready for life? Paul is the kids' financial coach. Now that they are entering into young adulthood - Dadding hasn't stopped. His questions and advice are ongoing. We want out children to know that even though they are doing okay on their own, we still have their backs. At our age, we have a bit of experience in this thing called life by now.

Amy and Jud - and now Kara and Corey are lucky to have a Dad like Paul. When I married him, I wasn't exactly thinking "hmmm, what will he be like as a Dad?". But I did well.

Under pressure

First Call is our friend. It follows the Golden Rule. Paul headed downstairs last Thursday before we were to head out on a bike ride, only to discover a waterfall in the utility room. Okay, I'm exaggerating. It was a relentless floor, wall, and carpet soaking stream. Paul, always a quick thinker, quickly turned the water off.

water soaked floor

We called our plumber, Golden Rule and got in the service call queue behind a water heater installation. I nervously awaited them, as I was hoping to have running water before our guests arrived. Amy and Corey were flying in (flapping their little wings) at 11 p.m. for Amy to serve as a bridesmaid for her dear friend Rachelle. Corey came as her arm candy.

Amy at the rehearsal dinner

Friday we called our insurance agent who sicced First Call on us. They are one of those companies that deal with people after disaster strikes. God Bless them! They assessed the situation, placed fans, ripped out soggy carpet pad and reassured me that mold would not overtake the basement. Too bad about that deductible though...oh well. It's just $$.

Corey ready for the wedding

We love getting to see Amy and Corey even if it is just for a short time. Amy and I sat on the deck and chatted on a lovely Saturday in Iowa. Paul hauled Corey to southern Iowa for a Big Adventure! He got to dine at the award winning Elms Club in Creston with our pals. Then he and Paul checked trail cameras in the wild and allergic timber. Corey's eyes swelled up and he got spots on his legs. Later he found a tick embedded in his leg. Later, pumped full of Benedryl,  he rose to the occasion of rehearsal dinner date.

On Saturday we saw them both off for a night of joy and fun. That's something those two haven't had all that much time for lately - between moving, jobs, family, and wedding plans. I hope things will settle down for them now. But you know how life is. Things are going great, and you develop a leak! Somehow you work together and deal with it.

On early Sunday, Amy and Corey flew back to Denver. Amy was a bridesmaid in Kate's wedding that evening. Corey sent me this photo.

Our second home

Paul and I headed west to our second home over Memorial Weekend. We didn't stop at the cemetery. I decided that was okay. We visited with living members of our family. A living memorial to the veterans in the family. We even looked at flowers. Last year we didn't go to Colorado over the Memorial Day holiday - and we really missed it. This year, Amy now lives there again but was on a trip to visit Corey's grandparents in California. We went anyway! We love to visit our family.

The fam (Pablo, Odie and I) didn't take off until Friday afternoon. I had work obligations until Friday afternoon. Once Odie sees the suitcases come out she begins to freak out. I guess she is concerned that her undies are packed...all that. She was pleased to discover our travel plans included her. The food and kennel in the car were a big clue. And Paul says she's not intelligent I always bring a towel and a pillow for her travel comfort. She's a good little traveler.

We made it to North Platte Friday evening. Our hotel was nothing to speak of. When you have a pooch, you get shuffled to the "cheap seats". The beds were okay and we were there a short time. By 6:00 a.m., we hit Starbucks (I know, who knew they had them in rural NE) and we were off. We made it to Edwards, Colorado before noon.

We (Paul) helped Cindo with some chores that afternoon. That night it was chops on the grill and an excellent tomato salad and potatoes. On Sunday we were off to the Junction...Grand Junction. If you've never made the drive, it's gorgeous traveling between the Vail and GJ. Glenwood Springs and the river are spectacular followed by the high desert of GJ.

We love visiting Susi and Jim. They are great hosts and their house sits in a beautiful location. The good news was that haying (field nearby) was completed the day before we arrived. Sitting on their patio, chatting with my family was my favorite part. Our nephew Colby and his girlfriend Gretchen stopped by on their way from Durango. Susi and Jim prepared a fabulous prime rib on the grill.

On Monday, Cindy, Paul and I took a short walk before Susi fed us once again. This time it was corned beef hash with eggs. They sure get good fruit in Colorado. That night, we dined at our friends Bonnie and Eric's. It wasn't the prime rib we usually have at Christmas. Yummy burgers. Our friends the Sanders were there. We love catching up.

Our drive home Tuesday was uneventful. The short week was really long. TGIF and I sure do love my sissens. Wish Betso could have been there.