My last ever blog - #1,220

April Fools! I hope a few of you had tears in your eyes when you read the title...or at least were like, "Oh no!" or better yet, "Noooooooooooooo!" 

I can't stop myself - so no worries on me stopping blogging. Cuz I write the crap out of this blog. Collective sigh of relief. All ten of ya's. Actually I sometimes hit triple digits in readers. Not very often though.

April Fools Day - such fun. I played a trick on someone at work who wasn't even there. It was so easy!

So when Bill gets back from wherever he is...he's going to see a sign by his new coffee table in his cubicle. You see when the Powers reorganized our Bureau and brought Dam Safety and um the other people (can't remember their section name) onto our side of the building, we lost our food area - they look at maps there now. So Bill lost his personal coffee pot spot. Now Bill's relocated the coffee pot into his cubicle. The sign says:

Billbucks

(a little play on Starbucks - not to be confused with Bill Buck - Jane Buck's husband...)

"free sniffs"

Bill is very regimented. The sign might put him over the top.

I also texted our daughter to say "We've quit our jobs and are moving to Denver"
of course she texted back to say "Seriously?"
No, not really. But the way my morning started - got me thinking about it....#confrontation(not with Paul)

One of the best April Fools Day jokes I can remember was played on our very daughter a few years ago...you see - that girl - she's gullible. In a good way. Amy aims to please. When she worked at Marczyk's - the gourmet market in Denver some of the guys told her they needed her to deliver steam solution to the restaurant down the street. It was a clear liquid in a 5 gallon bucket and they told her she needed to be careful when carrying it because it could be explosive - so she shouldn't let it slosh.

Workers at the restaurant were watching closely (and smiling I'm sure) when Amy arrived with tired arms. Why? Steam Solution is water! Amy's Marczyk's bosses were so smug when she arrived back at the store after that. We thought the story was so hilarious that year - her father and I, so we told it over and over to our friends. But we couldn't remember that they'd called it steam solution - and called it bean pollution. That makes the story even better, ay? I think so since I fight pollution!

Grandma gave Amy an antique box - both my gullible girls are beautiful!

Amy comes by her gullibility from my side, I'm afraid. No - not from her cynical mother. It's from her grandmother - my mother. Those of you who knew Pat Bullock would be surprised to know that I'm sure. She had book smarts but my daddy could spin a yarn that lady would fall for every time. Then she'd say "Da - ve", making his name into 2 syllables when someone would break it to her that he was pulling her leg. My sis Betso has fallen for more than one gag too.

I think it's sweet.

It's no joke - Jud and Kara are in St. Louis looking for a place to live!

Kara and Jud look pretty happy with the arch in the background

Skiing - beginning experience

Amy is skiing with friends this weekend. (Snowboarding really) I'm jealous - though I haven't skied for years now. I have many fond memories from my days on the long boards. Except that first experience...

Sister Susi (she had officially dropped the "e" from the end of her name by then -hippy!) was attending college in Denver. For the first two years, she was at Temple Buell - a small private school that eventually turned into Colorado Women's College. She played on the golf team and dated fellas from the Air Force Academy.

The Bullocks decided to visit Susi and try downhill skiing. We'd done waterskiing - so what could be so hard? I think I was in 8th grade. It may have been our Thanksgiving break. All of us - including my father were going to ski. Mom arranged for us to borrow ski clothes from the Pellett family.

The Paul and Betty Lou Pellett Family was Atlantic's version of the Kennedys (except Republican). I will do a whole blog on them later - what a clan! The Pelletts skied often and had the gear of the day - stretch pants, mittens and goggles. It was great that we didn't have to buy that stuff. Susi had been skiing since she started attending school there - so she was a bit of an "expert". I don't know if she had her own skis or not.

We were skiing at Loveland (click for webcam) - the first ski area on I-70 past Denver, near Georgetown where we had a motel lined up. It was so exciting and scary. Most of the family rented skis and boots, but not Dad and me. I got to use my Aunt Jean's 1950's boots (lace up - really?) and long wooden skis. Dad had some family member's too. That is important to this story. In that era, someone decided new skiers should learn with skis that were very short. So Betso, Cindo and Mom got that kind. Dad and I were in the antiques. (likely saving $10)


The probably weren't this bad..but in my mind...

Susi wisely lined us up for a short beginner's class on the bunny hill. That seemed to go okay. Then, after a sandwich lunch and hot chocolate, she volunteered to partner with me to go up my first ski lift. It might as well have been a NASA launch as complicated as it seemed to be with my mile long skis! Once I got my ass situated onto the seat, the ride was okay - but I knew the end was coming and I'd have to get off the damn thing.

And did I ever get off! I wiped out in the snow platform leading down from the chair and slide towards what seemed to be a cliff. If I went over that cliff, I just knew I was going end up with broken limbs in some sort of skiing hell. I was terrified and started bawling. Susi helped me maneuver my way out of that precarious situation and start down the hill - which seemed to be a sheer drop. Snot got on my (Pellet's) goggles. I sat on my butt and felt sorry for myself. Susi was forced to use all her collegiate (she was a Sociology major) and big sis tricks to get me going again.

Somehow, I survived! The rest of the family survived. My ankles and Dad's were very bruised from the old leather lace-up boots we wore. Cindy remembers being so very exhausted that she didn't even make it out for supper that night - she just went to bed. Mom was likely stuck dealing with Betsy, who was 10ish and I don't remember much about them...it was all about me, me me.

You'd think I would have never wanted to ski again after that experience. But somehow it was like childbirth...after a year went by, I'd forgotten the bad stuff! By then, Cindy was a frosh at Drake and she and her boyfriend Doug Mustoe took Jennifer Deter and me to some tiny ski place with a rope tow by Dexter. I wore fuzzy mittens (I guess I didn't get the Pellett equipment) and several times they stuck to the rope and continued around the top of the tow without me...I used new equipment there and had a great time.

Cindy had her new Christmas skis (K2s - I can still remember them sitting in her bedroom, a proud possession). Even though her love affair with Doug didn't last, the one with sport of skiing did! She went skiing often and eventually headed west to live in Vail after college graduation. The old bat (and I say this in a loving way...) will soon be 60 and skis often - even helping on the mountain at times when she isn't working her "real" job in Human Resources for Vail Resorts. She says the snow this winter has been fabuloso!

Sadly, Mom and Dad never skied again. Golf was more their thing. I will write more on the fun I've had skiing through the years - and if someone could plop me at the top of the mountain in gorgeous weather with my skis (not wooden) on, I'd do it again. If it wasn't icy or cold. And I could be guaranteed not to fall. Yep...I'm such a wiener. Writing about it almost has me excited about going again someday...



 

Betso is 50!

Look at Betso's curls! (I look still mad that she's not a boy..)

Monday August 27th is my baby sis's 50th birthday. Elizabeth Nelle Bullock joined 3 sisters all those years ago. I think my parents were hoping for a boy, but it worked out well in the end.

Dad was a "travelin man...love when I can" (thanks Bob Seger). He sold ladies lingerie for Lorraine a company that made underwear, pajamas, robes, nighties, slips - stuff like that to stores around Iowa. Back then, nearly every town had a store that sold such things. He also had the big accounts like Younkers and Von Maur. His job required him to leave most Mondays and he'd return Friday. With that schedule it's surprising any of us were born! Rumor has it I appeared after Mom traveled with Dad on a sales trip to South Dakota...

Back to Betso...so there may have been a bit of disappointment (as there probably was when I was born) that the baby was a girl. Bets was such a cute little thing (many called her Bitsy Betsy) that everyone got over it quickly. Except me. I had wished for a baby brother dammit! During Captain Kangaroo one morning - I distinctly recall it! I've mentioned in this column before what a tomboy I was (am).

Mom put this Styro bubble on her in Florida like it would save her from drowning...

Instead I got a girlie girl. She was adorable - always tiny, with curly hair that bleached out in the sun.  good about having her Barbies be the nurses for my GI Joes. And she played a good Jane West to my Johnny. Betsy and I roomed together while Susi and Cindy had a room (I could hear them punching each other out sometimes...). Bets and I played together a lot, and as the older sis I was able to pull the wool over her eyes at times. Like when we'd tickle each other's backs - I'd tell her she didn't do it right, and she'd have to do it over...

Along with being cute, Betsy was also lucky (or perhaps a little bit smart), because she would always win games. We had a bunch of them in the cupboard in the built in dresser in our room. Stratego, Mystery Date, Kerplunk. Our grandfather Morehead designed and built our home at 202 Crombie in Atlantic and it had lots of built in features. Cindy told Bets that a monster was in our closet (bi-fold shutter doors) so the doors always had to be closed when we went to sleep. Come Christmas morning, we'd wake up at dawn to go visit the Santa gifts! (Most likely, once she figured out the Santa gig...Betso had found where Mom had hidden the gifts earlier).

Betsy was kind of a spoil sport when the folks had parties - one night they had rolled up the rug and a bunch of them were dancing on the hardwood floor. Bets told them it was time to clear out. I guess she was tired! I must have been in college by then.

Betsy didn't physically mature until she was nearly through high school - so of course she wasn't in the popular group. In fact some of the boys called her "Plateau". (Not sure how I missed out on being called those names). Somehow she ended up with breasts...yet I didn't...

Nurse Betsy after her capping ceremony

When Betsy and her friend Julie came to visit me at ISU I couldn't even get her to party! But by the time she headed off to Creighton University in Omaha to study nursing, she was all growed up - and the boys noticed her then! I recall she turned 20 the day before we got married...all those years ago.

After graduating, with nursing jobs scarce, she took a position in Pueblo, Colorado where she met the man of her dreams, Dr. Wayne Kohan. It's funny how life works that way. Once Wayne finished his residency they moved all the way to Kennewick, WA - so I don't get to see her all that much. Together they have five great children - we got to see them all recently at the fam reunion.

The Kohans

We did a "surprise" birthday celebration in Cannon Beach for our lil sis. The pope (Bolder) was there! Susi gave her the medallion. Safeway spelled her name Betesy on the cake, and Ziggy nearly got a lick! She was a good sport about celebrating several weeks early. I made a video slide show to celebrate the occasion.

Bolder in the Pope hat

Ziggy goes for it...

I'm glad Betsy wasn't a boy after all.

Happy 50th Birthday sis! Love ya!

Good News and Friday

I've been remiss not to mention the good news we had from Bolder (Brian) Lefebvre, who has spent the past year battling prostate cancer. The damn stuff had escaped the prostate. So the poor guy has been through not only awful initial surgery to remove the thing, an infected testicle also had to be removed, chemo and radiation - that finished up in May. Boldie just had his PSA re-checked and those numbers came back very good! So we are happy about that. Prayers and other good thoughts that all the evil cancer cells have been banished from his body.

The 3 bro-in-laws chat

Friday a.m. Susi and Sher plus Cowgirl the Wabbit Wuving doggie too off for Grand Junction - with an overnight stop somewhere in Idaho. We were sad to see them go! I'm not sure when I'll get to see Sus again...a wedding in the future? No engagements yet...

That morning was hike day for Paul, Amy, Jud and Kara. They walk up a peak overlooking a beach and the town of Manzinita. I had the bad shoulder and am in awful shape, so decided to pass. Several of Betso's kiddos went along - they all packed into the Kohan Suburban. Sounded like a fun trip.

Besides - I'd gotten a text from my Atlantic friend Julia Hoilien. We had seen her whilst in Colorado over Memorial Day and discovered we'd both be in this area during this week. Her family was in Cannon Beach! We made arrangements to meet at Haystack that morning. Betsy and the doggies walked there with me.

Jules and me

Jeff, Marcella, Zetta and Julia - beautiful fam!

Once Pablo and the chillens got back, we were off to CB to shop a bit and we and Cindy and Bold ate at the Driftwood. We saw a person with a pet duck with a lil duckie diaper. It takes all kinds!

Yep - one's a dog, but one's a DUCK!

That night our gang - 17 or so in number had reservations at the Lumberyard. Nope it's not like the one in Des Moines (where REAL men go to get wood...). This one was an okay restaurant. We started out at Warren House - disturbing Paul and Bolder's last night with their honeys...the waitresses there who had grown to love them.

Cute little place...Bold makes friends wherever he goes...

Jud and Kara had stopped by the candy store on their way home from shopping that day...and on a little walk down memory lane. (Jud remembered buying funky jelly beans when we were here in 2002 - he was 13), he bought these Jelly Beans. Under the influence of a couple drinks I had the bad idea of trying two of them...and of course instead of Pudding I got Dog Food, and instead Strawberry Jam, I got Centipede. That taste was in my mouth even after I brushed my teeth!

It was a fun night out and the waitresses came and sang to Betso! We got a lot of mileage out of the birthday gig.

Sad that it was our last night in Cannon Beach - the week was going so quickly as vaca always does!

Silver tongued Sarah

It all started two years ago when I first heard about Sarah, the Master Stylist at Sahar Salon here in Des Moines. Diana and Nancy were talking about her cutting their hair. Then my "stylist" at Hair House" moved away and Woody cut my hair - badly. I knew it was time - to finally get a good hair cut.

Now she's like a guy who could talk you out of your pants...except she's slowly talking into being one of those chicks who does hair! First...it was color. I'd had highlights before - just never good ones.

The first time she got out the blow dryer, I started with my usual - "I just let it dry naturally" and she insisted "Oh you can do this!" Then she showed me what to do, step by step. So I had to go purchase a blow dryer - hadn't had one for years. (And I had to get one for Joan's house too - so I didn't have to drag it back and forth).

We went along like that for over a year...me being so proud for self-grooming. I've written before about how I'm lacking the hair gene. Betso got it...starting when she was young, styling on Barbie's giant head, with that one lock of hair that grew. Cindo and Suso too - they used giant rollers and hair dryers back in the day. Not me - I was known to go days without combing my hair.

Today Sarah was itching to do something different with my hair - and I was ready too. thing a little longer. It was color day too! When it was all washed and ready to dry, she said, "you might need a flat iron for this one". Ahem! Gulp. She is slowly talking me out of my pants. Figuratively speaking....

Love the color.Style? Looks good when Sarah does it! I got a cheap flat iron tonight after work. But I don't think my hands bend that way. Wish me luck!

Back to the vacation

Vacation routine - get up about 8 a.m. - have a little breakfast. For me, that was sliced banana, with cereal and milk. Juice and coffee with creamer. Then we trotted down twenty flights of stairs to the beach and walked either north or south for close to an hour.

It was a beautiful workout that went quickly because while I worked my body, my mouth was going a mile a minute talking to my sis about every topic under the gorgeous Florida sun. It was a great way to start each day!

Tuesday was pick up Betso day! We left a bit early to shop a bit at Miromar Outlet Mall - and my favorite store evah! The Columbia Outlet Store. It's prolly good there's not one in Iowa, or I might have to live there...I just drool when I walk in the door!

It was so nice to see Betsy walking down that concourse to join us in paradise for a few days. We took her to the Crazy Flamingo for some good shrimp on night #1. She needed Chai Tea at Starbucks so we changed our routine a few times while she was with us (and she had a Starbucks card). Once we even walked the sidewalk down to Esplanade to get some coffee.

We hit Little Bar twice. It is our very fave restaurant on the Island. Paul and Cindo always get Twin Lobster Tails the first night - in honor of CB's birthday. This year they were only $39.95. Too rich (as in taste) for me. I had blackened shrimp. When Betsy was with us, I had grouper almondine - so yummy!

Mornings, post walk, and afternoons, post-lunch were spent mostly poolside. Reading books. The pool was not too crowded this year. We were able to stake out a spot by a table with an umbrella. I don't really do sun. (I did fry my smallish cleavage on Day 1 laying by the gulf and it still itches)

Thursday we ate Mexican - I'm afraid I shouldn't have had that second margarita! Friday night we went to Porky's. We were starting to think people were getting the idea we all were Paul's plural wives (Big Love, ya know?!?) Anyway. We got a little crazy that night. And Jezebel, the girl band was singing. They were good! So were the ribs!

We even managed to get back to Fort Myers to take Bets for some shopping. (I hit Columbia again) Saturday we went back to Joey's for some more excellent salad and pizza. By that night - I was de-toxing. I couldn't face any more vodka. :>(

All too soon it was time for little sis to go home to Washington State. And the very next day, Cindy had to take Paul and me to the airport to come back to chilly wet Iowa. Oh well...there's always next year. I hope sister Susi is having a good time!

I am now officially the clumsy sister

Betso bean used to be it. The clumsy sister. When we were little she was skinny and gawky - and, well...clumsy. She got stitches twice just because she was klutzy. She fell down a lot.

Oh Susi broke her wrist swinging on Germain's willow tree - it was just a "green" break" whatever that meant. And Cindo broke her wrist (or was it her collar bone?) on the concrete stairs outside our back door, when it was icy. She says Mom told her to "suck it up" and then days later it was still painful and it was revealed to be a break. Mom wasn't known for rushing us to the Doc. I did the "run from boys", jump off slide, break arm thing in nursery school. But we weren't uncoordinated.

Betsy was. One time I think we were playing in the woods - that 10 yard wide stretch of trees in the lot next to our house. We were always building forts and "houses" in there - pioneers that we were. That day this particular fort had a door with a doorbell. When Betsy rang the doorbell, the door frame fell on her head and yep, stitches.

Our mother was a trendsetter when it came to home decorating. That's where I got my eclectic style from anyway. She put hardwood floors in our house when most people still had linoleum. We all liked to slide around it in our socks - we'd get a running start from our bedroom and slide down the front hallway into the kitchen. Except one time when Dad had gotten home and put his leather briefcase down and Betso tripped up somehow and fell headfirst into it. Stitches.

Then there was the time she touched Swisher's dog's bad leg - it bit her right on the cheek. Lulabelle, our babysitter when Mom was out of town overnight was doing double duty - sitting Annie Swisher and us. So we were at Swishers when it happened. We rushed downtown to Dr. Wilcox's office (that was in the days before the new medical clinic). It was bleeding like a bitch!

We were in back and the nurse was trying to give tiny little Bets a tetanus shot - when Betsy bit her. Then the nurse had to have a tetanus shot. Take that shot giving nurse. I may be Bitsy Betsy Bullock but I bite! Finally Dr. Wilcox got Betsy's cheek stitched up (with 4 or so people holding her down - the little wildcat). Later in life, she had microsurgery to stitch it up finer and today you can hardly tell it was chomped on.

Back to me and my clumsiness. You may recall my stair incident at Joan's last October. Broken foot - it's fine now by the way. I noticed on Betsy's Facebook (yes this is all her fault too) that she was working on her cupboards cleaning. I though - I too should do that! So after being in my happy place yesterday a.m. I whipped out the Old Gold and began to oil up the cupboards we installed in 2007. They're tall so I got a stool Paul built when the kids were small.

Bad idea! I was on the bamboo floor - slick. I started on the door above the dishwasher. As I scooted to the edge of the stool to reach up to do the top of the first cupboard, the stool tipped up and shot out from under me! I flew through the air (and not with the greatest of ease) landing in the walkway to the table tailbone first - lucky to miss hitting my head on the counter.

I gasped/grunted. Odie took this to mean "Mommy wants to play!" and jumped on my chest licking my face. Paul was at work (yes it was Saturday - he is a dedicated public servant working overtime for nothing). I assessed whether or not I was paralyzed. My toes wiggled. My tailbone hurt! Tears welled in my eyes. I stayed there a while, then slowly got up. Painful buttocks area, but liveable.

Mad! What a dumbshit I am! Is this what I am to be like in old age? A tottering old woman who falls a lot? Am I a broken hip waiting to happen. I'll tell you after falling last year I am now a confirmed handrail holder on stairs. I took Motrin and continued doing cupboards in pain. Left the high stuff for Paul - fu&% the stool - why did I choose that one? Why don't we have a safe stepladder thingy like most families?

I was going to kayak today with Deb - I need a Deb kayak fix. Now I fear that's out, unless I break out the good painkillers. The tailbone is quite sore - mostly when I get up or sit down, and go up steps. Hope nothing is cracked.

But I sure wish I had a video of me flying through the air. That had to be funny!

Across the street

Was where I got my Western Flyer bikes at Western Auto. First the slick aqua girls sting ray with the banana seat and the white wicker basket. Later the awesome 10 speed.

I also go my birthday mini record player there - the one I kept under my bed in the room I shared with Betso. I kept the Jackson 5 LP on it - Stop the Love You Save, ABC - all the good songs. That was a great little unit.

Back then, Betsy was only trusted with a "Close And Play" - a record player that allowed you to slip a special record into a slot and it played with a needle that was like a nail. Downstairs in the play room we had my aunt Jeanie's stereophonic player - that could play either LPs or albums. We had some Disney albums I liked to listen to like "Babes in Toyland". But I digress..

Near the Western Auto was Meyer Music - run by Art Meyer - who was the band director at good 'ol AHS. The store also sold record singles. One time sister Susi asked me to picked up the record 98.6 by Keith. Of course as a snotty lil sis I said "no" so Susi paid my friend Laurie to get it...so I ended up going to Meyer Music anyway!

I already talked about Ben Franklin in my recent Five and Dime blog. JC Penneys was next. Ah visions of my first bra - size flat. The pink box with the kitty on it (WTF) embarrassment for both Mom and me. Tober's Vogue - ladies clothing. Seiferts (not sure of spelling) which got more important as I got older, as they carried young people's clothing and employed HS girls. I think they were in the former Bullock's store - the one my Great Uncle Max ran - a store for older women. The problem with buying stuff there was arriving at school and finding out someone at the next locker was wearing the same outfit!

Fan's Pharmacy was one drugstore we didn't visit much, as we kept Rex busy. Brown's Shoe Fit (or Foo Shit) had a wide variety of styles. Bonneson's were on this side in later years. Fife's had a nice restaurant here when I was ten or twelve. Then Mr. Fife got ill and they had to sell.

As I've said before - it was a simple time, and I got go to most of those stores and purchase something with just a few words - charge it to Dave Bullock. His credit was good in town. I'm sure a few vendors got burned by some people like that. But more often than not, they got their $$. Simple was good.