Keef gets married tomorrow

Keith Peterson that is. He was Jud's best buddy early in life (Jud called him Keef and Keith called him Gud) and they were school and teammates all through school, until they graduated. Then, Keith went to the dark side. That's what we Cyclone fans call Iowa City. He came by it naturally - his daddy is a University of Iowa grad and the extended fam members are mostly Hawkeye fans. So he couldn't help it! Big bro Brett graduated from Iowa too.

Jud went to Ames of course and became a Cyclone as was his legacy. He took a lot of heat for it growing up. After all the Hawks won 15 football games in there, giving them bragging rights and garnering most of those Iowans without a legacy allegiance as fans. So both Amy and Jud (and Scotty and Ryan), in their little Cyclone gear were teased relentlessly. It was pretty hard on Jud - yes some of us have pretty thin skin.

Anyway, despite their differences in fandom - Keith also favored the White Sox and Raiders, while Jud liked the Giants and the Cowboys, Jud and Keith were friends. After all they were both first St. Malachy Knights and then Creston Panthers together. Keith was old for the class with a July birthday, and was a good athlete - maturing earlier than Jud. He lettered in many sports and was awarded the Boys All Around Sports award for high school. He was also a good student - honor roll.

Our son was talented too, but took a while to mature, both emotionally and physically. That held him back - but we are so proud at how he stuck with sports despite not starting. And he came through too graduating with honors, despite a rocky start in high school (Midterm Ds in English and Spanish...-parents freaking out). I think that spirit has served him well in life.

Maclaine, Keith, Connor, Jason, Jud

Jud and Keith had a talented group of classmates - nice kids too! I'm excited that several of them and their parents will be at tomorrow's big event in Altoona. You get to know people traveling with them to sporting events and watching games. Greg Irr, Michael Hyde, Ben Weis, Caleb Brus, Tyrell Miller, and probably a couple more I don't know about should be there. Even though we live in the same town (well most of the week) as their parents - we don't see them all that much. Life gets in the way.

Jud and Kara will be there - I'm looking forward to that. Dan Miller, the McKims, dancing. Who wouldn't love all those things? Along with a few cocktails. I can even do all my moves now that I can raise my right arm above my shoulder. It's painful, but hey after a couple drinks...

Keith has done well at college, studying finance. When he graduated he landed a job at The Woodman in the Quad Cities, and my friend Deb, his mommy reports he likes it there and is doing great. I'm not surprised.

Keith was always a charming little guy - and cute! Towhead blond, big blue eyes and a cute grin. He was kind of a lady's man - even as a youngster. He started dating Kelsey (she too attended Iowa) before his senior year of college, after playing the field for a while. From what Deb reported, I knew this one was serious! Jud and his girl Kara got to meet Kelsey (as did I) at brother Brett's wedding last summer. She's a cute girl and I wish them all the best. (Except when their team plays ISU...) We broke down and got them a Hawkeye Longaberger basket at as a wedding gift so how's that for an olive branch?

First day of school

I took a short walk tonight when I got home - still trying to loosen up that tailbone injury ya know. You know what looks worse than my thighs in Kohls mirror in a swimsuit at the end of winter? My ass with a bruise.,

Anyway, while walking, the late August sun on my back made me feel like "Back to School" time. I got a bit nostalgic for the days when Amy and Jud were school kids. They each started their educations at Creative Beginnings - a pre-school in Creston run by two sisters, Mrs. Drey and Mrs. Weeda. They are awesome teachers and get the kids more than prepared for kindergarten. In fact - Kgarten was still half day when our kids went, and it seemed boring after Creative Beginnings (CB)!

Amy attended CB with Krissy McFee, Ryan McKim and Brett Peterson. Jud went with Kimmy McFee, Keith Peterson and Katie McKim. We all carpooled, which made it more convenient. Parents took turns bringing a healthy snack and kids also had to take other homework assignments like a map of Ireland - not so easy back in the pre Internet days! We lived for "parent teacher conference" so we could hear how wonderful our children were!

Then the kids moved on to St. Malachy. We were so fortunate to have such a great school in our town - it was one of the things that kept us in town. We had planned on moving on - staying in Creston for just a few years and then Paul would apply for a job elsewhere. I hadn't planned to live an hour from my hometown! But a good education for our children (and fun and quirky people for us to drink and hang out with) trumped that other stuff. So we stayed.

I'm glad we did. And we went through lots of "first days of school" for the kids. New backpacks, new shoes and outfits. Amy would label all the school supplies (for both kids) in her neatest handwriting. Sometimes even individual crayons! Jud wasn't ever that excited. And on the first day Moki and I would walk the kids down the street to the bus. I'd watch until the big yellow buses took off. Then I'd go home and have a big bloody mary. haha just kidding! I should have though!