Giving Thanks

I love Thanksgiving! This holiday is better than Christmas, in my opinion. Except for the relentless ads pushing us to buy, buy, buy. I know - Christmas has the promise of the birth of the savior. That is a beautiful message for us all. But giving thanks - no matter what religion you are, where you are in your life - how rich, how poor - is a true and pure. Jesus, Allah, Higher Power would approve.

With the passing years I appreciate the little things more each day. I have a tenancy to over-plan. It must be a Pat Bullock thing - because my mother was so organized. In the past I have dreamed up these scenarios, prior to events that have me cooking stuff and the family bonding together over games and crafts. While those things may happen - I now know they must be organic, not forced by Leslie the overplanner.

This year anytime I started down that road...then I remembered that I don't really like to cook. And hey what do you know, wisdom can come with age. I decided to do just the stuff that I'm good at - Mom's scalloped corn and creamy mashed potatoes. For other meals I would get prepared foods that are just as good as anything I might make. Less stress - and there is really no score card for these events. I don't get points for homemade meals. I quieted my inner voice telling me I am a slug for not over-achieving on food.

Paul did a standing prime rib yesterday - for our Christmas with our family. Amy, Corey and Franklin the busy weinie puppy) flew in from Atlanta around noon Wednesday. The four of us headed to Creston - Paul and I, to meet friends for a couple beers. Amy and Corey were there to spend the evening with their friends Stormy and Kyle Wilson. Kara and Jud arrived from St. Louis later that evening. We hadn't seen Bobbie and Jeff for a long time. Donnie managed to stop down on his way to Fareway (he was convinced that Diana thought the line at the store was really long). Patti stopped in for a drink too. On our way out the door we saw the Millers - Dan and Denise. Fun to see those two! We pledged to have a party together.

Back in the big city, Jud and Kara went out for supper at Jethros with friends. Then they were on Frankie duty. They did a super job taking care of the little guy - he was wound up but imitated Odie with outside duties quite well. When he crashed for the night (with them), he was down for the count.

Installing the TV

Thanksgiving day was grand. A whole day of hanging with the group. Paul and I had broken down an purchased a monster sized television. Like my parents before me, TV is a big part of our lives - especially when it comes to sports. We've been talking about upgrading for a while and our friend Moose put us over the top. He's a techno-gook and Best Buy expert. I was a little afraid that the TV would take over the room due to the size, but with Paul's engineering and the help of strong arms, the thing is mounted and is awesome. Game on! Kara and I worked on kitchen duties during the installation.

My fave part of the day was just listening to the conversations between all of the people. It's the first time both couples have been with us. We were able to share some family lore. I especially love the story of the pie maker at Marczyk's gourmet grocery store. Marczyk's was Amy's first job in Denver. One year when she worked there, the pie-maker went nuts, partying it up (on video at the store with strippers no less) at Thanksgiving and blew off making the pies. So everyone had to pitch in, including the storeowner's mother to get the pies done. Kara told us the story of a visit by a high school friend - one of those people who has no social skills. Little did she know when she accepted his invite to get together. You know the type - it's all about them, and they never ask about your lives...

Franklin finally sleeps

We did our Christmas gift exchange. The type where everyone brings a gift and then one picks and the next can take it. I ended up with a sweet water bottle. More later! So fun.

Eastern Iowa, Goodbye Joan's place

Area behind Marriott, Coralville - gorgeous!

I headed to "the dark side" Monday and Tuesday - Coralville (a suburb of Iowa City) for the annual Iowa Recycling Association (IRA) and Iowa Society of Solid Waste Operations conference. Knowing I'd be in the heart of Hawkeye country, I threw in my Cyclone quarter zip. Good thing too, because the Marriott Conference Center was freezing!

The City Carton Recycling folks broke out their Hawk polos across from our DNR booth. Somebody had to represent the good guys. Though nobody else had on the cardinal and gold, I had plenty of supportive comments - and took no crap. I guess it helps when you win the big game 2 years in a row! So proud.

Colleague Scott Flagg and I arrived early Monday for a Bottle Bill meeting. Same 'ol stuff - some glass recyclers plan to submit legislation to expand the bill once again this year. I'm not expecting much, but I do agree with them. The present system is dying on the vine as handlers haven't gotten a raise from the $.01 per bottle/can they got in 1988 when the bill passed. Small town redemption centers are dropping right and left. People are getting frustrated because there are fewer and fewer places to take their deposit items.

The beverage and distributors will fight any expansion. I wish we could find some middle ground that would keep items out of ditches and landfills and keep our recycling rate at the near 90% rate the present system provides. That's a tall order though. I can understand why grocers don't want them back in their doors, but haven't they had over 30 years to come up with alternatives? The outside areas/separate entrances work.

After lunch Scott and I went on a tour of Iowa City's new East Side Recycling Facility. I've reported on it before, since they are part of my program - Environmental Management System. Awesome education facility with a drop off for used motor oil, place where people can get compost. They also partner with Habitat for Humanity and the Salvage Barn.

After that, we toured a couple places that have located in town because Proctor and Gamble manufacture shampoo and other home products there. First we visited ALPLA - they make many of the containers P&G products go in. Blow mold, injection - you name it. They wouldn't allow us to take photos as they make their own equipment. I had a burning desire to use my phone to snap a quick shot, but I squelched it...didn't want my arm broken, or encased in plastic! Very interesting place - operated by surprisingly few people.

Next we walked to Heritage Environmental. They started up in town to assist an un-named client with off-specification products. (Proctor and Gamble is my guess!). The place smelled like shampoo - they de-package it, explaining typically this product is colored wrong, or touched the floor - stuff like that. I decided America needs to get over our "perfection" requirement. How about a store for stuff that's not quite right? Like the old bread store?

Anyway Heritage has found uses for the slickery stuff. They use it to help asphalt slide out of trucks. Genius! They're also coming up with new uses all the time. They are also dabbling in other things like carpet recycling, and water filter recycling. Interesting company - with the home base in Indiana.

That night was schmoozing time. Nice to see people I hadn't chatted with for a while. This is when my history - having been "one of them" for 10 years helps! Got to see my pal Susan Salterberg, and lil buddy Christine Richter - though my conversations with her came in short bursts between interruptions from her clients (they took priority - darn them!). I also talked to Kjrsten Bobb - who I'm FB Friends with - but I hadn't seen in person in forever!

On Wednesday Scott and I went to supper with Susan and a couple women about my age. They tried drilling Scott about the baddest thing he's ever done. It was hilarious - like he was under a bright light. He didn't spill his guts though.

Wednesday was my big day. Consultant Cory Sander and I gave a program "EMS Jeopardy" to market our Environmental Management System Program - my baby. We thought using the Jeopardy format might seem less preachy than the traditional ed format. We were right! Jason, the education guy from Cedar Rapids is good with technology and they have these clickers that we handed out to the 25 people who attended. The computer program kept track of $ scores and we handed out prizes for the top 3 in various categories. Water bottles, flashlights etc. I filled in bits of information on answers of questions. Phew - glad it's over.

When I got back to DSM, I spent my last night in Waukee at Joan's. I am somewhat at a loss about that. It's been such a great situation for me - and I've so enjoyed getting to know Joan better through this past nearly 4 years. She joked that I kept her informed on family stuff (through her bro Jeff, and he said the same thing...) And I sure slept well (most of the time) in the big bed in the basement. It's nice and cool and quiet down there. Even though I know I'll continue to see Joan periodically since we'll be living in town, it won't be the same as living with her. It was hard to clean my stuff out of the drawers. I'll miss her!

Back to the Standard

It's been a long time. In fact I hadn't been to our fave DSM bar, The Standard, since Pablo headed for the hills. Creston that is - in the hills of Southern Iowa, when Paul's temp job in in the big city was completed in April. Today that changed.

the floor is beautiful inlaid tile

Today I had an Environmental Management System workshop at the Ola Babcock Miller State Library Building near the Iowa State Capitol. I love that place - so full of artsy touches. And there's something about working where there's a cannon in the yard...

After the workshop, I took our consultants - two visitors from Ohio to The Standard. Both Cory and Tom seemed to enjoy the place just as much as I do. They tried local brews from Newton.

Cory at left, just became engaged to be married in September. Jeff is the bartender. Tom on right is building a new home in Ohio.

Jeff the bartender remembered me, after I ordered my signature lemondrop (only 1...I was driving). There was a musician that started at 5 p.m. - we quite enjoyed his tunes. Cory and I ordered the fish tacos and they were yummy! It was nice to be back, but I missed having my honey by my side...

Iowa City Site Visit

Bits and Pieces

At left is their stom water handling system - it has a green, growing roof.

I was in Iowa City yesterday for a site visit. They're participating in the Environmental Management System Program that I am lead on. The consultant we work with, Cory, flew in from Ohio to attend. We met at their brand new Education Center at their East Side recycling collection facility. Too cool!

They planted two biocells - and there are solar and wind elements!

They're going for LEED (top environmental stuff!) certification

Brooke and Cory chat about compost - scintillating!

I had a twelve hour day - had to get up at 4:30 a.m. to take off an hour later. We met at 8 a.m. at the Ed Center, and moved to the landfill at 9, working though lunch - slogging through identifying the environmental impacts stemming from the operations the Iowa City Landfill is in charge of. Because once they do that - they can work on controlling them.

It's exhausting work. The eight staffers who participated were really good sports though, so that helped. And Cory is like a coach - he draws people out. I am the scribe, typing stuff on my laptop. Plus I chime in when needed. We had a great meeting.

But I was tired last night, woohoo coach. And damn those migraines have been a bitch this week - the weather, hormones? Don't know. But I've been doomed to take Frova each day which also adds to my exhaustion. Today I was pretty worthless at work until about noon. My Supe Jen and I hiked down across the river for lunch at Big City Burger. My first time there. I had avocado on mine, and homemade chips. Good food!

We sat outside on a lovely day at Big City

Glad to be home in Creston today. 

Catching up

I've been gone! Two days of traveling Iowa - though I can't complain about the weather, no sir! Cory - the chap DNR hired to help with one of my programs and I first went to Tracy, Iowa - near Knoxville yesterday. Then we jetted (in his rented KIA) off to Spencer, arriving at 8 PM.

And who lives in Spencer? (or at least she does in the winter...) Mary Faber! So I texted her that I'd be in town, and we got together for a beer. It was swell catching up with one of my fave peeps in the whole world.

Mary works at Iowa Lakes Community College and should be awarded her Phd this summer. Quite an accomplishment for our scholarly friend. That's a lot of time and effort! Who knows what life will bring post escuela?

My two meetings went very well. I'm happy and very tired. Two long days. When I got back about 6:15 PM, Paul and I decided to head to Dos Rios - just down the skywalk to eat. Tamales were good - and guacamole bar too. But I've overeaten and now I'm miserable. Reminding me why I usually try to avoid eating so much. Couldn't stop on the green stuff!

Heading home to Creston tomorrow - Paul feels like he's been here a week. Oh, wait - he has!