The 4th Is My 1st

Independence Day - aka the 4th of July, is my first best holiday. It took me fifty years to realize it. Now I'm at peace with the realization - along with the fact that Summer is my fave season. Oh, I tried to pretend it was Fall. Maybe it was when I was younger. Now that I'm old and always chilly, Summer suits me. Deck time, flowers, green grass, and trees, I love it all.

My love affair with the 4th of July has been building for a long time. I believe it's because it's more low-key than holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter that require food, gifts, and housekeeping. Independence Day, even when people visit, seems less frantic when it comes to prep. And decks and garages are in play for entertaining.

In my early years, when dusk hit on the 4th we took comfy blankets and sparklers to the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. There we'd park along the road and traipse to somewhere on number 8 or 9 fairway so we could gaze down to number 1 and 8 greens. (If course layout serves me). There we'd lay out our big wool Hawkeye blankie near all the other families. The excitement would build as the fireworks crew periodically shot off sonic booms to prep the crowd. When darkness fell, the show and Ooohs and Ahhhs began. In the distance, we could see the City of Atlantic fireworks shooting near the airport. A great piece of Americana happening across our great country.

The year I graduated from high school, three friends and I decided to get away for the 4th. Somewhat of a good girl, I was ready to be "bad". The drinking age was 18 so liquor was in the works for sure. Cherry vodka anyone? I had decided it was time for me to try pot - good old Iowa ditch weed that I secured from a classmate. Robyn, Chris, Trish, and I drove Trish's VW bug up to Lake Okoboji and checked into our very own hotel room. So grown up!

One note - when I was younger, my allergist had noted that I was allergic to hemp. I didn't put those two things together. I lit the joint up as soon as we checked into the motel but don't remember feeling high at all. Imagine my surprise when I began to get a rash and fever instead of a buzz. Uh oh! I ended up visiting the Emergency Room in Spirit Lake. The doc asked if I had eaten shellfish or anything new. Nope! I was not admitting that. I got major Benedryl and went off to enjoy the rest of the weekend pot-free. Lesson learned.

The rest of the weekend we enjoyed Okoboji, visiting the iconic amusement park, Arnolds Park, and partied at the Roof Garden. There we ran into - guess who? The Atlantic cool boys who were up visiting our classmate Jack Bunce whose family had a place on the lake. It was a fun trip - except for the rash/doctor part. I made the mistake of telling my older sisters about my pot snafu a year later. Of course, they outed my plunge into drug use to our parents. They just laughed.

I've blogged about the many (around 15?) years we spent Independence Day at Ridgeland, WI, thanks to the hospitality of the Huston family. Mike Huston, our wedding best man, invited us to his family's "home place" after we graduated from college. His parents Clark and Joyce must have actually enjoyed being invaded by a group of young people. And later young parents and families.

Beloved outhouse - Kelli and Amy Ridgeland

We never quit going until our children got old enough for us to need to stay home for local activities. Early on, the Huston place was rustic with the two-seater outhouse and no running water. At first we slept in a huge tent. Later we had family tents and campers. The highlight was tubing the nearby Apple River whilst guzzling beer. My dad provided fireworks for the event as he'd stop at a stand in Missouri when driving back to Iowa from the Florida winter. Our own little display.

Gang at Ridgeland - thanks Clark and Joyce! 

Lucky for us, when we stopped going to Ridgeland was right around when we moved to our second Creston home which was right in the heart of the best 4th of July activities. We had a great view of the fireworks and could walk around the lake to McKinley Park that hosted a carnival and talent show. Each year we invited people over to sit in our driveway for fellowship and fireworks. Later, when our neighbor's trees grew large, we sat in their driveway. It was great! The only downside was our pets did not like it. One year we finally found Moki under Amy's bed downstairs.

2016 Yankee Doodle Pops with roomie Joan

Since moving to Des Moines we've enjoyed new traditions. Last year Paul was recovering from prostate cancer surgery so we took it easy. This year I'm happy to report his recovery has been as good as we could have ever hoped. Periodic checks have shown no detectable cancer. Thanks to Dr. Gellhause at the U of I and staff.

2017 July 3rd downtown bike ride with my honey

This year many traditional activities are canceled as we try to stamp out COVID 19. Once again we're laying low for good reason. I bet we'll see some fireworks from our deck.

I look forward to many more years of celebrating our great country. 













 

Sisters' weekend

My sissies are coming - well, two of 'em anyway. Susi had other plans involving husband Jim's army buddies. So she couldn't make it. Those other two girls I grew up with are coming. Cindo came to Iowa to visit us at our new home in WDM (that's West Des Moines Richard Lamm) last year. Now Bitsy Betsy is coming!

We have a busy agenda - I sent them a spreadsheet. Putting that together helped me organize meals and feel like I'm somewhat prepared for the visit. It's not like I will fall a part if we don't follow it exactly...but it's  a starting place. We purchased groceries tonight.

• Cindy arrives first - Pablo is picking her up at the DSM airport as I'll be in Iowa City doing an audit of the solid waste agency's Environmental Management System. He'll be waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs at the International (what...are there 6 gates?) Airport. He said he'd be holding a sign that says "Lafave sister" (her name is Lefebvre). Of course then we'd need to hold a sign for Betso that says Other Fave sister - and her name is Kohan.
• Paul needs to go back to work, so Cindo is going to knock around downtown DSM and the East Village. I'm printing her a map of the joint. http://eastvillagedesmoines.com/site/assets/map.pdf
• I'll be back around 4, and then we're getting some drinks. I think Locust Tap is in order - because there is no place like that. I don't want to go overboard...because
• Betso arrives about 11 p.m. That's like 2 p.m. her time. (really it's 9 p.m. - cuz she's from Washington). She'll be travel tired though - after flying all that way.
• Friday we're traveling to the mother ship. Land of our birth, the Big A, A-T-L-A-N-T-I-C. Atlantic. We will stop by the cemetery - our peeps are there. No...not them really. But we like to stop by there. Last year Cindy sprinkled some of her husband Bolder's ashes there. He loved my parents, and he cried when Patrick passed away.
• We're having lunch with our friend Kay Harris. She was a special person in our Dad's life.
• On the way back we're swinging by Walnut - to check out the antiques.
• Friday night is steak fry night at our place. Gateway Market filet Mignon's. Jud and Kara are arriving later from St. Louis - their friends are getting married in DSM this weekend.
• Saturday - you know what day that is. FM babay. Farmer's Market. We need some rhubarb - Pablo plans to make a pie. Damn we forgot the secret ingredient at the store. Pudding.
• We're hoping to see our cousin Bob after we "market".
• That night we're going out - to Jesse's Embers or Centro? Not sure
• Sunday is Father's Day. I hope I remembered to prepare and start the egg casserole Saturday night. Jud and Kara will be there. I'm glad the bestest daddy in the world will see 50% of his living children.
• That night - Queen will Rock Us at the Civic Center. We have tickets to the live event. I think we'll head downtown for appetizers first.
• Monday I'd planned to head to Ames to tour Reiman Gardens, lunching at Hickory Park. Rain may derail those plans though...
• We're having burgers that night with smashed red potatoes, a Facebook recipe that is so good!

last year - sprinkling Boldie at the Atlantic Cemetery (some of him got on my lips...)

So those are the plans - pretty simple. Mostly I'm looking forward to hanging with the girls!

A well-rounded day

Today was a well-rounded day - for me and the weather. I started out by working from 6:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. I got quite a bit done. It was a busy week at work - and I feel like I'm treading water - doing a lot, but not getting ahead! New things keep popping up on my plate. I was ready to take off when the clock hit the 11:30 though - had my 40+ hours in.

The weather started out foggy and overcast, but was clearing by the time I got back to the loft. I took Odie out for her restroom break and to stretch her short puppy dog legs. Who came walking up right on time? Pablo the Poolboy, home from the office!

We had made a date to head east to Williamsburg to the Outlet Mall to shop. I was Jonesin' for the Eddie Bauer store there. The regular store just doesn't cut it - prices are too high. Had some luck there, Vanity Fair (my undies store, post Dave Bullock) and Jockey - where I get bras and jammies. Paul got some shorts at EB. Ran into the Brad Baker fam from Creston at the Outlet Mall. Small world indeed.

They add the wheels later...

Then it was back to the Big City - by around 5 p.m. Paul worked out in the exercise room and I went for a walk. This time I headed east on Court, south on 4th. I discovered where the City of DSM trash and recycling toters are born and a salvage biz.

No radioactive stuff - kinda scary that they'd even need to make a sign like that!

Then I headed east on Martin Luther King Drive. It had turned into a gorgeous evening! The light was fab and this was an angle I hadn't seen of the city before. I crossed the river and headed north to take the footbridge, passing some interesting buildings along Raccoon Street along the river.

A different angle of the big city

River was smooth as glass

This says Brown Camp Hardware

The painting on this property intrigues me

I wonder what Strong Island means?

This guy waves at me each time I walk by

Shrimp made my lips burn!

Paul and I headed back to the Standard - the martini bar, for a drink and a shrimp tapas plate - Cajun style. They had NCAA hoops on the flat screen. It's nice to be able to walk everywhere. It was a perfect spring night. And I didn't get thrown in the slammer - just walked on by on our way back to the loft.  

East Court Ave

Will be our new part-time address starting early in February. Paul and I took a look at the two lofts coming available in a couple weeks, and though I liked the smaller one better we decided to go with the bigger one. Why?

Small world department - the guy in the Broncos jacket is from Mallard and knows Diana McKim.

• It's available earlier
• There is a workout room
• The bedroom is a separate room
• It has a small deck
• There are grassy areas to walk Odie around the place

Those reasons trumped the selection of the smaller place. This loft is just three blocks from Paul's office, and about six from mine. The Court Avenue establishments on the West Side of the river are just three blocks away. The East Village stuff around the same distance. We'll be livin' large!

One week to go

One week to go of my usual schedule. After tomorrow's Martin Luther King Holiday, it will be a short week too. Tick, tick. I'm sure Pablo is more nervous about it than I am. After all, he's going to be doing a whole different job, while I'm just changing schedules and roommates.

I feel uneasy about leaving my nice room and bed and Joan's house. What if someone else wants to live there? I'll lose my spot! When I first moved in with Joan, her niece Krissy lived there, and she had laid claim to the downstairs bedroom. As the new kid, and only a part timer, I took the spare bed downstairs in the "living room" area. And was very grateful to get that.

I started my job in December 2008, a very cold winter. It was quite chilly by the window in my bed. I'd sleep with longjohns and socks on most nights. Yes, the bedroom and its large bed and closer bathroom access is much preferable. But...if Joan get another roomie while I'm gone - so be it.

My usual schedule has me leaving Joan's at 6 a.m. to start work at 6:30 a.m. (while it's still very quiet in cubicle-land in the Wallace Building), working until 5:00 p.m. most days. And I'm used to coming home to Creston on Thursdays - leaving work around 3 PM that day to head south. Some Thursday nights, I've had book club.

Then, on Fridays I work a few hours where I'm sitting right now - in my chair. I get work stuff done without the distraction of, well...work. My Fridays in Creston give me some flexibility to run errands, have medical appointments - stuff like that. And go to lunch with my spouse. It's been pretty convenient. But all that is changing, temporarily anyway. I'll stay in DSM through Friday with Paul.

Paul and I hope to leave one car here and drive to DSM together - saving $ on our commute. We're going to have a housesitter. A big burly guy named Bruno who knows jujitsu and has lots of weapons. So if you're reading this and plan to rob our home - forget about it! The kitty will stay here too - so she'll hiss at you - it's very scary.

In the meantime, Pablo and I are off tomorrow to look at a couple furnished downtown lofts. Here's a link to one. Ours would be furnished, so we wouldn't worry about that. It's been a dream of mine to live like this. But not really Paul's. So how fun to give it a "test drive".
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/301-E-Court-Ave-207-Des-Moines-IA-50309/2146751676_zpid/

The lofts probably won't be available right away, so we'll be calling Embassy Suites home for a couple weeks.

Pablo and Leslie's Big Adventure. Let's hope we don't knock over some bad-ass bikers' row of Harleys. (like Pee Wee did in his adventure).