Jersey and Gsmith Fam

Amy left for Wisconsin Wednesday a.m. Yep - the girl don't let no grass grow under her feet! Actually she had a meeting with one of her major freelance clients - who happens to be the father of one of her Denver pals, Julia, who is marrying Amy's ISU friend Patrick in a few weeks. See - it all makes sense.

Wednesday night Paul and I had tickets to Jersey Boys. The kids got us the tickets for a gift - 4th row seats! It was another lovely weather day in Iowa. We went early and had an appetizer outside on Court Avenue. We stopped in the garden of the World Food Prize Building and took this self-portrait. Of course the fountain behind us stopped spraying right before I snapped the pic!

 

 

The show was great! I had seen it once before, with Sharon and Amanda Higgins - a matinee with the First National Bank group. But Paul had not. The music is so good, and in row 4 - it's like they are singing to you!

smoked turkey sannie with mashed

Friday we headed to Webster City (via Ames with lunch at Hickory Park) for the annual Goldsmith Fam reunion and Golf Tourney. We started with a bike ride on the great trail around town - out to the county park - Paul's sisters Carol and Jean with husband Dave.

An artesian well along the river - iron makes the water rust colored. Carol said it tasted BAD

 

 

Family members began to gather at the Fox house later in the afternoon. Amy was there when we arrived back from biking - a stop on her way back from Wisconsin to DSM - a great chance to see the relatives!

The hosts planned a "bags" tourney (I am possibly the worst every player) and a taco bar. Dave was serving his homemade Bloody Mary mix. Dennis and Kelly, Dorie and John, Pat and Dave and finally Amy's cousin Annette (Fox's daughter) arrived from Minnesota with her fam. We were missing Ken and Mary and Larry and Regina this year. Carol's daughter Barb and husband Mike came Saturday. Dorie brought Paul's favorite caramels and there were apple bars and lots of other goodies.

Who would have guessed it would only be in the low 60's on Saturday! The golfers took off mid morning and we non-golfers entertained ourselves at the house and by attending Crazy Daze downtown. Annette's children Megan and Caleb are adorable - they made me miss little Amy and Jud a bit! Fabulous prizes followed golf, along with grilled brats - then church for those who wanted to go. We took off for home after that - as our wienie dog awaited. Amy was staying with her college roomies in Ankeny that night.

It's always fun to catch up with the Goldsmiths. Missed those who couldn't make it. I hope Dave Fox won the lottery as he's promised to share with us all. That's the kind of family we are! Love 'em!

Goldschmidts

Upper Iowa, Hotel Winn Rotunda, and the front of the Jailhouse Inn

It's the eve of traveling to the Goldsmith fam reunion aka Goldsmith Golf tourney - though some of us wiser family members have chosen not to waste, ah spend our hard earned $$ on flogging.

In past years we've taken turns traveling around to sites at or near siblings home. This year we've decided to try something new - we're going exotic. We're going to jail - the Jailhouse Bed and Breakfast at Preston, MN. It's a place my buddy Deb and I have gone for kayaking in past years. Then Paul and I stayed there along with Jud a few years back on our way home from a Goldsmith reunion in Port Washington, WI. Jud was shocked to find out there was no TV! We had to play board games all night - more fun anyway.

The Jail is a delightful place all beautifully restored - large enough to fit most of the 7 remaining siblings. Each room (named for a past jailer) has its own bath. We're having the staff cater the Saturday meal after the golfers are done. Some of the fam - the ones with kids/grandkids coming are staying in Rochester at a place with a pool.

I can do all of this using No vacation time. How you ask? I am taking this opportunity to visit 2 landfills I've been meaning to get to. Hah! Won't they be surprised when I come driving in with my spousal unit and kayaks on top of my Subaru. It's win-win-win. I get to drive most of the way to the reunion on the state's nickel and on their time. The state gets some presence and oversight of a couple little visited places. And the environment is spared one trips by my combining two into one!

After a stop tomorrow at the FMC Landfill just outside of our former home in Osage we plan to stay at the beautiful Hotel Winneshiek. I'm pretending it's our anniversary that night - unless I get too tired. (one can do that when one has been married some 28 years...). I'm looking forward to looking around Decorah too. The next day - it's off to the Winneshiek recycling facility. Woohoo! It's what I live for...

Then on to kayaking - either the Root or the Upper Iowa, if it's not too flooded. Gorgeous sheer cliffs and bald eagles - you would never know you're in Iowa there. One year, Deb and I did the upper end of that bad boy - if you're lucky, one day I'll tell you that tale...it involves tippy canoes (or kayaks), lost bridges (the mouth kind - due to Milk Duds), and cattle crossings. Exciting - no?

I'm looking forward to seeing the fam. We all talk at once! Except for the quiet ones (there are a few). More next week. With photos!