Behold the Beauty of Iowa

Kayaks staged in front of Jane and Ken's place - ready to party! 

The Mississippi River is not the Rhone River in France - where I expected to travel to this summer with my three sisters. Like everyone, the whole world and along with it our plans changed when the pandemic hit. Since March Paul and I have laid pretty low. For excitement and enjoyment, I mostly sit on the deck and watch bikes, people, and dogs passing by. I take walks in the neighborhood and drive to trails around DSM, where I walk whilst listening to books. 

Once the shutdown eased up Paul and I traveled to Colorado over Memorial Weekend - slipping in a visit to Amy and Corey and sister Cindo. A couple of weeks ago we finally made it to Saint Louis to see Jud and Kara before Baby Girl G makes her arrival in September. Both of those trips were so wonderful and reassuring. We didn't do anything exciting, go out or try new restaurants. We were just with each other. The best!

When we made both of those trips, we kinda felt like we were kids who "snuck out" at night while our parents were sleeping, with quick stops only for gas along the way. Those family visits lifted and reassured us. Everyone needs something to look forward to.

Paul and I decided much earlier this year that it was time to see our friends Jane Ertl Root and Ken Root who make their summer home Esmann Island near Guttenberg on the Mississippi in NE Iowa. When the shutdown happened, we still had that date out there in July and put that "depending on the state of things" disclaimer on there, not knowing if they would even want visitors. Lucky for us when the selected weekend came up, it was all systems go in their part of the world. 

Clayton County, Iowa, despite being a summer home location, has only had 82 total Covid cases. Guttenberg is a riverfront city with Lock and Dam number 10 on the Mississippi. The population is just under 2,000, but it seems bigger due to the summer residents - people with second homes there to take advantage of the beautiful perch on the big water. 

Last Friday was our day to "sneak out" once again! We are still trying to keep exposure low - from us and to us. So we decided on a one night trip and are thankful for gracious hosts who accommodated our schedule and welcomed us into their home. One of the hardest things about seeing friends now is hugging. Do it? Don't? I've done both. 😕 I can't wait for hugging to be cool again! 

Farmstead NE of Cedar Rapids

After being sequestered at home - and perhaps because of my advancing age, now more than ever I enjoy seeing the passing beauty as we drive. We took Highway 330, the diagonal from I-80 up to Highway 30, ending on Highway 136, a road from there to Guttenberg. From majestic barns to the beauty of a lone tree, perfectly shaped in the middle of nowhere, I took it all in. Of course, Paul scopes out all of the wildlife. 

We drove through Paul's hometown, Earlville on our journey. Paul's folks and sister Connie are buried there. It's a pretty little town not far from Dubuque. We were a bit taken aback by the confederate flag hanging on the porch of one of the first homes we saw entering the town. Huh? Paul's folks' former home looks well-kept. George and Laura moved there from the farm when Paul as a senior in high school. It was the only house I knew them to live in, though his brother Larry and wife Regina and their five boys lived at the home place - a farm southeast of town. 

As I said, starting at Dyersville, where Paul attended high school at Beckman Catholic School and met Jane Ertl, we drove on Highway 136. It's a scenic road that winds through small fairly well-kept towns and beautiful churches. Side-note, I first met Jane during my sophomore year at ISU when my roomie Vic and I pulled a tab off of a sign in our dorm elevator looking for girls to go on a spring break ski trip. Jane was part of that group of seven. So I met her before I met Paul. Later it turned out she dated one of his good friends - but that's a whole 'nother story! 

Sign photo - courtesy Jane Ertl Root

Back to the drive - I wish I would have taken time to snap a picture of a sign outside of a little market store in Luxemburg - it claimed wares: "peaches, melons, acid, pencils". What else could one need? The terrain gets quite hilly along the Mississippi in that area. We pulled over at a scenic overlook along a 10% grade. No doubt it's gorgeous there in the fall as from that location, with the vista across the Mississippi to Wisconsin. 

I can see Wisconsin from here

Guttenberg is the home of Lock and Dam 10. Boats and barges pass through - a step to climb or descend as they travel north or south. The town is not as busy in the winter because warmer months bring lots of water people from all over the midwest. Jane's folks have property on Abel/Esmann Island that is connected to Guttenberg. 

Our first visit to the area was in 1982 when Jane invited college friends to her parents' place there. It was an idyllic summer day when a bunch of us piled into the Ertl's big yellow boat. We water skied and found a sandbar with a tree and a rope to swing out over the water. Plus beer! Jane even took the Catholics to an outdoor mass on the Wisconsin side of the river. We were likely a bit buzzed, were dressed in swimwear, and the entire mass lasted about 15 minutes. Maybe all churches should go to that model!

The island has become much fancier since the early 1980s. There are still a few tiny shacks (we even saw one with a sign that said "Love Shack" - it had a tin roof), but now there are homes worth many $$. Jane's folks, Joe and Helen, have a home right on the water and Jane and Ken live across the street. When we arrived we got the tour in their fancy golf cart. Everyone has one of those or a 4 wheeler. On island, there seems to be no rules, anyone can drive a cart and you look weird if you don't have a beverage. Paradise. There is a pond with a beach that looked to be quite popular. After the tour, we sat in their screened-in porch just enjoying the view and conversation with our hosts. That would be easy to get used to! 

Jane thinks of everything! 

Friday night we took Jane and Ken's pontoon out for a ride on a beautiful summer night on the water. We saw people camping on beaches along the river and others hanging out on sandbars. The water is perfect, though muddy. Later we dined with Jane's son Michael back on the porch. Delish smoked meats and sweet corn. Have I mentioned Ken is a media professional? And since I'm a blogger, we're peers. haha. I don't really wish to compare my few years of writing a newspaper column at the Creston News Advertiser and this blog with his decades of media work. But it's my blog and I just did! Ken is now mostly retired and loving it. I do want to share his latest piece on sweet corn - pasted below as I can't figure out how to link the audio file. It's delicious! And since I failed at taking a photo of our hosts, I stole this one off of their Facebook page - from last week after they scaled Iowa's Pike's Peak on their bikes. Impressive! 

Jane Ertl Root and Ken Root

Saturday morning broke sunny and hot - a great day for kayaking! Ken decided to stay home and be the chef ready with breakfast when we arrived back. Ken dropped us and our kayaks off at a place in the backwater that Jane likes. Lily pads are gorgeous right now, with flowers blooming. Again - I have a new appreciation for the beauty all around me. We mostly paddled in backwater areas, but we did cross the main channel two times with a breeze in our faces. Two barges went by so we timed our crossings to avoid them, but they really don't put out much of a wake. Speed boats are worse. 

Leslie, Jane and Paul paddle the Mississippi and backwater

The whole trip took about 2 hours to paddle back to the beach of a couple properties they own on the island. Then we drove the staged golf cart back to their place and came back with the truck to get our kayaks. It was our boats' first river trip and they did great! And Chef Ken's breakfast hit the spot after our paddle. Too soon, it was time to go. It would be nice just to hang out there for a week, or a summer. Still - to limit exposure, our plan was to keep it brief. 

With thanks to our hosts, we were off at mid-day to stop in Northwood, Iowa to visit Paul's sis Carol on our way home. Northwood is right off of I-35 close to the Minnesota border. Early in our marriage, when Amy was born, we lived near there in Osage, Iowa. So we always like to drive through that town when we're in the area. Our journey took us through Winneshiek County - by the landfill, which I always like to see. One I never got to visit during my DNR years. Yes, I still find landfills fascinating. 

When we arrived in Northwood, we had to call Carol. It seemed she was not in her own place but was a couple of doors down hanging with her homies. Carol has a posse of women who meet every afternoon around 3 PM, which is wonderful, especially now. We call Carol the Goldsmith family matriarch. She's 18 years older than he is - and left home right about the time he was born. Still, as adults, they (and I) have become close friends. I'm glad she has a group of friends to be with each day as she lives far from her family. It was nice to see her, meet her cat "Kitty", eat Casey's pizza, and some delicious brownies with ice cream. 

We arrived home at 9 PM Saturday. In Covid times we couldn't ask for a better 36 hours. In August we are looking forward to a visit from my sisters Cindy and Betsy. Fingers crossed that all systems remain go for that low key trip. I hope you, dear reader, have something in your future to look forward to!  

As promised - not quite as fresh as right from the field sweet corn:

Weekend Ag Matters - I wish you could hear it from him as we did because he's got a great radio voice, just like my pal Robyn. 

July 25,2020

Ken Root

Sweet Corn

We live in corn country here in Iowa.  The state grows thirteen million acres of it in a normal year and there are very few miles of roadway that are not flanked by the tall green stalks.

But, for me, the most important corn is sweet corn.

Grown on very limited acreage in gardens and highly cultivated fields, it is the ultimate fruit of summer.

My Facebook friends are posting photos of their children and grandchildren eating corn on the cob.  Everyone is smiling, the kid’s faces are smeared with butter and the moment lives on with all who love its flavor.

This summer is proving somewhat challenging to find the good stuff.  The farmer’s markets are closed due to CoVid 19.  Roadside stands are popping up and some of the creative marketers have “drive thru” sheds where they have the just picked ears ready for sale. 

For the few of you who are uninitiated to the ritual of finding, cooking and eating sweet corn, I’ll give you the basic technique and you may then modify to fit your own needs.

First, it has to be fresh.  I have heard of people starting the pot of water heating before they head to the patch to pick the peck that they bring in, shuck, silk and dunk. 

Second, assuming you are going to buy it, the ears need to be heavy with brown silk.  I like bi-color kernels (called peaches and cream) Some like yellow and others like white corn.  Some like it immature with small blister like kernels that pop in your mouth and others like it mature with large kernels which require chewing.

Third, don’t cook it too long.  If you boil it, put some salt in the water of a large pot and when it boils, dump in the ears, shut off the heat and put a lid on the pot.  In one to five minutes, it is ready.   The corn should be hot enough to melt butter which can be applied in approximately 100 ways.

Next, take control of the cob.  You can stick skewers in each end or just grab it (watch out for the heat). 

(You can microwave it by wrapping in wet paper towels or some neat little blankets.  Hit it at full power, for about one minute per ear.)

Some people like it naked, meaning no salt, butter or other adulterations.  Most like an oil oozing over the kernels. Some like special seasonings………whatever!

At this point, all you have to do is bite the kernels off the ear.  This is the point of MAXIMUM joy.  You may randomly bite and chew or you may use the Underwood Typewriter method, starting from left and moving right to the end and then going back to the left and starting again.

It is not sinful to cut the corn off the cob but it's about like eating ribs with a knife and fork.  If you have ill fitting dentures or some issue with corn sticking between your teeth, go ahead, just don’t call attention to yourself.

How much you eat is up to you.  Corn comes by the dozen.  I feel insulted if I don’t get at least 2 large ears.  I can eat six.

As you consume this delicacy, you should be approaching heaven.  The corn should pop with a sweet and starchy texture and the butter should carry it to the back of your mouth where you have the option of bringing it around one more time for an encore or just swallowing it and going for another bite.

There is no delicate way to eat sweet corn, so don’t try.

My rule: “Don’t start without a napkin and don’t finish without dental floss.”  Smearing the butter on your face as you chow down is totally acceptable but wipe your face and drink some iced tea between bites.

Disposing of the cob should be on your own plate but not back with the good corn that has yet to be eaten.

The season can be brief, just from the end of June to late August.  Some growers are crowding the earlier dates as the corn is worth as much as seven dollars a dozen in early season.  Right now, we are in prime time for quality and abundance.  Look for trailers with an honor box at strategic intersections.  Even though no one is there, your conscience should cause you to put your money in the slot.  Think of the young child, helping grandpa pick a few bushels and promised the proceeds of the sales.  There you go, guilt is an ugly thing.

Sometimes the simplest things are the best.  An ear of immature corn, bred for sweetness and texture, harvested in the midst of summer and boiled right out of the shuck. It just doesn’t get any better.

That's the way I see it. 

I'm Ken Root for Weekend Ag Matters  

January Thaw

Amy experienced Hoiball, Squirrel Dancing, I lapped it, Jane and Ken got hitched

Let's give Mother Nature a round of applause. I'm loving the warm January weather! Though as I write this I am watching snow fluttering to the ground. I'm sure we'll pay the price at some point - but each day is another one closer to spring.

Amy flew into DSM Monday night - returning from her trip to Pittsburgh with boyfriend Corey, who is moving there for training for his job. Tuesday we scored 2 extra tickets just in front of ours to the ISU/KSU game and Amy invited her friend Rachelle to go with us. The last time she saw the Clones play - she was a college student and we had a different coach and attitude. We ate at Brick City Grill prior to the game (voted #1 burger in Iowa this year). The Cyclones didn't play great, but pulled out a victory.

On Wednesday, our friends Jane and Ken came to pick up their wedding stuff. We'd been storing it at our house because they were flying in from Florida for their wedding Saturday in Norwalk. They invited us out to eat - Ken had not met Amy before and Jane hadn't seen her for many years. She designed a logo for him (he's a radio personality) last year as a gift from Jane. We enjoyed a meal with them at the Cheesecake Factory. Besides getting married Saturday, Ken was here to introduce Donald Trump at an event Friday...he was going to work in that he, as the Emcee, was "Fired".  #cornystuffpeoplelove

In the meantime Paul and I squeezed work into the mix. I had an all day workshop Wednesday with everyone with my section on "Teambuilding" at the State Library. The training session was an opportunity for our section members to remember our common goal. Sometimes we start working in "silos" and forget the resources sitting right next to us.

The trainer did an excellent job of keeping us on task while allowing individuals to express themselves. One exercise involved pairing up. One person talked, not using the words "I, Me, We". The other couldn't make eye contact or talk. The exercise showed what people in a group feel like when they don't have a voice. Good stuff. That was frustrating! I believe we'll make some changes to how our section meetings are conducted as a result of this training.

Thursday night is dancing night! We're working on Swing, which we feel fairly comfortable with. Our instructor came by and told us our hands were too high - making us look like squirrels. He told Paul he should look more cool like Fonzi. The two of us got a big chuckle out of that. We laugh a lot during those classes - which is very therapeutic. Thanks to Sherie for

Amy and I had a nice shopping afternoon Friday with lunch. It was my chance to have her all to myself! We cut it short so she could have a phone conference with a flaky customer who ended up never called. #frustratedsmallbizowner  Amy headed to Creston that night to visit her bestie Stormy. Those two have a lifelong bond. Meanwhile...back at the ranch, Paul and I stayed home and rested with pizza and a movie.



Amy models bibs
 

Saturday was gorgeous in Iowa! I headed to the YMCA before 8 a.m. I've been doing water exercises for a few months...and have been eying the lap pool longingly. Is my shoulder up to it? I decided that I'd give it a shot if a lane was open. Lane #1 welcomed me and I cracked off 10 somewhat wavery laps: breaststroke, backstroke, freestyle, sidestroke and kickboard x 2. Yay me! The shoulder did well.

Paul and I did some errands after that - then I was starving! We headed downtown and grabbed some comfort food at the Highlife Lounge. It had been a while since we'd been downtown - it makes me feel alive!



Jane and Ken's wedding was set to following Mass at the Catholic Church in Norwalk. We headed there about 4:30 p.m. It was lovely and heartfelt and included the song "Rooted in Love" - a play on Ken's last name. (I told Paul that I was going to sing "Goldsmithed in Love" to him this morning - but it just doesn't have the same zing...)

We enjoyed meeting the couple's family and friends and we even dance a bit and had our photo taken by the pros. We talked to the Busy Bee couple from the Farmer's Market for a long time. Ken commanded the mic for a while, and later sat with us and told a hilarious story about his radio days. It was a good time!

Introducing the couple

This morning it's snowing. Thanks Mother Nature for the January reminder...
In other news...Odie is feeling better - Yay! Amy flies back to Denver tomorrow - it's been a nice visit.

Paint Gene and my funny Valentine friends

I didn't get it. The art gene I mean. My grandfather had it. Though you never would have known it to look at him or talk to him. He was kind of a crusty quiet guy as I remember - though I was his young granddaughter. So I didn't know him to chat.

After he retired, my grandfather, Wally, (Wallace Bullock) decided to take oil painting lessons in Omaha with his pal Louis Reinig. He turned out to be pretty good! He did his first pic for my sister Susi. Somehow I ended up with it. It's pretty basic - but is historical - and that's why I love it. So maybe there is still hope for me. Bub received awards in local art shows with his paintings - Mom and Dad had several. I chose this southern landscape.

My Aunt Marty is also a good artist. She has done pottery and painted a cute table - nothing along the more classical lines like her father that I know of. She did serve as a docent for the Denver Museum of Art and loves to collect pieces from around the world.

My sister Cindy was the "artsy" sister in our fam, no thanks to Mrs. Nebola the AHS art teacher. I was always so jealous at how easily she whipped up drawings of people. It was a struggle for me, second nature to her. Cindy attended Drake University, graduating in Art Education. Of course she headed right out to Vail,  Colorado after college graduation - refusing to teach art in Bumf#%@, Iowa. She produced some great pieces during her school years - paintings, jewelry and pottery. Lots of talent, my sis.

And then there's our baby girl, Amy Elizabeth. She was practically born drawing. When the local newspaper asked each Kindergartener what they wanted to be when they grew up, she said artist. She nailed it! In 3rd grade when other kids were stressing about poster content during educational fairs, Amy would add that flair to her posters to make sure they "popped". She made the font readable.

Yesterday I had an opportunity to paint. Flop. I do have my creative side...really! But it doesn't seem to involve acrylic paint. Bobbie asked me to go with her and Joan to a place called Social Canvas in Waukee. The place was full - canvas, liquor, paint what's not to like? I wasn't wild about the design but we moved right along - I'm not creative enough to come up with my own design. I'll be the first to admit it - I'm a copy cat!

I nursed a Stella Artois beer and was sad that I had to be so involved in my painting - so I really didn't have time to chat with Bobbie and my former roomie (landlady really) Joan. It took about 2 hours start to finish - $35. I'd like to go again sometime, but would check on the design first. I'm not a "words" person.

Bobbie, left, Joan in the middle - is Bobbie's husband Jeff's sis.

Couldn't go with Live Love Laugh...wish my flower was bigger - just had to go so fast! Are my dots shaped like a kayak? Subliminal...do love my pals and like laughing with them!

That night our friends Jane Ertl and Ken Root came over for Chili. It was great to see them - we chatted and watched the Olympics.

Odie keeps Jane's lap warm

Paul gave Ken one of his shed antlers for a knife hilt - can't wait to see the finished product!

Today Mother Nature let it be known that she's going through "the change". First, rain and 26 degrees. Paul was off due to the Prez Day holiday, so I commuted by myself - icy side streets but the Freeway was okay. After I reached work - where it was misting, it started snowing to beat the band - around 2 inches of wet stuff.

I'd gotten a text from my buddy Julia Hoilien - in town from Boulder on a $100ish airline ticket. She's got longtime friends up near Ames. We'd decided to do an early lunch before her flight home and I asked Jane Ertl who was still in town as Ken had an MCing gig (he's a radio dude -he's got a great radio voice) that day. We went to Smokey Roe for an early lunch together - a delightful time!

I'm the luckiest girl to have such wonderful people in my life. What a great Valentines weekend.

Yessir - that's my buddy! Love my Jules - we've become such good friends
 

Have known this kiddo since sophomore year in college - love and admire her greatly!

Fish 'n Eastern Iowa Transplants (mostly)

Headed to Norwalk - St. John's Catholic Church for their weekly Friday fish fry last night with a couple groups. First, we were invited by my long-time (notice I didn't say OLD)pal, Jane Ertl. I met her in college. She was friends with people who posted a note in the 'vator looking for chicks to go skiing over spring break.

Yep, that's right. My roomie, Vicki and I saw one of those signs in the Maple residence hall elevator - a sign with the little pull off tabs - that said something like: "looking for girls to share expenses for spring break ski trip to Colorado".

Vic and had gone to Vail over spring break the year before. We stayed with my sis Cindo and her roomies in East Vail. Cindy moved to Colorado after graduating from Drake in Art Education. She realized she didn't wish to teach in Bum#$%*, Iowa and some of her friends had moved west - so she followed. I was in my "all about me" me stage at that time in my life (18, preparing to attend ISU) and really didn't pay much attention to what my parents were talking about. Thinking about it now...I'm sure there were many loud conversations between Cindy and them about this development. "What about teaching art?"

Cindy and I have talked about it since then, and she's told how determined she was not to have to admit defeat on "making it" in Colorado. She worked several jobs to make ends meet - determined not to have to move back or ask for help. Cindy lived with a couple gals in part of a roundish house in East Vail. Vic and I shared the fold out couch - um not comfy. At the same time another Atlantic friend visited - Scott Deter, who was in grad school at Michigan State. So it was a full house. I think one of her roomies, Debbie Rouser, stayed with a friend to make room for Scott.

It was fun - we skied a lot and were so exhausted we were really too tired to party. We must have had high hopes in that regard, as I remember dragging hanging clothes on the plane, the bus and shuttle bus to Bart and Yeti's in Lionshead - just one of the places Cindo worked. It's a pub/restaurant - named after the owner's dogs, who really did hang out there. We dragged a lot of fancy clothes we never ended up wearing.

Anyway, back to the 'Vator note. Sophomore year we decided a group trip would be fun, but none of our pals were up for it. Vic pulled the note tab and made the call. The rest is history. I've lost connections with most of the people we traveled with - mostly first floor Maple gals (except Jane) Jolene Magill (sp?), Cindy (CA) Nutt, Deb Enzler, Terry something, and Jane - who was a fam friend of Deb E. Later some of us ended up living at 230 Campus Avenue - where I met Paul G. Goldsmith...Jane grew up in and still lives in Dyersville. She went to high school with Paul at Beckman - the Catholic school there.

Last night Jane was heading to Norwalk to see her guy, Ken Root, who lived in Norwalk for several years and got involved with the Knights of Columbus there - they head up the fish fry. In the meantime, Paul had talked to his sis Carol, from Northwood (Northern Iowa) who was headed down to see daughter Barb and fam - husband Mike and their cutie 8th grade daughter Mandy. Last fall they moved to a lovely townhome on the north side of Norwalk. Paul made arrangements for all of us to go for fish!

Barb grew up in Farley - not far from Dubuque. That's where Carol and her first husband Irv had a farm, before Irv's early death from a form of Alzheimer's disease. Carol, Barb and Jane played the "do you know" game while we ate fish, and Mandy found a friend from school to talk to. Ken is a radio/TV guy - so he can talk about anything! It was a nice time. When it was time to go, Paul even started up a conversation with one of the guys working - he was wearing a uniform, DM Police Dept. It turns out he was the guy who shot the mountain lion last summer. Ken needed to set up for another event the next night so Jane, Paul and I decided to drive over to Cumming to check out the Tap there.

Love this pic of the schoolmates - and couldn't make myself cut out the guy in the bibs in the background...

We went into Norwalk to another local joint when Ken joined us. It is a big karaoke night in town...but we resisted taking the microphone. I didn't have my backup singers - Diana and Bobbie...
Fun night! Note - I was drinking H2O on that night. In preparation for Saturday?

It pays to live...

Deep in the heart of Iowa. DSM. The Capital City, where people come to shop and work. And visit their children and their boyfriend.

Al and Sharon on a warmer night (San Antonio 2011)

We benefited from all of the above last weekend and Monday! We love it! Friday night I was tired from a long week at work. Paul had gotten home late, and we were just hanging out when I got a call from my friend Sharon Higgins. She and Al were on their way home from daughter Amanda's, and they could stop if we were home. Hell yes!

 

Our place can be a bit confusing to get to - especially in the dark. We saw them drive by once on Cody Drive. Our red rope lights on the deck helped clue them into our location. We enjoyed showing them our new home, then they sat and talked for a bit. We even scored a nice housewarming gift, a nice bottle of wine in a cloth Cyclone bag. It's so nice that people stop to see us.

Saturday we got up early and went to HyVee before the crowds. I enjoy all the choices there - cheeses and organic Stonyfield yogurt. Paul is going to try Chobani yogurt. (I know he's really going out on a limb, huh...) I baked cookies that afternoon while Paul worked on shelves for his hunting closet. The Cyclone Men's basketball team was playing late in the afternoon in Des Moines but we chose not to spend $70 per ticket. It was on TV, but we headed off to Mass at St. Francis at 4:30 PM. Just as I sat down, my old pal (and someone Pablo knew at Beckman HS in Dyersville) Jane Ertl, in town visiting her boyfriend Ken Root, tried to call. I quickly texted her "In Mass".


Ken and Jane on a trip

Turns out they were headed to Mass too - in Norwalk. They came to our place later where we shared a bottle of Kendall Jackson and some cheese. Dang - I should have had some good stuff on hand instead of just plain 'ol Kraft! Jane brought us koozies from her biz in Dyersville (Dville Diecast) and a potholder she knitted herself! Quite impressive.

Then we headed to a Hibachi grill near Costco. We sat in a booth, but could hear the entertainment on the other side of the wall - drums and chanting! We had a nice time chatting and catching up. We really liked meeting Ken who is in radio broadcasting. They seem to have a great time together - enjoying the same activities, biking, kayaking and travel. I'm so glad Jane has met someone like Ken.

Sunday was similar to Saturday - I ran errands and shopped. Don't tell Odie the wonder pooch but she scored a blingy pink collar. I'm saving it for Christmas though. I've been working on the Christmas letter, and then had to get the new printer set up to poop it out! Wireless, yo! I'm so proud of myself. Plus I baked another batch of cookies, as I wasn't sure I liked the new recipe I tried the day before - they had crushed peppermint sticks in them, and turned out kinda dry.


Don and Diana at last year's bowl game pre-game party

Just when the Packer game was winding down, Paul got a text from Don McKim, who was sitting at Champps sipping a cold one while wife Dianna shopped. So we headed over there to see our buddies. Hugs all around. I've missed those kids! D had texted me a pic of a lemondrop Friday night - she was celebrating after the Panthers knocked off the Harlan Cyclones in Boys hoops. It made me miss living in Crestonia. But here they were and we got all caught up!

Monday nights my bestie Deb Peterson works in Ankeny. After work she needed to do some errands, including a stop at Scheels, near our home. So I met her at the mall - (it was take your dog to see Santa night...lots of yipping!), then we came back to our place for some Pablo chili. Deb's such a wonderful friend and her visit brightened my week. Between all those Creston peeps we're now caught up on the Creston doins!


Deb and me at her son Keith's wedding

So fun to see everyone. Makes moving not quite so lonely. Perhaps we should keep this Christmas shopping pace going all year long. Naw. But we do enjoy the company!