My old Crestony Home

Any excuse for a party, and breakfast, and/or drinks! That's been the motto for my Creston homegirls these past few years. I've written about the group before - they are my homies, my gals - my clique.

I first learned that word - clique - in 6th grade (of course I thought it was "click") when Mrs. Nancy Pellett, the teacher used that word like it was a bad thing. And perhaps she was right in that case...we did have a large group of girls who had just learned how to be snotty. We could be bullies. Mrs. Pellett (related by marriage to the nice Pellett families - I think she and her husband (Gary?) eventually divorced) wasn't any help in dealing with us though.

There were two sections of sixth grade at our school - each with about 30 students. The other class had a teacher named Mrs. Harter. I perceived her as a crotchety old women, who used the word Shiste (not sure of the spelling) as an expletive. Doesn't that sound suspiciously like Shit!? She was no help with budding potential bullies in need of guidance. Of course bad then there were no counselors at Washington Elementary. We received little formal input on our behavior. We could have used some!

Wiki defines the word Clique as, "persons who interact with each other more regularly and intensely than others in the same setting". Even though I'm not it the same setting (Creston) anymore, I'm still in the group, thank goodness. Everyone needs a group.

Each year the homegirls have a holiday party - usually after the holidays so the pressure is off. Linda volunteered to host this year. McKims volunteered to host us overnight at their home. They even offered to have Odie, but I arranged for her to go to the Puppy Spa at Lila and Bill's - where she always went when we lived in town. I knew they'd be going through Odie withdrawals.

Prior to the trip, we bought supplies at the cult clubhouse - Costco. I was going to make a cheesecake, but then saw one there. And we bought brown water - Black Velvet and some Fess Parker chardonnay. After doing errands and a bit of cleaning Saturday a.m., we watched most of the ISU men's game before we hit the road. Odie was thrilled to go with us until she found out we were visiting Mendy at Creston Vet Clinic for a nail trim and another procedure involving her bottom. It's much cheaper to get that stuff done here than in the big city.

We found time to swing by our former house after that - we noticed they weed wacked Paul's native prairie area, but there were no trees missing. We'd heard tell that they had gotten a Christmas tree off of their own property.

Then we went to McKims. I thought it might seem awkward, but it didn't - since we've spent quite a bit of time there through the years. They're the kind of hosts that make one feel right at home. The Broncos/Ravens game was on. Jeff McFee arrived about 5:30, sans Bobbie who is in Idaho for work. Missing that girl!

We thought it was safe to leave for the party with the Broncos leading with a minute left. Wrong! By the time we got to Linda's, a couple minutes away, the game was in overtime and the Broncos went on to lose. A lot of Broncos fans in my family are not happy campers after that game! When we arrived at Linda's we got hugs from everyone - even the guys! I'm digging that part about being from another town now - I love hugs.

The guys retired downstairs to watch the Packers/San Francisco fame and we stayed upstairs to chat. And eat. I brought along my friend Jeremiah. Weed. Sweet tea vodka. There were 3 kinds of soup and I opted for Reuben - complete with sauerkraut. It was delish! Roll Call: Linda's BF (and my former hazardous materials tech) Mick Landers, Deb and Larry Peterson, Patti Kralik and Dean Leith, Susan and Brian Weinheimer, Nancy and Jim Anthony and the people who came with us. The missing: Bobbie, Pat and Steve Moeller and Lucy and Jim Hyde.
I did a lousy job taking photos this year...;>(

Patti, Deb, Nancy and Diana

Susan and Linda

I love these ladies. I don't have to pretend to be nice with them. I can just be my sarcastic self! They know my kids and I know theirs. We talked about Creston stuff - the basketball game and life in general. We used our collective memories to remember what people's names are that did that one thing that one time. We laughed at ourselves like only old friends can. It was relaxing and fun. I miss these guys!

So while the upstairs conversation went exceedingly well. The Packers game didn't - Paul and Larry are big fans. They weren't happy. Thank goodness for BV and Coke. When the game was over, we decided to head to The Lobby for karaoke and a bit of dancing.

Diana sings, while Don channels John Belushi

It was fun to go to a bar where we could see more people while we were in town. I saw Retta Baker as we walked in, and chatted with her for a while. The Baker kids went to school with Amy and Jud at St. Malachy. In the karaoke room my old pal Jeanne Piel and her hubby Sheriff Rick, and their son Chris with his partner Jason Hoke were hanging out. I haven't seen any of them in person for so darn long - hugs again! Barb and Joe Feld and family (they moved away some 10 years ago or so) were back in town celebrating Barb's 50th birthday. I also saw Brittany - the cute young Creston teacher we have run into at the bowl games the past 2 years.

Paul talked to a kid around Jud's age with an Atlantic connection - Lynn Kinen (Chuck and Collette's daughter) McCabe's son Bryant McCabe. We danced and Don and Diana sang. Don sang the Rodeo Song....a song that always reminds me of our years camping at Ridgeland, Wisconsin and floating the Apple River. I think it was after 1 a.m.  when we left The Lobby - Paul was lobbying us to stop at Sidetracked - the bar across the tracks, but smarter wives prevailed.

I must say we weren't moving real fast this a.m. when Diana served a great breakfast casserole complete with my fave tailgating food - sticky pecan rolls. We headed home around 11 a.m. Odie was happy to see us! We were sad to see Creston in our rear view mirror, but happy to be together when we walked into our WDM home. I don't miss packing on Sundays. Thanks girls (especially Linda for hosting) - let's get together again soon! Thanks McKims for the hospitality!

Party at the Lobby

I'm served up like Turtle Soup Bob Berning used to serve in his Chef's hat

It's our last weekend as Crestonites. We're going through some stress right now. Our Bro-In-Law is dying. We are moving from the town we've lived in for many years - so there are lots of details to attend to. We are living in temporary quarters. Paul has started a new job and I am in charge of a 1 1/2 day workshop this coming week at work. Even are dog is feeling it. Pressure!

We talked about it on our way to Colorado last week. I was in the mood to be bitchy to Paul and I'm sure he felt the same. Ready to snap. You know how it is - when the going gets rough - take it out on your spouse. We talked it out - recognizing the number of stressers we have on us.  No big knock down drag out fights so far. The movers come tomorrow. They will pack everything and load stuff into the truck. It sure is nice that we don't have to pack. So that helps the stress level. I am packing my undies, as I don't wish to have guys I don't know pawing through my drawers...(or even guys I know).

A few weeks ago we decided we wanted to have a going away party before we leave town. So we asked Tim Gray owner of The Lobby - the newest bar downtown if we could have it in the new room attached to the bar. The Lobby is at the former Bernings. That was where our first realtor Betty Brown took us for lunch when we visited Creston on our househunting trip. Bob and Frieda Berning operated the restaurant and hotel - years later we'd get to know them pretty well. Back on that first day, Hollywood Susie was sitting in the Red Room, in the back of the restaurant. She was wearing her crocheted beer can hat. Quite a character! When I saw that hat, I knew this was going to be my kinda town!

Anyway - I digress. Tim said we could have a party in the new room. We could hire a DJ. No charge for the room, as long as we would invited people who would purchase liquor. Hmmm that might be arranged. I called up Billy O. the DJ/Karaoke guy and we were set for November 10th at 8 p.m. Last night - party time baby!

Joni and Bill

It's not easy to get up for a party when your heart is heavy. But my sister Cindy had urged me to have fun. And I know Bolder would be all for it. We have to live. It doesn't help them for the rest of us to be sad all the time. We got to the Lobby about 7:30 pm. Dan and Denise Miller were already there because they thought the party started at 7 p.m. Denis and Mendy Ritzman arrived shortly after we did. Then the rest of the folks started rolling in. I was pleased to see Nancy and Kenton Groth, and Barb and Steve Crittenden stopped by too. I was happy that our neighbors Joni and Bill Taylor attended. They have been so good to us through the years...watching the house, loaning Paul their truck.

Billy O and his wife set up the music and we all moved into the party room, which is attached to the regular bar through a large doorway - so everyone at the Lobby could enjoy the tunes. It was a good thing too, because there were some darn good singers in the crowd - great for karaoke! One was a surgical nurse - a young woman in her 20's who did a great Carrie Underwood. Amy's classmate Haley Walters was there - though she didn't perform her single (from Facebook) "Crushin" she did sing a Bonnie Raitt tune. Near the end of the evening, Deb and I sang backup for Dan Miller on "You Don't Call Me Darlin". He's great on that song!

I'm no lead singer - but Dan is! Deb and I back him up

Home girls lookin' good!

And we danced. Did I mention all my fave peeps were there. Besides the ones already mentioned - The homegirls and their fellas: Joan Weis, Patti Kralik (see I didn't call her Antisdel), Deb Peterson, Pat Moeller, Susan Weineheimer, Nancy Anthony, Bobbie McFee, Diana McKim. Man, how I'll miss them. I reminded them I must be invited to their holiday gathering. Let's hope they don't forget! Deb broke the dancing ice by requesting "Love Shack". I gots to dance to that song! 15 miles to the Love Shack! There were many favorites. One thing I found is that I'm not bad at line dancing when I've only had a couple beers. We finally dragged the guys out to dance when the song "Shout" was played. McKims really got in the spirit and flopped onto the floor on their backs. Too soon it was over.

We had fun dancing

I was tired though. And I knew I had underpants to pack today! My last day as a Crestonite. It's been a good run.