Perfect tailgate

Mother nature dialed up a perfect day for the Iowa State vs. Iowa football game yesterday. It didn't have the ending Cyclone fans wanted, but supplied everything else. I must be mellowing because for some reason the loss didn't hurt quite as much as usual. I'm not totally reformed...I still woke up dreading the newspaper headlines this morning.

After last year's illness and frozen shoulder - which all hit about now in 2014, I'm really enjoying tailgating this year. Especially since our friends Kevin and Kari sharing their trailer for games and we have a home back in D3 - the RV section. We aren't eating out of a trunk of a car like we had been the past couple years -  since our pals the McKims traded up - from tailgating RV to lake home at the Ozarks. Woohoo!



First bloody mary of the season - Paul and Kevin

Don and Diana met Kevin and Kari during their RV - D3 years and we got to know them through the tailgating neighborhood. Kevin works for John Deere and back when we first met them they lived in the Quad Cities - deep in the heart of Hawkeye country. Nowadays, Kevin lives in Ames during the week - not far from Jack Trice stadium, working for John Deere in Ankeny, while Kari holds down the fort back east. They have basketball tickets so we got together with them for several games during the season.

Paul and I arrived in Ames around 8:30 a.m. yesterday as we wanted to beat the crowd. Too late! We had a chance to chat with Kevin and Kari before the others arrived. This week we did a better job of organizing our food flow. Burgers were on the menu. Our setup was right by the road and it made for great people watching - groups hiked in from other parking spots, wandering by to find their tailgating sites. It was amazing how many of the groups were mixed - black, red, gold - it was all there.

Buddies have shots before the game - Don misses having young women to pour them for...

Now that all three Nielson kids are attending ISU, and this was the big state game. Our tailgating site was Creston central and I loved it! After Todd and Beth arrived, so did a group of about 15 kids. Along with some other parents like another former neighbor Kit Mostek. Their daughter Natalie is attending DMCC in Boone, playing softball. Twin Maria is at NWMSU running cross country. They made it to the game to see their pals. Several people from Paul's work stopped by - some had been to the Tip Top (dive bar that opens in the morning) to start the day, so they were feeling no pain. Conovers and McKims worked the room, I mean area.

Hosts Kevin and Kari's kids arrived - they are around Jud and Amy's ages. I hope they got some food - we ran out at one point and had to grill more! Then K&K were off to Davenport for a wedding reception. They didn't even get to attend the game. Now that's determination to tailgate!

You may not know this but I am a bit of an introvert. I can be outgoing when I know people, but really prefer talking one to one. I enjoyed a nice conversation with Katie McKim's former roomie Jordan. She dogsat Odie before - when they all lived near us and we got to know her then. What a great young lady - she's an actuary who helps coach in her hometown of Guthrie Center. I also liked catching up with Kit Mostek and Sherry Walters, talking mostly about their kids and ours.

Then it was gametime. Oh the pageantry! Our stadium upgrade is fab by the way - the south end zone has been filled in with a fancy club area up above and seating below. We love the new Jumbotron above. Both marching bands were there (ours was best if I do say so myself). The game was ever so close until the last few minutes when the Hawkeyes pulled away. Somewhere my Mom and Dad were cheering, along with my grandparents. ISU couldn't muster any offense in the second half and the better team won.

After the game, we gathered back in D3, but Cyclones fans weren't in a real party mood. There was packing up to do and our engineer friend Kevin had left a photo of just how to fit all the gear into the trailer. It was a slow drive home - that was a lot of cars heading out of town.

Don't let them fool you - Diana and I helped load this sucker too!

I had texted Amy and Jud the night before the game - wishing they were going to be there with us. That would have been the icing on cake. And a win of course. Next year, baby!

Chopsticks

We saw a sign on the corner of 50th and Ashworth on our way home from work today - "Learn to Play Piano". Paul told me it would be a good way for me to earn money too - to teach kids to play piano. That would be swell if they only wanted to know how to play part of "Skip To My Lou". I don't think their parents would spring for the big bucks for that.

It is pretty impressive that Mary Lou Sandhorst taught me that song long ago and I still know how to play (part) of it. Three whole years of tickling the ivory keys. I know I didn't practice much - despite Mom's harping. Each week I'd ride my bike to the Sandhorst home, just a few blocks from ours - where I'd assault the ears of the Sandhorst family. Our wiener dog Jud would follow me over and hang around in the neighborhood while I had my lesson.

When I hit sixth grade, Mom gave up and I finally was able to quit piano lessons. We were all relieved - Mom, Mrs. S and me. A few of my friends kept playing and later I found that I was a bit jealous of them - their skill. Good job Candice and Chris and all you others who stuck with it.

Fast forward years later. I'm a parent. Daughter Amy decided piano might be nice to play. She started on a keyboard - fed by several sized D batteries. That worked for a bit - but it didn't cut it once she got a little more sophisticated. Hmmm. We needed a real piano - but how? That's where Creston Radio's Trading Post came to the rescue. Someone had a FREE piano down by Diagonal - it just had to be collected.

Not our "barn" piano - but similar, except these ivories are better

Paul, Steve and Jeff were on it. It was in the barn - complete with bird poop. Not every key had ivory and grime abounded. We did our best to clean it up and it cost $60 to get the thing tuned. Then I had the bright idea to sponge paint it - that was big then. Cream for the base - with dusty rose and a country blue. How very 90's! Still, it did look cheery. And oh how she played it! "I'll Be There For You" the Friends theme was a fave.

Maybe someday Amy can give piano lessons - teaching kids that song. haha

Good discussion

I finally broke through and attended a Reading Discussion Group last week. My first since my Creston days, though I've missed this activity a great deal. Especially when I talk to others who are in groups - hearing about the books they are reading. Comments like, "Nope, I can't make it that night, I have book club and we're taking treats and drinking wine!" Jealousy is my name when I hear that.

I miss the Book Chicks - the club I was once a part of in Creston. Many years ago my pal Deb and I decided we needed to start a club - so I stuck a sign up at Matilda Gibson Public Library asking people to email me if they were interested. I had picked a book, and one of the potential participants offered to host! That was the start of our little group.

Thea's House in Creston - many stories told here

The group ebbed and flowed through the years, but it was anchored by Deb, me and Thea - the eternal hostess who lived in a fabulous brick home on the north side of town with a pool in the back. Thea had a couple "girls", her dogs who would greet us at the door. Peaches was huge, but very friendly. I met so many awesome women during that time - some that had lived in Creston for a long time and others who were new to town. Some of them stayed in the group for many years and others found that it didn't fit their schedules or they couldn't keep up with the reading. Or they didn't like us! haha

Deb with Thea

We met monthly. I sure looked forward to those meetings - even when I didn't really like the month's book. Every member could suggest titles, and Sue, the librarian would obtain copies of the books for all of us through Inter-library loan at a fee of $1. It was a great system.

The discussion/therapy sessions were classic. Some meetings left me chuckling for nights afterward. Most books came with prepared discussion questions and I tried to make sure everyone had a chance to share her (we never did attract any guys) thoughts and opinions. We often veered off the trail and into more personal topics/politics and our work and everyday lives. I really got to know these women and remain friends and Facebook friends with many of them today.

It was a sad day when lovely Thea let us know that she was ill with cancer. I blogged about her before - as she became such a good friend through our mutual love of books. Thea passed away in 2012 and I sure miss her and think about her often.

Our book club tried to carry on during Thea's illness and after her death - but we lost our steam. I was commuting back and forth and getting ready to move to DSM in 2012. The Book Chicks stopped meeting and I was without a club in a new city.

I kind of went into mourning - like when your dog dies. I wasn't ready to adopt a new one. It took a long time. Oh I'd listen to others talk about theirs. Then I'd look at books clubs were reading. I was getting ready. Finally, last month I noticed that the West Des Moines Library offered a title and a September 1st meeting date for their discussion group. I decided to go.

I had to laugh when the date came around and I noticed that on my work calendar it popped up as "Adult Book Discussion Group". I must have typed in like that because the library also has Kids groups. Yet it did make it sound a bit spicier than the book - "A Land More Kind Than Home"
which I purchased and read on my Nook. The book was not my usual genre and it was depressing - but I slogged my way through it. So I could discuss it with the adults!

I arrived at the WDM Library last Tuesday at the appointed time - joined by around 18 other women (most guys aren't into book club evidently). A librarian was in charge. Most of the women were longtime attendees and were exchanging pleasantries before the meetings. I was the new kid.

To discuss the book, we went around the table - the meeting was in a small room on the second floor - introducing ourselves and stating if we liked the book and why/not. As about the 12th speaker, I didn't have a lot new to add. Once we made it through everyone there was more wide open discussion. The differing opinions on the book amazed me. One person found humor in it. What? It was about death and destruction - an evil pastor who killed people in the name of God. But I enjoyed the discussion and just having an outlet like that again - though I couldn't let swear words slip out and there was no liquor involved...it'll do. One gal did bring chocolate!

The librarian (I'm terrible with names) gave us next month's book. I will be glad to go. Here's to you Thea, and other friends from Book Chicks! I miss you all.

Another season

It's another year of following Iowa State University football - always an adventure. Usually not a winning one, yet we continue on the path.

My first experience attending a Cyclone game was with the Rodgers family. Wayne and Anna Day took me along with their daughter Sally for the homecoming game. Sal's sister Cindy was an ISU student so it must have been around 1970 and it was Clyde Williams Field (later Amy lived in a dormitory built on/near that site). Prior to that game, my only college football experience was of the Hawkeye nature - wearing black and gold, watching the Hawks getting pounded by Purdue 60-3.

I can't say I fell in love with Cyclone football that day, but it began a long relationship that I doubt ever ends. I'm a Clone through thick and thin. Yes, we've had a lot of thin - yet from the sellout crowd lined up to attend today, you'd never know it. Cyclone fans are the best damn fans in the country if I do say so myself. Sure we complain, are filled with angst over the state of the programs at times - yet, build it and we will come.

One of my fave football pics

At least at the beginning of the year when tailgating is good. The truth is, we like each other! We like the traditions of the game, arriving at our tailgating spots to meet others from around the state - they may be relatives, college friends of long ago or co-workers. Some people park by the same groups year after year. We spent game week planning the menu and stocking the bar. It's a little like camping!

During the day, cheer squads wander by to sell T-shirts and calendars. Food is served. It's fun to see what's on the menu across the huge expanse of parking lot. The band marches by. Friends stop by for a beer. We walk to visit other people's tailgates. There are the phone calls, "no - we're under the pirate flag by C-4" - talking them into our site. I'm pleased to report that most of the Port-A-Potties now have hand washing stations - an upgrade in the past year. Kids toss the football and play Cornhole (it's not what you think - it's like bean bag toss).

Right before the game there's the rush to get organized. Where's my ticket? What else am I taking? Do I need a jacket? Hat? Sip that last beer on the way into the game. Then we greet the folks around us in the stadium. We've sat in Section B for many years with a group of friends. (We miss a few who no longer purchase season tickets :>( )The people around us are like neighbors. Some are like irritating neighbors...like the woman who sits behind us and has been known to yell, "Run Forward!" when we have the ball. Jeez. No shit lady.

I thought Dee was going to jack her or her equally dumb spouse, as she has little patience for idiotic comments. The guy the sits by Paul is as intense as Jud can be about sports but now he brings his adorable kids and is trying so hard to be a "good sport."


2014 - wow, my hair actually obeyed

Ooh we love our band and they sit not too far from us in the North end zone. Now ISU has filled in the South End Zone and has placed a huge screen TV screen above. Nice viewing from our end. It's going to be awesome. Let's hope the team is up to their part! I'm full of pre-season optimism. It can't be as bad as last year, right? I am pulling for our coach as I like the guy. I hope we avoid injuries and have some luck to go with better talent on defense. If we lose...on to the next game, right?

Go Cyclones!

Flailing into the future

I moved into a new era of music and reading in 2015. Bluetooth. It's not the same as blue hair - though I'm getting closer to being a bluehair. My pal Sarah Darby at Sahar is helping me hold off the gray.

I was thinking about my music progression from my first little record player until now - a hip (in my own mind - let me pretend) empty nester a little late in adopting Bluetooth technology. Once you cross the line into the new technology, you don't want to go back!

After my little Motorola record player (I think I only had a couple albums including the first Jackson Five), I received a cassette player for Christmas one year. I must have been in sixth or seventh grade. My first cassette was the Grass Roots.

When I graduated from high school, I received my highly prized stereo with cassette and turntable - able to play multiple LP disks. That thing earned its keep during my college years. Man there was some good music put out during the 1970's! Though my college roomie used to force me to listen to Barry Manilow as we drifted off to sleep. I still have nightmares about that.

Later, Paul and I purchased a better stereo with a turntable, receiver and speakers. It played cassettes too and we invested in buying all our former LPs in cassettes - so we could listen to them in car. How modern!

Next thing we knew, Compact Discs were the thing and I joined some club to replace all my cassettes with that format. "Best Of" all of my favorites plus a few new bands I liked on CD. After that, folks were sharing free MP3 songs on the Internet. I have to admit I snared a few. I figured I'd purchased many of those songs 3 times already!

Then I downloaded iTunes. Legit! For the last few years I've managed my music that way. I also checked out CDs from a couple libraries too - for my listening pleasure. Some of that music is now on my hard drive. My music library is a mish-mash of tunes purchased from Wal-Mart, the music club, downloaded from iTunes and from library CDs and who knows where else.

Now, I'm pleased to report some of it is on my iPhone organized in Playlists. It was painful figuring out how to upload the music onto my phone. Because I'm not a whiz kid when it comes to this stuff I flail away. It comes to me in fits and starts and stops. I give up and then try again. I used US Cellular points for wireless earbuds. They're linked to my phone. And I have now linked my phone to my car. The magical technology linking the buds and car to my phone is Bluetooth.

I even download most of my reading material to my iPhone. I listen to Audiobooks downloaded via OverDrive Software from the West Des Moines Library. I can listen to books through the car speakers of our newer Subaru while I commute to work and around town (like the two times I drove to PetCo today when I forgot my wallet in my backpack from yesterday's road work trip and they held Odie for ransom until I paid for her toenail trimming).

Once one adopts new technology it's hard to go back. Like flat screen HD televisions. The old ones make my eyeballs hurt. Sometimes I get disappointed with my trusty old Subaru when I realize it doesn't "have the stuff" to emit my books via Bluetooth. I'm spoiled already.

I'm excited to see what technology I flail into next.

Happy Birthday to my dad, Davey B. He would have been 87 today!

One of those pics where I am happy to realize that I moved on from that look...

Proud pappa

 

Friends for humanity

I'm still basking in the glow of a fabulous trip to Oregon with five of my best friends in this world. As I traveled to see them last Thursday my mantra to myself was that I wanted to be able to fill up their buckets over the weekend. And with any luck, I'd get my pail filled too. You know that deal - each day you start with a pail and some people scoop it out and others scoop stuff into it - filling you up.

I kinda needed some filling. It feels good to help fill others' pails too. This year Sal had invited us to Oregon. Two days at the beach and two days at her place on the Sandy River. Robyn, Paula, Chris, Julia and I were all able to make it. Pam couldn't make it, sadly. We had to make due with - you guessed it (or maybe not) a can of Pam.

I was the last to arrive at the airport. Wouldn't you know it - they had made a new friend, Eddie the bartender. And had a few drinks...

Eddie loves the AHS Class of '76

And we were off! To Rockaway Beach on the Oregon Coast - a nice 3 bedroom little condo. We hung out, talked, walked on the beach and laughed. My ribs got sore. On Friday afternoon we stopped by a little spot and picked up dungeness crab for the evening meal. My good cook friends took care of meal prep. The crab was already steamed. There were yummy red potatoes and a delish peach salad too. A meal fit for the queens that we are. We talked politics, health, family, sports - all of it.

After supper,  Jules broke out her Cards Against Humanity game. It's pretty raunchy but was quite fun - and this from a known game scrooge (me). We howled with laughter at times. Robyn kicked our butts - clever gal that she is. Each night I was first to go to bed. It seems laughing wears me out! But I was up early.

On Saturday we shopped a bit in our little beach burg. I scored some colorful fingerless gloves for work (aka the frozen cubicle). Then we were on our way to wine country via cheese country - Tillamook. It was a fun day with a couple wine tastings and a picnic at a place called White Rose - just like our favorite Atlantic bar. We'd picked up chicken and pork at a roadside grocery store in one of the small towns on the route.  Too bad there was any Armie and Irma.

Wine tasting

Sally and husband Bob's place on the Sandy River is perfect and so was the weather. We arrived there Saturday evening. It was a nice relaxing night sitting on the deck. On Sunday morning we went out to breakfast before saying goodbye before two of our group had to say goodbye - Robyn and Chris.

With our friend the bear

 We went for a hike that afternoon. The Sandy River is low. And it was smoky in the area due to fires in Washington. The drought is taking its toll. Paula, Julia, Sal and I watched a movie that night, and headed to the airport Monday morning.

Sitting on the deck at Sal's solving the world's problems

Julia took off first, but Sal and I got to meet Paula's friend Vic who flew in to meet her. They were going to travel on to Seaside, Seattle, Victoria and finally a cruise in Alaska. That sounded better than going back to work! My flight stretched late into the night, but I wasn't sad or grumpy. I was smiling.

My pail was full from a few days with my besties. Those are some great ladies. They shared their joy, sorrows, aches and pains. And listen to mine. Somehow that helps me feel better. Sharing the one's load always does. They filled me in on life tips and recipes.

Sally thinks we should put together a booklet from the weekend full of all the information passed out through our time together. I don't think Julia has a recipe for that salads she created - she just knows how to throw stuff together and make them fantastic. Rob can do it too. Just like the hair gene...I don't have that food/entertainment gene either. I need an actual recipe. I am able to spout off many insignificant factoids however - a font of knowledge! Too bad that doesn't feed anyone. Paula is also competent in the kitchen. Though she, Chris and I tended to work on the clean up crew. Rob is also an excellent bartender. Great skills that girl.

Good thing I get to see them all again next summer at our 40th Class Reunion in Atlantic (or risk the wrath of Roger Underwood).

Fair Time

Last week I worked 46 hours from Sunday through Wednesday hording vacation time to spend with my girls. I worked the first Sunday of the fair, then Monday and Tuesday. And this is what I ate:

• Corndog (token on a stick thing) with lemonade shakeup
• Dutch Letter
• Chocolate Chip cookies from the Pella Bakery - they were stuffed with a brownie like material (1 each day)
• Walking Taco
• Pulled turkey sandwich
• Pulled pork sandwich

I took my own tea each day - saving $ on that. By the last day, I was ready to be done with fair food.

On Sunday, my first day at the fair, I walked all over checking out the stuff I like to see. The 4-H exhibits, the giant pig and bull. Horses, big and small. The Ag and Varied Industries Buildings. One poor guy fashioned his own violin out of wood only to receive a white ribbon. I gave it a blue for effort!

Muralist - working on a fair mural Sunday

beautiful leather rigging for horses

I love the people watching! And interacting with them in the DNR environmental trailer that I work in. This year I told the kids coming through the trailer that they needed to fill me in on what they learned in the trailer to earn a fabulous prize - either a little tape measure or a lime green backpack. They got a mood pencil free. Most of the children enjoyed the prize challenge. They would go check out the light bulbs - incandescent, CFL or LED -which is the most efficient? Or they could watch a short video or read information on the wall.

I'd quiz them - "What can you do at your house to save energy?" If they were stumped we'd talk about turning off lights or shutting off the water when they brush their teeth. It takes a lot of energy to make clean water! I'd ask what kinds of things they recycle at their house. I enjoyed it! My last day to work at the fair, it rained and I was ready to be done by 9 p.m. when my shift ended.

No - not stained glass - windows made from water bottles gleaned from an event I helped with near our home

When I got home from the fair that last night, I packed for my trip to Oregon the next day. Yay!