Port-O-Potty Surprise

The Iowa State football team is less than stellar this year, disappointing fans fresh off another good basketball season. Cyclone fans are a loyal bunch sticking with teams through thick and thin. It's been mostly thin for football lately. Still, we do love to tailgate.

Last Saturday was a lovely day. Iowans have been blessed with great fall weather after a rainy summer. We arrived in Ames after noon for a 6 p.m. game with #3 Texas Christian University. The hits just keep on coming for our team. Couldn't we play Kansas again?

Our tailgating pals the Ereckes had set up the rig in the RV section the night before. Slick! Walking tacos were on the menu. McKims couldn't make the game - a little family thing. Don's folks were celebrating 60 years of marriage. Yep, I'd opt for that over a football game any day. Congrats to Margaret and Fred! Loved the photos of them dancing while at Don and Diana's lake place.

Margaret and Fred - great role models for us youngsters

Since Paul and I had arrived early, we had time to wander around a bit and visit on of our fave guys - Cy. He smiles season after season. Guess it's because he's set in bronze.

The tailgating rig was perched next to one of Kevin Erecke's workmate's group. They are a fun young group to watch and they seem to love sharing with us - yummy ribs that weekend. Our friends stopped by to see us. Always love hanging out with Dwight and Marilyn Conover who discovered Kevin's college friend occupies Dwight's old bank office near Marshalltown. Iowa Nice! A group of Paul's work friends stopped by and it was fun to chat with them too. Tailgating is just like a lil neighborhood. 

I especially enjoy spending time with my friend Kari who is having some health issues right now - she needs your healing thoughts and prayers ya'll. Kevin and Kari are great people and we sure have enjoyed getting to know them - via McKims and this tailgating community.

After a couple hours of tailgating and a couple beers, that time came - I needed to use the port-o-potty. Ugh. There was a group of three not far from our setup, so I headed that way. I don't know about you - but inside one of those things I tend to avoid looking anywhere. I remember thinking that I'd round up a wet wipe for my hands once I went back.

I opened up the door to...the ISU Varsity Marching Band! A group of about 12 wandering minstrels and a director were awaiting my exciting from the vile little box. I wish I had a photo of the look on my face when I spied them! They broke into the ISU Fight Song. I did what you'd expect. Took a selfie and sang along.

Despite the eventual outcome of the game (we hung with the Horned Frogs for a half but the dam broke and were our usual inept selves in the second half), I chuckled about the band the rest of the weekend. And basked in the joy of another wonderful tailgating experience. I can't wait for the next game when my college buddies visit! I hope Mother Nature provides another great day. If not...we'll have fun anyway - we are Cyclone Nation!

On Sunday my wonderful friend Deb came up for the Mary Chapin Carpenter concert at Hoyt Sherman Place in DSM. We went out to eat first - and were so busy catching up that we were nearly late to the show. Our friend Mary Faber introduced both of us to this wonderful singer back in the '90s and we've loved her ever since. She sang several of our faves like "This Old Shirt" -which took me back to my days as a young mother at our first home in Creston. Ahh, good memories.

Leaf my imagination alone

Before Dutch Elm disease wiped out the trees lining Crombie Street in Atlantic, we spent lots of time raking each fall. (or Harley Baxter, our neighbor from across the street who did our yard work did).

We had fun with the leaves before they were burned or bagged for the trash. Of course we know now that's not good for environment. It's so wrong, but the smell of burning leaves takes me back to that time. You'd think burning something organic would be okay...but it puts bad stuff into the air, polluting it. Burning can be especially hard on people who have lung problems like asthma. But we didn't know that then...

Maybe Harley took our leaves over to his little backyard farm for organic material. Yeah! We'll go with that for now. Anyway...I digress.

When Mom would send us out to rake leaves, of course we didn't just do the job. Oh, no. It had to end up being so much more than that.

I was usually hanging with my sisters and maybe a stray Reinertson - our next door neighbors. Laurie Reinertson and I grew up thick as thieves. We'd rake the leaves into piles and jump into them! Next we'd rake them into shapes on the ground - like walls for horse stalls. Then with jump ropes we'd take turns being horses and riders. The horse would have the rope around her waist and the rider would steer her around. Great care was taken to choose the horse's name and what she looked like. "I'm black with white stockings and a star on my head." "My name is Star!" I loved being a black horse. (sheep?)

We likely made a bigger mess out of the leaves than they were before we started. But my Mom's true mission was to wear us out. Mission accomplished. This black horse never had trouble sleeping.

Not the Bullock yard (2014 photo)

Give your battle cry

Rob and me in Oregon - August 2015

When I was a kid, the fabulous Atlantic Trojan cheerleaders (including my pal Robbie Dob) had a cheer that I loved.

It called for each high school class to stand and represent  - and it went like this:

"Freshmen, freshmen don't be shy, stand and give your battle cry" and the frosh would stand and yell
V I C T O R Y (spelling the word) that's the Freshman battle cry!
and on through the classes. Of course the seniors rocked it the best.
That cheer really brought out my school spirit.

Yoga brings out my spirit too.

At Yoga this week we were asked to thank our bodies - first our legs and then our arms and so on. We were reminded that even though it may not be perfect, this is the only body each of us is going to have.

As the spiritual music played and I moved through a series of yoga poses, I pondered this fact. My body is a warrior! That thought made me feel quite emotional. I held it together though - I was bending like a pretzel - no time for blubbering!

It's been through a lot, my body. In my early years not so much. I was fortunate enough to be a fairly healthy person. The event of childbirth did take a toll - growing and nurturing three precious bundles, especially when two are over nine pounds of wonderful. More recently, a few health issues have put some dents and dings on the chassis and under the hood. Still, these things are nothing like others have dealt with. I feel fortunate.

Yoga helps me be mindful of many things. I might not be super flexible, but that's okay. I'm working on it! I also hope to build strength and balance. I'm trying to do better at concentration - to keep my mind from wandering away from the task at hand.

Someday I'll get it - and this body and I will shout out a battle cry. (Is there one for nearly 58 year olds?)
Isn't life grand?

August - Rockaway Beach, Oregon

Monday's Child is Fair of Face

October 14th was daughter Amy's birthday. She's 30. She was born on a Monday - 30 years ago. It's hard for me to get my mind around it. I've loved every minute of being a mommy. Her mommy.That's what she still calls me. Mommy. My fair faced daughter is the best. The boy kid is pretty special too.

from our last trip to STL

Last weekend Paul, Odie and I visited Atlanta (where Amy lives) via St. Louis (where Jud lives). We loved seeing the cherubs and their honeys. Last Thursday night was the first time we saw Jud and Kara after their recent engagement. It was fun to hear the engagement story.

Jud asked Kara to go on a hike a couple Wednesdays ago. He has a terrible poker face and couldn't keep from grinning, and she's no dummy. She had an inkling he was going to pop the question. She'd even told her mom and a couple close friends as much...until her mom really fooled her by asking how he'd do that without the family ring. He needed to get that from them she said. Hint - he really already had it. Jud may not be the most romantic fella but he did a great job of picking a partner and asking her to walk through this world with him. Smile! We ate pizza outside on a lovely evening in STL.

We took off early Friday for Atlanta. It was a beautiful drive through Nashville on south along the Smoky Mountains. I saw signs for Ruby Falls - a place my mother took the four Bullock girls when I was a kid. Though I would have liked to stop at that tourist trap - we forged ahead. Odie was excited to see her Sissie! We arrived in the Atlantic Station section of Atlanta about 4 p.m. I finally got to hug my baby girl. She and Paul then unloaded the brand new desk made by love for her 30th birthday by her daddy.

Amy & Corey

Amy and Corey live in a cute apartment complex with a big pool and exercise and clubhouse area. Odie got to hang out there while we went out to eat at a yummy burger joint. Corey drove us there like the Mario Andretti of Honda Fits - Atlanta traffic is something else.

Paul and I stayed in a hotel near Amy's apartment, on the campus of Georgia Tech University. On Saturday morning we walked around the football stadium and other campus buildings. Then Mario, I mean Corey and Amy picked us up to go to the NCAA Football Museum. I was expecting a somewhat interesting place with things in cases - old footballs and uniforms. Wrong! It was high tech and very cool and interactive. The friendly greeter there wanted to make sure I (the little missus) had fun. Little did he know that I'm a huge football fan. I'd recommend the place for anyone who likes the game.

NCAA Museum

That afternoon Corey and Paul watched Clemson at a bar whilst Amy and I shopped a bit - it was her birthday week after all! Mommas gotta buy her baby some stuff. It's a good thing Corey's team is doing well because ours sure can't get anything going. That night we hit an interesting barbecue restaurant. Once we got our food, we ate standing up in a covered outdoor carport. Those ribs were good. We stopped for ice cream on our way back - in an interesting little area not too far from our hotel.

In Olympic Park with my girl

The trip home got a little long - we ended up staying in a hotel just south of the Iowa border. We didn't want to dodge deer at midnight in southern Iowa. Odie didn't mind another night on the road. We must be getting old - better safe than sorry won out over cheap! Ooh we love those kids.

Amy with her new desk

Jud Bud is getting married

And I nearly exploded holding the news in for two whole days! But I survived until last Friday when Jud and Kara announced their engagement. Woohoo! We're having a wedding, and better yet, Kara is officially joining our fam.

Early dating pic

I spoke to my son a couple weeks ago and he told me the time was near - he was going to ask Kara to marry him. I must admit I got a bit choked up when we talked about it. As we spoke, I marveled at what a wonderful person he has grown up to be. (I admit it, I'm as biased as one can get.)

 2011 pic

Jud wasn't always an easy to parent. And I sometimes questioned my own parenting skills when I didn't handle his behavior according to parenting manuals. At least I never saw anything in Dr. Spock about locking one's self in the bathroom in order to prevent one's self from harming the children. Even when they pounded on the door yelling, "let us in!" I was adamant. "You don't want in here right now!" Still, they turned out pretty darn good. And now, Jud's getting hitched!

2011 graduation at ISU

I can't wait to talk to Kara on Thursday when we travel to St. Louis to hear the story of Jud's proposal. He asked Kara's parents permission to marry their daughter recently when they visited St. Louis. Kara was in the shower. Sneaky! He had told me during our phone call that last Wednesday was the night for the proposal. I kept my eye on the phone that night. During my Yoga class I was the picture of concentration. Right. I did breath to: "Jud Kara peace and love"

September 2015

During the drive home from yoga I got the text from Jud with a couple pics. "We're Engaged!" I pulled into the garage and hugged Paul. We were so happy. But we couldn't tell anyone. Amy knew too - so there was that. Gag order! Amy and I were dying - we hate being muffled.

I solved it by telling a few work people - heck, they don't know Jud. Safe, right. That helped. A girl has to share good news. Jud gave Kara a Whited family ring, but they want to get the diamond put into a setting Kara has selected. That's going to take a while. I thought I was going to have to wait a whole nother week to tell even my sisters - but on Friday they relented and announced it on Facebook. Yay! My sis Betso was quick on the draw texting right away. But I heard from all of them in short order. Love my sissies.

2014

Now it's on to wedding planning. The good news is that Kara is good at this stuff, and her mom Renee has been through this twice with her two sons in the past two years. Jud and Kara are already searching for a venue in St. Louis for next spring. They are planning on a fairly small wedding - though they both have pretty big extended fams. This is gonna be fun!  



She said yes!

Perfect Iowa nice weekend

My new self has learned to enjoy the little things. That's what this weekend was about.

We started with sticker shock on Friday afternoon - we met with a remodeling company who presented us with our dream master bath remodel. The price was nearly as much as our first house! Gulp. I think we'll need to take a piecemeal approach. To the contractor's credit, he did give us everything we'd mentioned and built in a bunch of extra $ for top of the line. We told him we'd talk it over...and we needed a drink.

Good thing I'd made plans for us to meet with my longtime pal Jane and her friends Barb and Julie right down the street from our remodeler at Irena's, a Russian joint. We caught up with Jane who is moving - how exciting, and a bit scary. She's lived in her present home for many years, raising her 4 great kids there. Paul and I can understand her mixed emotions about leaving the place behind.

We felt the same way both times we moved from homes we lived in when raising kids. Our first Creston house will always be dear in my heart. We bought it when we moved to town and Amy was only one. Then Jud and Patrick were born while we lived there.

Our second home was my dream house - a perfect location and neighborhood with great neighbors who we are still friends with today. It was hard to move away - not only from the house, but from the 'hood! When Jane leaves her house, it will actually go a step further. The building will be demolished to make way for more progress in the Waukee area. Man how that town has grown in the past ten years.

I'm happy for Jane! Though I miss my former homes, I love my new home and way of life. I think she will too.

From near the Iowa State Capitol Building #gladididnthavetocarrythepies

Saturday was a day the where the weather gods smiled on Iowa. I wanted to get some steps in for Live Healthy Iowa - so we parked a little farther away from downtown for the Farmer's Market. Later, Paul headed south to put up tree stands. Guess what time of year it is? I headed to the Urbandale Library - where I discovered this hidden gem of a park.

It was so beautiful - a fountain, sculptures and a creek

Later that afternoon, we took off for a farm north of Panora, owned by Kevin one of Paul's friends from work. He'd invited us to a cookout. I was glad we had those yummy Amish pies to share because there was a lot of other delish food to go with the gorgeous autumn rural Iowa scenery.

There was a live band later that night - the son of a guy Paul worked with in Creston many years ago. We watched as the nearly full moon rose over the wetland. It was a great night.

the trail was wooded

Sunday was biker chick day. Instead of north, we went south - to the Great Western Trail. We parked in Orilla, Iowa. Where, you ask. That's because Orilla is but a dot on the road with two bike bars! He biked down to Cumming and back, arriving in time to get a nice Pork Tenderloin at the Rusty Spoke.

On Sunday night Paul and I kept running out on the deck to check out the moon - first the eclipse and then the reddish color. What a wonderful end to a perfect Iowa weekend.

Namaste

It's a yoga term that means: "The Spirit within me salutes the Spirit in you"

 

When I was a teen, my friend Mona Jones took me to the old rock quarry outside of Atlantic to swim. It was a deep clear pond that had a diving board. Yep a real board someone had rigged - way up high. And it didn't stick out far enough so you could just drop off it into the water. You had to run and leap.

 

I stood on that board a long time. And then I made my approach several times before I finally leaped. And I screamed. But I finally did it! Man that water was cold. And deep thank God. I took the plunge.

 

I approach many things in life like that diving board. I'm not a quick jumper and find many excuses not to jump. I might hit the dirt! The water will be cold. I think I hear my mom calling...

 

But when it comes down to it, life is meant to be lived. I don't want to spend my life sitting in the chair blogging about nothing. I want to regain my physical strength so I've been eyeing classes in various local publications to see what might help me do that besides the biking and walking I do on my own.

 

So I took a big leap and signed up for Gentle Flow Yoga. When I put my credit card number in and paid the fee I knew I was locked in. I'm too cheap to chicken out altogether. I was nervous all day yesterday - the first class was at 6:15 p.m. What if the new yoga mat I'd purchased wasn't cool? What should I wear? I knew where the school was but didn't know my way around it. Ugh. I asked Paul to reassure me and he said something like "suck it up buttercup".

 

I got there fairly early (thanks Dave B.) and staked out a spot. My outfit and mat were fine. I even broke out of my introverted self and introduced myself to Justine and Barb (so proud - I made a special effort to remember their names as I usually suck at that).

 

Gayle Vattese is the instructor for the class of about 20 women. We plunged right in and I just watched and imitated others to know what to do as Gayle coached and instructed. We concentrated on breathing - filling our lungs more fully than perhaps we'd done all day, and were thankful for it. It was quite spiritual - yet Gayle through in some smartass humor too. My kind of gal! She'd say something like, "press your ten fingers into the mat...eleven if you're lucky."

 

Man did we stretch! My stiff body didn't appreciate it, but it will learn. I tried not to let my mind race ahead to other topics, as it tends to. "What should I eat when I get home?" "Oh, I need to remember my laptop in the morning" Stuff like that. But I wasn't all that successful. I will work to do better.  OOOhhhmmm. Downward dog baby. I can't wait for next week.

 

Paul and I peddled into the High Trestle Bridge from Madrid last Sunday - a gorgeous Iowa fall day! My shoulder is feeling good and the beer was cold after our ride.