God Bless Texas

Austin - Willy, Paul, and me

Paul and I headed south to Texas last weekend to visit our friend Paula and catch a football game. They play a lot of that in Texas. We'd talked about attending the ISU vs. Texas Longhorns game in Austin the past few years - and finally pulled the trigger this year. (a gun analogy seems appropriate - right?)

We landed around noon on Friday - just in time for some barbecue. Paula Bacon picked us up at the airport. She is a longtime friend from my hometown of Atlantic, Iowa. We've been pals since we met at Mrs. Luin's nursery school over 55 years ago. Through the years Paula and I didn't always keep touch. When reconnected at a class reunion and have been fast friends ever since.

Paula has lived in Austin, Texas for over twenty years - a real Texas gal! Not only that, her sister Jo and family live there too. A year ago, their mother Jean moved from her home in Arkansas to Austin to be closer to her family. Austin has quite an Atlantic connection. Recently our Class of 1976 glue guy, Roger Underwood, was in the area and put together a dinner that included Paula, Ted Simpson, Dave Stuetelberg, Steve Boots and Jan Kramer who all live in the area. Atlantic south?

Paula took us to Terry Black's Barbecue first thing. Meat anyone? The brisket was delicious! It gave us enough energy to go for a five-mile walking tour of the downtown Austin area. It was a gorgeous day for a walk - people were everywhere with dogs, bikes, strollers and just walking like us. We crossed the river to visit a new Central Library - which Paula, like me, is into. It's very cool. Libraries. like gourmet grocery stores are my happy places.

Crossing the river

We walked through the historic Driskill Hotel - beautifully refurbished. The artwork in the bar is worth the visit. It's fun to see the stores and restaurants downtown. I liked this frozen yogurt store. In the shadow of the Texas Capitol building, we stopped at a hotel bar with a deck for a refreshment. Later, we headed to the Blind Pig rooftop where ISU had set up their Friday night festivities. Did I mention Iowa State fans travel well to away games? We had high hopes for this game - B12 implications. It was fun to see all the Cardinal and Gold clad folks representing. There are a lot of Iowans in Texas - and they aren't all from Atlantic!

View from the library

Blind Pig

We didn't stay to party the night away with the Clone fans as we wanted to get a feel for the local music scene that Austin is known for. Paula favors the Saxon Pub. The band that plays the early (6 PM) set has some musicians that have been in famous bands. Now they play here, every Friday night. There is really no dance floor, but people still find a way to dance. We had a sweet table on a riser - with a great view. What a fun day!

Saxon Pub

Paula made us a big breakfast Saturday. We watched Gameday as we're all football fans. Paula and I text each other frequently throughout the season as she's a Longhorn fan and keeps an eye on my Clones too. She and I had a great visit with her mother who lives close by. We talked all things Atlantic.

with Steve

Then it was time to go. Paula had snagged ISU Alumni Association tailgate party and game tickets from our classmate Steve Boots who serves on their board. We parked in a nearby ramp and walked to the nearby neighborhood area gated off for Cyclone faithful. Guess what? More barbecue - and beer. We snagged our classmate Steve for a photo - even though he was busy running the event. The weather was nice - good times! We walked down by the stadium - Bevo Blvd. It's crazy, like the state fair wrapped up with football. They sell beer. Hmmm. Not sure if ISU will get on that bandwagon. We ran into the Downing family as we watched the ISU team, including frosh Trevor Downing, enter the stadium. Then we watched the Horns - it was senior night. There is a lot of tradition.

Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium is something to behold. It's big! (like everything in TX, Right?). We had good seats, on the end zone in the first deck. We were surrounded by fans from both teams. Texas led start to finish, so they were very nice. I'm sorry to say ISU didn't show up this game. We looked intimidated and never got anything going on offense or defense. I've been to games in Boulder, Norman and long ago, Lincoln. This was the coolest gameday experience away from home. Thanks Austin! (and Paula). Several people talked to us after the game as we talked to our car - with upbeat messages about the direction of ISU's program. Nothing like losing to the home team to encourage goodwill messages, but it was nice.

The traffic cleared out pretty efficiently (better than Ames). We decided we were hungry and had a late night meal at Kerbey Lane Cafe. We got to Paula's late - midnight? She dropped us off at the airport the next morning for a 9:30 a.m. flight - back to the frozen tundra. There were a lot of Cyclone fans at the airport. We gave each other that "chin up old chap" look. We're Cyclone fans - we're here for the duration! We had basketball in Hawaii to look forward to. (Sneak peek - that went okay, looking forward to getting our full team back).

I'd like to go to more B12 venues. I wonder if I have classmates living there? haha

 

Language of Love

Bundled with my baby

Paul and I attended a Marc Cohn concert Thursday - he of "Walking in Memphis" fame. He is a singer-songwriter whose songs tell stories - about his family, career and what else - love. One love song, "Perfect Love" is about his brother and wife who have been married for over fifty years. Marc says his brother tells him the song should be entitled something more like "Enduring Love" - because no love is perfect - especially love in marriage. True dat.

Marc Cohn Temple of Performing Arts

pre-concert martini

It may be hard for newlyweds to believe, but that giddy romantic love doesn't last. Not for 36 years anyway. It takes perseverance and some laughter. My honey and I had that this past week....he's been bowhunting. It's that time of year - when I usually start feeling a little cranky. It's my birthday dammit, and he spends days at a time in a tree. I don't mind alone time - but it can get old.

So last Friday I got a "take and bake" HyVee pizza that we ate after he rolled in from his tree down in southern Iowa. I ate a couple pieces sitting my comfy chair. When I went to put my plate in the dishwasher, I saw a black thing on the floor by my ottoman. Hmmm - sock fuzz? I picked it up and immediately recoiled - flinging it to the ground - it was squishy and warm. Worm! I appealed to Paul to save me. He picked it up - putting it right up to his face. Olive - he declared. We had a good laughed! He wished he would have popped it into his mouth.

On Sunday I was getting ready for a nice warm bath when I noticed a bug in my happy place - my tub. "Bug in the Tub", I yelled. Paul appeared in the blink of an eye. "Backrub?" he inquired (that's what he thought he heard), always hopeful, he. I pointed to the offending critter. The perks of marriage - bug removal. Yes, I'm a bug wimp.

What does the Internet think of you? Judging from the advertisements I see when I'm online, it's got me pegged as someone who really needs old lady slippers, pee proof underwear. I've tried to click on the slippers to get rid of the ad that hounds me on the New York Times. Even if I wanted slippers, now that they are trolling me, I refuse to consider Mahabis brand. Ever. And I'm not in need of pee proof undies - unless my girls make me belly laugh with a full bladder (bladder weakness courtesy of 2 9 pounder babies I believe).

huddled in the trailer - pregame

Yesterday's ISU game was one of the coldest I've attended. Big shout out to our fave tailgater host/engineer Kevin. He rigged up the generator to 2 heaters and we sat inside the small trailer eating soup, drinking beer. I suited up in ski pants and many layers with HotHands, toe warmers. Ugly but functional. Still, I shivered. Clones are now bowl eligible! This team just keeps winning. After the game we sat in the trailer again. McKims and Ehreckes are just fun to hang with. We laugh so hard - mostly at ourselves (but I didn't need the pee panties). Phew! Paul and I are off to visit our pal Paula Bacon in Austin for the Texas game next weekend. WooHoo. Hope there are no bugs there. 

Robyn sent me this pic on my bday. Friends for going on 58 years. We were adorable. Wonder who cut our bangs? Mom always put me in cute dresses for parties.

Medical Test Dummy?

I've suffered from migraine headaches since college. When I first started experiencing them, I thought they were extreme hangovers. Now I know they were more likely the result of dehydration from a night of beer drinking.

Partying at the White Rose in Atlantic

As I aged, my body found more headache triggers - menstrual cycle, air pressure, looking into the sun for long periods. In the early 1980's there weren't many meds for migraines. My family practice doc prescribed something that kinda helped.

By the time we moved to Creston and had kids, I was spending about one day a month out of commission - lying in my darkened room. Twice Paul took me to the hospital where they gave me injections to relieve the pain. If someone had given me a drill before the pain subsided, I may have put it into my eye. It's hard to describe migraine pain to those who haven't ever experienced one. 

Finally, I got a referral to see a neurologist in Des Moines. One CTScan later my headaches were pronounced likely migraines. Dr. Brenton tried various meds on me - but my cranium (and the rest of me) is a tough nut to crack. Finally, a new med came out as a self-injectable shot - Imitrex. At $10 a shot, I had an inner self-debate every time my head began to hurt. Is this headache "worthy" of a shot? I didn't have the guts to push the button on the injector - so Paul had to do it. He didn't have a problem jabbing me! Oh, the wonderful feeling when the pain started to ebb.

Our new house - Creston 1998

A few years later, Imitrex came up with a pill version of the med. Yay! I switched to a female neurologist who seemed to better understand how hormones can affect women and brain pain. Today, I have a different woman neuro. I've blogged about her before - Dr. Schmolck. She's very direct and helps me manage my migraines.

And about that. At my September appointment with Dr. Schmolck, we talked about new meds on the market for migraines. Finally after all these years! I had read about them - a story about a woman in Davenport who had almost daily attacks who had been helped.

In the past four years, each fall I've suffered from frequent migraines - 5 days at a time. They do respond to the medicine I take, but the medicine takes its toll. The doc said to call when this started - so today was the day after a long week of gobbling high powered meds nearly every day. The nurse showed me how to self-inject aimovig. I will do this once a month to see if it helps reduce the number of headaches I get. I'm happy to report that the self-injector is much easier than the old Imitrex one used to be and I was able to handle it no problem.

I hope this helps. I used to think fall was my favorite season. I do like it - but it doesn't bring out the best in my head. And I like heat. I pick summer. Wish aimovig and me luck! 

Scary Movies Scare Me

I blame my childhood - watching Creature Feature featuring Dr. San Guinary on Omaha's KMTV channel 3 (one of 3 channels we SW Iowa folks got). 

Dr. San Guinary

The goofy, somewhat scary character hosted a show that ran old horror movies on weekends in the early 1970's through 1982. The early seventies were when I was home weekends - staying with my baby sister Betsy, guarded only by our faithful doggy Jud. Those old black and white movies, like "The Blob" were creepy! Suddenly the noises houses make took on a new meaning! I'm sure every light in the house was on when Mom and Dad returned from Poker Club.

Jud the dog

In high school, we were sometimes desperate for entertainment - and the only movie was a horror movie. I spent more time with my eyes covered than not. I love to read suspense - but do not like suspense in movies! I always scream like a little girl. One movie involved a lady's head - her eyeball and a paper spindle. I still have spindle trust issues!

I blame peer pressure in a weak moment for causing me to go to the original Halloween movie in Ames while I was a college student. My friends and I were so freaked out after the movie we had to get a guy friend to check out the back seat of the car before we drove back to our apartment.

This was about as scary as our Halloween costumes got

When I became a mother I wisely chose to avoid scary movies - though they were on TV every Halloween. I'm sorry to say I passed my weakness of heart for scary movies over to Jud. He'd get one glimpse at Chucky and have bad dreams for weeks! We avoided scary stuff at our house - we didn't want the poor kid scarred for life. Amy was a bit bolder, but preferred mystery movies over horror.

Today - I still avoid horror. I still scream when surprised in suspense movies - and gory ones. Though I must admit - I'd still rather see a human get it rather than the horse or the dog... Confession - I did just watch one of my all-time fave kid movies last Saturday when I caught it switching between football games - "Goonies". It was filmed on our beloved Oregon west coast area by Cannon Beach. 

Big Vic and Baby's Birthday

Corey and Amy came all the way from Denver for the Iowa State University Cyclones vs. West Virginia football game. A Clemson grad, Corey is a bit spoiled as a fan. His team won the national championship two years ago - he was there! Our team...finally made a bowl game last year after a drought. Corey is a good sport about being a fan of our team. He's even got his wife somewhat interested in football - never her fave sport. 

They flew in Friday evening and we took them to the Cheese Bar on Ingersoll in DSM. It's a small joint that specializes in - you guessed it - cheese. We started with a lovely tray of meats and cheeses with nuts. I had a yummy specialty drink - and they have beer and wine on tap. We finished up splitting a grilled cheese sandwich and some ribs - not made of cheese. I saw some others eating fondue. You sit at long tables - so it's easy to spy on other's food. Din din was a success! 

The Cyclones didn't play until 6 PM on Saturday, but we had some tailgating to do - so we left just after noon. Amy and Corey had to go to Scheels and get some Cyclone gear first. It was a brisk day - nice in the sun, but we were glad Kari and Kevin put the side on the tent. Our tailgating neighbors provided entertainment - dressing in authentic Octoberfest lederhosen with hats, swigging beer from steins. Later they played musical chairs. Is that a German game? 

Paul grilled up burgers and brats. Amy and Corey got to see plenty of pals including Conovers and McKims. I'm glad they got to meet Ehreckes. Fireball shots sent us into the stadium for the game. Things didn't start out great. Our QB threw a pick and our kicker got a field goal try blocked for a touchdown. Despite those setbacks, our defense was marvelous. 

Corey didn't know why we weren't going crazy before halftime!?! We've seen this before - only to see our team fold. But no! The Clones came out strong after half, holding the Mountaineers to very few yard and points. In the end, the crowd rushed the field - celebrating a win over #6 West Virginia. 

Sunday was our baby girl's birthday! Wow. I've been a mommy for 33 years. I joked that Amy should come lay in bed with me so I could tell her the story of her birth - like I used to every year that we lived together. She loved that! It was a special day - overdue by a week. She was born a little after 7 PM, just after the Cardinals beat the Dodgers - Ozzie Smith homered. Yes, I had a labor plan with lovely music on cassette tapes I brought to the birthing suite. But...baseball....for my husband and doctor. It was distracting. 

Amy with Rachelle, Jenna - college? 

Making the phone calls to our parents (long distance ya know) was so joyful. She was beautiful and perfect! Just like she is today. Once the nurse wheeled me into my hospital room - and put her in the nursery, I thought I'd sleep. Nope. I was too pumped up. I was a MOM. And every part of me hurt like a little 9 lb 7-ounce truck had run over me. Even my fingernail hurt. We had a bundt cake at the football game - it was delicious. 

Amy attended a baby shower for her college pal Rachelle - due to have a baby boy in a few weeks. Later she and Corey spent the evening with friends. Paul and I recovered from Saturday. Being outside all day is exhausting! 

On Monday, Paul and I got to each lunch with Corey and Amy in the East Village. They worked at our house that day - before their flight that evening. We'll get to see them at Christmas - still it was hard to say goodbye. What a fun weekend of having them around. Special times. 

Amy's birthday - not this year

Big Screen Memories

Do you remember the first movie you ever saw? For me, movie memories are similar to songs - who was I when I saw this movie?

One special movie memory is from 1967, when I was ten years old. Gone With the Wind was re-released and our mother took my sisters and me to see it in a big city - Des Moines? The theater had a curtain that closed at intermission. Mom cried during the opening credits - she'd seen this show before. The saddest parts of the movie to me, even then, were when Scarlet rode the horse to death. And when Rhett shoots the pony.

I have many more wonderful memories of "going to the movies". My movie love affair started even before age ten. Our school and the local theater had a summer movie deal. We could buy a sheet of summer movie matinee tickets - giving our parents (moms really) a break from the kids during the endless school break. We saw movies like Frances the Talking Mule and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (Don Knotts Y'all).

The tickets were valued at something like $.25 each. The real money for the Atlantic Theater came from concessions. Popcorn and candy! Back then, soda pop came from a machine in the lobby - a thin dime for a small cup that would shoot out, be filled with some crushed ice and Coca-Cola. It was fun just to watch the machine make the magical mixture! But wait...there's more! If you got the "lucky cup" you got to go to a movie FREE.

Face it, in small town Iowa, there aren't a lot of options when it comes to activities. So we went to "the show" a lot. It was exciting to see the movie marquis - to see what we could go to next. One theater in the whole town of 7,000 people. Comedies, RomComs, Horror - we went to them all. I went with girlfriends. In junior high, I met my boyfriend Mike Carlson there. We held hands. It wasn't all it was cracked up to be. My hand got hot and cramped. I wanted to move it, but was scared to....that boy/girl stuff was hard. In the balcony at the theater there were actually twin seats - with no arm in between. Sweet! My high school boyfriend, Mike McCauley and I went to Funny Car Summer - a movie about drag racing. Hmmm, must have been teen love - that movie sounds horrible to me now.

I saw a few more movies with my mother that were important in my life. I was in high school when the movie Summer of 42 came out. It was rated R so I needed an adult to take me. Sally's mom Anna Day and Mom took Sally and me to that show - a coming of age story about a teen and an older woman who loses her husband to the war. Mom and I cruised over to Omaha to see the movie Jaws. She left to go use the restroom and didn't appear until much later - after I began to get worried about her. She said she ended up sitting down in the back - because she didn't want to miss the action. I also saw John Travolta's Staying Alive with her. She became a huge BeeGees fan after that movie. These memories of Mom make me smile.

Okay - when I said there was only one theater. That is true. But in the summer there was one other movie option. The Drive-Inn! I don't remember our family going there. As a teen - you can bet my friends and I went. With beer! We saw all sorts of crazy movies - like Death Race and Blazing Saddles. It was easier for me to go to horror movies at the drive-in - I could distract myself there - not as scary. Wednesday night was Buck Night - we'd all pile in one car. Lots of good Drive-Inn memories.

College was another great movie memory time. There were some classics from that era. My college pals, Sally, Vicki, and Jane loved Rocky so much. We listened to the soundtrack endlessly. We had the poster. Adrian! One Saturday, after a long week, we attended a sobfest The Other Side of the Mountain - the Jill Kinmont Story". It's about a skier who becomes paralyzed. Then we went to a party and drank beer. Oh, college. Ghostbusters, Animal House, Halloween, Monte Python, High Anxiety, Kramer vs. Kramer, Grease, Heaven Can Wait, Goodbye Girl. I could go on...Halloween scarred me for life against horror movies.

We've come a long way from buying sheets of movie tickets for summer school break. Paul and I went to the new "A Star is Born" Friday night. I loved it. Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga) was perfect in her role, as was Bradley Cooper. Lady Gaga's voice has it all. I really appreciated a chance to see her without all the glamour of makeup. It was her first acting gig and she nailed it.

We live right by a huge theater complex. We used to look up movie times, arrive at the theater and buy tix. No more. There's a new way to buy movie tickets - it's complicated! I miss the days of real people. Yesterday I got online to buy tix on the Cinemax website. I needed to login with a new password and select the time and seats. Then I needed a password for Visa. Sure it may be less complex next time I get tix. If I remember my password. And my seat did recline - even better than those twin seats at the Atlantic theater!

Paul and I like to re-watch some movies - sometimes over and over again. We especially like comedies. I tease Paul about his go-to movies. Gladiator, Twister, Shawshank Redemption. He just can't seem to flip by those on the TV Guide without watching. We must watch Animal House, Caddyshack, Vacation and Ghostbusters every few years.

Paul and I don't to nearly as many movies as we used to. We have Netflix. There aren't as many that we wish to see. Movies are expensive (and tix are complicated). But I'm glad they still keep making them. Movies are important in our culture and as stated in this blog, they help make up the framework of our lives.

Paul Left Again...

Man, I really got you readers with my last headline about Paul leaving me. Yes, I baited you and it worked. I can see how many readers there are for each blog - it really jumped on that one. Sorry to disappoint. He's stuck with me. We do joke that someday he'll ask me to dress up in a brown outfit with an antler hood and I'll be walking in the woods - oops! Hit by an arrow. No officer - I thought it was a deer. Okay - that's creepy, but it makes us laugh.

This time he's in Green Bay with our son Judson. They have started a "thing" where they attend an NFL game each year. Jud is a Cowboys fan (did we fail here? or just let him be his little self at age 4?), and Paul is a Packers fan. Last year they were in Dallas for a Cowboys/Packers game. Paul had never been there before - Packers pulled out a win at the end of the game.

This year it's a Packers vs. Buffalo game at Lambeau Field. Paul took his Rodgers jersey for Jud to wear. A full one half of Paul's wardrobe is either Cyclone or Packers - so he's covered. The beautiful part of these trips is that Jud figures out all the logistics for his dad. We're hard to buy gifts for - so this is such a gift. They flew into Green Bay and had a room at an Air B & B very near the stadium. They will fly home right after the game.

Next year they plan to go to a Cowboys "away" game - visiting more venues around this country. I love this tradition - even though I'm not part of it. Hmmm, what can Amy and I do? Bonding - adult children are wonderful.

I love dive bars

Lunch at Hickory Park - Sunday

Last weekend Paul and I enjoyed another tradition that has become an annual thing - Cyclone Football with college pals. Steve (Moose) and Kay came from Gurnee (north side of Chicago) along with their children from the Twin Cities. Vicki and Fred came from Northfield, MN. My college roomie Jane and a couple of her kids came too. Others stopped by our tailgate too. I can't say enough about our host and hostess Kevin and Kari - so thoughtful and generous setting up the tents and chairs, sharing their spread.

The weather gods blessed us on gameday. It was a perfect early fall day. The Cyclones beat Akron. We went to the classic dive bar the Tip Top before retiring to our hotel in Ames for the evening. When we walked in the door, a guy was standing on a table trying to put his foot behind his head. It must have been a bet. Or the beer talking! 

It's such fun catching up with our friends. And we are starting to plan an Alaska trip for next summer. No college friend weekend is complete without a Sunday morning lunch at Hickory Park. We all know what we're going to order before we see the menu: smoked turkey on an onion bun with mashed potatoes & gravy. Paul and I shared a delicious hot fudge sundae. I had to rest on Sunday - having fun is hard work! 

This weekend is a quiet one. I went to the Farmer's Market Saturday morning where I found the jigsaw puzzle for this Christmas in Vail, and a baby gift for my new grandniece Lily Lopez. (Leslie's daughter). I love sending those Cali kids Iowa gifts.

On Saturday night, college roomie Jane and I watched the ISU game at the Angry Goat. I've known Jane since I was 18 years old. Lots of history! Of course, the game didn't come out like we wanted it too. The Cyclones hung in there but didn't have enough offense in the end. I trust our coach to keep these guys on the right track. 

Funny: at work, the State of Iowa switched our operating system to Google a year ago. Last week my Gmail updated to a new version that anticipates what word I'm going to type. I can hit tab to accept the word/phrase or just keep typing.

I started an email to my co-worker Becky to ask her to update my program webpage with a new document. When I send emails like that I sometimes just sign with an L instead of typing my whole name. Gmail tried to fill in

Love you,

Good thing I caught it! I actually laughed out loud. And didn't hit tab to accept. But I wondered - what if we all expressed our love and appreciation to each other more often? I've worked with Becky for 10 years now. I told Becky the story - what I nearly sent. And I shared with her that I have grown quite fond of her.

Thanks, Google, for reminding me that I should appreciate all of my relationships more. Please don't let me start emailing stakeholders - citizens of Iowa and landfill operators signing "Love you". That would be weird!