Friday

Dave and I started out our day with a telephone conference with our financial adviser.  Then after Dave finished working at the church, we got ready for Chris' funeral.  They had the visitation prior to the service which is a great way to do it, in my opinion anyway.  If was a good service - very upbeat and friendly.  There were lots of people - many of them people we knew.  After the service we went to the community center in Hedrick for  a meal.  RIP Chris.  We'll all miss you!

Can you believe that the Oklahoma City area got hit again tonight by horrible tornadoes?  Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.  I would hate to live in the Sooner State.

Do you suppose we're done with rain for a while?  Today sure turned out to be a beautiful day!

More later...

Couple of pictures...

of our new addition!  We have a new little one in the neighborhood and he/she is just darling!  I'm calling it a her.  The neighbors say there were two little ones, but one of them ran away or disappeared anyway.  Now there's just one!  Her momma doesn't think much of us, though, so Itty-bit is scared, too!

Most of the daylight hours, she just lays down over by the fence.  When we're outside, momma goes clear away from her so we don't see her, I guess.  Well, sorry, Momma - we have a camera with a zoom lens!

This is a picture from a couple of nights ago.  The sunset was so bright, it was just like a huge fire over the hospital next door!  

I got all of my picture folders copied today (on this computer anyway).  I still have the laptop to do, but I'm running out of blank DVDs!  I take lots of pictures!!  I'm also editing as I go so that's what is taking such a long time!

We went out to Craig & Sue's today.  It was good to see them.  Tomorrow is Chris' funeral (Craig's brother) so we'll see them tomorrow, too.  Today, however, it was just us four, Debbie, Brad & Alyssa.  Lunch was wonderful and so was the company.  I hadn't seen Sue since Christmastime.

More later...

Sunny Wednesday

We had over an inch of rain again last night in the night, but today was a beautiful sunny day for the most part.  It wasn't a drying kind of day because the humidity was in the 90 percent range and above.  It sure was good to see the sun, though!  The weather forecast is still calling for at least 2 more days of rain and Dave heard one today that said a possible 5+ inches more - yuck!  We'll be needing a boat soon!

I got lots accomplished today.  I've been wanting to consolidate my photos and back them up on disks.  Those of you who know me well know that I LOVE to take pictures!  I was able to get all of 2010 and 2011 done today!  That's a huge accomplishment because there are 2 Florida trips, a trip to Alaska, a class reunion, softball games, soccer games, and a trip to San Antonio during those two years.  Plus a photography class where I took lots and lots of pictures!  Now I've only got 2012 and 2013 to go!  Yay!  Maybe my computer will breathe a sigh of relief when I get some of the pictures off of it!

More later...

Rain, rain...

GO AWAY for a while!  Our ground is so waterlogged the rain has no where to go, so we're starting to look like Minnesota - Land of 10,000 Lakes!

Bob & I went to the cemetery today and waded through puddles and mud to get our flowers.  Both of our new saddles had blown off of the tombstones, but were not damaged at least.  Sometime between now and next year we've got to come up with a better way of keeping them on the stones.  I think that's a Bob-job!

Dave cleaned up his paint mess today - yay!  He also cleaned the hardwood floor.  It looks so much shinier now!  We also took a bunch of stuff to Salvation Army - like fake plants and some decorative items.  Dave hit me at a good time.  Our sun porch had become a storage area and now we can actually use it again!!

Bob & Ann picked me up at 4:30 to go to Allison's game in Wellman.  About a mile out of town, Vicki called to tell us it had been cancelled.  We turned around and came home.  Hopefully they'll play Thursday night!

More later...

Memorial Day 2013

I think this was a great Memorial Day.  We just hung out here.  I did laundry in between helping Dave tape off the dining room for paint.  He then painted the ceiling after we both took naps!  It rained for at least half of the day, so it was a good day for a nap.  Dave went to the grocery store and bought some chicken grillers to cook on the grill...plus he bought two ears of sweet corn and were they ever good!  They tasted just like Iowa sweet corn!  Great supper!

Some people would consider our day boring, but not us.  We enjoyed it!

More later...

Rain, rain, and more rain!

Yesterday in rain, we went to Waverly.  It rained on us most of the way there, but at least it quit while we were there and for our drive home late last night!  The reason we went to Waverly is because my oldest great-niece, Kaylee, graduated from Wartburg College and she/her family had a family party at their home.  Kaylee is a beautiful young lady, both inside and out.  She and her boyfriend of 4 years, will be going to Belgium in August where he will play basketball for the Port of Antwerp Giants.  They are very excited to say the least!  So for the summer, they're both working around Waverly just saving some money!

There ended up being lots of family at Kaylee's party so it was good to see everyone.  Vicki, Al, and Allison came over from Washington - all of our family was there except for Rhonda's family in Texas.  It would have been nice if she could have come, too, but Cheyenne is in swimming and shows horses during this time of the year.

 Kaylee

 Nieces - Linda & Vicki

 Allison

 Kyle being silly

Clayton (Kaylee's boyfriend)

We got home so late last night that I went right to bed so I could get some sleep for today.  During the night we had more rain.  Today was church and a wonderful message from Pastor Dave.  Then we both took naps this afternoon.  I slept so hard I didn't even hear Dave come into our room and shut off my light!  When I got up we went for a bike ride.  I'll bet I'll be sore tomorrow.  I haven't been on my bike for a while so I was a bit nervous riding!  And now...it's raining again!  

Just what we need!  More later...

Interesting Day

I had what I'll call an interesting day today.  This morning was pretty good.  We had our monthly card club this morning where we made two adorable cards.  That was fun!  Then I came home, ate lunch, and prepared to get ready to go to a funeral.  But by 12:30 I was having chills and a stomach ache, so I didn't go.  I''ve still got those same symptoms tonight, just not as pronounced.  I'm assuming I caught a bug somewhere.  Bummer!

So this afternoon, I worked on a couple of graduation cards - both orange and black.  I plan to get them done in the morning and then after lunch we'll leave for Waverly for Kaylee's graduation party.  We're not staying all night, so we'll be home very, very late tomorrow night.  I hope the deer stay out of our way while we're coming home!

Speaking of deer.  I got up to check on the birds in the back yard just a little bit ago and look what I saw:

She's between our house and the neighbors, about 5' from our fenced in back yard...just hanging out!  Sorry, the pictures aren't very good because I had the camera on the wrong setting, plus I was shooting through a screen window and the fence!  She's a big one!!  I'm glad she's on the outside of our yard!

More later...

Big Day

I left home this morning at 8:30.  I picked up Sudi & Howard and off we went on an adventure to Cantril, Iowa!  I had some things I wanted from the Dutchman's Store and I was glad that Sudi and Howard wanted to go with!!  We ate lunch about 11:00 - it left a bit to be desired, but then we stopped at the Malt Shop in Keosauqua and had ice cream.  Sudi had a medium blizzard type thing and I ordered a medium twist cone.  The lady behind the counter told me how big the medium cone was so I opted for a small.  Next time I'm having a baby cone because there must have been a pint of ice cream in that small cone!  I know you think I'm exaggerating, but not much!  That was the most ice cream I've eaten in one sitting ever!  Plus I had to eat it quickly because I was driving!

After spending a few minutes talking with Sudi at their house, I met my brother at Fell Cemetery outside of Libertyville.  We decorate a bunch of graves and today was our day to do that.  At one point both of us were down on the ground working on getting the "saddle" to stay on Mom & Dad's stone.  We finally got it to stay on.  Hopefully no strong winds will come up between now and when we pick the flowers up.  After we finished at Fell, we moved on to Batavia where we did a bunch more.  Then home to get ready to go to a visitation in the evening.

Busy day -- I'm tired but enjoyed the day immensely.  Maybe tomorrow I will feel hungry again and can eat a couple of malted milk balls that I bought at the Dutchman's!

More later...

Backwards

We went backwards today.  It was chilly and damp all day!  It rained a bit - enough to get the streets wet anyway.  I think we're going to do the cemeteries tomorrow afternoon.  I hope they've been able to mow.  If not the grass will be really long and probably wet!  I'm going to be glad for June to get here - maybe it'll be warm every day then!

I got lots done today.  I worked on paperwork, washed curtains, picked up so the cleaning lady can come, did two more loads of wash, and even found some time to read and have lunch with Sudi, who came to town!  Nice surprise for the day!

More later...

Great Day

This was a great day!  It was only 72 with a wind that was from the west - great for having the windows open and enjoying the day!  I almost got cold sitting at my computer!

Tonight, Ann and I went to watch Allison play softball in her first Y League game of the season.  She pitched the first two innings and did a great job!  She also got two hits and scored twice.  I didn't dream that I would need a jacket to sit and watch her play, but when the sun went under a cloud, I really wish I had taken a jacket!!

More later...

Storms, storms everywhere

I don't know if you follow the weather radar, but we do here.  I do when they're calling for severe weather.  The tornadoes are everywhere.  Poor Oklahoma - they really got hit hard.  Tonight I heard that at least 25 kids may have perished in the school in Moore, OK.  What an awful thing.  I always think that schools are pretty solid and safe places.  I guess Cardinal Schools are doing the right thing - building the safe room that all of their students can go to.  May God be with the families who lost loved ones in the storms last night.

Today we had BRT and had a wonderful discussion..  We're in John 12 and we made it through verses 11-26 today.  We don't go rapidly - we discuss every word almost.

I hope we don't have severe weather tonight.  I need to sleep because I have to get up very early.

More later...

Long Day

I woke up this morning at 6:15 - what's up with that???  I didn't go back to sleep either. I got my breakfast, but no newspaper, so I had to get my news from ABC's Good Morning America.  There wasn't any local news there, though!

Dave just got home about 9:30.  I'm watching the All-Star race - it was on rain delay for quite some time.  Tomorrow it's supposed to rain here.  There are even supposed to be some severe thunderstorms here tomorrow and maybe Monday.  Yuck.  I don't like that part of Spring.

Today I went to a Norwex party.  I'd never heard of that, but they have some interesting products.  I bought a couple of the products and won another as a door prize, so we'll see if they are all they're reported to be.

More later...

Good Friday

Not really, Good Friday, but good Friday!  It was a gorgeous day!  It's still 72 at 9:00 tonight so you know the day was a good one!  Dave went to work really early because he's hauling anhydrous and I was able to go back to sleep after he said goodbye.  I slept until about 8:30 which is pretty much unheard of for me any more.  It felt good.  I had to hurry a bit though because we had a PEO meeting followed by lunch so I couldn't dawdle with the morning paper like I usually do.  I did, however, get there on time.  We had 27 members present today.  I suppose it was because it was a luncheon, but I'm thinking it was because it was at the Country Club.  The next meeting is the first Friday in June and it's at my house.  Hmmmm...I'm thinking   that I might want to change venues...maybe Plum Panache's beautiful outside garden area.  I guess I'll talk to Liz.

I wanted to clone myself so I could go to Fairfield today to have lunch with some of my high school friends, but just haven't learned how to do that yet!  After PEO I had to go to Walmart for Dave's medicine.  I haven't been there for a long time and I don't miss it!

This afternoon when Judy brought me home from PEO my hummingbird was feeding!!  He/she came back several times today!  This is the first time they've been there when I've seen them.  I don't have any idea if it was 1 bird or several, but it was fun to see them regardless.  I opened the window so I could hear them when they flew up to the feeder.  I love the sound their wings make.  I haven't seen a male yet.  They always make a tiny chirp as they land on the feeder whereas the females are silent except for their wing noise.

Dave just got home and now he's mowing the yard in the dark.  Silly man.

More later...

Still working!

My husband is still working and it's 8:15.  I haven't heard from him since about 3:30, so I know he's not on his way home.  He usually "warns" me that he's coming home!   I made ham balls for supper tonight.  He'll have to warm his up because I went ahead with my supper at a normal time.

I had another wonderful day with the windows open.  We had a bit of a shower in the night, so it's a wee bit muggy right now, but not bad.  

I see that I forgot to blog last night.  When Dave doesn't get home until late, I seem to have a hard time remembering to blog.  I'm getting it done early tonight.  I don't really have much to say.  I am just doing errands - nothing big and nothing creative.

More later...

Tuesday

What a great day we had today!  At one point I noticed that it was 90 degrees and only 81 in Clearwater!  When it gets hot here, it's mild there...and vice versa!  I personally thought that today was superb!  I had the windows open and I even sat outside and read my PEO Record.  That's the first time I've been outside here where there wasn't a bite in the air.  Maybe we've turned the corner!  We went from the furnace running yesterday morning to needing a fan today!  Springtime in Iowa!!

I had a great day.  Dave worked all day so I just did what I wanted to do - which wasn't much!  I worked with the printers on the PEO book and went to a Personnel meeting at church.  Dave didn't get home until about 7:30, then he fertilized and mowed the yard.  I got to watch DWTS and for once the best 4 are going to the semi-finals.  These are all good dancers so the finals should be fun to watch!

More later...

Lovely Day

Today was a really nice day!  I tried to have the windows open, though, and the wind made it a little too chilly.   Outside in the sun and out of the wind were wonderful!  I had BRT this morning and we had some lively discussions as per usual!  Dave was at church when I got done with BRT and asked me to get us Canteens for lunch!  He didn't have to ask twice!  They were exceptionally good today!

This afternoon I finished packing up my supplies for tonight's card class and then went back to church for an Evangelism meeting.  I was able to do both my committee meeting and the card class.  We had 11 in class tonight and all went relatively well...except for that darn twisted card.  I don't know exactly what happened, but I ran out of paper and had to cut more.  Sometimes that card can be a pain in the tush...and it certainly was tonight.

More later...

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day!  Dave brought me breakfast in bed, along with a card that had coupons in it!  He got me up at 7:30 so he could get to church early to turn on the heat!  He turned it too warm, too, because many of us were sweating and one of my fellow altos felt really sick (hot and sweating) so she went home early.

After church we went to Second Street Cafe for lunch.  There was a huge crowd there, but we got a booth - the last available seats!  Then we came home and Dave took his nap before going outside to plant my flowers and tomatoes!  I tried to help him, but I was freezing so I came inside and would go outside for short intervals to make sure he was doing the planting correctly!  (ha)  In between going outside and coming back inside, I worked on my card projects for tomorrow night.  I think all I have to do is pack things up tomorrow.  I may have a few more things to cut, but it shouldn't take me long now!

I got to talk to both kids today.  Both of them called to wish me a Happy Mother's Day!  Jami and the kids (and maybe Tom) are coming to Iowa this summer!  We're excited.  They'll be here for a week in mid-August!  The  girls have wanted to come to Iowa for a couple of years now, so this should be fun!  We'll have to come up with things to do!!  I know that the State Fair is in the works, definitely!

As for Bryan, he was chosen by John Deere to Systems Engineer and Management training - a one-year course at MIT!  Now that's exciting!!  He'll do most of it in Waterloo with a couple of weeks on the Massachusetts campus!

You can see why I had a good Mother's Day!  Both kids had exciting news and Dave pampered me even more today than usual!  Now I'm going to bed to read!!

More later...

Frost Advisory

Can you believe that?!  A frost advisory is out for tonight!  Then it's supposed to be 90 on Tuesday!  Welcome to Spring in Iowa!!

I had a very productive day today.  I got several pieces of my cards cut out AND I got all of the filing done...including all of my check duplicates!  Woohoo!  Dave came home from Habitat and mowed the yard.  Then after supper he shredded all of the papers I had generated!  My desk is actually looking pretty good!

Now I'm watching the race and my guy's in the lead right this moment!!

More later...

Friday

I got my hair cut this morning - yay!  While I was out and about I decided to go to the plant sale at First Presbyterian put on by Heartland Humane Society.  I got two hanging planters, some plants for a couple of pots, a replacement clematis, and some tomato plants.  I'm going to plant my tomatoes in pots and put them on our porch.  I sure hope they produce tomatoes!  I'm hungry for fresh tomatoes.  That's another thing that  miss about Florida - fresh produce!  We seem to get a lot of hydroponic tomatoes here and they're just not as good as regular tomatoes.

I've been working on cards for our next card class.  I should be able to get them done tomorrow - hopefully.  Dave will be at Habitat, so I'll have the day to myself.  I also need to file - I HATE FILING!!  We get so much paper that I feel compelled to keep for a few years.  I really just need to have everything sent to my online, then I wouldn't have paper piles!!

More later...

Thursday

Since it was another rainy day, I started working on my PEO book and knew without a doubt that I'd get it finished this morning.  Dave had other ideas.  He decided to take me to Cantril to the Dutchman's Store.  It was sort of a nice day for a drive - everything is so pretty right now.  Trees are blooming, the grass is the greenest we've seen for a long time, and there are baby animals everywhere.  We saw baby horses, baby cows, and lots of goats!   On the way down to Cantril Dave said we'd eat an ice cream cone at the Dutchman's and then have drunch later this afternoon.  I was so looking forward to getting a cone, and some malted milk balls, and some liver cheese!  We pulled into Cantril and turned on Main Street...and no cars!  It's Ascension Day and they were closed!  Bummer!  So, back to O-town we came.  Ate leftovers instead of an ice cream cone followed by malted milk balls!  Funny!

I did, however, get my PEO book done and off to the lady who will have it printed!  Yay!  I also figured out that I ordered the wrong thing from SU.  I thought I had ordered the new in-colors and was planning to make a card from those colors.  I don't have the in-colors!  Another bummer!  So now it's Plan B!

More later...

Wednesday

I was really, really lazy this morning.  I didn't wake up until 8:36!!  Then by the time I read the paper and had my breakfast, it was even later.  So, I just hung out all morning in my jammies and boy, did that feel good!  I took my shower about noon and got ready for the rest of my day.

I went to Tony's and ordered some memorial flowers for mom & dad's stone and Uncle Bert & Aunt Helen's stone too.  Hopefully they'll be beautiful.

Then I went to church and worked setting up for the Food Pantry.  Dave and I both worked until  our appointment with our financial adviser.  Then I came home and Dave went back to church to help them clean up.  We're like two ships passing in the night.  He came home from church and I had to go back for choir practice!  Funny!

More later...

Tuesday

Whoohoo!  Love days like this.  Too bad I had so many things to do today that were inside!  I would have liked to have been at one of Allison's games just to sit out in the sun!  But instead, I was cleaning house because Dave's old boss was coming over!  Plus at 1:45 I gave blood and at 3:00 I had a manicure...then tonight I had a sorority meeting.

Tomorrow's more of the same.  We have Food Pantry at our church and a meeting with our financial advisor, followed by choir practice - so no sun tomorrow afternoon either.

Dave went mushrooming today and this is what he found:

Unfortunately he went out to eat with his old boss, so he didn't get to eat his find tonight!!  I guess he'll get to have them tomorrow night!

More later...

Some warmth today!

Yay - there's actually some warmth creeping back into SE Iowa today and this evening!  I sure hope the sun comes with it!!  It's supposed to be in the 70s tomorrow!!  Can I hear a hip-hip-hooray!!

Church today was very inspiring.  We had a praise band and they actually sang songs that we all knew.  Of course, some of the  people wouldn't sing praise music even if they knew every word...they want the organ music...and hymns that we don't know!

We went to Faith United Methodist Church in Libertyville for lunch.  It was fantastic!  Pork loin or chicken breast, baked potato or cheesy potatoes, green beans or corn, rolls, and their wonderful dessert bar!  Very good meal!

Tonight I have my 31 Facebook party.  I hope it goes smoothly!

Ooops.  I started this last night, but didn't get it posted.  Sorry.  So, I'll just continue on.  This was a wonderful day.  High in the mid 70s with plenty of sunshine!   I had Bible Reading Time this morning and then I had a doctor's appointment in Fairfield this afternoon.  Everything is fine, but I still have to go back sometime in the next couple of weeks to have a blood panel drawn.  And then I go back to see him in about a month for a Medicare physical.

More later...

Saturday

It was so much nicer today, even if it started out pretty gray and gloomy with some rain.  It was 50 when I woke up - warmer than it had been for two days!  So that in itself was encouraging!  The grass is so green here that it's just amazing to look out my window to the world.  I still haven't seen any hummingbirds, though, so I'm still waiting for that sign of spring.  The other birds seem to all be back, so where are those little hummers???

Today Dave and I went to a seminar on Effective Communication put on by our church.  It was okay, but the best part of the seminar was lunch if you know what I mean!  The last 15 minutes of the seminar was what we all wanted so I believe a lot of us felt a bit cheated.  Most of the seminar was on listening skills, so hopefully we all learned something from our facilitator.

I called my friend, Cindy, today.  She was so upbeat that I feel much better.  I just love her!  Our schedules are both so busy that we made an appointment to get together on the 22nd!

How about the Kentucky Derby!?  Did you watch?  It was sure a sloppy track, but the times were good even with all of the mud!

More later...

May 3 = SNOW!!

Revolting development!!  This is what we woke up to today!

Happy May 3rd!!

It didn't last long, though.  From about 9:00 on it's been raining - all day!  We hosted Church Women United at our church today.  I was a greeter and I hoped that I didn't have to stand outside to greet!  I didn't!  It was a very nice get together.  We had a wonderful meal (cooked entirely by Liz) and then a program.  It didn't get over until about noon and then we had clean up to do.

Each table had a teapot on it along with freshly planted flowers - in tea cups!  It was lovely.  I wish I'd taken a picture of our food - it was great!!

Kathy, Juliene, Liz, Pat & Marcia enjoying their meal!

This afternoon I took a long nap - boy did that feel good!  I sure hope I can sleep tonight!

More later...

Downright Frigid!

Boy, is it ever cold out today.  It didn't get above 40 that I know of.  Northwest Iowa had snow - and not just snow showers!  Britt had 11"!!  We haven't had any - just some rain.  It's raining out now, but no snow as of yet!  My great-nephew wants to form a lynch mob to lynch Puxatawny Phil!

I was really, really glad that I didn't have to go out today.  Dave went to the doctor to have his ribs xrayed, but when he got there, the doctor said there was no use in spending the money - there's nothing they can do for broken ribs except just wait for them to heal.  She did give him some steroids for his lungs so maybe he can get his cough taken care of.

I watched birds today.  The gold finches are back, as are the purple finches!  At one time I had a pair of goldfinches, a pair of purple finches, a woodpecker, and a sparrow all on my feeder at one time.  The woodpecker is HUGE compared to the finches!!  Then Mr. Squirrel came along and they all flew away.  Dave fixed him, though.  He put axle grease on the pole so now he won't be able to shinny up the pole any more!

This afternoon and evening I've been working on typing our PEO book.  I'm not as good of a typist as I once was.  I'll get it done, though!

More later...

Wednesday

This was another beautiful day.  I got up early and about 9:00 I took my salad down to church.  I then went to The Photo Shop and bought a lens for my new camera plus a new battery.  The old battery that I got with my Nikon won't hold a charge any more.  After running some errands for Dave, I went to the salad luncheon.  The luncheon was wonderful.  They served around 170 people!  I know it was tons of work, but I hope they do it again next year because it was very successful, I think.

Tonight we went back to church for supper and then I had choir practice.  Now the cold front is moving in...it's already down to 49 and it was in the mid 60s when we went to church for supper.  Bummer!  I don't want a cold front!!!  They're saying possibly snow tomorrow - yuck!

More later...