Sunday

We had a beautiful summer day here.  Church was good.  We came home from church and ate an early lunch so Dave could go out to Bryan's to mow.  This is Erin's birthday so they are in Des Moines for a couple of days.  Since he was gone, I took the opportunity to take a Sunday afternoon nap.  I really wanted to finish my cushion cover, but my grandma always said (according to Mom) that if you took stitches on Sunday, you'd remove them 9 times over in your afterlife. So I decided I didn't want to chance that!

Now I'm watching the Cubs get beat while Dave sleeps in his chair.  I'll have to wake him up so he can go to bed!!

More later...

Saturday at Regency North

Dave did some things outside today like spraying a couple of trees for Japanese beatles.  They were just decimating a big flowering crab and a Bradford pear.  They're kind of neat bugs - almost iridescent!

Meanwhile I was in here covering a window seat cushion.  I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I ended up making an envelope cover for it.  I'm not quite done with it...I need to put some velcro on the flaps and pink a couple of seams.  I finally found my pinking shears!

This afternoon we watched the Cubs get beat and I cooked pork chops with rice tonight for supper.  Yum, yum, yum!

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friday

Dave and I went on a date tonight.  We went out to eat at a restaurant in downtown Waterloo called Galleria de Paco. Paco is a young man from Croatia who is a graffiti artist.  He painted the entire ceiling and walls of the restaurant as a representation of what he saw at the Sistine Chapel.  The difference is, he did it entirely with spray paint!  It is beautiful.  The food is wonderful!  Dave had tiger shrimp alfredo and I had a grilled, roasted pork chop with a banana-ketchup sauce...yummy!  Then we shared a lava cake for dessert.  You can't tell by the picture, but it was flaming!  Delicious!

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Thursday

I didn't sleep much last night, so I took aboout a 30 minute nap today.  Hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight!  Dave went out to Bryan's tonight to help him.  Today we went to the chiropractor and we made another vegetable pasta salad.  Other that, we didn't do much.

Tonight I gave up the Cubs game for the convention.  Great speakers tonight!  I'm listening to Hillary now and I'm hoping that she delivers a blockbuster speech!

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Hate

There is so much hate in our world right now.  Politically speaking, it seems to me that at least 90% of the hate is from the conservative side against the liberal side.  Why is that?  By definition, conservatives don't like change.  I understand that.  It's hard to change...but that doesn't mean you have to hate the person(s) who want to change things.  I'm so sick and tired of biting my tongue - I so want to tell some of these people who are spewing hate to check the accuracy of the hate that they're spouting.  So many of the posts I'm referring to are purely fiction!!  I see all this hate being leveled at Hillary, Bill, and especially Chelsea.  What has Chelsea ever done to deserve such hate?  OK, enough of that!

Yesterday, Dave and I actually made it to the museum.  We got through the Civil War, World War I, and the Spanish-American War.  Then we went to a program about the planetarium.  The show was good - they helped identify several constellations and stars.  Then they also told legends/myths about the stars/constellations.  It was good!

Last night Dave worked with Bryan while I watched the Cubs get beat.  Then I watched Bill Clinton speak.  He's a good speaker!  I wish I had heard Michelle Obama today, but I didn't.

Today Dave mowed here at the condo and went shopping for Bryan's flooring project.  I went downstairs to walk around the garage and then took a short nap.  Tonight we're watching the Cubs...so far we're ahead!

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Monday

Today was a vacuuming day.  I did some and Dave did some.  So we have a clean house for a day or so.  Then about 11:00 we decided to go to the Grout Museum for an hour or two.  We got there, parked, walked around the building to go in the front door...it isn't open on Mondays!  So we came back home, ate lunch, and just enjoyed our clean house!!

We laughed about having the shortest museum visit in history!!  Maybe tomorrow we'll try again!

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Sunday

Great church service today.  The sermon was about Jesus walking on the water and Peter being afraid.  Pastor Amy had just been in the Holy Land in May and had been in a boat on the Sea of Galilee...so it was an extra special sermon to her.

After church we came home and forgot to eat lunch!  Instead we made a pasta salad and got the meat ready for tonight.  That pasta salad is wonderful and so easy!!  We went to Bryan's about 5:00 and had dinner with him, Erin, Aidan, and Erin's parents.  Aidan gave me a kiss goodbye when we left and  he's starting to be more vocal.  He's not really saying words, but he is vocalizing more!  We bought him some wooden blocks and he played with them a bunch.

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Saturday

Wowser, it was another hot one here today.  I didn't pay attention to how hot it got...it was so humid we couldn't get the steam off the windows in the car.  When we got out of the car, our glasses would steam over.  It was even hard to breathe!  

This afternoon some BIG thunderstorms came thru, cooling things down a bit!  The cloud formations were something to watch.  I just watched out our double doors.  Lots of lightning and thunder, too!  Tornadoes east and north of us.  

After it cleared off, we decided to go to LJ's for some supper.  Then came back here to watch the Cubs.get beat again.  Grrrrr...........

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Friday

I've been pretty bored the last couple of days.  Dave mowed here at the condos yesterday and then today he went  out to Bryan's to work.  I guess I was getting tired of being here alone with nothing that has to be done.  Anyway, I got through it without snacking or sleeping!

It is really, really hot here.  We've been in a heat advisory - feel like temperatures over 102!  Right now it's 8:30 and it still feels like 98 outside.  The heat is supposed to break tonight, but I sure don't see any clouds in the sky for a thunderstorm.

Tomorrow we're going to the war museum here in Waterloo.  I think it looks very interesting, plus they have a Victorian home that is open on Saturdays, too.  We'll at least be in a/c.

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Wednesday

All I did today was dust and lend my expertise to a lady upstairs.  She wanted my opinion on what pictures she should hang, etc.  When I got up there, we ended up talking for about 2 hours!  She's been all over the world and is very interesting to talk to.  The only problem is that she's hard to get away from!

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Paperwork day

I worked hard today - right here from my chair.  I am pretty bad about reconciling our checking accounts, so today I got caught up from the last time I did them which was in January.  It's a good think they always balance!  That's why I don't get too excited.

I also got the newsletter done except that I'm waiting for one article...and the August calendar is done too.  Not too bad!

Tomorrow I'll have to find something else to do - oh, I guess I could file....yuck!

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Good Monday!

I slept until 9:30 this morning again...this is becoming a pattern!  I like it, but it's 10:30 in Florida and that means I miss a whole bunch of things if I sleep that late down there!

I worked on paperwork today and then this evening I had a massage...and it was wonderful!  Finally found someone who is as good as Gerrii!

Tonight the Cubs won, so now we're 1-8 against the Mets this season!  At least now the guys know they CAN beat them!

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Sunday

It rained most of the night last night - Dave said we got about .8 of an inch of rain.  The crops are absolutely beautiful around here.  We've had plenty of rain, humidity, and heat and the crops love that!  They are green and lush.

After church we came home and Dave cooked burgers on the grill.  Then we went up to Linda and Al's to take back the bike we borrowed.  Guess who was there?  Blaise!  I asked him what my name was and he said, "Peg".  I sat down on the floor with him to build castles out of blocks.  I'd ask him what letter was on the block and he'd tell me.  Then he'd tell  me what started with M (for instance), like mittens.  He even said xylophone!  He also knew what the numbers were.  He's just too smart!  The only thing he gets wrong is that he calls Dave Papa Bob.  I think we got him convinced that he should say Uncle Dave!  When we got ready to leave he came running to give us hugs!

 He's making sure I can crab walk, too!  Grandma sure can!  And grandma makes a good horsey!

This afternoon we went back to church for Pastor Amy's installation.  Great service!

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Is this Saturday??

I slept in this morning - got up around 9:30!  We ate breakfast and then got ready for our day.  After my shower, we went to Walmart to get a couple things and then to Bed Bath & Beyond (I love that store!!).  On our way home, around 12:30 or so Dave's talking about grilling burgers.  I told him I'd rather sleep than eat, so that's what I did.  I read for a bit, but I got up around 4:30!  I don't know what you think, but I think being grandma made me very tired!  I just hope I sleep tonight.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be more active!

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Finished

Our week with the kids and grandkids ended last night.  It was so quiet at our camper, I couldn't sleep!  We miss them all and we are tired!  Having 3 kids 14, 12, and 8 plus their uncle, his significant other, and their toddler for meals is something else!  Especially trying in a 1-butt kitchen in a camper which doesn't have a bunch of dishes and/or pots and pans!  But we made it and the kids didn't want to leave.

Now we've got everything put away and have the last load of laundry in the machine!

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Thursday

I'm here by myself and the internet is working.  Dave took the kids to Lost Island water park for the third day...needless to say, they love it.  Today Erin and Aidan even went.  I stayed here because it's our evening to feed the troops.  This week has really worked out well in that every other day everyone is here for supper and the off days we're at Bryan  & Erin's.  The kids are getting to enjoy Aidan and they love their Uncle Bryan!

I made lasagna this afternoon.  It's in the slow cooker....I've never done this kind of cooking without Dave around to rescue me from my shakes!  I had swept the floor this morning, but after making lasagna, it needs it again!  I wasn't even sure I could get the spaghetti sauce jar open by myself.  What a hoot!

Anyway, I wanted you all to know that we're having a great week!  The kids leave tomorrow - Bryan & Erin will take them to Indiana to visit their other grandmother and her family.  It's going to be quiet when they're gone!  I will definitely miss them!

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Thursday

Tomorrow Jami and the kids fly into Des Moines.  Jami will fly back out on Monday and the kids will stay with us.  Then next Friday Bryan will take them to Indiana to their other grandma's for a week.  Busy, busy, busy!  We're going to the campground in the morning so we'll have spotty wifi at the best.  I may not be blogging for a while.

Today I made 2 black raspberry pies and packed for our camping trip.  We've got a whole menu planned out for the week - including homemade ice cream!  Bryan, Erin and Aidan are going to bring their tent and camp with us for the weekend.  Should be lots of fun!!

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Wednesday

Phew - what a day we had today!  After we got up and before we took showers, we went out to Bryan's to pick raspberries.  We picked 5 cups - enough for a pie.  By that time we were cooked - it was hot and humid today and we were wearing long-sleeved shirts.  Dave even had on long pants...but not me.  I'm hoping I didn't get any poison ivy this time since I wore long sleeves.  Last time we picked I got about 5 spots of some kind of poison spots.  I saw both poison ivy and poison oak, but there was no way to avoid it...It's everywhere in the bushes.

We then came home, took showers and took off for Carlos O'Kelley's for lunch.  Then it was off to grocery shop for next week.  Walmart loved us today!!

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Tuesday

I've got nothing today!  I didn't do much except some paperwork and play today.  Dave mowed at Bryan's.  We're going out to pick raspberries tomorrow - I sure hope I get to see Aidan!

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Happy Independence Day

We got up early again this morning.  We met Linda in Shell Rock for their parade.  Linda, Kyle, Cassie, Blaise, Kaylee, Clayton, plus members of Clayton's family were all there.  Blaise enjoyed the parade and got quite a bit of candy.  He ate 2 suckers, numerous pieces of Tootsie Rolls, and a small ice pop.  Plus, he had a part of a donut when he first got there.  He was so good.  Then when we got back to Linda's for lunch, he entertained us before and after lunch.

It was a fun day!

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Sunday

We went to Westminster Presbyterian this morning because Mark Hanson from O-town and Joel Harris from here were singing.  I was in choir with Mark and his wife, Mary.  They do a fantastic medley of patriotic songs and have been doing it it for 22 years!

This afternoon Dave went to Bryan's to help him and I stayed here.  It's a good thing because he didn't get home until well after 5:30.  I'd have been ready to come home much earlier!  Tomorrow we're going with Linda's family to Shell Rock for a parade.  Hopefully we'll get to see Blaise, too!

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Saturday

Yesterday, we went to O-town to pick up our new (used) camper truck.  I'll have to take a picture of it - I haven't done that yet.  For lunch, we met Bob & Ann at the Country Club.  That was fun - it was their 22nd anniversary.  Then we took off for Williamsburg where we shopped for an hour or so and then went to watch Allison's ballgame.  They won 16-0 in 5 innings!  She pitched a great game - something like 8 strikeouts!  She also had a double and was on base every at bat.

Today Dave had to go to Cedar Rapids to pick up Bryan at the airport.  He lost his wallet the first day in France (on the train) so he had no cash or credit card to rent a car.  Poor kid.  He spent a week in France & Germany with no money or credit card!  Plus he caught a cold or has sinusitis and feels miserable.  I'll bet he's really glad to get home!

More later...