Thursday was a treat, as we had my first poker night in months! Brian McClain hosted in NE Fort Dodge, and 10 other guys from our old Texas Hold'Em group showed up. It was great to catch up and hear what's been happening with old friends, as well as share how our excel-lent adventure has been going.
Brian's wife laid out quite a spread, with a cream chese ball, little smokies, chips and dips...yum! Of course there was plenty of liquid refreshment. Usually I play better if I drink in moderation, but Thursday I had quite a few Jack and Cokes, and still managed to take home some extra money. Actually it came up to about 9 gallons of diesel fuel, which is kind of sobering in itself! I was very lucky, with the cards coming my way. Good conversation, joking, and music.
Hopefully we can have another poker nite before we leave the Fort Dodge Area. Thanks to Brian, Ryan Reisner, Steve Carse, Joel Greathouse, B J, Phil Trimble, Travis Jass, Mike Zahm, Tony Butler for making a great night for me...oh and Herman Provin for being my designated driver!!!!!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
HOLY COW, BATMAN, IS THIS HEAVEN?
HOLY COW, BATMAN! IS THIS HEAVEN??? No, its Iowa.........
We have made a wild dash across the western half of the country in what seemed like just a few days (but obviously it wasn't)...and my blog has suffered for it. It was really easy to get out of the habit of doing this, kind of like falling off a diet. I have more experience with that.
We have made a wild dash across the western half of the country in what seemed like just a few days (but obviously it wasn't)...and my blog has suffered for it. It was really easy to get out of the habit of doing this, kind of like falling off a diet. I have more experience with that.
Ellen and Mica at Lake Elmo Park
We stopped at Smith Center KS (Home of Peterson Industries, who make the Excel 5th Wheel) for a couple of days, long enough to get some minor work done on the old RV and make a deal on a new one!!! Honestly, we were just going to look, but we didn't stop there. We found a 2008 35 MKO (mid kitchen, 2 ft. longer, more basement storage, heavier rated tires, hydraulic powered slides and front jacks, a satellite dome, and (gasp!) a 32" flat screen TV and more)...it has a floor plan we have been enamored with for awhile.......and got what we think is a pretty good deal, as they also were changing some things in favor of our choices--colors, furniture, refrigerator, and adding a fireplace while coming down a substantial amount. It should be delivered to Guthrie Center IA in a week or so, and that's when we drive down there to 'move out' and 'move in'.
We motored up to Lake Elmo MN, east of St. Paul, to be close enough to spend some time with daughter Jenn's family, and try to spoil grandson Mica. What a precious little guy he is! We had a wonderful time playing with Mica and reading, and playing games, and spending time at the playground. We also got to spend a lot of time IN the 5th wheel, as we were once again in the rainy part of the world. There was more rain in 5 minutes than we saw in the southwest in 3+ months! And it rained most of 2 days. Driving through construction on 494 with torrents beating against the windshield was not a lot of fun.
We also had the opportunity to see our first May Day Parade in South Minneapolis. Perfect weather for the parade that has grown from 200 spectators in the mid 70s to over 50,000. As Ellen puts it, there's a whole big strata of society that we didn't know existed! Celebrating May Day and spring provided a chance to have a wonderfully creative parade with huge puppets and all kinds of messages and causes espoused. Lots of "Stop the war...NOW!!!" chants, green causes, calls for ending the use of fossil fuels, Native American groups and dancers, African American drill teams, informal bands, and following the official parade came all kinds of groups--Hare Krishnas, atheists, politicians and on and on... It was exciting and truly eye opening, as the parades we had become used to in Iowa had girl scouts, fire trucks and farm equipment.
We are heading for the bustling town of Paton, IA (population 205) to stay in our daughter's driveway for a while...to keep me away from fuel stations where the price of diesel has rocketed over $4.00 a gallon. The worst we've paid so far is $4.19!
We are going to attend daughter Erin's graduation Saturday from Iowa Central Community College in Nursing, and we are sooooooo proud! We will also be happy to spend time with her and Jeff's 3 children as well as catch up with some friends from Fort Dodge. I'm sure we won't be bored!
Thought for the day: It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
We motored up to Lake Elmo MN, east of St. Paul, to be close enough to spend some time with daughter Jenn's family, and try to spoil grandson Mica. What a precious little guy he is! We had a wonderful time playing with Mica and reading, and playing games, and spending time at the playground. We also got to spend a lot of time IN the 5th wheel, as we were once again in the rainy part of the world. There was more rain in 5 minutes than we saw in the southwest in 3+ months! And it rained most of 2 days. Driving through construction on 494 with torrents beating against the windshield was not a lot of fun.
We also had the opportunity to see our first May Day Parade in South Minneapolis. Perfect weather for the parade that has grown from 200 spectators in the mid 70s to over 50,000. As Ellen puts it, there's a whole big strata of society that we didn't know existed! Celebrating May Day and spring provided a chance to have a wonderfully creative parade with huge puppets and all kinds of messages and causes espoused. Lots of "Stop the war...NOW!!!" chants, green causes, calls for ending the use of fossil fuels, Native American groups and dancers, African American drill teams, informal bands, and following the official parade came all kinds of groups--Hare Krishnas, atheists, politicians and on and on... It was exciting and truly eye opening, as the parades we had become used to in Iowa had girl scouts, fire trucks and farm equipment.
We are heading for the bustling town of Paton, IA (population 205) to stay in our daughter's driveway for a while...to keep me away from fuel stations where the price of diesel has rocketed over $4.00 a gallon. The worst we've paid so far is $4.19!
We are going to attend daughter Erin's graduation Saturday from Iowa Central Community College in Nursing, and we are sooooooo proud! We will also be happy to spend time with her and Jeff's 3 children as well as catch up with some friends from Fort Dodge. I'm sure we won't be bored!
Thought for the day: It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
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