Another week past, another friend passed

Clarinda, IA  66º but to get hot

     Yes, been almost a week since I posted--and another close friend has passed.  When we rode our trikes last Thursday, first day after we returned from Texas, we stopped in at good friends Roberta & Maury Rarick to see how he was doing.  In the last few weeks, months, this dear 86 year old man has been declining in health.  While we were there she told of the troubles she had had when trying to get him into the car the previous week to go to therapy and he had given out and slipped to the ground beside the car and she had to get a friend to help him back into the house.  When we were there Maury was quite weak and dizzy when trying to sit up.  With his heart problems, recent TIA, and unable to keep down liquids or food we assisted Roberta in calling 911 and they transported him to Clarinda Regional Health Center.  We had remained with them as they decided to check him in and try some medications, but not giving a lot of hope account of kidney failure and not in good physical condition to do any procedures.  We visited them both each day and their boys were called in -3 of them being from out of town.  On Sunday, with the family by Maury's side, he passed away in late afternoon.  One boy who had started back home and turned around when called but did not quite make it to the hospital before his father's passing.

      Maury hired me in August of 1970 when we moved to Clarinda and I started working for him at Hygrade Foods.  He was Plant Manager and I was working with the Plant Accountant.  Though I left his employment a few years later, we have remained close.  Roberta was our choir director for many years and we have attended church activities and the "Thursday night supper" for years.  Will miss Maury, but it is a relief to see him no longer suffering.  At 86 years of age, he has enjoyed a full life.

We have been preparing the trailer for leaving Wednesday morning, but will now leave at noon after the 10:30 am funeral.

 On Saturday Phyllis' cousin Stan Runyan and his wife Ann from Mississippi arrived and stayed overnight.  They were on their way to Stan's sister in Norfolk, NE.  They grow a huge garden near Hazelhurst, MS and brought some tomatoes and other vegetables to us and were taking a bunch on to Norfolk.


We got to visit Saturday afternoon and evening we went to J's Pizza for a spaghetti supper with more visiting and a tour showing them around Clarinda.

They were on their way north Sunday around 9:00 am.

I was going to show the other day the 7 watermelons we brought from the Rio Grande Valley.  Lots of transportation costs to get those watermelons!  We have shared several of them with friends and eaten watermelon at many meals here.  We will take what is left, already cut up, in the refrigerator in our trailer as we head east tomorrow.

On our way north from Texas we had seen several huge billboards for Van's Bar B Que and decided to stop at it.  It was out in the country and the building wasn't as large as their billboards had been.  They did have real good barbeque and we had a welcome break from the driving.

This was a window by our table, and near the front entrance door.  It had been shattered by a rock or something and when asked, the waitress said it had been that way "for a long time".  Someone had placed a plastic spider in the center of the spiral of the cracks and it did look like a huge spider web!

My brother Don & his wife Vicki go here Sunday evening and we had a good visit. Photos are when we ate supper Sunday evening at our house.  We ate supper last night at the Chinese Buffet.

They left this morning a little after 9 and headed towards Cape Gerardo, MO

Now, to mow the lawn, get the back seat out of the Excursion so we can put the trikes in there, get all the stuff in the trailer and everything ready to go for our two week travels.

Will post on the road as we get good Wifi.

Lynn

long, short trip

Clarinda, IA   66º raining
      Well we made a long (2,400 miles) short (6 day) trip.  Left our house in Clarinda, IA last Friday morning, arrived at our house in La Feria, TX about 6:30 pm Saturday.  Left our house in La Feria about 8:30 am Monday, and arrived at our house here at 8:00 pm tonight.  Just got here and unloaded car and shut the garage door before it began to rain.

This is our view as we were a few miles south of Clarinda tonight.

 On our way down the highway (and we drove Interstates 29, 35, 37 and Texas 281 and 83) we saw a lot of interesting things.  Here is a semi load of some huge tires.

 Somewhere around Austin we spotted a Rudy's on Saturday so stopped in for lunch.  We have a couple of them in the Rio Grande Valley and enjoy the barbequed meat.

 We got a half pound of brisket and it was delicious.

Taken at 2:50 pm Saturday

Taken at 5:20 pm on Saturday

When we were south of San Antonio the temperature hit 100 degrees.  In about another 100 miles it got overcast and rained a little, though I didn't even have to start the windshield wipers, and the temp dropped to 79 degrees.






Temperature was in the 90's the Saturday, Sunday and Monday we were there and the mosquitoes were out in full force.
The Kenwood RV Park was pretty empty, only about 3 trailers with people in them and a few permanents with some people.

We got a good visit with Patty at the office and checked things out at our house.  I got my work done in Progreso and we hit the road Tuesday morning.  Had stopped at Denton, TX on the way down and we spent the night near Fort Worth, TX on the way back.

Now a couple days preparing for company from Mississippi this Saturday and Sunday and also company from Missouri this Sunday and Monday here at our house.  We will pull out with our travel trailer on Wednesday and head east to spend some time in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and then heading back through all the states on our way back on this 2 week trip.  Will be staying in State Parks in Missouri, Indiana, Ohio and overnight at some Kenwood friends places in Illinois and Michigan as well as visiting our daughter while near Columbus, OH and seeing several friends from Kenwood while en-route through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan.  Haven't warned some of them, hope they will be home when we come by to see where they hang their hats in the summertime.

Till another time, Lynn

32.5 hours

La Feria, TX  92 degrees - Muggy

     32.5 hours ago we pulled out of our driveway in Clarinda.  1142 miles later we pulled into our driveway here in Kenwood RV.

Yesterday (Friday) morning we saw Dr. Sarpong for the last time.  I was getting a 2 month A1C and general checkup.  He has treated all things and my Type 2 diabetes for about the last 11 years, but Friday was his last day at Clarinda as he is moving to Indiana and will be both working as an internist and teaching interns.  Wish him luck, but will miss him.  He is so knowledgeable and always explained

 everything about what he was doing and what I needed to be doing. Of course, I am still working on loosing the weight I need to, but he has helped be work on it.


Anyway, as soon as we were done there (and I got a good report -- just need to loose some more weight) we pulled out of our driveway, which is just across the street from the hospital, about 10:30 am and pulled in to our house here just about 6:30 pm tonight.  Of course, we stopped in Denton, TX last night about 9:30 pm and got a night's sleep at a motel.  Left there about 8:15 this morning, rested up.  I suppose 45 years ago I could have driven all of this trip by myself in a straight 23 or 24 hours, but not at my age now.  And, I must say that even though I have made a practice of never driving over 60 mph and generally sticking to 55 mph since we retired, this trip I am guilty of driving 65 and 70 mph.  Know it hurt the gas mileage and I feel more comfortable slower; but, we drove all interstate and I kept pretty well up with the traffic.  And, since we were driving "bobtail" for the first time in about 4 years (we always had the travel trailer with the truck and even last year pulled a small cargo trailer with the mini-van) it was a nice drive and we averaged something around 26-27, which isn't too bad.

     We ran into 100 degree temperatures just south of San Antonio and about 50 miles or an hour later was at 79 degrees with some sprinkles of rain.  Was back to 93 degrees when we reached here.
The gasoline prices are a bit interesting.  I avoided buying some gas at Clarinda for $3.26 since I thought would only hold 3 or 4 gallon and ended up filling up on the Tollway in Kansas for $3.49.  Only took 16.1 gallon and the tank holds 16.5 gallon so could have driven another few miles.

Later we filled twice at $3.19 though we had driven by $3.47 and $3.49 in between them.  Last time we filled at the $3.19 less than a mile away was a station on one side with $3.10 and across the highway $3.23.   Just as we got near Mission, TX saw station with $3.04 and filled up.  Of course just as we got in town saw one station with $2.999 though other stations were at $3.19.  Prices all over the place.  And the 10 or 20 cents difference in same town.

Monday we take my maxilla to an agent near the Rio Grande Valley and have an Endosteal cylinder removed so it can be replaced next December.  One worked perfectly and is loose.

Thought we would visit a few friends who stay most of the year here, but see they have gone.  Will do some looking around and probably head back north Monday noon if things work well.

Till next time, Lynn

Two and a half inches!

Rain, that is.  Got our rain last night.  Lawn was brown, turned green today.

 This weekend we spent a lot of time at the local High School, helping with ushering duties at the Glenn Miller Birthplace Festival.  On Friday there were kids from a long ways away participating in the Scholarship contests, instrumental in the morning and vocal in the afternoon.

 This gal, from Utah, played the marimba and I thought was quite good.  She placed, but not first.  The first place got a $4,000 scholarship; second place got $2,000 and third place $1,000.

Here are all the instrumentalists.  Some were from the east coast.

Vocalists sang in the afternoon.  All but one were sopranos.









We heard, and helped seat people, for the Glenn Miller Orchestra twice, the Canadian Big Band from Toronto; the Omaha Big Band; and on Sunday the Tamana, Japan, all girls high school orchestra.  The young girls sounded just as good as the professional bands.  Hard to believe these 70 young girls could perform so well.  Anyone who didn't come to the Festival really missed some good entertainment.

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Tamana, Japan Girls High School Band

Saturday the neighbor had a friend bring in a lift machine so he could take out a mulberry tree behind his place.  While he was at it he took a couple big branches off our mulberry tree right beside it.  Since we were scheduled to work at the Festival all afternoon we didn't work on it picking up the limbs and cutting them into smaller pieces until Sunday morning after we rode our trikes down to the airport and partook of the pancake breakfast at their annual fly-in.  We didn't stay for the air show at 10:00 am, but worked on cleaning up the tree instead.  Were back to the school by 1 pm so helped seat the people for the Tamana girls.

Was a very enjoyable weekend.  I did record several of the bands and may try to upload some of them to U Tube later.

Till next time, Lynn

Still very hot and dry

Clarinda, IA 88 degrees and windy.
       Well, being a '43 model I turn 69 today.  Spent the morning at the fly-in pancake breakfast at the local airport but did not stay for the air show at 10:00 am.  Worked on picking up some of the mulberry tree that my neighbor trimmed while he had a rig to lift him in the air to completely remove his mulberry tree.  This afternoon we returned to the high school and helped usher at the Glenn Miller Birthplace Festival when the Tamana all girl high school band played.  They are as good or better than any professional band!  Will try to post a video of some of their music.

We had ushered at the Glenn Miller Orchestra show last night and at the Omaha Big Band show in the afternoon.  On Friday we ushered at the Canadian Big Band  from Toronto show.

Rain is predicted for tonight and we really need it.  The lawns look as bad as any late August and the crops, especially the soybeans really need the moisture.

I have been putting VCR tapes on the computer and then making them into DVD's.  Am working on some in 1992 through 1994 now.  Wow, the grandkids have changed, and some people are no longer around.

Must take off to have supper with some friends.
Until later, Lynn

Nice, but dry, weather in Iowa

Clarinda, IA 78º clear as a bell and calm.  Predicted high - 88º

    We just got back from a 7 mile ride on the recumbent trikes, taking a couple sacks of cans to the redemption center and then voting in the Iowa Primary today.  I know, they make a big deal abut the Iowa caucus in January, but they actually have a Primary Election in June.

 Last Friday evening we went up to the square here in town and the Clarinda Circle 8 Square Dance Club did an hour exhibition square dance during the Relay for Life Event.  For an hour or so prior to our square dancing, they had girls, from 6 or 7 clear up to high school age, doing performance dances.  There was a huge crowd watching and clapping for them.  When they got done, though, the crowd dwindled to a few old folks who maybe weren't able to get up and leave, plus the ones who were still walking around the square for the relay for life.

With only one square in the street, we didn't provide too big a spectacle.

 Yesterday I clipped the lawn, though it was only to take off the few grasses that had some heads on them.  With the extremely dry, and windy, weather lately the ground has dried up and brown is becoming a predominant color in yards.  With our new street last summer they laid sod next to the new curb.  With the heat lately I think the concrete temperature helped dry out that sod and it sure looks sad a foot or so from the curb.  I put a drip hose along it yesterday and let it drip most of the day, hope that at least will save it.  There is no rain in forecast for some time in the future.

Talking about the grass, here a some photos taken the last few days:  The cigarettes on the street, and in our grass is getting to be quite a problem.  With the new hospital across the street opening just this last January, we have the new problem of their employees standing on our street and smoking.  Of course the Hospital has a rule that the employees cannot smoke on their property, so they come over near ours.   We are on a hilltop, and with the predominate southerly winds all their smoke blows over to us and their discarded cigarettes blow over our way, even climbing up the rounded curb and landing in our grass.  Since we were in Texas this winter and didn't get home until early April and the hospital opened in January, I picked up small buckets full of cigarette butts and the filter (which, when hit by the lawn mower fluffs out and flies all over just like cottonwood fluff)

Here are some photos I took out our front living room window showing the "smoker gang" lolling about on their break:



Now, I tried a little smoking some 50 years ago when I was in business school, along with some alcohol and other ridicules things.  For the life of me, I cannot fathom spending

 the money that people do to have a filthy habit which ruins their health and is so trashy. And, of course we are talking about people who work in the health profession.  But, I guess everyone has their own vice!  As we ride our trikes all round this town of about 5,000 population we see evidence of cigarettes everywhere, along with pop and beer cans thrown out.  Of course, I am making a fortune from the pop/beer cans.  Iowa has a nickle deposit on these containers and in the last year since we spent part of the kids inheritance on these recumbent trikes a year ago, now as we ride around I pick up cans.  I probably have already recouped

 maybe $15 or  $20 which I am applying to the several thousand dollars each trike cost.

Anyway, sure is hard to see why supposed adults would spend their time and money on this smoking habit.

 Sunday Phyllis & I were ushers at church, then after lunch we walked the half-mile over to the http://nodawayvalleymuseum.org/  where we were part of a 1st Sunday program which this month honored the 61 years that Clarinda Circle 8 Square Dance Club has been in existence.  Square Dance Caller Elaine Peacock from Elk Point, SD called the dance and there were 3 squares up most of the time since people came from as far east as Humeston, IA.  Though the temperature was in the high 80's they held the event in the alley-way of one of their big buildings and there was a good breeze coming

through all the time.  After a couple hours there we walked back home and then drove the couple miles to Nodaway Valley Park http://traveliowa.com/attractiondetails.aspx?cat=6&id=27&destid=2158
where our church had an Ice Cream Social, getting together the people from the two services for the afternoon.

Quite a mix of the older people and younger ones with families.

Many of the younger set took part in a scavenger hunt around the park and are turning in their required find at right.






This Thursday starts the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society Festival  http://www.glennmiller.org/festival.html  Phyllis has been quite active for years helping with buses that come in.  This year, though,  there are not a bunch of buses coming (1 year there were 17 buses) so she, and I, will be helping with the ushering at several of the events.  If anyone out there can make it to this even come on.  Always a lot of the 1940's big band era music.

Till another time, Lynn (:>)