2nd week in October

 Phyllis lighting the wicks on the lighted rock we got at a festival in Montana.

The two wicks, pulling up liquid paraffin,  burning amongst the various rocks Phyllis picked up along our summer trip.

Picture of Lynn, Phyllis& Imogene Williams, taken just as we were getting ready to leave their place near Marion, IN on September 10, 2013.  She mailed me this photo.

Yesterday we drove to Griswold, IA and visited over lunch with Lowell & Silvia Shaaf.  Lowell is now retired from square dance calling, but had called for many years--he gave us lessons both in square dancing and round dancing back in the 1970's and again in early 1990's.  He has retired from farming, but does minister to two Methodist churches near Red Oak, IA.

We had taken our trikes with us and rode some 5 miles around Griswold.  Very strong wind blowing, but nice temperature in the mid 70's.

Front of Lowell & Silvia's house in Griswold, IA.

This is directly across street from west side of our lawn, looking south.  Was taking picture of clouds, but it does show the west side of the hospital and also the building that houses the helicopter crew that mans the 24/7 helicopter service from Clarinda Medical Center.

   Last week we had lot of clouds near us, though no storm here, these may have been in the system of the ones causing tornadoes in Iowa and Nebraska.

Finally adding up figures on our summer trip.
We drove the Ford Excursion total of 16,980 miles; 7,902 of those miles we had the trailer hitched on.  That left 9,078 miles driving without trailer and site seeing away from our campsites.  We were out 161 nights and leveled, chocked, etc., setting up the trailer 60 places.

We were 2 nites in Zapata, TX; 2 nites Del Rio, TX; 3 nites at Hallies near Big Bend National Park in Texas; 2 nites at Prude Ranch near Fort Davis, TX; 1 nite Odessa, TX; 2 nites Lubbock, TX; 1 nite in Palo Dura Canyon, TX; 1 nite Elk City, OK; 4 nites Wichita, KS; 2 nites Liberal, KS; 1 nite Delhart, TX; 1 nite Capulin, NM; 2 nites Santa Fe, NM; 7 nites Albuquerque, NM; 2 nites Grants, NM; 3 nites Aztec, NM; 5 nites Kayenta, AZ; 1 nite Page, AZ; 3 nites Paragonah, UT; 3 nites Page, AZ; 2 nites Sedona, AZ; 5 nites Phoenix, AZ; 1 nite Quartzite, AZ; 4 nites Santee, CA; 3 nites El Cajon, CA; 6 nites Anaheim, CA; 1 nite Kingsburg, CA; 1 nite San Bernardino, CA; 2 nites Sacramento, CA; 3 nites San Francisco, CA; 5 nites Red Bluff, CA; 2 nites Crescent City, CA; 2 nites Fort Klamath, OR; 10 nites Silverton, OR; 2 nites Elma, WA; 4 nites Squim, WA; 3 nites Gig Harbor, WA; 1 nite Sultan, WA; 3 nites Cheney, WA; 5 nites West Glacier, MT; 1 nite Missoula, MT; 2 nites Helena, MT; 2 nites Three Rivers, MT; 2 nites Gardiner, MT; 4 nites Billings, MT; 1 nite Madera, ND; 4 nites Bismark, ND;2 nites Watertown, SD; 1 nite Sauk Centre, MN; 2 nites Browerville, MN; 2 nites Lino Lakes, MI; 1 nite Eagle River, WI; 3 nites St. Ignacious, MI; 2 nites West Branch, MI; 1 nite White Lake, MI; 6 nites Raymond, OH; 1 nite Marion, IN; 2 nites Marengo, IA; 2 nites near Boone, IA.  If those don't add up it is because I can't read the chicken-scratches made in our note book that we made notes in the Ford.

Another TWTWTW

Clarinda, IA

 Phyllis heading west on the recumbent trike, looking across our front lawn.

 Neighbor Bob Brown using his blower to clean our eaves on shop building.

We went down to the farm and got several 5 gallon buckets of dirt to put in low spots near the new curb on street.

Doesn't show well in this photo, but adding dirt along cement.

Some huge clouds built several days as storms went around us, but we didn't get damage here.

Last Wednesday we went to Clarinda Square Dance.  At lunch afterwards some tall tales were told.

With the trouble getting debris out of the one side of building that I had put screening over the gutters, I removed all the screening so will actually be easier to clean.  The small stuff was going through the screen and building up and staying below.

The trailer is waiting for us.  Phyllis keeps putting things in it -- we will probably head south next week.

Phyllis lit the "candle rock" we bought out west.  She has surrounded it, and covered it, with small rocks she collected throughout our trip.










Rode the trikes several times this week.  After not riding for a while it is kind of hard on these old bones to get back at it.  Been riding about 5 miles each day it isn't raining.  We are heading north with them this morning to Griswold, IA and intend to ride around town and also visit Lowell & Silvia Schaaf.

Later, Lynn

Visit in Lincoln

 Saturday afternoon we went to Nephew Keith Miles place and visited with him, his wife Becky and their girls Tiffany and Jessica.  Oh, and also the last new member of their family - Pepsi.

Like most dogs, Pepsi wanted to be in the middle of things with the girls.

 We spent the night with my brother Roger & his wife Carolyn.  Ate breakfast with them on Sunday morning and then we went to their church in south-east Lincoln.

Their church is different than most we have attended.

At noon we went to Niece Julie Kechley & her husband Todd's place and then took them out to lunch at Lazlo's.



We returned to Roger's and in the evening most of the family got together for pizza.

 Above, Michael has attention of (L-R) Angie, Keith, Jessica, Tiffany, Becky, and Phyllis.

At right we are all working on the delicious pizza from Valentino's.

Michael enjoyed the attention and playing while we visited.





Below:  We had lunch with Roger & Carolyn before heading to Martel, NE.

       

  Photo at right is in living room/kitchen in background in Lynn & Jan Freye's new house.

 Photo at right is farmstead of Jan & Lynn Freye.  Jan is Phyllis' cousin.  Their new house is at the right.

Photo of back of house with nice deck.

This is telephoto view from that deck looking towards Lincoln.   Nebraska State Capitol is visible at far right of photo.

Below- we (including hired man) are loading up plates for delicious lunch Jan made.
More later, Lynn

TWTWTW

Remember the old TV program That Was The Week That Was?  When realized it had been a week thought of that old program TWTWTW where they recapped the events of the previous week.

Thursday night we ate out with the "Thursday Bunch" at J's Pizza & Steak House.

Mrs. Keefer, Jackie Hendricks, and Bill 

Bill & Janice

Roberta and Phyllis

We drove to Davey, NE and visited a short bit with Gary & Lynette Nelson who had been at Kenwood a month some 4 years ago.  His folks still come down, though they weren't sure about this year.

Phyllis playing Michael's toy guitar


Below Angie and Michael

We went out to eat.  Angie and Michael putting it away.




Below Michael & Phyllis.