Jan 1, 2013

Arrived

This first issue of Pop's Christmas present arrived today.  He's getting good out of it already.  Thank you Dan's and Joan's.  (I got good out of it too!)

BB At Nevada

_____This is the start of the final quarter of the B game. Calvin played the first and third quarters and a different team the second quarter and started the fourth.  A little past the half of the 4th quarter the other team got ahead and Calvin's group got put back in.  Then he subbed back in one of the boys from the second set of players.  It was an exciting end of game and Greene county came out on top.  (The A team had lost.)____It is currently snowing.  The ground is white with storm warnings in effect.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.  Pop got the snow blower ready to go this afternoon!

Outdoor Nativity is Up

______A really nice day today and between taking Nativities to display for the Habitat for Humanity fundraiser and going back to check out the displays, we got it set up.  Jerry had numbered the boards and so it made it easier this time.  It was a very busy weekend.  Yesterday was our annual cookie parade for St. Joseph's Women's Council.  Over 7000 cookies lasted about 1 1/2 hours before there was only one table left.  Mary Jane and I toured five homes the Garden Club had for their fundraiser after lunch.  It was great.  (My birthday present from Mary Jane)  Then checked out the work they had done to their new house.  Almost ready for carpet laying and moving in!!!!
_____Besides the Nativity display they had a soup supper and pie auction.  Also a silent auction of donated nativities.  I took two.  One I had won at the Library at a winter reading program.  It had $100 on it when we picked up the displayed nativities, when the auction was almost over. Generous people that saw something they could use!  The other brought $40.  A gooseberry pie went for $135!  The highest pie - $150.
 _____ Dan was here to deer hunt.  The fog protected the deer!  Nancy and the girls came over Saturday evening.  She is baby sitting while the parents are on a short vacation.  He headed home today after an unsuccessful hunt.
_____Tomorrow I am hostess for bridge and need to sign the book at a visitation for a neighbor and have only a brief window of time to do that before bridge.  .....I'll get it done.....
______________How did I ever find time to work??????
____Oh, and before the weekend, Friday night, Calvin had a basketball game in Ogden.  He had a high, scoring 10 points!  And of course, I baked cookies during the week for the cookie parade.  12 dozen!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

8th Grade Basketball

Two wins at Roland last night when Greene county played Roland-Story.  The biggest change was Calvin got contacts!!!!  It has taken awhile for him to get comfortable putting them in and etc., but he's mastered that now.

Branson, MO

We left Tues am and returned Friday evening and had a good trip.  We had gotten a $99 promotion trip, that we signed up for at the state fair in 2011 and hadn't gotten around to use.  We wondered what kind of motel we would have for the 2 nights they paid, but stayed at the Cascade Inn and it was fine.  We purchased a third night with a discount thru the company too.  Tues evening we saw the Hughes Brothers. After eating at the Plantation restaurant and buffet. (on the $30 ticket from the promotion.) 

Made by the fellow in the lounge at breakfast at the motel.  He made lots of different things from his balloons.  Saw  'Six' on Wed. night on the promotion tickets.(We had a choice.)  We saw Yakov Thurs. which was a change of pace, as a comedian instead of music.    Thought about another show Thurs., but opted for the festival of lights instead.  We had toured and shopped in the  mornings. 

One of the many light displays at the Festival of Lights drive through.  The only catch with the promotion was sitting through a sales pitch for a "time share".  That's not what they call it now, but that's what it is.  We knew that going in and can say "NO" plenty easily.  We felt we got a good value from signing up. 

The road home.  This is where we catch 435 through the edge of Kansas City.  Makes our Jefferson overpass look lonesome!

Still need to play with my camera setting a little more, but most of the pictures are passable. 

Overpass Now Open

    No more detour to get north of town!!!  Ribbon cutting was at 11:00 this am.  Still a few finishing touches needed. Basic clean-up type things and opening the paving on McKinley Street, which runs underneath.  It's been a fun project to watch and my pictures got put to use.  The new Jefferson newspaper owners printed a leaflet for the opening that was in last week's Bee.  They didn't have pictures during construction (They weren't involved in Jefferson then)and I was ask if they could used some of mine.  They used eight.  Some that I had taken and some that Jerry took. 

Saturday Afternoon

Dan, Nancy and the girls stopped for the afternoon while Jenni attended a friend's baby shower. 

Last Game for this Season

Last game of this year and Calvin finally was able to take part.  Didn't play much, but got in on some plays.

#25  He usually has different socks, so that helps him being easier to spot.  (Two pair tonight)

                                                                    Next will be basketball.

Back to Football

Calvin is back to practicing and suited up for the first time this year.  He wasn't in any of the A game.  #35  The Dr. finally released him with his almost healed, fractured finger and can now practice.

They had a few B team plays after the regular game.  He was linebacker and then on the line.  He was in on some tackles and a fumble.  (That's him in the dark socks and white sleeves. )  Last game for this year is next Tuesday.

Cheering for the Cheerleaders

The family gathered to attend the Buena Vista/Coe football game in Cedar Rapids.

Abbey loves her cheering. This is her third year cheering on the BV Beavers.

Yes, this is a picture Joan took!  She took my camera and headed down front to shot some photos.

Half time.  Abbey joined us.  (I stay out of the sun as much as possible)

Mark & Megan's Wedding

Friday evening our nephew, Mark, married Megan, at the Rose Garden at the Art Center in Des Moines.  It was a beautiful setting, on a beautiful night, for a beautiful ceremony.  Here the flower girl and ringbear were just getting a start before Brennan decided to run.  Both were young for the position, but did just fine.  (More pictures on facebook)

At the start of her vows Megan had to pause briefly to get her voice under control.  Very touching!  Reception followed.

Swim Meet

Butterfly for the 200 IM

Next the back stroke

then the breast stroke.  (Her least favorite)

Finishing with the crawl.

Congrats from the coaches.  It was the first time she had swam this event.

The last of the fans.  Dan, Nancy and Pop were there earlier.

Our swimmer!

8th Grade Football has Begun

Calvin has a fractured finger and has been out of football for 3 weeks.  He will have it rexrayed next week to see how it's healing.  Decisions will be made then as to when he can practice and play.  I knew he wouldn't be idle at the game.  He had the bag with the clipboards for stats which he handed out and didn't keep any for himself.  But he was back and forth keeping track of how the others were doing and telling them what to do.  The team won 23-0.  We have some bigger boys this year.  Growth and some from the school reorganization has made a difference.  Calvin at about 5'5" is bigger than some, but not among the tallest by a long way. 

Iowa State vs Iowa

This is the week of the state rivalry.  I have the Bee football contest parings sent off to the family for their picks of the week.  David had the best score the first week and I did last week.  Probably not good enough to win the Bee contest yet.  Last weeks contest winners haven't been announced due to the holiday.  We usually have a few winners every year.  Entries due Friday by 5 p.m.  Some area high schools and the rest college games.

Happy Labor Day

Yes, we support unions.  Jerry's job was much improved after the union became involved. (My was better too.  We didn't have a union, but they followed much the same benefits.  The unions influence was apparent.)    He has always said though that if you have good bosses you don't need unions.  Hope everyone has had a great weekend.  Ours has been quiet. 

Farm Show

Dan's project at the Farm Show for the Kinze Company.

Visitors

Old toys, new kids.

Dan, Nancy, Jenni and the girls stopped on their way from Carroll to Stuart this morning.

Hot August Nights

_____Thursday evening the car show was partly around the square with more on side streets for more space.  Street scape project had two side of the square torn up.  The tractor show was in the Home State Bank parking lot.  The tractor pictured here was built by Ken and Keith.  Something about a car motor and etc, etc, etc.  (I don't intend to understand it all.)  It won the People's Choice Award.

Saturday - Wedding Shower

__Megan Peterson, bride-to-be of Mark Fields here with her niece, Addy. 

____  Kristin and Megan's sister Jessica getting ready for the Bridal shower.  (And just a glimpse of Mark and Megan's lovely new home.) 

Friday - Car Show

_____Friday evening there was a car show at J-Mart in Fort Dodge.  (That's right next to the mall, so I go too)  This is typical of the attention the T-Bucket gets.  Kids love it and adults take a second look too.  Parked right next to a gorgeous red Thunderbird convertible and you can see what they are looking at.  There was a white car on the other side and it didn't get noticed much until they put up a for sale sign.  Then it got looked over.  It was too hot to be enjoyable until later in the evening.

What will the next day's uniform look like?

Love to watch these beach volleyball players.  What will the next competition's suit look like? 

Class of '57

_______The Lohrville High School Class of 1957 got together last evening at the Pizza Ranch in Rockwell City.  A good time was had by all.  We seem to fit in with this group of slightly aging people.  (Of course we are much younger and healthier)  They had 28 graduates of which 8 are deceased.  All but one pictured, live in Iowa. ____We drove up through Farnhamville and Lohrville on the way both up and home.  RAGBRAI had passed through earlier yesterday and there were many bikers and buses still there.  Plus riders coming into both towns.  Doubted if they would get to Webster City for the night unless they caught rides.  Was a very hot day to ride and yesterday was too.  Now a cooler front is moving through and bringing storms with it. 

 

Greene County Fair

Last Week was the Greene County Fair.  I helped on Tuesday when they judged the 4-H photography entries.  Wednesday I helped set up for Art Hall.  All day Thursday I was there to accept entries for the Genealogy division.  We had 56.  And then back Sunday afternoon for people to pick up their exhibits.  I took out quite a few genealogy things and 5 photos.  Did very well.  I got the best over all genealogy exhibit, but not with the entry I thought deserved it....   As always..  only one person's opinion counts, that is the judge.  Entry numbers were down.  Gardens and flowers were past their prime and over all everything was down.  I think people are tired of getting out in this hot weather.