Saturday June 23

We were thinking about going to Country Express and called Jean. Bruce asked us over to his place for eggs and potatoes. The acreage looks great with lots of newly planted trees. We watched deer from the deck. Nancy, Jean, and Arlan are staying there two nights. We went to the church basement to get on the hay wagon about 9:30. 12 - 15 of us rode the float. Denny thought they had a really long parade. After the parade we visited with Mugs and Wayne. We watched the narrator/guitar/fiddle players while we ate. They had games for the kids, tug of war, 3 legged races, At 1 we went to the church basement for the alumni program. It was real nice, About 5 spoke. Afterward we toured the redone school house. It was amazing. After the building was a school house, it was a dairy barn in the basement and hay was stored upstairs for several years. Then a potter bought it to use as a studio. Then Ellen and Michael Vance bought it. They wanted a place for their daughter who has been in the service to locate in NE Iowa. It looked amazing. They kept the hard wood floors but pretty much gutted it otherwise clear up the the roof. The East side of the building was transformed into a galleyway kitchen and living room. The West side had diagonal walls put in making two unique rooms. The foyer/entryway was the dining room. Pine railings went to the upstairs where the master bedroom was. To me that was the most amazing. I didn't know the school house had an attic/space that could be transformed into a second floor master bedroom, bath and area for office and exercise. What fun to see the transformation. We went back to church where Craig had ice cream for everyone. We helped pick up the basement with Craig. Beth Underbakke came late and we asked for a quick tour of the school house,then down to Barney's. About 6:30 Denny and Arlen headed to Decorah to get brats and vegs to grill for supper. We ate out on the deck. Beautiful night. Kathy T. and Beth joined us.