JT Day and a coon

Sure, as I went to Cherokee I took German Ave. east of Holstein and car was coming AND a raccoon ran across the road right in front of me.  AND I nailed it.  And for the next mile the my Prius rumbled and grumbled.  The animal creamed the car with a thump.  Very Loud.  I stopped in Holstein and a guy helped me duct tape the rubbing plastic wheel well up and out of the way.   I made phone calls to insurance during the fun day with Tyler and Jack.  What nice boys they are.  I spent 11-2 just holding a sleeping Tyler.  Nothing is better.  When I was holding Tyler in the morning I got a phone call from the dermatology secretary about the biopsy that Chrystal O. did on a spot by my left eye on Friday September 20th. Yes, they got back the results and, yes, I do have basal cell carcinoma.  The appointments are booked out 3-4 weeks, so I have an appointment at Dakota Dunes Thursday morning October 24 for a Mohs procedure.  They will numb the area, cut out tissue, I will be in the waiting room as they freeze the tissue and look at thin tissue slices on slides under the microscope to make sure all the cancer has been removed.  If it hasn't we will go at it again later that day.  It is really close to my left eye.  Uffta!!  I would appreciate prayers.  God is good.  I stayed at Mandy's until Jack got up from his nap.  On the way home I drove the route past the daed raccoon still in the middle of the road.  It was bigger than I realized at 7am in the morning. Uffta!! When I got home I saw  Denny had mowed off all the asparagus and fixed the overhead door on the lean-to across the road.  Great!!  Wonderful night chilling, eating, and watching Heartland.  Thank you Jesus.

Sunday Fun day

I got around early enough that I could go to 8:45 prayer time before church.  We got some of Mary R.'s tomatoes after church.  Yum!!  Brisket and tomatoes for lunch.  Restful afternoon.  The highlight was talking to Rose, eating grapes and watching her dance to BabababaraAnn.  So cute!!  Oh, ya, and began to update my phone.  Denny and I walked about 3 1/2 miles tonight.

At home all day

Wonderful slow am.  I read thru every lyric of Hamilton and looked up Micah 4:4.  Wow!  I laid on the sofa until noon, just reading and looking at phone.  Wonderful phone call with kids.  Denny started a second brisket practice session at noon.  We cleaned the cold closet, pots and pans, silverware and utility drawer.  Well, it's 9 and the brisket is just at 190 degrees.  Time to foil it.    Been checking the meat temp every house. Wonderful day.  Watched Heartland.  Cute update on Rose's dollar choice.   Pink ice cream.

Brisket and Hamilton

Wonderful am.  I had many things that I thought might br fun to do.  Go to Pine Island/ then on to Minneapolis on Saturday to see Rose and Lincoln.  OR Go to Linn Grove to hear Jordan sing, OR go to Pocahontas and meet up with Laurie and Bette ... Nothing really materialized and so I was happy just to stay home and watch the brisket ...   THEN Susan called about noon.  Gordon was hauling beans ... Would I like to go on an adventure??  .... Tell me more, Tell me more ... Would I like to go to Omaha and use Gordon's ticket to see Hamilton?   WOULD I!!! Yes!!!!  Denny started his first trial run making brisket at noon and we watched the progress.   Whitney can to get flowers for Laurel's wedding.  Susan picked me up and we left at 4.  So good to visit with Susan.  We stopped at Jimmy Johns for a sandwich and the play started at 7:30.  SO fun and amazing!  I can't believe I was fortunate enough to go with Susan.  ROW 6 We got home about midnight.  The brisket got done about 10:30.  I sampled when I got home.  SO good.  What a great unplanned day!  Thank you, Jesus.

Study here

Up at 5:15, Laurie led exercise at the rec center.  At home I can't remember what I did.  Denny had a hearing test at 2 in Carroll.  I had the gals out for study.  Susan, Sharon, Brenda, Oksanna, Laura, and Jenn.  Oksanna brought Russian cake, for her birthday.   YUM!!!

Relax

We headed into IG for Shingles shots.  Such fun.  We have been on a waiting list for a couple months.  Denny spent the rest of the time setting up the newMove Sono.  Awana tonight, 190 at the church tonight.  Couple days ago Denny had fun making video of rust removal.

Haley Xcountry

I took Kane to school at 7:15.  Denny and I went to St Joe and got mower gas and the new Move Sono.  We went with Jenny to Kane’s school at 11for lunch  Taco meat and chips ... yum.  At home we mowed and then showered and chilled.  Haley’s cross country meet was at 4.  She ran great  Placed 11th, got a medal, time was 24:25.  Her best this year.  Kane ran  a mile in 7:40.  Great jobs!!  We headed home with threatening storms occurring in IG.  When we were driving into the city limits of Atlantic there was a flood of rain.  Luckily we were just approaching Gail and Bruce's street when Denny thought,"Yes, it would be okay to stop."  A quick turn and they were home, so we visited about 30 minutes then went out into the storm again.  It rained pretty solid until Harlan.  We got home safely about 11:30.  Nice visit.

Savannah Relax

Nice slow day.  We took TJ snd Haley to school in Savannah.  Later in the morning Denny and I went to St joe.  First stop was Best Buy, a Sono that is going on sale tomorrow.  They couldn’t sell it until tomorrow,  we stopped st a couple other stores.  At noon we ate at Olive Garden.  Yum!!!  Kane’s game was at 5:30.  Wow what a fun night!  Beautiful weather, at home Laurie snd Cort stopped to pet the horses with granddaughter Annabell.

Candlewood church

Coffee and devotions downstairs when we were sleeping at their VRBO.   Church st 8:45.  Nice service.  I helped clean the next service.  We went back to Whitney’s for lunch.  Good to be with their kids ... and their kids.  About 3 we headed to Savannah.  It was a 2hour drive.  Kane showed us all the bells and whistles of Matt’s new pickup.

                                        

Omaha wedding

It was a lovely slow morning.  We packed and got ready for a 3 night trip.  I went out about 11 and picked 9 bunches of flowers for a basket (which the basket handles fell apart after church Sunday.)  We got to the wedding site about 3.  Good to see all the Stangl kids & their families.  Susan & Gordon, Alan & Lisa, Bob & Teresa, Whitney and we were there from IG.  I especially appreciated Amy having all her sister-in-laws as bridesmaids.  Nice wedding, good food, we stayed until about 9 and then headed to Whitney’s to watch the Nebraska game.  It was fun talking to Naomi and Isaac, also.

              

                  

Picking grapes

Love Tylenol pm.  It helps me sleep well thru the night.   Coffee, news, blog in am.  At 9 I headed to pick grapes.  Oh, my by 12, there were only 4 of us picking.  2800 pounds is a lot.  I had an appointment at 2, so I left and came back for lunch. Denny spent the afternoon working a a video clip highlighting his rust repair.  He is sharing it with the kids, now.  It might have taken a while for recipients to down load it..  (He sent the pickup video out at 5:30. It is now 6:45 and no family responses.  Please family reply... Denny continues to play the video.  The N. kid's school is putting on the Beauty and the Beast.  Anabel is a wolf.  Evan is working backstage.

Betsy's kids

 Barb's kids

Cherokee Kids/Cars

I went to AM mix, read my demos at the rec center, and shopped at Doses before joining Denny and going to Cherokee.  Fun Day!!  Denny got to do his favorite thing ... wash cars.   I got to do m favorite thing ...  watch babies.  Mandy's Honda Accord looks great.  And Denny buffed the Prius to make it shine.  When we got home we fixed onions and porkchops.  I went to bed early with Tylenol pm.

                                        

Processing grapes

Up for weights.  Home for nap.  Denny was waiting for pick up parts to come Fed Ex and so what else do you do,????  but clean... And clean the carpets.  Hurrah!! for the feeling of clean carpets and late deliveries of running boards.   Denny had a haircut this afternoon.  At one I went in to Old Town to press the Marquette.  Fermentation was complete.  I took about 100 bucketfuls and poured into the "presser".  They poured about 80 gallons of wine into another vat to sit and let the sediment settle out.  Interesting.  First night of Awana.  156 there.  Praise the Lord, It seemed like it went well.  

                                      

Prius oil change

AM mix   I brought flowers for the rec center gals.  Then to OGT. There were about 15 Jr high students from a Catholic school.   They really got a lot done, and were quite noisy.   At home I showered and we went to Carroll to get the oil changed on the Prius. And Denny used his gift certificate at the Harley dealer to order a pair of jeans.  At home we hung out.  and had supper on the deck surrounded by picnic bugs. and watched a netflix with Julia Roberts that was so slow moving we went to bed just 20 minutes into the movie.  Tyler is still running a fever, all the lab work and tests came back with nothing.  Bummer!!  Lord, heal that little baby, please.   LOVE my babies!!!

Just home

Home, I didn't go into exercise class.  I fixed coffee on patio.  We went into a Dr appointment with Dr. Bissel.  He gave Denny a cortisone shot in his sore shoulder.  In the afternoon Denny went to mow and I cleaned the extra bedroom and the hallway closet.  NO small task.  At night I put together about 25 bunches of flowers.  Denny to IG and then came out to visit with me as I finished the flower bunches.

 Wonderful morning on the patio.  

Jack and I went striding thru the ISU tailgate area.  Everyone smiled and watched.  Most of the time I was along side of him.  Sometimes when someone waved he would have a hard time waving back and keeping the bike steered the right way.  So cute!!!

Fair ... CC Fair

Nice lazy am.  SS with missionary in France.  We had a wonderful BLT lunch with guacamole.  Naps and I headed to Spencer.  At 6 I picked up my exhibits.  It was okay, but no blues on flower arrangements.  I had 5 out of 9 arrangements get 90+ scores, a blue on the Nepal painting, a honorable mention on the Nepal standing on the edge photo,  and a blue on the picture of Rose and G'pa at 4 Seasons.  At home Denny went to yoga and then home to his "happy place".   Of course, when I drove up I found him cleaning his pickup.   We watched Netflicks on the patio.

5 out of 12 exhibits got 90+  which is the score you need to earn a blue ribbon.  

I didn't get any blues, because there were exhibits that got a higher score than I.  

LIFE... Uffta!!

Bummer 18/17 Bummer

I got up at the usual time, got dressed, and walked around  Hidden Acres.  It has changed so much. I I sat on Mike P.'s rocker outside the office.  It is so nice.  I talked with Jean for the Sat am phone call and then ate breakfast with the gal's from Crossridge.   I wrote out a quick note for a friend and talked for a short time.  Denny picked me up about 10 and we headed to Ames.  We parked the car at Jensens and had a quick visit.  Then we walked to Cooks' tailgate.  I got lucky enough to hold Jack and watch the crowds go by before the game began.  The 4 J/M Cooks went to the game.   AND  It was quite a game ... 2 major stops because of the weather.  AND RAIN!!!   Lots of RAIN.  It was pretty cool to hang out with Mandy, Jason, Jack and Tyler under the big top as the downpour continued.  When the game resumed we packed Jan and John's "soggy tailgate everything" in their van.  Jason went to the game, Mandy went to the hotel with the boys and we headed west.  ISU Lost! Bummer!!!!
Sad ending to a great wet day.  As Jan wrote in a text to me ... "Fortunately the rain did not wash away good memories from the day." and "Since we go for "the tailgate" the score did not ruin the day either."  That's my take, also.  :)  Thanks, Jan for putting it in words.

Friday Sept 13

I didn't go to water exercise.  I have been gone a lot and it seemed prudent to stay home and make coffee and chill this am.  At 9 I did go into IG for a Dr. Appointment with Dr. Luft.  Everything seems to be okay.  I got signed up for a colon'py and mam'grm and perhaps a do in your home sleep sets.  I got a few groceries and then headed to Old Town.  They were putting the brakes thru the destemmer and I sprayed the grape juice off the 50 yellow tubes and left them in the sun to dry.
Denny finished the pickup rust attack.  It looks so much better.  SO PROUD OF HIM!!!  Great job.  He took me to church to ride in the van to women's retreat at Hidden acres.  Kara L., Beth H, Laura S.  Lisa H. Nicole T and me.  Michelle P and sister Janeen met us there.  The camp has changed SO much.  New buildings all over the place. We got checked in, ate in the new dining building, and went to the Chapel building.  After chapel we went on the big 3 man swing.  I rode with Kara, and Laura.  What a kill!  We looked at craft project and met Naomi while we made stores.  Great night.  I slept in the room with Nicole and Lisa.  Hope I didn't snore too much.  To bed around midnight.

FROM THIS TO THIS

FROM THIS TO THIS

                  MY HUSBAND IS AMAZING!!!!

Just pickin

I headed into town around 9 to pick 2400 pounds of grapes.  We started about 9:30 and finished about 2:30.  It was Julie, Eileen, Jane, Ellen, Patty, and me.picking!!  Now that’s a lot of grapes!!!  Doc and Lenee kept busy hauling pails away and filling tubs of 35 pounds of grapes in the building.  We had an amazing lunch of lasagne and Jayne H. made an absolutely wonderful 3 layer German chocolate cake for Lenee's birthday.  It was SO good.  I missed study at Susan's, but they needed the help, the day was beautiful, and they are a neat bunch of people to spend time with.  Denny had grilled onions with potatoes, and pork chops for supper. More amazing food.

Flowers to Clay C Fair

Never forget 911.  I am so thankful I got to see the memorial last fall.

I went to AM mix.  It is so good to work and sweat.  At home I put flowers together for the CCFair.  Denny redid bondo on the pick up.  He wasn't satisfied with the first time job.  I headed to take arrangements to Spencer.  He headed to IG for more bondo and then to Arthur for Awana registration.   At the fair NONE of my petite exhibits got any ribbons.  UFFTA!!  Many of my garden single flowers got blues, but I was pretty bummed out overall.  Oh, well, Lord, teach me what I should spend my time on.  Cute picture of N. Grands going to their first school social.  A black and white theme.