Classic Cruisers meet

We went to our first Classic Cruisers dinner Saturday night with Rick & Deb. It was at the Moose Hall in Iowa City. We were there early, had to wait an hour to eat--but we were the first table to go through the line! They served baked chicken, roast beef, corn, mashed potatoes & gravy, squash and an array of breads. After they picked up our dirty dishes they brought dishes of ice cream and a cookie for dessert. The program was a lady from Limeville, which is south of Des Moines on the Missouri border. She sang old country songs, told stories and played the spoons. I can't remember her name, I think Sadie, who said she had opened for Tanya Tucker at one time. She probably was a really good entertainer in her time--she still had a good voice. Rick won a door prize so all in all it was a good night.

At school Monday I did a variety of things from counting out sets of 100 Fruit Loops to put in bags so the Pre-K can make Fruit Loop necklaces for 100th day which is tomorrow. Then the kindergarden teacher made me think how to divide a length of 18 inch paper into 10 spaces by making 9 lines on the paper. Now that was difficult. Finally she said they don't all have to be even (or straight) which they weren't. They were going to use that for 100th day also. I corrected tests and helped 1st graders make corrections on their papers (that half hour always goes so fast and I never get enough done). Today I volunteer at the library and then we are going to Davenport to pick up the chair I ordered way before Christmas. Finally.

Yesterday the plastic lid for my crock pot broke. Does anyone know where I can buy just the lid?

Bedroom painted!

The bedroom got painted Saturday. Mike called about 7:30 and said he was coming to paint. I ran upstairs and got the woodwork washed again and the walls dusted down. How dirty could they be in the month that they had last been worked on? Anyway, the painting is done and although it smells a little (from the woodwork paint I think) it looks nice. Now new curtains? The ones I have seem to get shorter each time I wash them. Bill says I can't get carpeting until the snow is gone, but I think I should get the rooms measured and the carpet ordered anyway. Carpet store in Lowden is only open Saturday mornings and Thursday nights. I better get going on that. Maybe someday it will all be done. At least we can put our clothes in the closet now.

We didn't have school yesterday, but not because of the weather. It was a planned day off. We didn't have Circle last night because of the weather however. When Jan called before noon it was really snowing and my south windows were full of ice. We decided just to cancel the meeting. I suppose by 7:00 p.m. we could have had the meeting; but a bunch of old ladies don't need to be out on nights like last night.

Rick and Deb came for lunch Sunday and stayed to play games. They taught us a new card came and we taught them Farkle, Sequence and Aggravation. We had a good time, why don't we do that more often?

Serving

Friday night was the Legion's fish fry in Lowden. I volunteered to help serve and Bill was delegated to serve the 2nd's of the "all you can eat" fish. The crowd was bigger than it had ever been. The gas ran out that fired the fryers. People came through the line with applesauce, coleslaw and potatoes and NO fish. People sitting at the tables were (mostly patiently) waiting for their 2nds. Bill was sweating--the temperature in the kitchen was at least 30 degrees higher than elsewhere. I couldn't remember where I got the empty tarter sauce dish to replace it with a full one. After the fryers got going again everything worked great, the fish was really good as was the coleslaw. Waitress--I'm not!

Yesterday morning I got to work on my waitressing skills again as we worked the funeral luncheon for Dorothy Gade. Florence, Donna, Phyllis, Marlene Fox and I served only about 35 people. Had lots of food (about 5 cakes!) and I didn't have to remember anything; just carry trays and keep coffee cups full. More my speed.

Monday I helped at school which I just love. Well, the working with the kids part. I don't much care for tracing things for the pre-K to cut and use in their projects. I did some filing for kindergarden, stapled papers together for the reading teacher, stapled and taped Polar Express train parts on the hall walls, corrected math papers, checked spelling papers, worked with 1st graders on reading and helped a 3rd grader finish his project on Indians. Busy day and for the most part I don't think I forgot anything.

Finally a ring again

A few things were accomplished lately. I got my new ring back from the jewelers and wore it for the first time last night. We finished our church profile at the search committee meeting last night. Thanks to Aaron Horman and Sue Boedeker Monson who did some awesome writing (as I am related to both of them I wonder why I don't have that talent!). My Christmas decorations are down and put away (almost). The floors finally got vacumned and I started a new quilt.

Took Mother to her chiro appointment yesterday. She wanted me to take her to Lowden Plumbing and Heating when we got back to town and she proceeded to go in and ask Donnie (Tillie) why they hadn't been up to fix her furnace, if her furnace blew up she was going to move in with him! Seriously! Maybe they would be good for each other. It was so funny to see his face when she said that.

Wonderful to see Caleb and Vanessa again. Vanessa went back home yesterday and Caleb leaves Saturday. He is anxious to go to Afghanastan. He told about what the living conditions would be while there when out on a mission--digging a hole big enough for 8; eating C-rations and no bathing. Won't the enemy be able to smell them?

Christmas remembered

What a wonderful Christmas holiday. Hosting the Elijah family for Christmas dinner and getting to play games with Ron's children while the men slept or as they said watched the football game. Having my kids and their families here Christmas night with tons of packages to open and getting to see Caleb for the first time in a year. Hosting the Fehling Christmas on the 26th with all but 6 members here, we missed Cheryl & Jim, Caitlin, Jason & Julie and Vanessa. A feast brought by everyone, the living room filled with people and gifts to open, watching Dallas, Emily, Charley and Noelle, talking with Jason & Julie on Skype courtesy of Ashley, the snow that made the landscape beautiful--a few of the blessings that were mine this Christmas season.

Car is stuck

My car is stuck in the snow--not on the road, not in the ditch, but down east of the barn! I could not get it in the garage yesterday afternoon when I got home from school, wound up crossways in the driveway. Bill tried; but ended up down by the barn and the final resting place is in a snowbank down there. Now this morning Bil is throwing up so it doesn't look like he is going out to clean the driveway or get the car unstuck. Maybe his brother will have to take his mother to her dr. appt. this afternoon. Sure don't want her to get the flu. I don't have to go anywhere today. But it sure would be nice to have the yard etc cleaned up by the time we have company on Saturday and Sunday!

We had a nice Evening Circle Christmas party at the 3-30 Club last night. Food was great and I hope everyone enjoyed the Christmas trivia Joy and I did. We had questions about Christmas songs and for everyone you got correct you got a "La" and if you were wrong you go at "Fa". At the end we had them sing the Fa's and La's to a familiar tune. We didn't stay long because when we went to town there were large drifts on the north/south road that blew up over the hood of the pickup and there were more drifts on the way home.

School was delayed 2 hours this morning but I got a full day in yesterday. Seemed everyone wanted help. Did vocabulary words with the first graders. Am always amazed at the words they know already.

Bedroom update

Neal was here two days last week to put the skim coat on the bedroom walls so Mike could come and paint. As you all know, you just can't do one thing without it leading to another. Now Neal has to put new drywall up in the ceiling of the closets. He wants heat upstairs. I can't sleep in the heat. I sleep downstairs on the sofa bed. It stinks upstairs. I can't sleep when it stinks. I sleep downstairs on the sofa bed. My clothes are down in the other bedroom, Bill's clothes are in the storage room. Some of our clothes are in the dresser in the bedroom probably getting moldy! When will this get done? Then we can move it all again when the carpet gets put in which is all I wanted to begin with!

Some Christmas gifts are bought; none are wrapped. More gifts to buy. Need to go shopping again. Sue and I went Friday; I purchased a sofa, loveseat and chair. Anybody want the sofa bed and matching recliner that is in the back room? Let me know soon because it is gone when they deliver the new, possibly this week.