May 20, 2013 - Was it Chicken Little who said that?

Iowa is simply beautiful this morning. It's about 65 degrees out, a hint of a breeze and the sun is making everything sparkle. A perfect morning for a walk with Hunter. So clean and fresh. Well, yeah...everything IS clean! Last evening, about 7:15, Hunter and I huddled with others by our laundry/shower building shelter while the sirens sounded HIDE! HIDE! THE SKY IS FALLING! I can see the little building though my big back window in the fifth wheel. I was trying to watch 60 Minutes but that and all the other stations had cut into their...

May 18, 2013 - Forest City, IA

Sat, 18 May: We had a good nite's sleep in the Ankeny, IA Wal*Mart parking lot. The lot was pretty crowded with quite a few 18-wheelers and Carpe. Despite that it got quiet for a Friday nite, especially given our location in a busy shopping and restaurant district. When we awoke we noted that the employees were filling in the parking stalls immediately in front of our coach. Rather than get boxed in we hustled thru our check lists and rolled wheels before seven. We maneuvered out of the parking lot and onto I 35 north. We drove about ½...

May 17, 2013 - I dunno, Toto, it's not Knights Ferry

On May 3, we had 4" of snow. On May 12, we had record cold for the date. I think it went down to 36 degrees that night. No big deal, but two days later on May 14 we had record high....93 degrees! The next day, high 70s. The heat just blew right over us and kept on going. Rain is expected off and on for the next 4 days and severe thunderstorms Saturday night. I don't have a shift Saturday, but do work on Sunday. The park will open full time starting Memorial Day weekend. And folks, that is your Iowa weather report! ...edit...news just said...

May 17, 2013 - Ankeny, IA

Fri, 17 May: We slept very well well in the Checotah, Oklahoma Wal*Mart. We slept well because we had an very busy day with little sleep last nite due to the storms. We awoke with the alarm at six and got rolling a few minutes before seven. We weren't sure just how far we'd travel and left it open ended. We knew we'd like to be with the our sister in law and family as soon as possible. But, we still had more than 700 miles to go. We got on I 40 toward Fort Smith and set the cruise control. We encountered patches of early morning fog, but...

May 12, 2013 - "On the road again, I just can't wait to . . . "

On Thursday we stayed around the Elkhart Campground. I took care of some wrap up on the pump replacement/upgrade job that, due to the late hour on Wednesday, I told Bob that I would do - cable routing, buttoning up the underbelly 100%, etc. I also did some caulking. We hit the road Friday morning, driving west on I-80 then turning north on I-35 to the Lake Coralville Corps of Engineers project and one of the several campgrounds (Sugar Bottom) around the Lake. Ahhh - $10/night senior rate, gotta love it! And a beautiful location too. I saw...

May 3, 2013 - Good News....Bad News

The Good News is that Adventureland is closed tomorrow and we don't have to go and stand in the snow and freeze our tootsies off. The Bad News is that Adventureland is closed tomorrow so none of us will make a dime. That's okay...I'd choose the latter if I had a choice. It was COLD today. In fact, yesterday and today broke all records for cold in the state for May. Snow records too. It lightly snowed most of the night and it was a winter wonderland this morning. The park is supposedly open on Sunday. The forecast is for rain and 61 degrees....

May 1, 2013 - Des Moines - Is it the weather??

Des Moines is just down the road about 6 miles from Adventureland so Hunter and I decided to see what this little city had to offer. We saw beautiful churches, parks, monuments and bowls of flowers fronting stores and restaurants. Very tidy and attractive city. The capitol is simply beautiful...from all sides. What fascinated me the most, though, was the downtown skyway. You can explore the city for blocks and blocks and never step on pavement. The system crosses street after street. Is this just a new and different way to ambulate...or is...

Apr 29, 2013 - To Assume is to mean...

See, I assumed y'all would know what I was showing you. Yeah, well, how? Those prices for the food on the menu board...well, that's our little secret in the employee-only commissary. Unfortunately, we can only eat there on our shift days. They are unbelievable prices. Great chef and one main dish (like the chicken Parmesan) is offered per day. Forgot to mention the feet. Do-do here wore pre-Amazon tennis shoes to work on Saturday and came home almost crippled again. You see, when you work/walk eleven hour days five days a week, your feet...

Apr 28, 2013 - Spenser, my supervisor, is a winner!

Yes, I like that Spenser. He's very professional. Helpful. Johnny on the spot if anyone needs him. Took charge immediately when the two little girls couldn't find their mom. Makes sure I'm happy and have all questions answered. His birthday was yesterday, but I didn't find out until today. He turned 17...a junior in high school! Yep, Spenser is going to be someone someday. In fact, he and his twin brother, Kyle, who also works in the park but I haven't met him, plan to go to Iowa State and will be the first in their family to go to college....

Apr 27, 2013 - Oh so close to MN

Saturday, April 27, 2013 Just a quick update on how things be going with us. We spent a few days in southern Arkansas enjoying sunny warm weather at a Army Corps cg. Met some great local folks camped next to us. They treated us to a wonderful fresh crappie meal. They also had hush puppies. They caught a 5 gallon pail full of crappies. Also got a big package of frozen fish to go. We got really ambitious and washed and waxed the trailer. Whew, glad that’s done. We then drove to northern Arkansas to another Army Corps cg. However the weather...

Apr 25, 2013 - I Might Be an Oddity

Okay, maybe some of you already feel that way about me. I went to my second meeting at Adventureland yesterday morning. I think my eyes were a little puffy as I had cried my eyes out the night before when I finished reading The Art of Racing in the Rain. If you haven't read it and if you like dogs, you'll enjoy this book. Very creative story. No, it's actually a very happy ending. Too happy...cried my eyes out. I found out at the meeting why I was such an oddity in the group the last time. On the walking tour, I was one over forty vs. 30...

Apr 23, 2013 - Riverside Casino

We left Council Bluffs today about noon, we stopped at Rick's favorite place off I80 to have a Maidrite! We arrived at Riverside Casino south of Iowa City about 5:30pm. Judi drove up from Muscatine for a visit. We had dinner at the buffet at the casino and then played some black jack, I believe Judi was the only on that left a winner. On Wednesday, we drove to Muscatine. We spent a couple hours over at Jen's house, we enjoyed ourselves with her lovely family. Trey, Noah, and Sophia are simply adorable. that night, we went to Judi and...