Cheers to Seventy Years

pickleball party

Today was a new dawn and a new decade as I turned 70. I began my celebration yesterday when the gals at my pickleball facility threw a little party for me after our clinic. Can't think of a better way to kick things off than pickleball and good friends!

There's always something special about leaving one decade and entering another. I can't say that I really feel any different. Having just completed my annual Medicare Wellness Exam, they obviously look at things a little differently. The cholesterol level that was considered mildly elevated last year now is considered a little more menacing now that my age has a 7 in it instead of a 6. Even though the blood work did not show it to have raised much at all.

The doctor has recommended that I undergo a CT Cardiac Calcium Test, which is a noninvasive test that looks for calcium deposits in the heart arteries. Because it is considered a screening test, my insurance will not cover it. I spoke with the radiology booking people today, and they advised that the CT would cost me $125. As I think the information will be beneficial, I went ahead and scheduled the test for next month.

My doctor also has been after me to get a bone density test done. I have never had one, and I tried for the past two years to get one scheduled. My prior insurance carrier would not cover that test either because they said I don't have any underlying conditions to warrant it. Hello, old person here! Surprisingly, my new carrier will cover this test. I was lucky enough to be able to schedule both of them back to back so I only have to make one trip to the radiology center.

My bloodwork also indicated elevated thyroid hormone levels. This led the doctor to suggest thyroid medication. As I don't have any of the signs of hyperthyroidism, I am reluctant to jump on the medication bandwagon. It occurred to me to question whether the flu shot or Covid shot could impact the thyroid levels in a blood test. Guess what? They BOTH can, and as I had taken one of each in the two weeks prior to the blood work, that makes me wonder if the results were reliable. The doctor agreed with me, and suggested that I have my blood test redone in four weeks. That seems very reasonable to me. Here's hoping that the level will be back in the normal range by then. I do not take any prescription medications, and I sure would like to keep it that way.

Another Year Over

our signature cranberry cosmo

The holiday season blew by and we are rolling into the middle of January already. We had a great Christmas with the kids and their families gathering here. Our daughter was again able to work remotely, so she was here for a few weeks. It's nice to have the extra time one on one with her.

Our son, daughter-in-law and their daughter were able to spend five days with us before heading on to see family on the other side. As our granddaughter is mobile now, we had baby-proofing to do before they arrived. I was very concerned about the Christmas tree, but she really only batted a couple of low-lying ornaments. As I had made sure all the low ones were non-breakable with cloth hangers, that was no big deal. I just didn't want her to pull the tree down on top of herself. I also didn't want to be the grandma that constantly said NO. 

We took them to the Stowe Botanical Garden to see the lights. My only choice with their schedule was December 23rd, which happened to be the last night of the light show. We lucked out in that it was in the low 50s, so we did not get cold. The lights were better than last year, and everyone enjoyed it.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

The day after Christmas we sent the big kids off to a movie. That gave grandma and grandpa some nice alone time with their only grandchild. She was very happy with us, and it was fun to take her for a walk in our neighborhood to show her off.

New Year's Eve our community had a party here. We didn't attend last year due to Covid, but we decided to go this year. They had a huge tent since we don't have a building large enough to house a big party, complete with a red carpet for us to walk down. Our picture is washed out due to the lighting, unfortunately. There was a second tent for the food, and there was also an eight piece band. It was a really nice way to ring in the new year. We are looking forward to seeing what 2024 will bring us.

It's the Holiday Season

Christmas festivities have begun around here. We had the two holiday walks here in the neighborhood the first week of December. Different parts of the community hosted on two separate nights, and you walk from area to area to eat, drink and be entertained by the Singing Elves of Imagery. It's a great way to meet new neighbors and kick off the season.

one of the Elves hopped into our photo

Last Sunday we went to the Singing Christmas Tree performance, which was held at a local community college. One of my pickleball friends is in the chorale group, so seven of us from our pickleball group went to see the show. There were multiple singing groups (including a children's choir) and dancers performing. It was wonderful!

The Singing Christmas Tree

Thursday our Imagery ladies pickleball group held a fun round robin event, where we dressed in festive attire. Following our play we had a luncheon. About 36 women showed up for food and games. The Imagery Elves even came and sang for us.

Pickleball Party

Today we pick up our daughter at the airport. She will be with us for several weeks as she can work remotely. Then Friday our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter will join us for a few days. To say we are looking forward to this Christmas is a gross understatement.

Wishing all who celebrate a very Merry Christmas, and all the blessings a New Year can bring!

First Birthday and Last National Park

first birthday

Our granddaughter turned one recently, and that is so hard to believe. It seems like yesterday that we were told we were going to be grandparents for the first time. We traveled up to Virginia to celebrate the big day, arriving on a Thursday. We had family photos taken on Friday, and considering that the little gal had her 12 month shots that morning, she did surprisingly well. Unfortunately it rained, so we could not have the pictures taken in a nearby park as had been planned. You know what they say about planning...

Saturday was the party, and again Baby W did really well with so many strangers in her home. Her naps were planned strategically, and she was content during the party. I think it was fun for her to have some other little people visiting. She certainly had no problem enjoying her birthday cupcake! She got a lot of fun as well as practical gifts, so I know she will be entertained for awhile.

Sunday we left the kids' house and drove to Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted, West Virginia. We wanted to visit New River Gorge National Park on Monday, and Hawks Nest is right next door to the national park. It has a lovely 31 room lodge, and that is where we spent the night. In this season between fall colors and Christmas lights, the lodge was pretty empty. We were given a lovely room on the 4th floor, with a balcony overlooking the gorge. We had dinner at the lodge, and our breakfast was included the next morning. We woke up to a lovely sunrise over the mountains.

sunrise at Hawks Nest Lodge

After we checked out of the lodge, we drove a quick 15 minutes to one of the entrances to New River Gorge National Park. Previously known as the New River Gorge National River, Congress in 2021 redesignated the area as the newest United States national park in 2021. Thus we were able to tick off one more national park in 2023.

The park is 70,000 acres, so obviously we did not see it all in one day. But we hit the highlight of seeing the New River Gorge Bridge. It is currently the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the United States and the third highest bridge in the country. We also drove Fayette Station Road, a winding 8-mile one-way stretch of road that takes you to the bottom of the gorge. The park service has an audio tour available for download that describes what you are seeing on the drive as well as the history of the area.

We very much enjoyed our visit, and will plan another trip back to the area. There is a lot more to see, and it is only three and a half hours away from us to boot.

New River Gorge National Park

Packing on the Pounds

Did you know last Wednesday was National Pound Cake Day? In honor of the occasion, our community hosted a pound cake bake off. I believe 12 of us brought cakes, which had to be homemade, and the rest of the folks just showed up to eat them. It was a competition, and we all voted on our favorite cake.

As I have never made a pound cake before, I looked online for a recipe. Who knew there were so many variations? And I assumed it would be baked in a loaf pan, but apparently bundt and angel food cake pans are acceptable as well. Becoming overwhelmed with all the choices, I selected an orange recipe as that is a favorite flavor of mine.

My new oven has been a delight to work with, and everything I've made has taken the exact amount of time the recipe called for - until the pound cake. I used a loaf pan, as the recipe directed, and the cake just would not get done. It was becoming too brown, so I covered the edges with foil. By the time the center was ready, I was running out of time for it to cool so that I could put the glaze on it. I stuck the pan in the screen porch to help it cool, and still ended up having to slice it while it was too warm. I very nearly called it quits and was going to go to the party without it.

But I persevered, glaze and all, the plate still warm as I headed into the party center. I thought the presentation looked okay, if nothing else.

Orange Pound Cake

Pound Cake Party

The array of cakes was amazing, and a large number of people showed up for the event. Quite to my surprise, my cake ended up tied for First Place. Not everyone got a chance to sample a piece, so that is pretty impressive. And the co-winner is known in the community as "The Baker". We each got a prize, which were made from a painting done by one of the artists who had worked on the property when it was formerly an artist's colony.

But all these events involving food and drinks make it easy to pack on the pounds. I'm making an effort to spend more time in the fitness studio and on the hiking trails. Pound away...

Garden Parties

Last week was a little busy, from a social standpoint. On the 17th we attended Chefs in a Garden, an annual fundraiser that supports Gateway Greening. Chefs from numerous venues in the area are charged with preparing a dish utilizing locally grown produce. The offerings are always unique, to say the least. The Four Seasons Hotel does a great job of hosting the event. Plus we all got designer water on our way out.

Chefs in a Garden

Tuesday was the SWT Design Garden party to show off the completed renovation of our third building. Though it was over 90 degrees outside, the shade and a slight breeze made it bearable. There was a nice turnout, though I had to leave around 6:00 to get back to our house as I had 15 women coming over at 7:00.

The gal who started the Women in Focus photography group in St. Louis is moving to Las Vegas, so instead of our normal monthly meeting at the library, I had suggested having a going away party at our place. I had pretty much everything ready ahead of time. I just need to throw together the sangria I was making. I had just tied the balloons out front when the first guests arrived. Several people brought drinks or appetizers to share, so we had plenty of food and beverages. I had a cake made at Schnucks, and it turned out so cute! It was a bittersweet night as we will miss Tiffany very much. But we are excited to see what life brings her way in Nevada.

Women in Focus

Thursday I played pickleball in the morning, and then that evening I went to Forest Park for some pickleball drills. That was a lot of pickleball in one day, but I know I need to practice if I want to improve my game.

cover as approved

Sunday I had breakfast with a friend to first of all catch up, but also to review the galleys of her new book. I provided the photographs for it, including a design for the front cover. The publishing company made a minor modification to the cover, and we both thought it looked great. Diane approved the cover weeks ago, so imagine our surprise and disappointment when the galley had the wrong cover on it! We also have some concerns about how the designer laid out some pages in terms of how the text interacts with the photos, but they may or may not take our critique under advisement. They are the publisher, after all. Hopefully they will at least address a couple of the bigger issues. I am eager to see the book in print, although it will be in black and white so the photos don't shine as much. The ebook version will be in color though, so that's cool. It is a pretty big thrill to see my name listed on the cover!

Laboring Day

Women in Focus show

We had a very busy Labor Day weekend, beginning with the opening of the new Women in Focus photography exhibit on Friday night. I have three photos in the latest show, which is being held at Tavern of Fine Arts in St. Louis. Jim and I arrived around 5:15, needing to get there early as we had another commitment that night. There was already a nice crowd in place, so we grabbed a drink and walked around admiring the photos. Neither of us had been to the Tavern before, and it seems like a fun place to have dinner and then enjoy live music. We definitely want to go back when we have time to do that. The show will be up until the end of November, so perhaps we can make it before then.

Alpha Sigma Phi brothers

From the Tavern we headed back west to Kirkwood to the home of one of Jim's fraternity brothers. Several of the guys and their wives were in town for the holiday weekend, so they invited us to join them for a barbecue on Friday night. I was contributing a dessert, so I had to think of something I could make that would be okay in the trunk of my car for a couple of hours in 90 plus degree heat. I settled on making lemon bars, adding the dusting of powder sugar to the top once we got to our destination. There ended up being six of the fraternity brothers there (three of whom are brothers by blood as well, along with their younger sister who was also a Little Sister in the fraternity just like me and one of the other wives.) The fourteen of us enjoyed reminiscing about our time at Iowa State and some of the shenanigans that went on while we were there. It always amazes me that you can go 30 plus years without seeing classmates, whether college or high school, and still pick right back up where you left off. We had a great time!

On Saturday Jim's mom & dad along with his sister and her husband arrived from Iowa for the weekend to celebrate the occasion of his mom's 85th birthday (a few weeks early, but this is the only weekend that worked for everyone.) My other sister-in-law was also due to arrive from Kansas City, but unfortunately she became ill and was unable to make the drive. After church on Sunday, my sister and her husband and my niece came by to join us for dinner and cake. They all have known Jim's mom for over 30 years, so it was fun to have them celebrate with us. My mother-in-law's favorite cake is angel food, so I found a recipe where you add chopped maraschino cherries to the cake mix prior to baking. I just wanted to make the cake a little special. It rose nicely and looked beautiful when I took it out of the oven and flipped it over to cool while we were at church. When we returned home, it had flattened to half of its size! I have never had an angel food cake do that, so I don't know if the added cherries caused it or what. But of all the times for that to happen...The good news is that the cake was still tasty, and we all had a good laugh about it.

birthday cake

lighting the candles

After the house emptied on Monday morning, I cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast and then did the linens from five beds and all the towels. Labor Day brought much laboring for me. The Wolterman B & B turns over again on Thursday when my cousin and her husband arrive from Cincinnati for a wedding. They have never been here before, so I am eager to show them the house. After I get it all back in order...

Working for the Weekend

our backyard

Last week was a busy one as we were preparing for the party we held Friday night. Jim and his business partner decided to have a dinner party at our house for all their staff, including families. I tried to talk Jim into hiring a caterer, but he wanted to grill. And we all know the rest of the meal doesn't just appear by itself. We spent some time coming up with a menu, and then I spent a lot more time cleaning the house and then washing down all the outdoor furniture. The weather forecast was good, so I was hoping we could entertain everyone outside.

Jim took Friday off to help, so we first made the grocery store run where it took us two carts to get everything out to the car. Back at home I made the two desserts I was preparing while Jim began icing down the drinks. The day passed quickly but we were actually ready an hour before the arrival of the first guests at 4:30. Unheard of for us! I think we had about 35 people here, and it seemed as if everyone had a good time. The weather was perfect and we were able to enjoy the backyard at its finest.

Saturday Jim took a long motorcycle ride to unwind, and I finished tidying up from the party before plopping down with a good book. Yesterday we spent a couple of hours at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and made it home before the downpour occurred. Add to all of this that I had great conversations with both of the kids, and it was indeed a perfect summer weekend!

The Boys Are Back in Town

Andy was home this weekend, and I can't believe we haven't see him or Megan since Christmas, and then only for one day when we drove over to Megan's hometown in Indiana so we could exchange gifts. Megan's folks have been out to D.C. twice since then, so we are definitely on the bad in-law list. Nick, who was Andy's best man, recently got married in New York by a Justice of the Peace, so his parents wanted to throw a reception for them here. (Well, in Jerseyville where they live actually.) Megan was unable to come because her graduate school classes meet every Saturday, so Andy came alone.

Andy thought that he was just coming to a party in the backyard of the house where Nick grew up, which he was told began at 6:00 on Saturday. On the way here Friday he received a text message from Nick telling him that he would need a suit for the pictures, and that he needed to be at their house by 1:00 for the photographer. Say what? Of course he did not have a suit tucked into his carry-on luggage. He brought khakis and a dress shirt, very appropriate for an outdoor party. He and Jim are nowhere near the same size, so I suggested that he call my nephew. Joe had a suit that fit Andy, so he borrowed that. He had to wear his tennis shoes with it since no one else has feet as big as his. What a combo! But we figured they could have him stand in the back for the pictures.

When he arrived at the house, he could tell that Nick had totally undersold the magnitude of the event. The "bridal party" gals had all had their hair and make-up done for the photos, which were taken both in the suits and then again in traditional Bhutanese clothes (Nick's wife is from Bhutan). For the guys, that meant wearing a gho, a knee length robe tied with a cloth belt known as a kera, and knee high socks. Andy thought it felt rather freeing! Following the pictures they went to a Catholic church where the couple was blessed by a priest. Following the ceremony they went back to the house for the party which was held in the backyard under a huge tent - the kind with the sides that roll down. A sound system provided music and amplifications for the toasts, one of which was given by Andy. The party continued until the wee hours of the morning, and Andy got back to our house at 5:00 a.m. Which we, fortunately, did not know about until the next morning.

Sunday we had all of my family over for a barbecue so that they could see Andy. They hadn't seen him since Thanksgiving, so it was nice to have a laid back event for everyone to catch up. The weather was great so we were able to eat outside and listen to the Cardinals game. Such as it was...Andy flew back home on Monday, so I had a little bit of time with him by myself that day. It was a great weekend, and only would have been better had Megan been able to join us.

You Don't Know What You've Got Til It's Gone

New neighbors moved in a few months ago. The previous family had lived in the house for 11 years, so we had a nice neighborly rhythm going on. Since we have been in our house for 24 years, we don't take to change very easily or perhaps very graciously. New neighbor has three girls (the oldest of whom is 14) all in private schools, two large dogs and an indoor/outdoor cat. Old neighbors had one boy and two indoor cats.

I have been trying to keep an open mind, but the one dog barks non-stop every time any of us steps foot in our own yard. I've tried to talk to him, let him sniff my hand, make up to him...all for naught. Annoys the crap out of me! Our dog barked at them the first time he saw them in their backyard, but after that he was like "whatever". They also replaced the front sections of their fence (which needed to be done) with new fencing that a) does not match the rest of the fence (including ours which matched their old fence), b) does not meet the fence code in our town, and c) was put up without getting a permit. Additionally they leave their trash cans out on the curb for days on end, when the city requires that you not put them out before 5 the day before pickup and remove them by the evening of pickup.

Anyway, just a few little things grating on my nerves until last night. First of all, our son is home for the first time since Thanksgiving so after we picked him up at the airport we went out to eat and hurried home to watch the Cardinals play. As we arrived home we saw a bonfire going in the yard next door and lots of kids around. The number of kids continued to swell until we had to turn our t.v. up so we could hear the game. All of a sudden we heard something that sounded at first like firecrackers going off but was instead a herd of kids clambering across our back deck. They took off around our house and out the side gate. What the hell? We went outside to check it out, and close the gates because God forbid they should do that after trespassing on our property. Kids were swarming up the private alley behind us, including some in cars. At a 14 year old's party?

We turned on all of our exterior lights, and that kept any more kids from coming into our back yard. I think the party was designed to end at 11:00, because cars started pulling up out front to pick up kids. I was looking out our upstairs front window just as a truck proceeded to jump the curb and drive through the neighbor's front yard - fortunately the house having the party. Again I say, what the hell! About five minutes later two police cars arrived, and were shortly joined by two additional cars. That sent the party-goers on their way pretty rapidly. A couple of parents came to pick up their kids while the police were there. Can you imagine being that mom or dad arriving to pick up your prince or princess and finding police at the party???

There were still kids in the backyard at midnight, when we finally turned out our bedroom light. I can only hope that having the police show up will discourage this couple from allowing any more parties at their house. Otherwise, with this being the oldest girl, the next few years will not be pleasant. After all the money and effort we have put into our property and plant material, I'll be the one calling the cops next time the little creeps step onto our yard.

Endings and Beginnings

Friday night was the graduation ceremony for our second and youngest child. Out of town guests began to arrive on Thursday, with more driving in on Friday. Friday morning and part of the afternoon was spent at Webster University putting up the eight photo boards we had worked so hard on. We had to decorate the "cubbies" which would house the boards for the evening, and of course re-attach the wayward photos which refused to be held in place by the glue dots. We definitely disrupted the productivity of the decorating crew as, one by one, they stopped what they were doing to take a look at the photos. We had photos of the students when they were young as well as ones where they were involved in high school activities. More on the all night party in a future posting...

Friday was a little more hot and humid than the rest of the week had been, but by the time the ceremony began at 6:30, there was a little breeze and it was fairly pleasant out. My sister-in-law and Andy went with me when I dropped Katie off at 5:15 for the student preparation, and we went on to the football field to save 8 seats. Locating excellent seating behind Katie's best friend's mom, we spread out towels out to save the seats for the later arrivals. A little after 6:00 a lady came up the bleacher steps and asked if the seats behind us were taken. A woman off to the left was, in fact, saving the seats for her elderly parents. The new arrival was having none of that. She loudly declared that she just didn't think that was right, that everyone wants to see their relation graduate, and she proceeded to climb over the couple at the end of the bleacher and take the seats anyway. As the man on the end remarked. you can't expect to show up at five minutes after 6:00 and expect to get good seats. It was a good thing this rude woman didn't covet the seats covered with my beach towel, because you probably would have seen me on the 10:00 news. No one was taking away the seats I had been sitting in the hot sun to hold for my elderly in-laws. As it turned out, Jim's folks elected to take advantage of the folding chairs set up for the handicapped down on the track. It was not the best location for viewing, but at least the seats had a back and they didn't have to climb the bleachers. So we gave our extra two seats to the lady behind us who had lost hers to the seat snatcher.

The ceremony itself moved along fairly quickly considering that there were over 330 graduates. The gal selected by her classmates to give the speech did an excellent job summing up their experience at Webster Groves High School. She cracked a few jokes and offered a touching memorial to their classmate who died unexpectedly this spring. As Katie was near the end of the alphabet, I was a little dismayed by the handful of parents who got up and left before all the graduate's names had been read. We sat patiently through their child's name being read, but apparently they didn't feel the need to extend the same courtesy to the kids at the end. And yet we wonder why some kids are so rude. Look at the example some adult set for them.

Saturday afternoon we had our family celebration of Katie's graduation. The weather held for us and we were able to enjoy the gardens in the backyard. It hardly seems possible that Andy's graduation was six years ago, and now we are sending our "baby" off to college. One definition of commencement is "a beginning; a start". For Katie, she will be starting a whole new life as a college freshman in Chicago, learning to share an apartment style dorm with three total strangers, managing her time between classes and studying, and experiencing the freedom of having her parents five hours away from her. Having been through this one time before, I understand that it is a lot like sending your child off to kindergarten for the first time. You know that this is something that has to be done for your child to learn and grow, but you also realize that the child you drop off at the door will be forever changed by the experiences of the teachers and other children she comes into contact with.

For Jim and me, this is a beginning to a different phase in our marriage. With no children and the affiliated activities around on a daily basis, we will have an opportunity to focus exclusively on us and the things we want to do and see. So while a part of my heart grieves for the baby I used to hold in my arms and the little girl who used to hold my hand, my mind understand that I have done my job to raise Katie to the best of my ability. The next step is up to her.

Oh, My Aching Back!

How many muscles do we have? I feel each and every one of mine. I went to the nursery Sunday and purchased my annuals. Good thing I went by myself because even the front seat of my car was holding plants by the time it was all said and done. And I have a Buick Rendezvous! In my defense, I did purchase two large bags of a specialty potting mix for my container plants, so those took up quite a bit of space. One thing you don't think about as you get caught up in the color and flavor of the nursery, with all of the outstanding container arrangements inviting you to try your hand at creating a unique garden spot in your own yard, is the fact that for each of those bright, fresh faced annuals a hole must be dug. By you.

After five hours in the yard Sunday afternoon, which did include a mowing of the grass as well, I could barely stand upright. Too bad my clever little kneeling pad doesn't do a thing for my back. I was feeling pretty good about my success until I looked at the tables on our deck and patio. There were still 4 or 5 flats of annuals straining to be released from their plastic constraints. And that did not include the tomato, cucumber and dill plants that require special treatment since I am attempting to grow them in containers this year. Or the 5 evergreens, 5 cotoneaster shrubs and 4 hostas my husband had picked up last weekend. I got a couple more hours in yesterday, muscles screaming in pain as I stooped and bent, and will try to finish the job today.

All of this is in preparation of the graduation parties. We will be having one for Katie's friends in two weeks and a second Memorial Day weekend for our family. Good Lord willing, both of these celebrations will take place in the back yard. Now, where is the phone number for the Pink Sisters?

Operation Sunscreen

I went to Jefferson Barracks today to meet with Karen Irwin, wife of a Missouri National Guard officer and the woman who conceived Operation Sunscreen. Her goal is to get a care package in the hands of all Missouri National Guard members who are serving in Iraq or Kosovo. I had seen an article about her in the Kirkwood-Webster Journal, and I called her to see how we can help her this Christmas season. She needs 120 additional snack bags put together. As one of the host homes for the SWT Christmas party, we were to come up with an activity for the party-goers when they arrive at our house, which is the last of four stops. Instead of playing games, I suggested to Jim that we do a service project instead. Operation Sunscreen seemed perfect for the amount of time and attendees we will have. Karen provided me with 120 clear cellophane gift bags and granola bars, but she was out of the candy she normally puts in the bags. I had already committed to purchasing enough Propel or Gatorade single serving packs to place two in each bag. I told her we would take care of buying the necessary candy as well. Each of these goodie bags will later get placed in a larger zippered plastic bag containing face wipes and lip balm, and a hand-written note by a grade school child in this area. I plan to have all of our guests complete a note to at least one soldier as well. I still need to pick those up as we will need 120. I'll ask at the high school for classes to write a short note if we can't get them all done on Saturday. I feel really good about this project, and I think it is a perfect way to end our Christmas party - thinking about others instead of ourselves. As an aside, it was a thrill to visit Jefferson Barracks. My dad was stationed there during WWII, until he was shipped overseas, and I have heard a lot of stories about his time there. I'd like to go back to the visitors center there sometime as I am interested in writing up something about dad's service years and I think I could gather some great background material.

Eight Decades of Life

My father-in-law turned 80 last week, and to celebrate we all met at Lake Panorama outside of Des Moines for the weekend. We crammed a week's worth of activities (and a week's worth of food as well!) into the three nights and two days we were there. Attending the Iowa State Fair on Friday night brought back memories of working at the Fair during college, as well as meeting up with my boyfriend now husband of 30 years while he worked in a booth at the Fair with his dad. We reminisced about those days, and others, and what it feels like to be 80 years old. It was a wonderful weekend, and while some may say that you can't go home again, it certainly didn't feel that way to me.

Proud Mom Moment

Katie turned 17 on Wednesday. She decided she wanted to have a party at our house. The last thing I was up for on the heels of our son's wedding was cleaning the house and getting ready for a party. But then I realized it wouldn't be fair to her to say no based on my selfish feelings. She has not had a birthday party for quite a few years. She planned the menu and helped get the food ready, and soon we had 14 teenagers here at the house. We added an addition to our kitchen last summer, along with a conservatory and large deck off the back. It is the perfect party spot, and the kids took advantage of the space. They joined my husband and me outside to eat, and then we discreetly went upstairs to our office to give them privacy. Surprisingly, Katie came to get us when it was time to open her presents, and again when they were ready to serve the cookie cake. What a corner we have turned! I guess we are no longer too embarrassing to be around her friends! The rest of the evening they talked and laughed and played board games. It was so refreshing to see teens having a good time without electronics or feeling the need to do other things they are too young to be doing. It was definitely a proud mom moment.