It is "Peace on the Hilltop" again.

The end of the week has arrived and again there is peace on our hilltop.   Our daughters have left with our only grand children.  So now we can try to return to a normal way of life.

Getting back to normal will take some time.  Friday, we almost pushed the daughter and family out so that we could travel to Ames and pick up a neighbor's daughter from a 4-H event.   We used the time in Ames to visit a former roommate of mine that is in the appliance business.  I wanted him to give me a short course on "Ice Makers" built into the refrigerators.  Besides learning how they work,  I got a real education on the various models, their  pluses and minuses.  They really are pretty simple devices.   (Ken had enough junked ice makers to fill a standard sized dryer shipping box.)

We parked our car in the church parking lot across from the student union and went into the church to make sure it was okay.   There we met the pastor who was there when both of our daughters were students.  He recognized us and even called me by name.  (Our daughters graduated 20 plus years ago.)  That ability to remember names has to be a special gift from God.   You can introduce yourself to me and five minutes later I've forgotten it.

We kept the storage trailer locked on Thursday so our youngest daughter wasn't able to sort stuff on her own.   On Wednesday,  Julie, Beth and Sandy sorted through several boxes labeled "kitchen" on the inventory.  A lot of it went out, such as plastics that probably has picked up the moth ball oder.   A few items were consigned to the burn pile, others to a niece who is into home canning, some to daughters and a little bit for our motorhome. (It grows!)  The box count was reduced some and they were happier.    Since it was all kitchen, I pretty well stayed out of it or was left out!

On Thursday, Sandy went with Julie and grand-daughters to the State Fair in Des Monies, which surprised me very much.   Three years ago, the grand-daughters were VERY un-impressed with the state fair.   What un-impressed me afterwards were the prices that were charged for some of the items.  One ride was $25 per individual.  Even the grand-daughters told Julie (their mother) that it was too much and didn't go on it.  They also avoided a ride that one had gotten an upset stomach on the last time.   Plus they expressed or took more of an interest in some of the 4-H show items, which really pleased Sandy.  The other thing was the prices on vendor food items.  Sandy bought a "sticky roll" with no nuts for $5.  It was six dollars if she wanted one with nuts.   I think  some of these vendor prices are as unreasonable as the parking fees at many airports!  (Or do I sound like my dad?)

What am I doing today?  mowing part of the lawn I  think.  But nothing with heavy planning. Sandy also is making noises that it is laundry time. Oh Well!

Gene






  (As a farmer here in Iowa, we need some rain to fill out the kernnels on a bumper crop of corn.  It has been 4 weeks since we've had any and the grass is dying.)