It is kind of a chilly and rainy week. We are off to play cards at the Nelson's and the Hock's in a few minutes.

We have decided that we will be moving our park model to a new location. We are not sure when it will happen but probably over the summer so we will come back to a new place next winter. We are really looking forward to the move and feeling relief at living in a new neighborhood.

This is the view we have this winter with vehicles and RVs stored on both side of our house. Kind of looks like a used car lot.























Standing at the street, looking north, this is lot #424, our new location. Once the move is made, our house will shift 90 degrees and face south, instead of east as it is now.

























Hock's park model will be next to us to the west on lot #423. The pictures show Ron, Georgie, and Mary doing some preliminary planning/measuring of how and where we want our park models positioned.

We have arrived in Texas. Friends came to greet us.



The annual Christmas parade and friends to help enjoy it.

We left Moorland with a big bang weatherwise.



Stopped in Omaha for a lot of Christmas fun with the family. Wish my pictures would have turned out better but here are a few.

We got home Monday morning from Waukee. Cindy and Craig's flight was very late and we stayed until morning to wait for daylight to travel.

Yesterday we packed the clothing we will need and this morning I got the kitchen packed. We are getting ready to travel. Sure am hoping that this weather will cooperate with us. We plan to leave first thing on Thursday morning.

Last night I had dinner with Tina and Cleo at the Sports Page. Always fun to be with those two. They are great friends.

Back to work.

It has been so long since I have written a word here that I think if I do not do it then it will never happen. Life has been so busy. We have been to Omaha, Waukee, Kansas City and Springfield, MO, since I last wrote someone. We have spent time with friends from here and are trying to squeeze in all the love and friendship we can before we leave for Texas in just a little over a week. Lots to do and just a little time left. We are getting pretty excited to see the friends that we have met in the south.

Christmas gifts are bought and close to being all wrapped. Looking forward to a great family Christmas in Omaha.

Tomorrow night is the Christmas party for the church women and I am decorating a table. I think I am prepared - just need to get the wine.

Isabel is also coming tomorrow night as her parents and sister Katie will travel to Colorado. They will be back on Sunday night and then we need to get busy and pack to leave for Dan and D'Lynn's on Thursday morning. The Omaha grandchildren will have a Christmas program on Thursday night and we are lucky to be able to attend.

I have taken a few pictures since I was last here.

Cousins at Kathy Hilby's birthday party.

Picking up Katie after school.

A trip to Omaha.

A little geocaching.

Jim Nelson's retirement Party.

Thanksgiving in Springfield with the Kimani's and the Cleary's.

Thursday night we went to dinner to celebrate my birthday and Sharon Coppinger's. We went to Olde Boston and just had a great time with a dear friend. Just for posterity reasons, they have mixed drinks 2 for 1 on Thursday nights and the best part is that the drinks are only around $3.00. We had pomegranate martinis. Yummy.

Friday morning I talked to Joyce and she invited me to go to Webster City to the quilt shop with her. We had a great time and I got some great projects for the winter and some tips from the shop owner.



Today we are off to Waterloo to a surprise birthday party for Kathy Hilby. She is Rich Dean's girlfriend.

I had a great birthday. Just a nice quiet day with that guy who lives here with me. In the afternoon, we went to town so I could do a bit of shopping and then off to dinner at the Sports Page. Joyce and Dick joined us and of course I had a quesadilla and a pitcher of beer. Ron surprised me with flowers. I had so many well wishes and love hearing from my family. Omaha Buck kids sang happy birthday. Katie was concerned about a cake and all and all I felt the love. Thanks everyone. God is so good to me.

Church Dinner

We are getting ready for our church dinner this coming Sunday. Making ice cream.

Judy Byrne, Sandy Hicks and Peg Olson

Bernard Olson and Frank Segar

Ronnie Buck

Judy Byrne and Alice Rollings

Shirley Webb

Ronnie Buck and Ronnie Webb

We have been as busy and as not busy as we feel like this past week. The first part of the week was gloomy and rainy and Sunday we finally moved on to some sunshine which seems to be showing it's face again this morning. It always amazes me how much more ambitious I feel if I can catch a quick glimpse of that old man, Sun.

I can hardly believe it is November. There is so much more to do before we leave for our Texas home.

On Thursday night our friends Peggy and Jim Nelson stopped by with a birthday gift in hand for a an early round of well wishes for me. They had been to Rochester for Peggy's annual check on her Parkinsons. Her internal tremors have gotten a little worse over the past year and she will be taking meds a little more often. She does so well that you sometimes cannot remember that she has something like that going on inside of her. We still love to talk and laugh about the crazy girls we were all those years ago. (maybe we are still a bit crazy as older girls)

Friday was shopping day. Ronnie and I went to town to get our Halloween candy. Saturday night the trick or treaters came and I must say that we bought way too much. There was not nearly the crowd at the door that we have had the past few years. We sent the candy leftovers home with Cindy to take to school because we do not need them here. LOL

Saturday morning the Carlson's arrived. We were glad to have them here and really enjoyed our time with them. After lunch on Saturday, our Texas friends Ron and Georgina Hock, called and said that they would meet us in Fort Dodge. They had been to State Cross Country tournament in Fort Dodge. We went to Olde Boston and met them. They were accompanied by one daughter, Joann, one son and his wife, Doug and Tammy and their two daughters, Mallory and Paige. After Katie and Izzie had there nap the Carlson's joined us. It was a fun afternoon of catching up, enjoying some appetizers and drinking a little beer. Sure wish the Omaha Buck's could have been there also.









I am so excited because the above pictures were taken with my new Nikon Coolpix. I have been wanting it for a very long time and the Omaha Buck's and the Carlson's surprised me with it for my birthday. :)

Sunday morning we went to Mass and then out to breakfast. Cindy and I followed that up with a little shopping at Younkers. All and all we have had a great week.

Oops, I forgot to say GO HAWKS!!!!!!!

Tea Towel Tote Bag

Requires 2 tea towels and a set of handles

Fold the long sides of the first towel to the wrong side. folding in about 2 inches. Press in place. Lay that towel down, wrong side up. Center the second towel on top of it, laying it in the opposite direction, also wrong side up. Stitch as shown.
Note: The first towel will be outside the pockets and the second towel will be the bag body.



Fold both short sides of the bottom towel toward the center of the top towel. Pin and stitch through all layers, close to the edge to create long pockets.



Fold bottom towel in half, right sides together and stitch the side seams, stitching from the botton edge just to the top edge of the pocket units.




Square off bottom corners. You do this by turning the unit inside out. Match the side seams to the bottom seam, forming a triangle. The bottom of the bag will resemble the diagram below. Measure 1 1/2 inches in fron the tip of the triangle and mark the stitching line. Stitch through all thicknesses. Tuck the points toward the bag bottom center.



Fold top edge of bag to the inside about 2 inches, through the plastic or wooden handles and stitch through all thicknesses.