Iowa, May, 2014

Off we go to Iowa, land of corn and cows.  Our frequent trips are to check on aunt Alice, 83, who gets lonesome for some family.  Just a brief summery of her life.  Born the last child of 7 she married Elwin who took her on an adventure. He joined the Army and they moved several times in their lives.  She was pregnant twice but due to a fatal childhood disease both children died.  There was and still is a hole in her heart the size of the Grand Canyon.  Today all of her siblings, her husband, and everyone she was close to are gone, left are some nieces and nephews.  John is the son of her "favorite" sister and she feels close to him because he is so much like his mother..

More later, this time try to blog as I go.

4 hours into the trip and I'm really happy to have my IPad to keep me busy.  John and I have a deal, he drives the highways, and I drive around town.  It works great for us, and it is such a great day for the drive.  The sun is behind us so no squinting!!!  I have read our local newspaper, finished two crossword puzzles, read all of my e-mail, checked out Facebook to see what my friends were doing and read a chapter of a book that I purchased for my iPad months ago. Then finally, I've begun a new blog.  Who knew you could accomplish so much on I80 headed to Iowa?? 

5 hours into the trip and it is time for a stop at a casino.  One of our little guilty pleasures, and a chance to get out of the car.  John said he had a very itchy hand, and we all know that means you are going to get some money.  $160 will go into the "month in AZ" envelope.  Kathy, thank you for that idea.

Then off to check into our hotel.

Wow, look at that, if we missed our turn to Ames, we end up in Minnesota. We love both places!!

After checking into the hotel we are off to visit Aunt Alice.  Tonight we are meeting John's cousin David and his wife Linda for dinner.  David's father was Alice's older brother.  All those years that we spent in Iowa we didn't even know that David and his brother Dan existed.  All families have secrets, and some  never come to the surface, this was a well kept one.  After Alice's brother and his present wife passed away this cousin found Aunt Alice and began a very nice friendship.  Once when we were in town Alice arranged for a dinner with all of the cousins to get together and meet. The bond was instant, and with Linda and Dave we have made friends for life.  

After dinner we went back to Alice's house for cards with her friends.  There is always a game going on downstairs, and we don't dare admit to being tired.  It's a wonderful community she lives in and we feel good that they all watch out for one another.  

After a card game with 7 of the ladies we headed back to the hotel for the night.  We don't usually get back to the room until 10:30ish.  The ladies are real night owls compared to us.  Most of them claim they don't sleep at night so why rush off to bed? They are awesome gals and I hope to live in a place just like this someday.  Where they all look out for each other and still lead very active lives, but their families aren't left with the job of entertaining you because you are bored.  They NEVER get bored, ever.  Their homes are all 2 bedroom, 2 bath full apartments that they own, with a monthly fee for maintenance and even weekly cleaning service.  There is an attached garage for those with cars, and a dining room for community meals if they choose.  This dining room is then their activity room in the evenings.  

On Friday we plan to pick up flowers for all of the relatives graves.  Lots and lots of graves to visit in two different cemeteries. Alice likes to stand and talk about each family member as we go around so it can take awhile.  Every year she says the same thing, that this is probably the last year.  But every year she reorders all of the flowers again.  After Memorial Day is over one of her friends takes her out to pick up the pots and bring them back to be planted in their yard.  It's quite a ritual.  In this photo you see how the trunk of her car looks like a garden.  Johns brother arrived on Friday to help with the flower ceremony.  

Cryder is the family name, John's mom's side, and they seem to occupy at least 1/3 of the graves.  This was where she was born and raised until she moved to Illinois with his dad.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day for this loving project.  

Supper (their word for dinner) at a sports bar then back for another card game.  We taught Jim how to play "hand and Foot". 

Saturday we join another of John's cousins for a 60th Anniversary party where Aunt Alice and I have a wager, food or no food?  I say a nice buffet, she says cake and coffee!!  We ate a big breakfast just in case we don't get food later.  

Beautiful private club was the site of the 60th anniversary party, in West Des Moines.  It was an all appetizer buffet and cake, so I think I won the bet.  Aunt Alice said it wasn't a meal so she thinks she wins..  There were 40 attendees, but not many were relatives.  The host, John, who is the oldest son of the celebrating couple, said that John and I were their Rock Stars, because we came the farthest.  Two weeks before this event, Betty, (anniversary. Lady) had a very big scare with her heart.  I'm so glad she could attend her own party and we could help them celebrate.

Entrance and sign in book.

Betty on the right of her husband of 60 years, and Aunt Alice on the left.

From left, Johns brother Jim, John, Aunt Alice, and Walt, who is a cousin-in-law.  His wife was the sister of Ed, but she died several years ago.  Sadly the Cryders are slipping away ..

Sunday morning we attended St Thomas Aquinas, located on the Iowa state University campus.  

We also took some time to drive around and reminiss about the late 1980's when Dave was a student there.  It was a trip down memory lane.  

His dorm.  One of the hardest things I had to do was Drop him off and drive away.  That was 28 years ago!!!  

We had a very rainy drive home, but traffic was light and we are safe and sound in Orland Park.  Lots of things coming up with the grandchildren, so we are excited.