Another Day of Tough Work

I turned on the A/C a little while ago, 88 outside, stuffy inside.

Rough day. my new refrigerator arrived. The man said keep the
door closed for 3-4 hours, that's how long it will take to cool
down. Well, after two hours, it is cooling down, so I put everything
inside, except for the beer. I had to drink the frozen strawberry
daiquiri and fix a batch of choc chip cookies, they were thawing.
The meat will be OK, it didn't thaw all of the way through.

One more batch of cookies, then I will go outside and wash the
sea shells I brought home yesterday. I don't know what to do
tonight, no BB until Saturday. I have some movies and LOST
is on.......maybe I can work on my picture frames.....

I turned on the a/c and opened the back door to close the
windows. I saw something move, it was a big ugly lizard. Must
have been living in the a/c unit. It went under the mobile.......I
hope it leaves the vicinity soon.........

Wasn't That Fun?

All kidding aside, the last week has been fun, great
weather. I checked the dashboard at 5 PM today, Alamo
was 86 and Ankeny was 82 and Phoenix was 78. I am happy
for IOWA. Karen and Merle brought home the great
weather for ya'll.

I made my travel plans, April 15, hopefully by 8 AM,
I will start my journey back to Iowa. I am stopping
in the Ozarks for two days to visit Shelly Mynatt
Johnston and her husband Dan. I am planning to be
home in time to golf on the 21st at woodside, aka
Woodland Hills. Then I have to get ready for the
state bowling tournament and buy an airplane ticket
to North Carolina for national bowling. I should have
my tax refund by that time, I hope.

Ankeny friends Mary Beth Justice and her mom Mona
and their friend Rita, and I went to Progresso for
Winter Texan day. The businesses give away small
sombreros that they either pin or staple to your
shirt. They give away food and cut prices on some
liquor. We had pony Coronas for a dollar, but at
the next bar the strawberry margaritas were two for
$7, normal price $2.50.......We stayed with beer.

I have to figure out which day I go back to the
beach, probably on Monday or Tuesday. Early is the
trick, the college kids are still in bed and the
families won't be there, only the winter Texans
that haven't left for home. Gas is up to $2.36
a gallon.

I have been hoping for a lot of upsets in the
tournaments, like Drake over Tennessee, didn't
happen. My pre season pick to win, the Okie
women lost today, so I have to cheer for the
Lady Vols and Pat Summitt. I think they are going
to hire her to replace Slick Alford....

Carry on my friends......

My Billboard

The powers that be finally have
my picture posted on a billboard.
Thank goodness I did my exercises,
see next blog entry......

A View from My Breakfast Table

this little bird was teasing
me the other day. I sat inside for
about an hour, waiting. It came
around every five minutes
before taking off. You have
to be fast....

New Exercise to Lose Weight FAST

i shimmied.........I was shaking........a wiggle here
and a wiggle there.....after about an hour.....my love
handles were gone. success at last in the valley......

Can You Dig It?

I heard an oldie on the radio the other day.....Sly and the Family Stone,
Can you dig it?

I can dig it you can dig it we can dig it they can dig it you can dig it........

Can you sing it that fast? I did it, good memory or what? I can dig it!

Can you dig it baby? The sun beaming down between the trees.........

Just like Texas........great sunshine...........cloudy today.....that's OK....

Can you dig it?????

There are Great Hawkeyes Everywhere

The first in line when the
college plates were sold. I don't know who the owner is,
but they are in the RGV, shopping at Fiesta Village,
Mission, Texas.There are many Iowans in the Valley,
some Ankeny folks live down the street in Alamo Palms.
They had an Iowa party, 160 people attended, just in their
park! GO HAWKS

Work and The Beauty of Alamo

This is the finished product of my
walk way from the cement patio to
the garage, aka "shed". Nothing
spectacular, but I like it. Step #4
covers up the electrical line that
runs from the pole to the mobile.

What do you do after all of this hard
work? Clean up and fix hors deouvers
and a cocktail and relax and watch
Mother Nature entertain. Enjoy.......

Update on Aunt Dutch

She is found, alive and living with a man and his wife, in
AZ. Debe's mom joined in the search and found a neighbor of
Aunt Dutch's that had a phone number of a cousin on the other
side of the family. He lives in Chicago. Cousin Mark called him
and received the address and phone number. He called her
either that morning or the next day, talked to her and she
seemed fine, except for her hearing. Her aide was in the shop
getting fixed.

SO, all if well with my only Aunt that is still alive, she is my
mom's sister. On to other things to keep the winter exciting.

95 today in the RGV, I actually turned on the A/C for the
second time this winter.......gotta love it!

Spring Break

Back to the beach after a week in Indianapolis, I
discovered some interesting sites. It wasn't too
busy for the first week of spring break, a Thursday.
I bet the college students were not happy with few
pickings, maybe things picked up over the week end.

They walk in groups of 3 or 4, first come the girls
followed by the guys. Two big display areas were
set up, this one is by the TROJAN group, also one
by the National Guard. Finally, when you're hot,
sometimes you're NOT........no problem, no one knows
that guy and he is having fun!

More later....

HOW 'BOUT THOSE BULLDOGS

I was raised on DRAKE basketball. First at Vets
and Maury John and his belly button defense, on
to the final four, losing to UCLA even though
Dolph blocked a shot by Lew Alcindor. Along
came the women's teams, after I graduated from
college. JFK was a pioneer with college women's
BB. the old days in the field house had few
spectators, but moving to the Knapp Center and
bringing along Lisa Bluder changed everything
and sent Drake to the next level.

We met Amy Stevens at the luncheon when she and
Dr Tom joined the DU family. We teased her that
she is taller than Dr Tom!

The tradition continues in the NCAA's with
few players. Just like the Hawkeyes, the bench
is short due to injury and now a player is sick.
I don't think she will be healthy enough to
play vs. Tennessee. Getting into the tournament
like DU did, of course, gives you a 16 seed. Now
they have to beat the greatest coach in history.
do you think Candice will dunk one on us? I hope
so, that will get her some air time and the world
will get to see the Bulldogs on TV, over and over
again! she did it two times in one games last
season in the tourney.

Best of luck to the Bulldogs and Coach Stevens
and her staff.

What A Difference A Week Makes

Alamo really bloomed while I was in Indianapolis for
the tournament. This is a flower that has popped out
of the cactus at the front window. Of course, my
tomatoes have started, but I don't think I will have
any to eat before it is time to travel back north.

I am planning to bring home the tomatoes. I will get
some big pots to put them in and hope the weather will
be good enough to keep them alive. Guess they will go
INSIDE the motel room and night #1.

The trees are shedding their brown leaves and are
budding. I need to make a trip to the big birding
park very soon, for photos and to witness Mother
Nature at her best, spring time!

Good Time in INDY

Here I am with my young friend Kallie at the Mall in Indianapolis.
No games in the big 10 on Saturday, so I hooked up with the Mitchells,
we did the big sporting goods store and the mall and out to eat at a
fabulous BBQ place.

Weather has been great and is good for take off on Tuesday morning to
take me back to Texas for five or six more weeks.

I am using the wireless hookup in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn.
My hotel hook up is lousy, they claim the company sent a modem for
residential instead of commercial....go figure. Oh well, I will just
have a stiff back from sitting crooked in the front seat trying to type
and read and just to be able to read the screen.

Can't wait to get back to Texas and my shorts and my beach. I am
already planning on going to the beach on thursday. Weds I will have
to get my stuff back together, go to the grocery store, et. Thurs is
good since I need exercise and the Iowa men don't play until Friday!
Lots of great BB again this week heading up to selection Sunday and
the NCAA's start in less than two weeks. ISU women will probably make
the NCAA's. Iowa women maybe the NIT. Iowa men same and maybe UNI men.
the rest, Drake teams, UNI women and ISU men are probably all done
until next season. I hope LIsa gets a shot at the NIT, she needs some
redemption from last weeks ugly game.......carry on, keep your head
down and follow through.........