THE MOVIE "13 HOURS" SHOULD SEE!

    This Sunday morning I got up and went to Corralville to take advantage of the $5 admission and caught the movie about the whole Benghazi tragedy. It left you with a proud feeling that there are men and women who are willing to give their lives for our country. Almost like watching a modern day version of the Alamo!

    But, secondly it makes you wonder sometimes why we have to try to be everywhere around the world and put ourselves in so much danger. No matter who was  directly or indirectly  to blame for not getting some help there in time it was a proud and  at the same time a sad depiction of the situation.

       One thing that you come to realize is that we can't go around and knock off these dictators and then not really have a good game plan for what is to happen after. Libya was a good example of that. We got rid of Gaddafi, but, there was no one strong enough that followed to keep the peace. 

      If nothing more movies like this make you very grateful that we live in the country even if we all don't agree! 

BIRTHDAY LUNCH WITH SISTER DORIS!

       As usual at my birthday this time of year, something got cancelled or delayed. This year was no exception. This time it was having a Birthday Lunch that was planned with my sister Doris. 

      We were going to meet in Grinnell on Tuesday at the Westside Dinner for lunch. The weather was iffy that day so we dined on Thursday instead. No big deal. I enjoyed the hour or so with my big sister despite the fact that our meal was so so and the Raisin Creme pie was sub-par. Sometimes, you can't have it all but the trip up the highway was worth just being with Doris! 
 

T-SHIRT THAT SAYS COLORADO! DON'T BOTHER!

     I was reminded of a story the other day when someone came into the Burg Grocery with a sweatshirt that said just "COLORADO." A good friend that passed away sometime ago, Don Brittin, was an avid skier and encouraged me to ski. 

       One time when we were in Colorado skiing he talked about what kind of "stuff" to buy while out there in terms of wearing apparel. His contention was, with some "snob" appeal, to never go to say Colorado and just get a sweat shirt or hat that simply said "Ski Colorado." No!

Nor would you just purchase a clothing item that just said "Ski Vail or Breckenridge!" Oh, No! 

        What you really would want to do is while skiing a particular area or mountain at Vail or wherever is to look for a more specialized garment. A hat perhaps that said "Ski Snow Mass" or " "Ski The Black Hole!" That way when you got back home and someone asked where those areas were, you very nonchalantly could say, "In Breckinridge,of course!" Never could travel anywhere without thinking about that. Not even to Kansas City!

      

THE CHOCOLATE CAKE SWITCH!

      Another observation during my birthday week has to deal with my favorite "Birthday Cake." All my life my cake of choice was chocolate with white frosting. Generally, my mother was the one that made it to perfection as only mothers can do! There was only one year when she made it with chocolate frosting instead of the white. Who knows what happened there!

       For some reason and starting about ten years ago I started to like white cake with white frosting. I think I know what happened. I used to order cakes for my grandchildren from Hy Vee in Marshalltown, Iowa and at the time I really liked the flavor of their cake and frosting. A I think my logic was that white cake for some reason was not as messy! I am going to Corralville this week-end and I hope the Hy Vee's cakes there are as good!

THE YEAR I THOUGHT I MISSED A BIRTHDAY!

       When it was my 47th birthday I woke up that morning and for some reason thought I was actually 48. I think I immediately had an anxiety attack. How could I be 48 and only two years away from being the Big 50! I laid there in bed for a bit and did the quick math and realized that I was actually 47 and hadn't missed it! What a relief! I guess I went through the Twilight Zone somehow. That had never happened before or since! But, wouldn't mind being 48 now!

YOU KNOW YOU ARE GETTING OLD WHEN----!

       When you reach my age and celebrating your birthday all kinds of things come to mind. Here is one of those! When I was a very young kid in the early 1950's there was an actress by the name of Gale Storm and she had a TV show called "My Little Margie !" She also did a song called "I Hear You Knocking!" Then, just about the same time Little Richard came out with a similar song called "Keep a Knockin!"

       Then in the early 1970's Dave Edmunds came out with "I Hear You Knocking" and made it into a big hit. I remember some kids during the 70's talking about this new big hit! I had to remind him that it was the third go around for me!

1st SONG TO HEAR MY BIRTHDAY!

It was kind of neat that the first song I heard when I got to work over the intercom on Wednesday, my birthday, was K C & The Sunshine Band--"Get Down Tonight." Do a little dance make a little love get down tonight Ugh! Ugh! That set the tone for the rest of the day! Again, the little things!

FOUR OF MY TOP EATERIES IN ONE ARTICLE!!

In a weekly column in the Des Moines Register yesterday on food  focused on eateries during the Iowa Caucus scene. Here are four that were at least mentioned in the article by columnist Susan Stapleton. The ones that were of interest to me may or may not have made the big scene with politicians, but, at least were mentioned.

      The first one, of course, was Taylor's Maid Rite which opened in 1928 in Marshalltown. 2nd, and one that also deserves mentioning is the Hamburg Inn #2 in Iowa City. It is a really good restaurant with super comfort food and very popular with visiting "Anybodies." 3rd that got mentioned was Smitty's tenderloin which  is on  Army Post Road on the south side of Des Moines. 4th was mentioned the Canteen in Ottumwa which claims to have opned a year before Taylor's in Marshalltown. It is also a loose meat place and small and very unique with entrance in he Alley.I wouldn't say it is better than Taylor's,but, I am a little biased.

       Of course, there were other places mentioned along with the usual la-de-da places in Des Moines, but it is still nice to know that just plain old good eateries are still hanging in there. Too bad Tasty Taco's wasn't mentioned along with Goldie's in Prairie City! Maybe I am asking for too much!

REMEMBER THOSE AFRICAN VIOLETS?

       We just received a shipment of small starter plants at work. A few are African Violets. I don't know about you, but, I can still see the fairly large collection of those plants that my mother had. I am not sure if she talked and petted them on a daily basis, but, they always did extremely well.

       One key for a lot of her in house plants was keeping them out of direct sun light. She had a group of them that actually faced a north window in their Melbourne home. Even when she had them at my step-dad's farm home south of Van Cleve the windows in the dining and porch area that faced south rooms had wood or metal awnings. 

        Never was a big fan of those plants, but, she really kept them spiffy. It really wasn't until maybe the 1960' or 1970's when larger tropical plants were imported cheaply from places like Central America for indoors that  interested me.  Maybe I should buy one of hose African Violets and give it a shot! They are only $1.99!

THE BOZ SCAGGS STORY!

      One of my favorite singers or groups was Boz Scaggs back in the 1970's. Some of his big hits were Lido Shuffle and Lowdown. It was just an ordinary looking white guy with no gimmicks and played a piano.The group of guys I hung out with at the time also were into him and even got to see him once at Vet's Auditorium in Des Moines. With a name like Boz Scaggs, you would think of him being some honky tonky country western singer.

       Several times at the Burg Grocery when one of his songs are playing, I will ask a customer if they can name the singer and I will pay them $1 or sometimes even $5. Nobody ever has a clue! I do need to be careful because it would serve me right if some day I get too confident and up the ante. That's just when someone will nail it! 

        

UNKNOWN FACT ON SISTER DORIS!

      Yesterday while working at the Burg Grocery, I was helping a young mother out with her groceries with her "very" lively young daughter who seemed to be a little out of control in terms of wanting to run ahead and jumping on everything in sight and so forth.

       It brought to mind the story my mother told several times about my sister Doris. When Doris was a little girl she evidently quite a hand full.  Somewhere along the way mom found or bought a harness with leash and when they went shopping she put this contraption on Doris so she could not run off. I am not sure you could get away with that today! With all the weird stuff going on today maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea!

BIRTHDAY WEEK HAS BEGUN!

       To start off with my Birthday Week, Last night I prepared one of my favorite simple dessert items--Butterscotch Pudding. This has been one of my favorites all through my life. Yes, even more than chocolate. So far, due to the weather of course, I have had to postpone meeting my sister, Doris, for lunch in Grinnell at the Westside Family Restaurant. We will give it a try on Thursday. It still is too early to decide lunch or dinner choices for today. Weather is not going to stop me from maybe finding a favorite eatery somewhere locally.

          

ONLY TWO FANS OF THIS TEAM IN DES MOINES!

      With the Super Bowl coming up soon, for a lot of us our favorite team won't be in it. At the Burg Grocery the other day I was taking a Really unofficial poll as to who everybody would be rooting for.

      My guess is that a lot of people around here will be pulling for the Denver Bronco's For no other reason it's closer, has been in the NFL longer, and probably a slight underdog. Plus for some of us we will want to see an "older" quarterback succeed.

       I am sure there are some Panther fans around these parts and more power to them. Seems like all I hear and see is talk about our regional favorites. Green Bay, Vikings, The Bears, Kansas City, or the Rams. When I was a kid my favorite pro football team was the Cleveland Browns. I liked them because of Otto Graham, the quarterback and Jim Brown, their great running back.

       When I lived in Des Moines for many years I only ran into one other fan of the Cleveland Browns. Then when the owner pulled the team out of Cleveland and they then became the Baltimore Ravens I was done with them. Now I just sit back and enjoy the action. I am leaning toward that old guy at age 39,  Peyton Manning.

DO YOU REMEMBER "WAR OF THE WORLDS?"

       
      And, I am talking about the original. It was from 1953 starring Gene Barry and the movie was adapted from a radio broadcast by H. G. Wells about Invasion of Earth by Martians. I have this movie in my private stock of all kinds of old movies and thought last night was the time to watch it for some reason. Besides, I didn't have any interest in the Carolina-Arizona football play-off game.

     Yes it was in color and Gene Barry was the scientist hunk who also during the invasion meets an attractive woman and hit it off. Of course,  in those days she always screamed and became hysterical when things got bad. The Martians almost destroy the whole world until our "common germs" do them in. Like a lot of my old movies and some newer, I didn't make it all the way through until I started to doze!

      Years ago. my mother always used to tell the story about my grand-mother listening to the H.G. Wells broadcast and she was sitting on this stool of some kind. One of he legs broke, it scared her she thought the Martians had invaded! It was a good story.

HAWK WIN & ICING ON CAKE!

      Every time I watch a  Hawkeye Basketball game I am more impressed at how this team has played and especially with their supporting cast of under class-men. Today was no exception with their win over Purdue.

      At half time I prepared one of my favorite comfort meals of all time. I sliced thinly some very tender rump roast that I had the night before. Prepared some mashed potatoes and the two slices of white bread. You know it! A Hot Beef Sandwich.I do cheat a little by making my gravy with a package of McCormicks Brown Gravy! But, my oh my! Couldn't have better at the best local Diner. 

        If the good Lord takes me during the night, I will have a smile on my face. And, I am OK for the rest of the day as the Bronco's and the Patriots are both favorite's of mine!Either way. An end to a pretty good day. Maybe popcorn later!  

AT LEAST LIST YOUR "FAVORITE'S!

       One reason I am always stressing for people to write short stories in some manner about personal and families matters is simple. We all have interesting stories that those that come after us can enjoy. We are more than just date born, died or otherwords, we are more deserving than an obituary in the local newspaper. 

      Even if you are uncomfortable in writing stories at least sit down and make up a simple "Favorite This and That" list so those someday will at least know a little more about you than some of the obvious. The following are a few examples.

FAVORITE THIS AND THAT

Favorite family function.............
....enjoyment alone
....other leisure
.....Holiday
......state to travel
......country to travel
......meal
......sporting event
.....college team
......movie
......book
......type of music
......song
......TV show all time
......President
.....color
......subject in school
.....friend or friends
.....teacher
.....subject in school
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

             This list is somewhat endless and can be added to from time to time. You don't need to worry about writing if you are uncomfortable with that form. By doing a list form, so much can let others know a lot about you Give it a try on one of these cold winter days or even if you are sitting on the beach. Let others know that you love as much as possible about you. Some might be very obvious and some might leave a few surprises about you! Have fun with it!

THERE ARE SAND DUNES THEN THERE ARE---!

      In the late 1990's I was watching the public television station and they had a show about these huge sand dunes in Colorado. Sand dunes in Colorado? In my lifetime I have or had been in the state at least a dozen time, but, never knew there were these huge sand dunes there. Lots and lots of beautiful mountains but dunes?

      They were talking about the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve southwest of Pueblo. Again, it was 2006,  Ilah Morey and I traveled to the state in May of that year for a travel vacation. One thing I had to see was were those Dunes. We had traveled from Estes Park and then followed the back side of the Rockies down to the Dunes.

         I have seen sand dunes in Michigan and there are some lulu's up there. But, not like this. I had even met a couple from Michigan on the Gondola ride across the Arkansas River by the Royal Gorge and they kind of down played it when I told them about it since they were accustomed to dunes in their home state. I told them that "there were dunes and then there were these dunes." All I know is that they said they would check it out.

       Coming down from the north to the Dunes, you could see something like a huge void for 100 miles or more away. Finally arriving in the park, we were greeted by 19,000 acres of sand more than 750 feet tall in some areas.It sets right on the west base of the Sangre de Cristo Range. It was not made into a federal park until most recently by President Clinton. It is, to me, one of the great treasure's in this country that is pretty much unknown. Look it up and if you ever plan a trip to Colorado it is a must see!

WHITE WATER RAFTING OFF MY BUCKET LIST!

     It was May 2006 and Ilah Morey and I took a trip to Colorado and took advantage of that time of the year. The ski season was pretty much over and the summer crowd hadn't arrived yet. Rates were extremely low and to put it simply there weren't a lot of other tourists to get in our way.

         In just one story about the trip, I decided that I wanted to "white water." And, what a better place to do it than on the Arkansas River just below the Royal Gorge bridge near Canyon City. If you have even walked across the Royal Gorge you know what a breath taking site looking down that canyon to over 1,000 feet to river level. It is the second tallest bridge in the world. Then, if you want to do something really fun, ride the Gondola across. It's even a little higher up!

       The five man raft with the guide was my means down a somewhat medium steep incline course on the river. I was put in between the other two passengers, both younger college professors from Oregon. It was the thrill of a lifetime just for the actual ride, but, looking up to the Royal Gorge Bridge was breathtaking. I would still put snow skiing on a Colorado mountain side a notch ahead of this adventure, but, I will forever cherish the memory! I never could do that raft ride at Adventure-land again!

THIS CONSERVATIVE LOST IN LANDSLIDE/1964

       In this election year I am reminded of the 1964 election when I was not quite old enough to vote by two whole months. But, I knew who I thought I would have voted for if I just could.

        Sandi, my first wife, and I had just moved to Des Moines from Marshalltown with our baby daughter, La Risa. I was entering my junior year at Drake and we were renting the upstairs of an old converted duplex that Drake owned in the heart of the campus.

      President Lyndon Johnson-a Democrat, was running for re-election and he was running against Senator Berry Goldwater from Arizona. He was considered Mr. Conservative at the time. The Viet Nam War was raging. Being a business major I considered myself pro Republican and really thought Goldwater had a shot! He was all for bombing North Viet Nam to end the war at the time and Johnson did not.

        It was one of the biggest landslides ever. The electorate had voiced their feelings about changing leaders during a major conflict and along with other issues.As it turned out Johnson ended up bombing North Viet Nam and although initiated a lot of historical legislation at the time, he did not run for re-election due to the war. I believe it had just worn him down. An interesting time! Even though we only had a little black and white TV in our apartment, you could almost watch Johnson's hair turn white during his last term. 


         

A SNOWSTORM I WON'T FORGET!

      It was the early 1980's and Spring break and time to go skiing in Colorado with the kids. Aspen was our destination. We usually drove straight through from West Des Moines and it took 12 hours or so.

       The night journey going out through Nebraska  was pretty boring. The real thrill was in the morning cutting down I-76 to Denver. It was the greatest anticipation possible, waiting for the first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains. I still get goose bumps thinking about that first view of those beautiful mountains.

      The only way into Aspen during March was out I-70 to Glenwood Springs and then down Highway 82 in to Aspen. Another thrill along the way west of Denver was going through the Eisenhower tunnel that cuts through the mountains before getting to Dillion and Frisco.

       The skiing and all that went with the area was not disappointing. Aspen at that time was like a very upscale western town.  One of my favorite memories besides the skiing was sitting outside in a a covered hot tub with a mountain view and all the while snowing.

      The day before we were to leave, we heard that a big snowstorm was coming and we decided to leave a day early so as not to get stuck there. We drove back and got just east of Denver on I-70 and were met by a highway patrol blocking the highway from further travel. 

      I made the decision and a wrong one to go north to Cheyenne and try to go around the storm. No GPS or smartphone to advise me any differently. We filled up with gas at Cheyenne and headed east on I-80. It was a beautiful sunny day and absolutely dry until about 50 miles east of Cheyenne. Then the fun began like night and day!

      My ex-wife May was driving and the kids were in the backseat and didn't have a clue what was ahead. Just like someone had drawn this line in the road, the snow was thick and heavy and we were drawn into just tracks from the vehicles ahead of us as far as the eye could see.

       We were moving so slowly that the speedometer was barely moving. Maybe 2-5 miles per mile. Along the way we could see an exit ahead and it seemed like it took hours to get there. 
Cars were bumper to bumper up the exits to attempt to get off or just get gas. Thank goodness we had filled up with gas from the start and thankful no one got stuck, or ran out of gas along the way. It would have all come to a halt! That in itself was a miracle. 

       We stopped for a while where I-80 and I-70 merge along the South Platte River. It was amazing that the kids never complained once. We finally came out of it outside Ogallala, Nebraska. It was just raining there and the rest of the trip was a cakewalk. A trip that normally took 12 hours had turned into a 24 hour surreal journey!

BRANDON'S JOKE OF THE WEEK!

      What math course does an owl take in school?  "OWLGEBRA!"

YOU THOUGHT INTEREST RATES WERE HIGH THEN!

        I was reminiscing about the good-old-days with a close friend that still lives in Des Moines. He had mentioned that a group of guys that we both socialized with still meet on ocassion. One that he mentioned was Dean Neese who was one of the original co-founders of Taco John's.

     When I was selling real estate back then I had sold Dean a Townhome just a couple of doors down from my place in a project called West Park in West Des Moines. This would have been in the early 1980's when the farm crisis began and the country wide recession. Ronald Reagan hadn't been President too long and interest rates were on the drastic rise due to extreme inflation in the late 1970's.

      I distinctly remember that when Dean actually bought the place and by the time the transaction was completed due to his slowness in getting various documents completed and turned in, the mortgage interest rates had gone up from 11-12% range to around 15 percent and in some cases to 16%. He didn't seem to mind at the time as I think he just paid off the mortgage later on when he sold out from Taco John's. That was high!  

       

REMEMBER QUILTING BEES?

       The other day I was putting groceries in a ladies SUV at the Burg Grocery and she had a really old hand made quilt laying in the back spread out to actually protect the back area of the vehicle! We talked a bit about our grand-mothers belonging to Church Quilting  groups that met on a weekly or monthly basis like they all did.

       I can still see my grandmother Laverty and some of her group in the basement of the Laurel United Methodist Church with that huge wooden quilt frame set up. I still have at least two quilts that she made, along with one or two  my mother made, and one that was started in Germany by my great grandmother on my mother's side in the late 1800's and the later finished in the USA years later by both of them.

        

WE ARE SO SPOILED!

       Recently I wrote a ditty about too many choices at the grocery store and more specifically juices. Well here we go! A gentleman came in to the Burg Grocery yesterday and was trying to simply find a container of Cherry Juice. When one of the employees found it for him he then also asked if we carried Black Cherry Juice. The reply was No!  The customer was quick to respond that Big G Grocery in Marengo did! The employee simply apologized and walked away. Again, we are so spoiled, but, aren't we lucky that we live in this great and crazy country!,

GOING TO 1ST CAUCUS AT 72!

     I am posting this now so I have to hold myself to a commitment to attend a Caucus here in town on the 1st of February. I have always been fascinated with politics through-out my life and wanted to get involved somehow. I never did!

      I will be 72 years old and have never attended a Caucus right here in a state where our whole process begins. I won' tell you which one I plan on attending, but, you will know later on. I do know, if given the opportunity, I will ask the question about what the plan is to at least pay down SOME of our national debt! I am looking forward to it!

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

      
      A lady at the Burg Grocery responded after asked how she was doing! For some reason it came to me came  or somehow knowing I had heard the expression before. 

      I wanted her to say "I feel better than yesterday, but, not as much as tomorrow." It then hit me real quick that I was actually thinking about a song that goes "I love you more than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow." It still wouldn't be a bad response when someone asks you how you are feeling or doing. Or maybe simply say FANTASTIC! That'll throw them!

       

      

TODAY A MILESTONE HAS BEEN REACHED!

      I am pleased that as of today my Blog has reached 1,000 posts. That simply means that  many stories of all kinds have been published on my site and  am pleased with feed-back from so many of you. I have accomplished in 1.5 years exactly what I set out to do. Simply just sharing personal and family related short stories for not only a way to preserve the past, but, also a means for others to enjoy and rekindle memories of their own and also their loved ones!  Thank you all!

THE STORY OF MY LIFE IN ONE SENTENCE!

      "Most of my life I spent money on booze and wild women and the rest I wasted!"

JUST BECAUSE I LIKE MUSICALS DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING!

      A few years ago when I still had my business in Marshalltown, I was jokingly talking about my concern of my interest in certain things to my co-workers at lunch.  For example, I mentioned that I liked going to see Broadway Musicals, the fact hat I was probably one of the few single men in Marshall County that subscribed to Better Homes and Gardens and I liked wearing pink shirts from time to time. 

       One of the ladies quickly shot back with a great response. She simply asked me if I liked Barbara Streisand. My reply was no not really or at least far from being one of my favorite singers. My employee then said simply that I was OK.  
            

REMEMBER THOSE PLASTIC COIN PURSES?

       There is an old expression that says, "Watch what the poor people do then don't do it!" Mine was always, "Watch what old people do then don't do it!" An example would be not to ever buy a Lazy Boy chair. When I was really young I always thought once you got one of those chairs you were really getting old! 

         But, one that I really have not done since I am now considered old is the following. Years ago I observed this guy in line ahead of me getting ready to pay for some item. Let's say the purchase was $5.32. He got out the $5 O.K. but, then out came that little plastic coin purse with the slit for coins. Remember those?

      The time it took him to count out that 32 cents a few years of my childhood flashed before me.  He couldn't see real well so, of course, he pulled out a nickel instead of a quarter.Out of frustration he dumps all the change in the coin purse out on the counter and slowly pushes out the remainder of the coins toward the clerk. 

      As a result of that episode, to this day when possible I always pay with just dollars the receive any change back and put it in an old Fraternity mug at home. Later I take the change in and take the proceeds and go out to eat!

ARE YOU A SAVER? IT CAN BACKFIRE!

        Without naming names, there are those that save just about anything and everything! If it is give to them or it is free why not take it and who knows! 

        Years ago, my mother told the story about my step-dad and his habit of saving lots of stuff. He did have a good excuse as he lived during the depression! He wasn't either what you would call a hoarder.

       One day he was headed to Marshalltown to pick up some needed supplies from the Hardware Store. He mentioned to my mom what he was going to get and she said why he didn't check all the stuff he had in the garage and basement. The one problem was that what he needed was in the dozens of old coffee cans lined around the garage. None of them were marked in any way on the outside of the can! You do your own moral!  

A MOVIE FIRST WITH SISTER DORIS!

     
       A while ago, while visiting with my sister, Doris, she mentioned that she really wanted to see the new movie, "Revenant" starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It is based on a true story of a trapper in the 1820's and most was filmed in the Canadian Rockies. 

       I had mentioned that I wanted to also see it. Being the movie nut that I am, I agreed about wanting to see it and we made it a date and saw it yesterday,Saturday, afternoon for a matinee, (1-16-2015) even though weather wise it was not a good day to see a movie about events in extreme cold in the mountains. 

      No matter. It was very special to attend a movie just with my sister. To my recollection, I don't remember ever going to a movie with just she and I. Maybe when I was a little kid. Maybe! A first time for everything or it is never too late!! Again the day was special and, yes, we had lunch at Taylor's Maid Rite!    

SCOOPING THE LOOP part 2

       Now, what I'll try to do is give you an idea of a typical Saturday night in Marshalltown. If it was just my best friend Rick and I going to town without dates, we would just drive around. First, we would drive or cruise along Main Street west to 2nd or 3rd Street and turn around and head back along Main Street again all the while checking out the cool cars and, of course, keeping an eye out for the cute girls.

       Then, we would turn north on 3rd Avenue and head past Kim's Drive-In-Diner and drive through the A & W Root Beer Drive-In, head out of there and turn left and go back up to Main Street and do it all over again. All the while listening to our favorite AM rock & roll station. Then, we would occasionally just park on Main Street and just do some watching.

      I told you earlier in a story about Kim's and A & W but, there was also Zeno's that opened in the mid 1950's. That was where I first had pizza with my sister Doris. Sometimes with your date, you could go to a movie at either the Strand or the Orpheum on Main Street. There was also the drive-in out at the junction of highway 14 and 30 that sat just off  the NW corner. The drive-in experience was always special. Either trying to smuggle in extra kids in the trunk or falling asleep after the movie was over.

         Scooping the loop was pretty much a staple in the Saturday night ritual whether you had a date or went to a movie. Just like today!

THE JOURNEY FROM HOME TO THE SCOOPING LOOP! part 1

       It was a typical Spring day with beautiful blue skies and a bright sun overhead. I was working for Art DeWitt, a nearby neighbor and farmer just to the north of our place. I was doing a little spring plowing for Art on one of his tractor's and getting the field ready for corn planting later. At sixteen years old, I was doing OK making $1.00 an hour and there was nothing better than being outside on a beautiful day with a "Swisher Sweet" cigar clinched between my teeth. Yup! Nothing better than a little Iowa black dirt mixed in with the rum soaked juices of that cigar rolling around in your mouth.

       All I could think about was the fact that it was Saturday and that in a few short hours I would be behind the wheel of my 57' Chevy and headed to the big city of Marshalltown for a little "scooping of the loop" and who knows what else the night would bring. I'm not sure what I really did that particular night, but, I would like to give you an idea of a typical night in the early 1960's for a sixteen year old boy living in rural Central Iowa and headed to a town with a  population of 20,000 or so.

       First, one of the most important things to do before heading to the big city was to make sure the Chevy was washed and cleaned inside and out. Since we lived one mile east of highway 14 which was paved, I had to drive slowly on the gravel road from our farm to get there. Some old bath towels were always carried to wipe the car down once you got to the pavement. You couldn't let the Marshalltown guys see you in a dusty or dirty car as they would know for sure you were a farm kid.

      Then once on highway 14, it was another 3 miles to Laurel where one gassed up at Ingraham's Skelly Station or Clyde Eddy's (my brother-in-law) Standard Oil Staion. Gas was around 25 cents a gallon back then and $2 or $3  worth of gas would get you the ten miles to Marshalltown and loop scooping and back home. Most of the vehicles had V-8 engines and would get around 12 to 14 MPG. Another side note was that in a lot of rural areas there was no actual speed limit. Most signs read-" Speed Limit-Safe and Reasonable."

       -------------to be continued.

       
       

DO YOU REMEMBR NICHOL'S & GREEN

      
At one time it was one of the best shoe stores in Marshalltown, but, today it no longer exists. It died just like a lot of other independent clothing and shoe stores in smaller communities and many larger cities too. The store sat in the middle of Main Street in between Center and First Avenue, across from the Court House on the north side.

       While attending Marshalltown Junior College, I worked there in 1963 and was the guy who picked up the shoes after they were tried on and put them back in their boxes and took them to the back room to be stored. I worked a couple of days through the week and all day on the big shopping day of Saturday.

      Bill Tank owned the store and his dad, I believe, started it years before. It was an upscale shoe store selling both women and men's shoes. Nun-Bush was a top brand of men's shoes and the best "wing tip" dress shoe with cloth bag sold for nearly $50. That was a lot of money in the early 1960's. 

       The store employed besides myself, a lady cashier up front along with at least five full time salesmen who worked primarily on commission and supported families on their income. It was not unusual on a Saturday afternoon to have the store filled with women trying on several pairs of shoes and having all the salesmen running non-stop for a period of time attempting to sell the latest style of shoe. Sometimes after the "rush" had ended it would look like a war zone!

       It always amazed me that one minute there would be no one in the store, and then all of a sudden, it was as if a bus had unloaded a group of ladies and they would come storming in like there was no tomorrow. When the shopping mall was built later, it hurt the downtown shopping. Nichol's & Green had a store in the mall for a short time but didn't take. Bill sold the store to an employee Neil Curley, but, it was never the same. Times had changed. The last independent shoe store, Ewer's, went out of business uptown around 2008.




    

HE COULD SELL ICE-CUBES TO ESKIMOS!

       When I first got to know Bob Merritt one of the earlier things that happened that told me he was special or for sure different was the story he told when he was first divorced and had moved in to this single's apartment complex in Wes Moines.

        The very first thing he did was walk around door to door in this 24 plex and knock on the door and introduced himself to each tenant he met. Then, a few months later we went in with one other friend and put on a party at a park in Urbandale. Between 300 and 400 people attended. That was a party! We raised most of the money for it by selling tickets to whomever would buy one. We had a disc-jockey, magician, free beer, and a caterer served pork dinners. 

       When we got the tickets printed up and were ready to start selling them, we had met at The Ember's restaurant to kick it off. After we ate Bob got up and walked right over to an adjoining table and asked this guy how many tickets he would like to buy to our party. He simply asked he would like to buy "four or six" of them not the usually one or two.

        He usually was successful in his techniques and usually took no for an answer.  He was a super salesman. I always said the difference between Bob and someone like myself at selling was the following. Bob was a pure salesman. He could sell anything. I, on the other hand, had to study it and know that it was the best or at least know something about it and that it could benefit you in some way. He was one of a kind!

ALL TEACHER"S SEEMED OLDER!

     Recently, a teacher/coach passed away. Is name was Dave May from Cedar Rapids and was a really a nice man. He taught in Laurel in the early 1960's. 

      In visiting with an old classmate, we discussed the subject of some of our teachers like we all do from time to time. It seemed like at our school of Laurel, which was a very small school district, there were two categories of teachers. Very young and very old. 

       Most of the young teachers like Dave May it was probably his first teaching job and was happy to start out on the "lower rung" until an opportunity came to work his way up to a bigger school district which he did later. I won't give his age , but he was only in his early 20's while at Laurel. He seemed much older to this 16 or 17 year old at the time.

       Then, there were the teachers that were the "lifer's." They had taught at Laurel for quite some time and were well established in the community. But, looking back they too seemed much older than I am sure they were. We thought they were ancient! I know now they weren't and do not want to show any dis-respect.

       I guess my only point is that through the eyes of a teenager or youngster, most all adults always seemed old or older than they actually were. Here I am now in my early 70's and I feel that compared to some of those "lifer's" I am still that kid from Laurel!  

MY MOM'S--"THE SALAD!"

       As a guy, I am grateful that I can and do enjoy cooking. Being on m own, once again, it is one of those things that I don't have to depend on someone else or have to look forward to eating cereal or egg sandwiches every other day. Also, it gets a little expensive eating out although, I don't have a problem with saying "table for one!" I feel sorry for these poor men who have lost their wife and don't hardly know how to turn on the stove or micro-wave. 

      The other day, just for S&G, I got out an old recipe that my mother always made around or at Christmas.  She usually just called it "the salad or red salad."  I hadn't made it for a while and it just sounded like it was DUE! I am sure everyone has made it and I think a long time ago I put it on my Blog. It consists of lime jello, Dream Whip, cream cheese, crushed pineapple, Miracle  Whip, and topped off with cherry jello. If you don't have it I will post tomorrow.

      It is a great feeling to be able to re-create something from the past that you enjoyed and enjoy it once more! Again, it's the little things!

       

1ST TIME SNOW SKIING-NEVER AGAIN!

      Most people I know today during the winter months go south.When I was first divorced back in the mid 1970's, the guys that became friends at that time were into down hill snow skiing.

       They convinced me to give it a try and to my good fortune we were headed to Vail, Colorado for the first try in the big leagues.  Keep in mind, I had only skied once in a small ski area in Minnesota. It was like going from minor league baseball to the majors!

       It was Bob Merritt, Don Brittin, and myself. Bob lined up the condo and we flew out and drove up from Denver to Vail. The first day it was suggested that I should taken a lesson for at least a half day. It turned out to be a whole day. I was not a natural! 

       The following day I must have fallen dozens of times. Brittin, who was an expert skier, convinced me to take a short "black" run so we could get over to this certain area for lunch. Do not let anyone convince you to do a "black" run (most difficult) when you are a hayseed beginner from Iowa.  

        By mid afternoon I didn't care if the ski patrol had to come up and carry me down, or if I froze to death or even if a bear found me and had me for supper. By the time I got down totally exhausted, I told myself that I was going to take the rental car back to Denver and fly home the following day. 

       I was convinced to stick it out and by some miracle I caught on the next day. I wasn't ready for the Olympics, but,  I was respectful. I learned to love skiing and the mountains and all its beauty. But, that first day was a challenge!  

MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION KEPT IN SAFE DEPOSIT BOX!

     Years ago when you took pictures with real cameras and real film, seem now to have a special quality that today's photos taken digitally with smart phones don't possess. I know it is just change!

     But, when my daughter La Risa,  especially back in the 1960's and our first born I took pictures of her like there was no tomorrow. Sometimes I would take a roll of film of 24 frames and shoot pictures of her just playing in the yard or posing by sitting on the family auto.

      It dawned on me somewhere around then that those were probably the most valuable thing we possessed. Most other documents, deeds, will, and at least other paper documents could be replaced even at a price. Photos could not be replaced. Ever!

       That's when I went to the bank and rented a small safe deposit box and put most all of the negatives of the pictures that I had taken. I did that for quite a few years. Even though we download stuff off our computer today and put the "memory sticks" and etc in a safe place, a safe deposit box even for this newer tech files!  

THEE BEST KEPT SECRET FOR CLEANING WINDOWS!

     I know this an odd time of the year to be discussing window cleaning, but, as tomorrow is supposed to get into the 40's, I will be doing some store windows out at Tanger's Outlet Mall.

       Years ago when I had first started a window cleaning operation in West Des Moines, I overheard a couple of guys sitting close by at this restaurant at lunch time and as i turned out they worked for the largest window cleaning company at the time called Larry's. Yes, Larry's!
One guy and his two sons and a hand full of employees. They cleaned most of the big buildings down town Des Moines including the biggest building at 801 Grand.

       I visited them for a while and simply asked what they used in their water for a cleaning solution. I assumed they would have told me either to get lost or that it was a secret recipe that was kept in a safe deposit box in a bank in Switzerland! ! Their secret! It was Dawn! 

       It made me feel good to know that the largest window cleaning company are around was using simply Dawn and just a few drops. Of course, it also means that you are using a squeegee with an applicator. And, I have heard through the years those that use newspapers or combinations of vinegar and whatever. Newspapers only get ink all over your hands and it just smears.  If you have to use paper towels make sure they don't get too wet before pitching. And, for mirrors and small  inside window jobs the best commercial cleaner you can buy at most stores is Sparkle! It is the best. Tips brought to you by Yes! We Do Windows!

THOSE BIG SWINGS IN SCHOOL YARD!

      Something recently was put on the internet about the killer merry-go-round and teeter tooters that were in most schools including those at my old school at Laurel.  Another one that used to freek me out was the set of "big" swings in front of the grade school building. 

     The one thing you tried to accomplish was see how high you could swing by initially getting a push fro someone then you just kept pumping until you reached that point where you could actually go too high.  There was always this fear that you could go too high and fall out of the seat or just get out of control that high and who knows what could happen. 

       Even the "big" slide that was also out there could pose a problem or two by simply flying down too fast and land on your rear with some pain. Let's face it. That equipment made for kids enjoyment could give you an occasional  nightmare!

THE BUFFALO BILLS CHEERLEADERS! OH YA!

      There has been in the news lately a story about the cheerleaders for the professional football team Buffalo . They are suing the football team in a class action lawsuit for higher pay. They evidently only get paid something lower than minimum wage. They also have to attend other events without pay and are sometimes approached to do some questionable deeds lets say! No kidding!

        Several other teams cheerleaders are in midst of doing the same thing. Management of one of the teams was heard saying that the girls should happy as their job puts them close to very wealthy football players. I only make a little over minimum wage at the Burg Grocery, but, It hasn't helped me any being around some very wealthy single or married farm women! 

LOCAL BUCKET LIST PART TWO!

      Today, (Tuesday, 1/12/2015) would have been a good day to just stay inside as the temperature outside hovered somewhere around zero. But, no I had convinced a fellow by the name of Tom Heitshusen to go with me to the livestock auction in nearby Oxford just east of the Amana Colonies. I have gotten to know Tom from his coming into the Burg Grocery and have hit it off. Tom is a local who has lived here all his life and knows the "territory"well!

        Of course the main attraction was the eatery that is a part of the auction and sat in a U shaped counter with built in stools and is only open on Tuesdays the day of the auctions. Everything about the place screamed old but it was extremely clean. I had heard how good their hot beef sandwiches were and so it was no decision. Also, posted were the pies and I opted for a slice of raisin creme pie. I was not disappointed on either count!
  
      Something I had never seen in a lifetime of eating at restaurants was that at our end were two  huge piles of $1.00 bills spread out before us. Our waitress said she has done that for years as she gets too busy to pick up her tips! Really that busy? I told her she wouldn't get away with that in New York City. She shot back that is why she likes living right there in Oxford! Touche! 

       We went into the auction arena for maybe an hour and watched just feeder cattle and most all Angus being auctioned off. It was fairly small with stadium seating and it was packed with cattlemen of all sorts. I pretty much understood the whole premise of the action, but, decided upon leaving that there probably was less risk in the stock market!  In my case maybe just a plain old passbook savings account! I enjoyed every minute! On to the next one!

        

PITCHING PENNIES-NOT PINCHING PENNIES!

       One day at the old Burg Grocery, I teased a couple of the young ten-age guys about loafing in the back room by "pitching pennies." They, of course, looked at me with this blank stare. Yes, I was pulling their chain, but, I was some what surprised that they had not heard of, at least, the concept. Maybe I should have mentioned "shooting craps." Probably not either. 

       The concept is quite simple. Two people or more face a wall a short distance away and one person tosses a penny or quarter if the stakes are high, and the the next person gives his coin a gentle toss. The coin must at least touch the wall and the closest coin wins and so on until one person takes all the others money or recess is over and then it often continued later.

       When I was a kid, especially in junior high, it was quite popular in the old coat room during recess or lunch time. I guess some games don't make it through the generations! Sad. 

MY FAVORITE ACTUAL FUNNY NAMES!

       We all have known people in our lifetime with unusual or funny names. These names and guys were local people that lived in the Jasper and Marshall County area years ago. I am not trying to be dis-respectful to any of them but they were always worth a giggle when I was a kid growing up in the area. 

      They were Barney Arney, Merten Gertan, and Billy Gilligan. I knew Barney Arney personally and was the sweetest man. The only other one that I remember was a young girl that appeared on a local Des Moines dance show was Sandi Beach! And,  I am sure there are better ones around that you remember!

DON"T ASK AN OLD PERSON HOW THEY ARE DOING!

       Sometimes we go up to people and ask how they are doing! Generally, we really don't care, or at least all the little details of a recent ailment or injury. Most often it is just included inour greeting and we are just being polite. 

       Now if you run into another elderly friend in the grocery store be prepared to begin running behind schedule. If it is mid morning you could miss your lunch!

       When working at Allied Mutual years ago, the President of the Life Insurance Division and who was a very high energy type of person, would simply reply with a "How you doing," by replying "FANTASTIC!" I always that was sometimes a little over the top, but, on the other hand nobody probably would have cared hearing about his time off with the flu! 

DISLOCATED SHOULDER-OUCH!

      Sometimes when watching football games on TV I am reminded of an incident back in the late 1970's when I dislocated my shoulder during a fall. When I watch some of these big athletes laying there on the gridiron rolling in pain with what the announcer is speculating that he has dislocated a joint.

       I was doing last minute chores before getting ready to attend a football game in Iowa City and my finance at the time, May, had just arrived at my home in Clive. One last chore and we were off. I was taking some trash out to the container sitting next to garage. I opened the utility door on the north side of the garage and as soon as I stepped on the small wooden steps I went flying. Between maybe the morning dew, wood steps, and leather shoes that was all it took.

       It was my right shoulder and it was excruciating. Even the ride to the Northwest Hospital, a short distance away, was painful. It seemed like every little bump in the street was mammoth. 

        I always had a pretty high tolerance to pain, but, not this time! When the doctor said he was going to simply yank my arm back into place with "some discomfort" I agreed.  Then I disagreed just as fast. I begged him to give me some type of pain relief before he tried again.

       Even years later when reaching back for something in a car and extending my arm too far, I could still feel as the doctor's like to say "discomfort." Sometimes still to this day while watching a football game and seeing this big, rough, tough, 300 lb. lineman lying there writhing around, I do "feel his pain!"

TV SHOW? THE MILLIONAIRE

      There was an old TV show in the mid to late 1950's called The Millionaire. This wealthy guy would go around and each weekly show would give away 1 million dollars to a complete stranger! Then the half hour show would get into how the money affected their lives.

      With the lottery hitting over 1 billion this week, it made me think that if I won such a large amount, it would be fun/interesting to do something similar to the old TV show. It wouldn't even have to be a million. Then follow up with each in a year or so and see how it changed their lives. Interesting thought.

MAN ON THE STREET IN M-TOWN & THE DONUT MACHINE!

      A classmate of mine, Donna Ingram,  from high school days, was talking the other day and one thing led to another and  we ended up talking about  Kresge's in Marshalltown on the corner of Main and Center when we were growing up in the 1950's and early 1960's.

      Several things came to mind like the long lunch counter there with cherry cokes, Dale Smith of KFJB Radio as "Man on The Street" at noon broadcast from Kresge's, and one important item that I really remembered and that was the donut machine that stood up front. It always fascinated me with the dough plopping out and then going around in hot oil and then spitting them out hot and ready to go!

      A ways back in the store I also remember a machine that had hot nuts of all kinds and I always was buying a small sack of cashews for 25 cents. Nothing better. Donna also remembered several things that were "girl" related that was sold in the store. Surprise! Surprise! I didn't remember those things but just the donuts and cashews! That's no surprise.

      

PURCHASING A WINDOW TRAY FROM KIM"S IN M-TOWN!

       Back in the late 1990's, while in the process of moving to Marshalltown, I met the guy that actually owned this particular storage unit place and he also owned the restaurant on north 3rd Avenue called Uncle Jack's Tacos and formally Kim's many years ago. 

      In talking to him about this and that(like I can do) I learned that he was in the process of selling all the car hop window trays that were formally used at Kim's. He was taking them to Des Moines and selling them at some place down there for $20 a piece. I asked him why he wasn't trying to sell them right here in Marshalltown where people like myself would buy one for the memory!

      I was never sure where he ended up selling them, but, when he mentioned the price I quickly got out my wallet and handed him  $20 bucks! I always have been a sucker for memorabilia!  

KIM'S ON THIRD AVE- AN ICON!

      Kim's, while I was in high school in the early 1960's,  was a combination of a 50's Happy Days and American Graffiti without the juke-box and music inside. To me it was where on a week-end night you went to see and be seen. It was where it was happening. 

      In another story I will tell about "scooping the loop" in Marshalltown and how Kim's and the A & W all fit in. Kim's was my favorite Marshalltown hang-out. The place you went to eat after a movie or just went to catch a bite after an evening of "loop scooping." It was a diner that set back on the lot parallel to 3rd Avenue with parking out in front.

       Inside the eatery, there was not much space for indoor eating with only a dozen stools around an L shaped counter. Waitresses or car hop's  would carry out your order on a metal window tray and she would ask you to roll up your driver side window a bit so that the tray could hook over the window. No, she did not wear roller skates. Yes, I do have one of those trays that sits on my desk at home. 

      My personal favorite meal to order was usually a cheeseburger and fries in a plastic basket with your favorite beverage or a tenderloin sandwich the same way. I am not sure if they had anything else like chicken or shrimp. I am sure they did!  

      The A & W Root-Beer Drive-In was just down the street north and on the opposite side of the street. I am not sure why I didn't go there generally as opposed to Kim's. I guess it was like some like a Chevy some a Ford. One thing that was good about A & W was the root beer that came out in that frosted mug! That couldn't be beat on a hot summer night sitting there in your non-air-conditioned car! 

KIDS OUTGROWING CLOTHES!

       After watching a couple of young mothers and their four youngsters, it reminded me  of days  years ago when my kids were very young and growing rapidly. The subject of this story is the fact that I was very rarely involved in this ritual. 

       I have always said that probably thee toughest job that usually it is the wife, woman, or mother to attend to on a daily basis is meal planning. Day after day after day. Never stops. I enjoy planning meals now only because I truly enjoy planning and preparing them and I usually plan what I enjoy because it is just me to worry about.

       The other job I always thought was very difficult for a mother to deal with was the constant job of looking over the inventory of the kids clothes and determining which was just the right size and which was too small and time to get rid of that item. And, we know how fast that can seem to come around. Most times when assisting in dressing the children, it was always easier to just take that "too small" item and toss it to the bottom of the drawer. 

       Maybe I worried about something that most women took in stride and just planned  a couple times a year and moved on. I know that some mothers have a problem in dealing with clothes turn-over. I used to have a cleaning customer in Marshalltown years ago and I swear she had dresses and etc for two of her daughters that spanned  years. Those clothes were packed so tight in the one closet that you could get hurt just trying to separate an item.Maybe the method to her madness was just to wait and clean out the closet just once when they graduated from school!


      

WE KNEW HOW TO PRESERVE HEAT ON COLD WINTER DAYS!

       When selling real estate during the late 1970's through the early 1990's, the homes only got bigger, bigger and more open. Thank goodness today our energy costs are relatively low and interest rates on these huge mortgages are at a historic low. If ever some of these numbers rise again like they once were there will be trouble in River City!

        One nice thing about the big old house I grew up in we knew how to preserve heat in many different ways. A lot of the homes built decades ago had wrap around roofed front porches to protect from the sun in the summer. The taller ceilings allowed the warmer air to rise and atrium'above bedroom doors allowed better air circulation. 

       In the winter the air register's were shut off on the second floor( and my bedroom) along with having sliding  pocket doors on rooms in the main level so areas could be shut off to preserve heat further. These were some things that we did to save and were not any worse for it. It was just a little cozier! 

NUTS TO GLOBAL WARMING-SORT OF!

       
       I would say that I am pragmatic in most things. The answer lies in the middle some where and all that! I have always been skeptical about most extreme opinions. The truth usually lies in the middle!

       When it comes to global warming I would say that we are much better off in "climate" stuff than we were when I a kid back in the 1950's and even later. At this point I am not going to spew out a lot of examples. Water may be another issue.

            There was an article in today's Des Moines Register which was headlined-- U.S. COAL PRODUCTION DIPS TO LOWEST LEVEL IN NEARLY 30 YEARS. 
  
       U. S. coal production has fallen to its lowest level in nearly 30 year as s cheaper sources of power and stricter environmental regulations reduce demand, according to preliminary government figures.
      A report released Friday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates 900 short tons of coal were produced last year, a drop from about 1 billion short tons in 2014. That's the lowest volume since 1986. 
      The slump has to led to bankruptcies and layoffs at mining companies, but the effects have rippled outward, stressing state budgets and forcing layoffs in sectors such as railroads, which are transporting less coal.Power plants are increasingly relying on cheaper and clean-burning natural gas to provide electricity and comply with regulations aimed at reducing pollution that contributes to climate change. 
       The average daily spot price for natural gas at the bench-mark Henry Hub fell to $2.61 per million British thermal units last year, a 40 per cent decrease from 2014, according to the government report.
       A sweeping agreement adopted last month by nearly 200 countries determined to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions is likely to make coal even less viable choice to the decades ahead. 

       My own opinion is that we are getting there in terms of doing a better job in improving the  environment. We are doing a better job as time goes on and economics does have a big impact on the whole equation. We are getting there.No need to panic and we need to pay more attention to articles like the above!

      



       








  


       

AIRPLANE! THE MOVIES BEST PART!

       While listening to the piped in music at the Burg Grocery the other day I was reminded of one of my favorite comedy movies of all time--Airplane! Surely you jest, but, just don't call me Shirley! I have seen that flick at least 10 times and never tire of it. 

      One of my favorite scenes is when the old seafaring character, in this sleazy joint down on the wharf, plays a tune on the jukebox. It's Staying Alive by the Bee Gee's. As this old guy goes out on the dance floor he is stabbed in the back and the knife remains there. As the music is playing he is trying to reach back with one hand and remove the knife to no avail! 

       Other people out on the dance floor are all doing their thing and just think he is doing some kind of new dance move to the music. To me it was classic.Along with the two  girl scouts fighting in the bar! I know! It doesn't take much to keep me entertained.    

AN OILY SEWING MACHINE!

       The other day someone brought up watching a guy on TV who could quickly remember everyone's names in this audience in a timely matter. It was all about word association.

       It brought to mind when I was a younger man and single in the late 1970's and was attending a party at a friend's house.. There was a fairly attractive young lady that I wanted to meet, but, at the time she was talking to someone else. I went over to the host and asked him if he knew her name so I could somehow take it from there and at the same time if she was "going" with someone at the party I wouldn't embarrass myself. 

        The host thought about it for a second or two and responded by blurting out "Oily Sewing Machine!" He immediately said her last name was Pennsinger. Get it! Pennzoil was the name of a motor oil and Singer was the name of a sewing machine. It was Pennsinger! My friend, who was a lawyer, had taken a memory improvement course that included word association techniques. I never have forgotten that, although I don't remember her first name. Yes, we did date a couple of times, but that was about it. 

         Word association does work, but, I guess I never had the concentration to make it work. I think it would be easier to turn around and write it on your hand. I have always had trouble with names and maybe one of those courses would come in handy now that I am single again, "yes I am",  and the fact that I am getting "a little" older!  

AN EARLY SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY!

      The end of January has to be the worst time of the year to have a birthday unless your living in Arizona or you are able to slip away to Acapulco! Especially true when snows seemed to be heavier back in the 1950's and more often making it more difficult to get around, and living in the country and in the most remote part of the county where your road is one of the last to get plowed.

      One year back then my mother planned a surprise birthday party for me and invited a few of the guys in my class to attend. During the day at school I occasionally would catch some of them whispering to each other and I thought I had done something to be outcast for some reason. 

      I took the bus home as usual and when I got home they all jumped out from behind the bed in the master bedroom and yelled "Surprise!" My mother had picked the classmates up at school and beat the bus home. It was a great birthday surprise and one I will never forget and even going outside for awhile and playing in the snowdrifts was special! 

       I'm not sure why the party was on a school day or when or how they got home, but, the surprise party was very special!  Thanks mom!

         

A GREAT TIP FROM CLASSMATE TONY!

       There is an old expression that goes something like; "You won't know until you ask." Thanks to an old classmate, Tony Preston, he actually gave me additional motivation to quit procrastinating  and just point blank ask them to reduce my monthly fee. It includes basic cable, extended cable, and internet. They reduced it approx. $40.00 per month. During the process of asking for the reduction I did keep using "honey" instead of my sometimes "vinegar approach.

       It is basically the equivalent of the extended cable which I was thinking of eliminating to save a little during the winter months. But, I hated giving up stations like ESPN, CNN, FOX, TBS, AMC, and BTN.. But, even if I want to cut extended cable, they will still leave reduction in place. 

      Thanks Tony for being the Wizard and giving this old Lion some courage! I should have quick purchased a lottery ticket as just a few short minutes later my phone rang and I just picked up another window cleaning customer at the Tanger Mall. That was also worth $40.0 per month. So go out there and ask! You might be surprised!

GOOD ADVICE- 2 CENTS WORTH D.M. REGISTER

      In today's Des Moines Register's column, "Your 2 Cents' Worth, " is a piece of good advice.

            Writing is an amazing form of creativity. Through writing you can express your feelings, but that's not all. You can do so much more in writing. The biggest thing I find is that you can create. You can make characters who you want them to be and form people. Most importantly, you can tell stories.

                            ---Young in Iowa

        When I find a piece like this it always interests me as I love to tell stories. I hope I never run out!

WHERE I GREW UP/ GROUP EFFORT OF TOWNS!

       Lots of people today live in large Metro areas like Des Moines, but, live in an adjacent suburb like Clive or Windsor Heights, while your kids went to West Des Moines schools. 

        When I was growing up we lived in northern Jasper County. (SE 1/4 of Section 2, Range 81, Township 18) Our address at that time was Rural Route, Gilman, Iowa with no zip code at that time.  Gilman was about seven miles to the east of our farm. 

      Three miles to the north was Laurel, which was our school district, in Marshall Countyand where we attended school. It was where our telephone office was located. As a side note our telephone number was 3 on 5, or by using the old ringer type phone it was one short ring followed by three long rings. Laurel was where our church (United Methodist Church) was located and local shopping.

      Newton was 19 miles to the south in Jasper County and our County Seat although we didn't go there often for shopping. The most shopping was going to Hawkeye Chevrolet for car trades and service.  Marshalltown was just about 10 miles north of us and was where we did go for major shopping and most of Mom's relatives lived there. Kellogg, a town about nine miles straight south of our farm was where we went for livestock processing and meat locker storage. 

       As you can see if living in a rural area many years ago could have a degree of complexity just like today in the big city. It sometimes took "several villages."    

THANKING YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!

      Since the inception(July 2014) of my Blog, dennisnowandago.blogspot.com, over 950 posts have been published. I have enjoyed posting over that time all kinds of personal and family related related short stories for everyone to enjoy. It gives me pleasure to know that most of my posts bring back fond memories of your own. That makes it all worth while!

       Again, as I have stressed many times, don't delay expressing or writing in any form your own memories for future generations to enjoy. As time goes own, I will be putting together more narrative findings of family along with additional pictures. Please do not hesitate to pass along any interesting stories that we can all relate. 

     And, If you know of anyone, especially in the central Iowa area where most of you have your roots , please contact me at dennismlaverty@gmail.com, or call me directly at 319-330-8818. Again Thank You all and a Happy 2016!

A STRANGE SIGHT/BIKER DOING LAUNDRY!

       As a follow-up to my story about my daughter and clothespin, it reminded me of a funny and somewhat strange sight that I witnessed years ago while I was looking out a window of a cleaning customer in Marshalltown, Iowa.
  
       Next door and in the back yard was a guy hanging out some clothes on a clothes line. The funny part of this to me was he was a motorcycle enthusiast. Harley to be exact. But, here stood a guy complete with pony-tail, lots of tattoos, t-shirt and complete with a black leather vest. 

       Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with him doing his wash complete with his clothes in a nice wicker basket at his side, it was the stereo-type image that I had in my mind. Biker's are usually thought of being ones, shall we say, that do not bath on a regular basis. I wish I would have had a camera! And, you don't have to tell me that I see things in a different way than most!

        

WHAT"S A CLOTHESPIN?

        It was around 1968 and I had just built my first home after college graduation at 1932 90th Street in Clive, Iowa. It was a typical split foyer style for the time. In the lower level was a small area for a washer and dryer and we had no outside clothes line as most areas beginning around that time had restrictions on them.

      One night we had the teenage boy next door baby sit for our daughter, LaRisa. Somehow she knocked over a potted plant in the dining room and it soiled a nearby window drape. The sitter asked La Risa to go get a clothes pin to hold back the drape and so it could dry. 

      She said, "What's a clothespin?" Even though she had seen one I am sure at her Grandma's, she either simply forgot or didn't understand. It was a great example how some things  slowly become extinct and we sometimes forget their usage. When's the last time you saw clothes hanging out on a clothesline? Personally, I use the wooden clothespins a lot still today to seal food items.

PUT IT IN FRONT PASSENGER SIDE!

      One comment that I hear quite a bit in my job at the Burg Grocery is: "Please put the groceries in the front on the passenger side." I never have,but, isn't it obvious that the passenger side is the ONLY place they can go.  You are not going to put them in the front on the driver's side? That's one of those comments that everyone makes, but,  you learn to just keep your mouth shut. That is hard for me!! 

CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!

      This past week after the New Year the new work schedule was posted for the upcoming week. My days of work only included a Monday and and a Friday. After asking one of the Managers why I was not included for the Wednesday as has been for a long period of time, I was given the reason.

        Some of the part time employees hours were cut back to help out a college student who wanted some hours during his semester break. I do like working just the three days a week as it not only gives me something to do that I enjoy plus I get a lot of my Blog stories from the ideas at the Burg Grocery.

         That same afternoon one of the managers came up to me ans ask if I could work on Wednesday as another employee had fallen on the ice at his home and broke one of his legs. I originally was disappointed that I was not scheduled for a Wednesday, but, I didn't want the hours under such a sad mishap! 

WHY A PRAYER AT MEAL TIME NOT NECESSARY!

     I just talked to an old classmate and good friend,  Tony Preston, from Prescott, Arizona. He passed along  a joke about a kid who was asked to say the prayer before the evening meal. His reply was he didn't need to as his mother was a good cook! Cute.

A GAME OF POOL IN HAVERHILL!

       Two sisters named Sylvia and  Clemie owned a general store/ pool room on the west side of downtown Haverhill many years ago. There also was a store and tavern owned by people by the name of Blums across the street. Blums served beer and as kids in high school never went in or was allowed there because of that it seemed. We went over to shoot pool and kick back a little on a Saturday afternoon at Sylvia an Clemie's expense.

      The building had two sides. One side was the general store and was like something out of a turn of the century(1900)movie. It was an old, even then, general store with shelves ceiling to the floor of everything imaginable. Some of the items had to be considered antiques, again. even then. I always regretted not attending the estate auction in the late 1990's. That had to be like going into a time warp. 

      It was the pool room side that our Laurel high school bunch were always headed. Usually four or five of us drove over from Laurel to indulge in a little time of eight ball or rotation.All the while drinking Pepsi, eating a bag of potato chips, and smoking some cigarettes. Ah! The great life! Usually it was myself, Tracy Miiller, Rick Patterson, La Verne Paul, and Gary Campbell. I think those poor ladies did enjoy our company even with our occasional teasing. That was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon especially on a cold winter afternoon!

JERRY ROBERTS ACE MECHANIC TO THE RESCUE!

      This past Saturday evening (1/2/16) I had dinner with Jerry And Judy Roberts at Mama Lacona's in Urbandale, Iowa. I had stayed the night before at their home and had decided before we left to go to the restaurant to take separate cars. As it would be closer for me from the restaurant to get on the interstate and head back to Williamsburg.

      After dinner we headed to our vehicles, said our good-byes and went our separate ways. I had almost turned off Douglas to get unto I 35-80 when my phone rang. It was Judy and she said they were still in the parking lot and Jerry's vehicle wouldn't start. I was happy to turn around and possibly take them back to their home if necessary.

      Now keep in mind Jerry's vehicle is a brand new Chevrolet fancy Pick-up. I am not a big pick-up fan, but, this rig is cool. Somehow, and without getting into detail, he was able to get it started , but, couldn't get it into gear! Dennis, being the  whiz when it comes to mechanical stuff simply suggested  "wiggling' the steering wheel a bit and/or the gear shift! That's all It took.

       I guess what makes the situation so amusing is if anyone was to vote for "the LEAST mechanical guy in the class of 1962" I would have won hands down! Keeping it simple stupid sometimes works best or the "stupid doing the simple" in this case!

SOCK HOPS/ DANCE CONTESTS IN 50'S & 60'S!

       Sock Hops were the rage in the 1950's and 1960's. Although my sister Doris tells that when she was in school in the early 1950's there was reluctance to have them by the powers-to-be for, I suppose, morality issues and who knows!  They were generally held in the gym and the music was provided from a record player and attended to by one of the teacher's.

       Penny Louks was a classmate and my dance partner at most functions. She was good. I learned how to Bop or Rock and Roll from my cousin, Bob Bueghly from Marshalltown. He was about three years older and knew how to "Bop" as he called it! He taught me a lot of the moves and it gave me the confidence to walk right over at these functions and ask a girl to dance, instead of wasting time just standing around with the boys on one side in a line and girls on the other. 

        Penny and I won a dance contest at one of our local Hops that was put on by a DJ from WHO-TV in Des Moines.  Our prize was winning a trip to the local weekly show in Des Moines. It was similar to a" Dick Clark" show just seen mostly in central Iowa. One thing I remember was how small the actual dance floor was at the WHO studio. It always seemed bigger watching in on television. 

        When first dating my first wife, Sandi,  in high school in the early 1960's, we went to the YMCA for the after sporting event dance on Church Street in Marshalltwon as she attended Marshalltown High School. I especially remember dancing to the "Twist" by Chubby Checker. That dance would keep you in shape! Other dances, on occasion, were held at the Coliseum on State Street. 

      

ON MY LAST DAY I'LL THROW THEM ANYWHERE!

       I'm not sure how many times I have heard from customers when putting their groceries in their vehicle the following expression: "Just throw them in there anywhere!" I jokingly reply that when ever my last day working at the Burg Grocery that is exactly what I will do. One thing I probably won't do is throw any eggs and I better make sure I am ready to leave town pronto! 

MAYBE HAWKS LOSE/WINNER VISITING BOB BAKER!

      On Saturday, January 2nd, Jerry Roberts and I drove to Norwalk to visit our classmate Bob Baker. One thing cool about the three of us is we all three started kindergarten together at Laurel Consolidated School, Laurel, Iowa and went all the way to graduation together. Lot's of kids today can't say that today.

       Another tidbit is or was that Bob and I were the only two kids that first day of school to sit there and bawl our heads off. One thing that I had thought of during my lifetime was how nice it would have been to have taken a nap on those old rugs at different times. Nobody would have to force me to take a nap now!

      Anyway, it was a very enjoyable visit, despite with Bob's stroke years ago, it at times was difficult for him to get his point across. Friendship and patience got us past all that very nicely. He is doing so well and it was such a pleasure  to spend an hour or so with Bob and Jerry. Friends forever!
      

BAD BOY BAD BOY WHAT YOU GOING TO DO?

     There are a lot of things that I did especially when I was single back in the mid to late 1970's, that I never will be able to write about. They will just have to go to six feet under with me. But, here is one that was bad and not entirely my doing.

       Bob Merritt, my good friend, had invited me to come out and join him in Salt Lake City as he had been out there earlier in the week on business as he had a regional office through his window company, Windsor Windows. I had never been to Salt Lake City and thought it might be a good experience to see the area. 

       I know what you are thinking. Salt Flats and the Mormon Tabernacle  Choir and all that. No! We were young, both single, and a little on the wild side. We had other things to do and see.
First, as I recall, we had dinner the first night I had arrived and Bob had arranged dates to accompany us who were very nice.

         We were both heavy drinkers in those days and that evening was no exception. After we dropped our dates off the night really got started. We at first just drove around and took in the sites. Later that evening I do remember pounding on a Union Pacific passenger train car that was sitting in the UP hub. There was a man inside vacuuming and I was wanting him to let us in for a "tour" I guess!

       The grand finale came later when Bob, for some unknown reason, decided to drive up the State Capital outside steps in his Company owned Jeep with the name of his company on the side.  Why you ask? Alcohol had to play a big part. Obviously! Where was the security on the Capital grounds I will never know. If we would have been caught, something tells me we would still be out there working on the chain gang!  

GIVE MAMA LACONA'S A TRY!

      This week-end I traveled to Des Moines on News Year Day and stayed with friends, Judy and Jerry Roberts, of Urbandale. The main reason for coming for that day was to watch the Hawkeyes in the Rose Bowl. Well, we all know how that turned out. Not well!

        One reason I have never attended a post-season Bowl game is I was always afraid of losing the game and then having this big letdown and the trip home being one big bummer! Well, at least I am definitely older and a little wiser. My mother always said;" Somebody always  has to win and somebody has to lose." How true! 

      The following evening we did have one thing that took the sting away from the Rose Bowl loss.  We drove over to Mama Lacona's restaurant just west of I-35/80 off Douglas Avenue. We had a lovely dinner and our server was one of the best in the city! My daughter, La Risa Laverty Riley. If you are ever down to the Capital City and want a real treat, especially in Italian food, give Mama Lacona's a try! And, ask for La Risa and tell her Dennis sent you!

WASH DAY OF LONG AGO!

       
       The other day someone posted a picture of a lady from ago hanging clothes out on a clothes line. This time of year, especially, we should all be thankful for our indoor washer and dryers. How convenient, time saving and staying in from the elements do these modern inventions provide.

      I am sure we can all visualize ourselves,  our mothers, or grandmothers out in the cold wiping  that outdoor clothes-line and  cleaning it with a damp rag before hanging the clothes out on a Monday morning or afternoon. It just was the way it was. And, if the weather conditions were too bad, there was always ropes to hang clothes to dry in the basement. But only outdoor drying could provide that marvelous SMELL! 

THOSE LEISURE SUITS!

      I don't know how it came up the other day,  but, the subject matter was Leisure Suits. Remember those polyester two piece suits that were popular back in the mid to late 1970's. And, of course you wore a silky bright, printed, and big open collar shirt.  Great if you thought you were John Travolta. 

      My experience with one was very short lived. Something compelled me to buy one after my divorce in the mid 1970's. It was a powder blue. The first time I wore it was to Jessie's Ember's which was one of my drinking buddies favorite hang-outs after work.

       That suit was a big mistake. I got, without saying, almost laughed out of the place by my pals.  Of course, most of that crowd dressed like Wall Street Banker's. A very conservative bunch to say the least. Never wore it again. Never!  I still liked Disco music though!

I OVERDOSED AT PICKER'S KNOWS!

      I don't know if anyone of you has visited the antique mega store that  has resettled on Grand Avenue in West Des Moines called Picker's Knows!Over the week-end with my good friend and old classmate, Jerry Roberts,  we took a fairly quick stroll through it. 

      I think this outlet will do much better than let's say the Brass Armadillo off I-80 north of Des Moines. just due to its location and it has a facility there for weekly auctions. But, knowing what people pay for their booths or "spots" does this old realtor realize who is really making the big money. These places are simply huge landlords making their sizable monthly rents.

       Being an old antique collector, buying and selling, going through these mega antique malls is fun for a while ,but, then I get to a point where I seem to Over Dose. Seeing and being around a lot of these collectibles in my long lifetime, I get to a point after walking by booth after booth of all these old items, I start to say enough is enough! I almost was ready to go to Homemaker's at look at new STUFF and eventually would OD on that. I guess I am just not a good shopper! Duh! 

THE WORLD IS A TUXEDO AND I'M JUST---!

       Does any one out there remember George Goble? A dry humor comedian with a flat top popular in the 1950's and 60's  One of his famous lines or jokes is the following. He once said: 'You know, sometimes I feel the world is a tuxedo and I am just a pair of brown shoes!" 

MY AUNT MARY LAVERTY!

       Two songs come to mind when I think about my Aunt Mary. Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison and She's a Lady  by Tom Jones. Especially the part where in She's a Lady it says"she's got style she's got grace!" To me that was my Aunt Mary. You had to love her because she wouldn't let you feel any other way. She was kind and caring. I never saw her get upset, but,  I am sure she had her moments.

       I have repeated dozens of times that she a "Martha Stewart" of her time.  She was an excellent cook and the one story I always loved to tell was when as a family we were invited over for dinner and didn't eat until 8P.M. I thought that was so cool!

        The one thing I obtained from her and stayed with me all of my adult life was her floral arrangements. Don't get me wrong there was always a time for a dozen red roses. But, on numerous occasions I would find myself in the local Floral Shop requesting a "natural arrangement of assorted flowers that looked just like they had been picked from the roadside--"just like my Aunt Mary would have done." I am sure that there were times the clerk got a little tired of hearing about my Aunt Mary and her expertise! There was only one Aunt Mary! 
         

       

THE POOL TABLE!

   Someone the other day mentioned about receiving a pool table for Christmas. Of course, it reminded me of the best POOL TABLE story ever! The pool table I am referring to existed in the mid 1970's and made its home at 1806 Rio Valley Drive in Clive, Iowa.

     When my good friend, Bob Merritt, and I decided to buy a house together after our divorces, we found a home under construction in a new area that backed up to Walnut Creek. It was a three bedroom four level split and for its day at 2,000 sq.ft. was a pretty nice home.

      One thing Bob wanted in the basement area for recreation was a pool table. We had another mutual friend who worked for a company who sold pool tables and could get a commercial full size slate and leather pockets for a sizable discount.

       When the pool table was delivered the floors in the house were as of yet not carpeted. Since the table would not make the turn or bend going downstairs, it was decided to cut a space between the floor joists and lower it down to the basement with rope pulleys. 

     I don't remember exactly how many guys we had up stairs to lower it down or how were down to retrieve it, all I know I was downstairs looking up and kept thinking if those ropes ever broke! The table was put in its place and sub-flooring glued back and carpet laid. I don't think in five years we lived there we never played a game of pool more than a dozen times!