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Camping, Mermaids, and Walks

6/26/2022

It has become tradition for my eldest granddaughter and her husband to hold a joint birthday party for their two daughters in mid-June. Olivia will turn six in mid July and Jordyn reached the ripe old age of three in late May.

Cherry Glen Campground, on Saylorville Lake, is close to Brooke and Nick's--in fact, it was where we camped seven years ago for their wedding festivities, held at the Des Moines Zoo. It has the added advantage of being a Corps of Engineers facility, which means they accept my senior pass for half-price site charges.

However, after I figured up the cost of gas for my trip two weeks ago to northwest Iowa, I decided to whine to my friend Don, whose camper is stored about ten miles from Cherry Glen, to use his instead of Agatha. She will get over it faster than my bank account would recover. So Thursday night we got set up, had a nice steak supper, and drove over to Brooke and Nick's just as Pat and Jill arrived from Texas.

On Friday, Pat, Jill, and Brooke took the girls to Adventureland while Don and I ran some errands after his daily pickle ball rounds. We managed to snag some snazzy outdoor rugs for his camper and picked up a few groceries for supper. We hosted a cookout and it was a real treat for me to have so many family members together: Pat and Jill; Brooke, Nick, and family, and grandson Tuan and his fiance RiannA.

Saturday was party day. In spite of her sociology degree and a job in a bank as a risk assessor, Pat and I feel Brooke missed her calling as an event planner. This year's theme was Mermaids, with fish tails on the cupcakes and shirts for adults (Nick--Mermaid Security, aunts and grandmothers--Mermaid Squad), and a fishtail cake.

We cut our stay at Cherry Glen short by a day due to refrigerator issues. But this afternoon I will be doing a walk for scleroderma awareness with a woman I met two weeks ago. Barbara is the first person I have met with "En Coup Du Sabre"--ECDS--since I was diagnosed seventy years ago. So it has been (and will be) a very full weekend.

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High Spirits at Spirit Lake

6/12/2022

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The Midwest Glampers gathered this weekend at Marble Beach State Park on Spirit Lake. I didn't see any marble or a beach but it's a beautiful campground with lots of recent upgrades. Most of the sites are full hookups, spacious, and fairly level. Internet and phone service are good. I arrived late Friday morning and skipped the afternoon trip to a glass fusion class to get set up and grab a nap.

The evening's entertainment was a s'mores bar and campfire. The weather was perfect with a beautiful sunset. My favorite s'mores combination was coconut cookies sandwiching a marshmallow, dark chocolate square, and caramel sauce. And a few stories were told around the fire.

Saturday morning, after a Muffins and Mimosas bar, the project was painting gourd birdhouses. Karen (another Karen) and Duane provided gourds with holes drilled and seeds removed, some even primed. The Glampers are nothing if not aspiring artists and the designs were bright and varied.

As I was about the settle in for lunch in my camper and some serious writing, I was a abducted for a lunch trip. Excellent food was obtained at Tweeter's in one of the Okoboji towns (I was lost most of the afternoon. Fortunately I wasn't driving.) 'Lunch' turned into shopping and then a trip to Arnold's Park. We stopped at the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and I snapped a shot of my brother Jim's bio from his 2019 induction as a representative of the music media. We also visited the mirror maze and had a short concert from Lena, our Glamper-in-Training.

Saturday night was another beautiful evening for a campfire. Jackie and Harry provided homemade ice cream and apple crisp. Yummy. Sunday morning, facing a five to six hour drive home, I packed up early. Just as I was about to depart, I witnessed Carol and Cookie, laying in the road, trying to stop Jackie and Harry from leaving. Glampers are not only artistic; they are very dramatic.

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The Joy of Moving

6/10/2022

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The 2011 summer version of the Iowa Senior Games is underway. About 1000 athletes over 50 years old are competing in 30 different sports in West Des Moines. I spent yesterday at the pickleball venue at Valley West High School. Participants over 65 competed in mixed doubles and men's and women's doubles.

Through the day, I made several observations. Knee braces, elbow wraps, and other supports were more in evidence than at most sports venues. Many tee shirts sported medical insurance logos. On the other hand there was a noticeable lack of tattoos, torn jeans, and piercings. Competition was fierce, but good-natured, odd as that may seem.

Overheard scraps of conversation were different, too, than one would hear at high school, college, or professional events. Terms like bypass, pacemakers, and hip replacements were frequently scattered through discussions of players, matches, and techniques. My favorite comment was from a man behind me about one of the players: "He moves like he's 55." Since this was the 70-74 bracket, he meant it as a compliment. I had tremendous admiration for all of these people who thrive on being active. The pervading feeling throughout the day was, regardless of outcome, was that everyone there was just glad to be alive and moving.

A plug here for senior facilities. There were many comments about the lack of pickleball courts (currently the fastest growing sport in the US) for seniors. The traditional view has been to throw 'em in a nursing home in a rocking chair. But perhaps so many care facilities wouldn't be necessary if more active lives were encouraged and enabled? Jus a thought.

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Grueling Research

6/5/2022

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Writers, like all artists, sometimes have to suffer for their craft. Several years ago, I started a campground mystery involving a barbecue contest. About a third of the way through, I hit a wall and it has been gathering virtual dust in the nether regions of my computer ever since. Years ago, we attended a number of barbecue contests with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, who are certified judges for the Kansas City Barbecue Society. But due to numerous circumstances, after I started the book, I didn't get to another and plot lines dried up.

But this last weekend, an opportunity for inspiration presented itself. Ken and Harriet were tapped to judge a contest at the Steele County Fairgrounds in Owatonna, Minnesota. Saturday included, besides barbecue, a blues fest and classic car show. Camping sites were available on the grounds. So plans were made. My friend Don and I would join the Halds and Ottaways for the weekend. Agatha would stay home this trip and we would take Don's fifth wheel instead. Friday was beautiful; low 70s and brilliant blue skies. Don and I arrived first and found that the 'sites' consisted of a grassy field with power and water hookups scattered willy-nilly. With the host's help, we managed to find a spot with space and hookups for two more units.

It took some finessing when the others arrived to get campers and trucks parked and hooked up, but those are the challenges of 'roughing it.' Soon lawn chairs were out, beverages opened, and a heavy planning discussion held on supper. Although we each probably carried enough food for six weeks, it was decided to sacrifice a night of cooking and try out the food at the venue. There was a 'shuttle bus'--a contraption of park benches mounted on a wagon pulled by a garden tractor--but our timing wasn't right so we walked to the other side of the fairgrounds. The food venue offered varieties of BBQ-brisket, pulled pork, ribs, etc.-plus onion rings, cheese curds and other healthy sides. The only music available at the time was at the indoor beer garden, which required a cover charge, so we opted to return to our campers. The 'sites' did not include either a firepit or picnic table, and since we had all eaten more than our fill, it was an early night.

The weekend forecast for Owatonna included showers on Saturday and we were hoping they would be wrong. They weren't. The off-and-on rain caused the cancellation of the car rally and the outdoor music venues. Fortunately for the judges, the contest judging would be inside. So, after Ken and Harriet left for their duties, the other four of us made a field trip to the large Cabela's located in Owatonna. Lots of outdoor scenery with no rain. While Don and Vince salivated over depth finders, boats, and other fishing gear, Letha and I checked out the clothing and decorative items. We returned to the fairgrounds and made another trip around the venue.

I am always fascinated by the various cooking rigs and team names. I may have been the only attendee, however, who was also keeping an eye out for good hiding places and murder weapons. At least I hope so. Saturday night supper required more self-sacrificing. During their judging duties, Ken and Harriet receive samples of chicken, brisket, ribs and pulled pork. They cut one bite of each as part of the judging and the rest goes into a cooler which they bring back to camp. So we must help them eat that and for our part provide the sides for a sumptuous meal.

Sunday morning, after a great breakfast from the Ottaways, we packed up , and dodging a few rainstorms, headed out. Halds and Ottaways continued to a county park near Mankato. Don and I returned to Des Moines to unload. I picked up my car, made a quick visit to see my great-granddaughters (and their parents, of course) and returned home. I needed to be back in order to ready Agatha for a Wednesday departure for Marble Beach State Park at Spirit Lake with the Midwest Glampers. I also have a Mystery Sisters book in progress that involves glamping. More grueling research.

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Camping, Mermaids, and Walks

High Spirits at Spirit Lake

The Joy of Moving

Grueling Research

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