Apparently, someone on Mother Nature's administrative staff didn't like my positive comments and photos of Beed's Lake and the beautiful sunsets. Last night, while we were cooking steaks over the campfire, we kept one eye on the radar--at a huge red and yellow glob barreling down out of Minnesota into Northern Iowa.

We held the usual insightful conversations:
"Think it will rain?"
"I wonder if I should take the awning down."
"Looks like it's going to hit us."
"Naw. it's going to veer off to the East."
"I think I will take the awning down."
"Look, it's already lighter in the West."
"Please pass the sauteed mushrooms."

At that point, the glob looked over its shoulder, came to a screeching halt on its cartoon heels, and said to itself, "After all my threats, those silly people are eating outside,"

And it hit us.

We grabbed everything we could and raced into Ken and Harriet's camper to finish our meal while the wind and rain tried to chew us up and spit us out. We said "It won't rain this hard for long." and it lasted five hours. We watched as pickup with a trailer circled the campground through the driving rain, presumably deciding on a site but perhaps waiting for one of us to be carried to Oz so he could snatch our lawn chairs and BBQ grill. Since it was too crowded to gather around a table, we played "I went on a camping trip and took along--", you know, where you have to name something that starts with every letter of the alphabet. Not surprisingly, the women skunked the men.

When there appeared to be a small let up, we raced for our own campers, and buttoned in for the night, listened to the storm hit again with renewed fury.

So, I promise, no more nice comments.

It never fails to amaze me what gems we have in Iowa parks.. It is saddening to see signs posted explaining the continuing cutbacks in maintenance because the Iowa Legislature, in their infinite wisdom, has not seen fit to restore funding to the parks in spite of a budget surplus. But the DNR does an amazing job with what they have.

George Wyth is a wonderful park north of Cedar Falls with excellent bike trails. You can do considerable riding within the park or continue into Cedar Falls or Waterloo. Most of the trails are very shaded, a blessing in the type of weather we've been having.

We also are delighted with our campsites--spacious and shaded most of the day. Showers and restrooms are well maintained. There is a playground that is swarming with kids most of the time. It has been warm enough that we have had two nights in a row without a campfire--a first in our camping history. But we enjoyed leftover BBQ, and yummy sides and spent a pleasant evening relaxing in the shade. Of course, for me, any time you don't have to try and hear or talk over stock car races, it's a plus.

Ken and Harriet were delivered Saturday morning to carry out their judging responsibilities for the 'BBQ-Loo and Blues' event in Lincoln Park in Waterloo. They appreciated working in the beautiful, old, and air-conditioned Elks Lodge instead of the usual tent or metal building used for judging in other contests, We joined them when they were done and listened to some blue music. We checked out the area shops and especially enjoyed Dapper Designs, where Harriet found a pair of swords that we considered sending to son Pat (long, LONG story) but settled for photos instead. Fun place.

As we are packing for a marathon (by our standards) camping trip, I just want to remind any wannabee Frannie fans that I am giving away four copies of THE BLUE COYOTE this month on this site, under 'Giveaways and Stuff.' No strings attached, or in camping jargon, 'No Hookups

When I was a fifth or sixth grader, I went to Arnold's Park on Lake Okoboji. They are still famous for their roller coaster, but back in the Fifties, there was also a wonderful fun house, with a huge wooden slide and a large wooden barrel. The barrel lay on its side and rotated, not very fast as I recall. If you walked at an angle against the rotation,  it was possible to traverse the length standing up.

But if you went down, regaining your feet was almost impossible. You were tumbled this way and that, an old pair of overalls in a washing machine. By the time you emerged, you were battered, bruised, and soundly defeated. The barrel still exists but is no longer in use because of liability issues.

With the completion of my five hour stint in 95 degree heat at our church food stand at the county fair yesterday, I feel like I am out of the barrel, at least for awhile. This past month, the barrel of life threw at me: short but potentially dangerous hospital visits for three immediate family members, a pile of volunteer responsibilities, a garden-turned-jungle in the recent rains, several large repair expenses, and a school reunion--not my own.

Maybe I'll go try the slide--that's all downhill.