HOT, HUMID, STICKY - BUT GOOD FOR THE CORN!

The week after the storm was spent waiting for things to recover and get electricity back. Not many places open for a day or two after the storm. Those that had electricity had signs out front "WE'RE OPEN." Some stores were open for business, cash only, since they had no access to validate credit cards, etc. A couple of times Bea and I went out for lunch or supper - no need to worry about what you were wearing - one person was just as hot and sweaty as the next.

Utility companies from as far away as Wisconsin were here working on the utility poles and lines, trying to get them back up and the electricity running again. Excessive heat advisories and warnings were posted to start Sunday the 17th and there were still major sections of the city and the county without electricity. Cooling centers were opened in the little strip malls for people to get out of the heat.

By Sunday nite/Monday AM nearly everyone in this area was back on the grid - and the County Fair got off to a roaring start over the weekend. County Fair means stock car races, demolition derbies and truck and tractor pulls. Shady Oaks is just close enough to the fair grounds to experience the roar of the engines. But that's OK - that's part of Summer In Iowa!

Thanks to my sister, my eye appointment that was rescheduled due to the storm was only postponed by a week. I was concerned about possibly having to wait too late to get a follow up appointment (If needed) before I headed back to Texas in September. Bea can handle anything! And it‘s a good thing she did; I do need a follow-up in a month! Doc pleased that the eye is ‘no worse for the wear’ as he put it and the pressure in the eye had decreased to such a level he took me off of the glaucoma med for one month. Then will recheck the pressure to see if I need to continue it. I’m really hoping that means that there is less ‘active’ infection IN the eye. It was the fluid created by the infection that caused the pressure to increase in the first place. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Starting Sunday 17th, the heat index rapidly rose to the 100+ range. Not much hope for a cooler day when the nite time low only gets to 80 and the wake-up AM temp is 84 or 85 already. I try to accept it as Summer In Iowa and remind myself that all this sun, heat and humidity is good for the corn! And I do love me some good ol' Iowa sweet corn!


Tuesday met some school friends for lunch in Williamsburg. We’ve met at this same restaurant for the last few times and I think they remember us – they keep putting us further back in the corner, immediately set a pitcher of ice tea on the table and then leave us alone after they take and serve our order! Great bunch of folks there at the Landmark Restaurant. Ingrid, Judi, Sherri and I just laugh and giggle and carry on like we were still in high school meeting at the Green Mill for a coke!


My sister, always worried about her ELDERLY sister, decided in all the heat, it was not a good idea for me to drive to Williamsburg (don’t know how she thinks I get around when I’m in Texas!) So, she drove me down. She had planned on going to the outlet mall across the highway, but the heat was stifling so she ‘hung out’ with us. She had eaten lunch before we left Marshalltown, so I told her I’d buy her dessert. What a banana split!! Even tho it was delivered with 4 extra bowl and spoons, a half-full bowl was still sent back to the kitchen when we were finished!

Later that same week we made a trip back to Maquoketa where we were born and raised. Only family left in town is in the cemetery so we drive through, check the graves, say HI to all of them and come on back home. While in town we had lunch with Barb and Sheila. I haven’t seen Sheila since I left home, about 1962! We had a little catchin’ up to do! Always great visiting with friends.

Li'lBit hasn't been doing well. She has a horribly swollen salivary gland on the left side of her neck. Doc looked at it when we were last thru Gatesville and drained some fluid off. He checked it under the microscope and didn’t see anything abnormal. The neck doesn't seem to be bothering her -- she is just out of energy; sleeps all of the time. She has been having some minor seizures or tremors of some sort. They seem to be worse when a storm is coming so I don't know if she can sense the pressure change in the air with the on-coming storm or if the storm just scares her. There are some small dogs that set on your lap and tremble -- that is what she does. She has never done this before. I swear if she could get under my skin, she would. I'll have Doc Clay take another look at her when we get back to Gatesville in September. I know it's hard on her being blind and the new trailer, etc. I'm hoping that is all it is - but she is close to 15 years old.

Li’lBit loves to be outside and with this heat and humidity, we haven’t been spending much time out there. She loves to lay up under the trailer – I think she has a nice moist cool spot under there, but I don’t like leaving her out by herself on a leash. She’s never had to do that before and no sense in starting it now!