Summer in Iowa: Adjusting to New Pollens!

Thursday, June 7 A whole new set of pollens! I brought my nebulizer and inhalers but needed to get busy unpacking and setting up the inside of the trailer – I did remember to bring allergy meds – it was just a problem of finding them!

I also found myself mentally challenged trying to remember how to get decent AM radio reception IN the trailer (I need my morning AM radio and can’t make it thru a long ‘can’t sleep’ night without George Noory and Coast to Coast AM!) AND, where were the instructions and the county numbers for my weather radio? Both problems eventually solved. BUT, in my travels, I do need to find some sort of better antenna for my radio. Even the radio ‘built-in’ has horrible reception. Spent much of my first few days remembering where I put stuff and remembering how to do stuff!

Kathy picked me up and we went for lunch! What a wonderful treat to not have to start cooking right away. Just loved the visit – and how can you go wrong with a good friend and a Chinese buffet!
Noticed I still had a drip at the hose connection to the trailer. It seems really positional. Put a new washer in – still a drip now and then. Will have to take a better look at that this weekend.

I’ve been bruising on my arms and legs – not sure if it is from the meds I’m taking after the stent placement or if it is just that I’m klutzy and banging arms and legs while setting up and unpacking. When I got here I noticed bruises on each thigh just above the knees and up and down both arms. Seems like every day I was noticing a new bruise somewhere -- no problem with bleeding gums/teeth or nose, etc….all those warnings they give when on blood thinners. I stopped taking the baby aspirin temporarily, also backed off on the allergy meds since they do contain aspirin. A few more days and I should be used to the trees!

Headed into town on Friday to get some laundry done. Needed to pick up some veggies so I could get off this high-carb diet I’ve been eating while on the road.

Stopped at that KwikStar by the laundomat and got my newspaper, coffee (decaf! CRAP!) and my breakfast sandwich, then to the laundromat -- ended up with 2 loads -- still have a comforter and another load of sheets to do next week. They have either turned the heat down on their dryers or they need to be checked 'cuz it took forever to dry my stuff (@ 25 cents for 6 minutes!) I'm thinking they lowered the maximum heat so the laundry didn't warm up so fast and keep their A/C going! Washing machine price is now up to $2! At least the place is clean and the machines work!

Stopped at Fareway to get vegetables -- picked up some lunch meat and bacon so I can have BLTs. They had mushrooms and sweet peppers stuffed with crab meat so I got some of those.

Then off to the flower tent by DrugTown -- picked up a few plants to replace those Holly and Li'lBit slept on while they were stowed in the trailer! Went by my sisters and picked up my bird bath and my shepherd hooks. Time to get busy tending to my ‘garden’ and my birds!

Monday June 11th I was off for an early morning appointment with the eye doc. The gal that checked my eyes prior to seeing the doc wondered just how I managed to drive up from Texas with my glasses! I explained I hated to get new ones until I knew something definite about the bad eye. She changed my mind about that! So, off to Wallyworld to get new glasses.

Eye appt went REALLY well, I think. Dr Graether said he feels I'm ready for corneal transplant evaluation, however, he doesn't do it anymore and the new cornea doc doesn't come in until August. I tried really hard to convince the appt desk lady that I needed one of his FIRST appointments! Mary doesn't close this park until the end of October -- If I could get an August appointment, then if it was a “go” on the surgery, I would have plenty of recoup time before I hit the road. I planned on leaving after Labor Day but I'll stick around as long as I can if this looks possible -- or I'll ask him to put me on his schedule for next summer and I’ll get up here early May when Mary opens the park. My appointment with the cornea doc is August 14 – guess I’ll cross those bridges after I get his evaluation.

Tuesday AM I almost had to get out my hoodie! 54 degrees! Brrrrrr! Even Li'lBit peed fast and came right back in! Headed into town for stops at Good Will and the Dollar Store to pick up some odds and ends I forgot to pack and will need – like bowls!

Menards (hardware/gardening) built a new store. I can see I won't be running in to just to pick up a couple of items! That store is tooo big! But, I think I saw it all! It was nice that they put a patio furniture display right in the middle of the store so there would be a place to rest. Next time I go, I’ll just pack my lunch!

Wednesday the 13th Bea and I went into Des Moines. I wanted to get a blouse for my class reunion.....always need an excuse to get something new to wear! After hitting a couple of stores, I found what I was looking for – in fact, I found a couple of extras! We stopped at Felix & Oscars for pizza to use my Groupon that was about to expire. Good Pizza – never had a pizza with the cheese on the crust before – I’m used to the cheese being on top! When the waitress set the pizza on the table, it was topped with pizza sauce. At first I thought they forgot the cheese – ‘til I took a bite! It was good.

On the way home Bea drove down by the turbines in Laurel -- all last summer I was trying to find where they were putting them up -- amazing I couldn't see a thing and some are so close to the road!

The 14th I headed into town to wash the shirts I bought and try to find BLUE shoe polish! I have a pair of navy blue shoes that have scuffs on the toes. Couldn’t find any – guess I’ll try magic marker!

The minute I got home, Li’lBit was rarin’ to go outside – out the door she came as soon as I opened it and she wouldn’t go back in unless I picked her up and put her inside – so I unloaded the laundry, grabbed my book and some ice tea and we spent some time outside.

Friday the 15th Jim and Kathy invited Bea and I out for steaks on the grill. They finally have their home repaired after all the damage during the derecho last year. And, I had my first really fresh strawberries of the season! YUMMY!

My glasses were to have been in Monday the 18th but you know how THAT goes! They made it by Tuesday so I can’t complain. And I can see better! Isn’t that amazing! It’s only bee 4-5 years since I’ve had them changed!

The birds have found the feeders – between the wrens, finches and the woodpeckers, I don’t need an alarm to wake up in the AM.

On Tuesday the 19th a 10 yr old boy from Marshalltown went missing while swimming in the Iowa River. They recovered the body the following day. Fortunately for my sister, it wasn’t one of her students, but the boy did go to Mick’s school. Mick is the grandson of the owner here at Shady Oakes and the one that built the tree house. He is an elementary school principal here in town.

The A/C in the truck is messing up again! Naturally – Friday I head to Maquoketa for my class reunion and no A/C for the trip!

Had a short power failure during the nite. No idea why it went off – wasn’t storming -- just WHAMMO -- it was off! I could see there were lights on in town -- figured if it stayed off too long, I'd just call my sister! I hadn’t recharged my power packs since I arrived…and I really do know better!

Wednesday 20th I had an appointment with my sister’s doc to have the bruising checked. Everything is OK – WHEW! I’m back to taking the aspirin and he renewed one of my Rx that was running out. After the appointment I went to Culvers to meet Bea and Marilyn for ‘chicken nite.” They really do have some great fried chicken!

Li'lBit and I were outside for awhile earlier in the day and Judy stopped by to make sure I was OK after the power outage – Mary and Judy do worry about me – no wonder I like it here!

Wednesday night/Thursday morning we had some wind an rain. Got about ½ inch of rain – could use a whole lot more. The corn is really looking dry. I heard the wind coming before I felt the trailer rattle and roll -- about the time I was really setting here shaking and rattling, the weather radio came on to say the alert for Marshall county was cancelled -- the conditions were no longer favorable for thunderstorms! RIGHT! That was a lot of rockin’n’rollin’ for a cancellation!

Went to town for last minute laundry before my trip to Maquoketa and to look for one of those fans that set on the dash and plug into the cigarette lighter. I finally got up into the back of the truck to clean it out – hadn’t done that since I arrived and the bed of the truck was full of oak leaves from the live oaks in TX and the burr oaks up here.

Friday June 22 I headed back for my 50th high school class reunion. My sister was critter setting! I plan on doing a lot of visiting and 'catching up!" A 3 hour trip without A/C in the truck –I was definitely ready for a shower when I got to the motel!