Iowa in July,2008 Part I

The hummingbirds have found the feeder. And the month started with a yard full of bunnies out running in the morning. I think that must be what Li'l Bit sniffs so diligently when she goes outside. I must admit, it is much more pleasant than the skunks of a few weeks ago!

Bea and I wnt to Tama to the casino -- didn't do any gambling -- but we sure pigged out at the buffet. They had a huge salad bar complete with my favorite boiled shrimp! After grazing on a huge plate of salad greens, off to the main stuff. My eyes were much bigger than my stomach when it came to the selection of meats. I didn't even look at the veggies - figured I had them in the salad! Then came the dessert area -- a huge pastry counter that had everything possible. I settled for a small piece of cheese cake and I can't pass up bread pudding! Left all of those decedent chocolate cakes and whipped cream stuffed pastires. Will have to go back again so I can try some of those 'low calorie' delights!

The weather has been perfect for the start of the month. But, as I'm setting outside, the wind is picking up -- storms will be back by the afternoon with the afternoon heating and a cold front moving in. Then, it should straighten out for the holiday weekend. All of the bad weather may have been worth it -- I am certainly enjoying the 50-60 degree sleeping weather and the 70-80 degree days. Beautiful weather.

Even though the weather has ben really nice, I have had to close the windows and turn on the air conditioning -- they are frequently spraying for mosquitoes. They have been just horrible after all of the floods.

The night after the casino 'pig out ,' Bea and I met some of her friends at Culver's Restaurant -- they have wonderful sandwiches, always have a soup of the day, and Wednesday is fried chicken night. Just what I need after the big buffet at the casino the night before -- well, all of the rich food has finally caught up with me!

This is Iowa -- pork country -- the other white meat! Found some great pork steaks from the Amana Colonies; they will cut to order. Saves me money since I can by for one and not for a family. Not a lot of freezer space in the RV!

They also have a nice deli and some really great specials on cooked pasta dishes which are probably cheaper than I could buy the stuff and make it. I have also found some terrific grilling spices and herbs. Just something different than those available in Texas.

The floods about wiped out Iowa's spring sweet corn. What managed to survive is coming in late. There wasn't much sweet corn for the holiday -- brought some in from Florida! What's the Fourth of July without sweet corn!

Dodge service finally got to my truck. Fortunately it is all warranty work -- rack & pinoion problem in the rear and piston messing with the ocmpression. Will have to order parts.

There is no paper delivery in here. My sister and a friend of hers save their newspapers for me -- so I'm getting the news a day or so behind -- but who cares! Li'l Bit ad I really enjoy setting outside reading the papers, drinking coffee. Life is really rough! Li'l Bit sets no-so-patiently by the door when she hears me pour that first cup of morning coffee.

Bea is flying to Virginia to spend some time with a friend. She leaves July 16 and gets back on the 21st. Means I can run and play and not get caught! And she is leaving me her car!

As he month goes on, the weather is getting more like an Iowa summer and it has hit with a vengence! Temps into the 90s and the humidity is creeping up. Great for the corn! Woke up to a 72 degree early morning so I knew it was going to be hot and humid for the rest of the day. Thunderstorms, rain, hail and possible tornados on the way! Oh, well, -- there have been lots of nice days since the last storm.

Now the weather comes one band of bad weather at a time -- then a few days of nice weather -- we aren't getting that constant pounding, night after night, of wind and rain. Night before last the sky opened up and dumped between 5-6 inches of water in a couple of hours and dumped some large hail just south of here. Needless to say, in the AM, the creek behind the RV park was up and out of its banks again. They have the power plant in town cleaned up and back on line. At least the town didn't loose power when the plant went off the grid.

Love the laundromat here -- potted plants, carpeting, clean machines that WORK, big screen TV in the lounge -- snack machine, soda machine -- and they both work! The lady working there not only does all of the cleaning and dusting and carpet shampooing, she opens the door for you and helps you carry your stuff out the the truck! I'm spoiled!! It reminds me of a bookstore cafe -- everyone setting at little tables drinking coffee or soda and reading!

Attitude -- You Gotta Have Heart!

When an F-5 tornado slammed into Parkersburg, IA, the people of Parkersburg and the surrounding area didn't wait for the goverment to come help. Within a hours after the storm, they had two major problems -- (1) too much volunteer help and (2) supplies and monies from the surrounding area were coming in faster than they had the system and facilities to accommodate them. There is a lesson to learn here!

Seeing the surrounding schools, competitors during sports seasons, picking up brooms, mops, shovels, and rakes, loading onto school buses and going in to help the town clean up the schools gives a whole new meaning to 'sportsmanship.' About 40 track students and adults from the Knoxville/Pella, Iowa area had a 'run for tornado relief'.' They ran the 127 miles to Parkersburg, collecting donations in their bright orange backpacks along the way. This money was presented to the Aplington/Parkersburg School District for athletic supplies and equipment. They lost everything in the tornado.

Yes, there was some looting and yes, the National Guard was sent in to protect the area, but you didn't see anyone standing on rooftops cursing and blaming the government. You may see it tomorrow, but not today! Haven't been more than a handful of arrests for looting or fighting throught the whole tornado - flooding spring here in Iowa.

The high school coaches are voluneering their football, basketball, wrestling teams to sandbag -- guess that kinda insures you have a place on the team in the fall!

And, on top of all of this, the NCAA Track and Field events were being held in Des Moines during the floods. They had to move the teams out of the hotels downtown. But, in the midst of all of the flooding, they completed all events. A runner from Arizona said she was quite in awe of what she was seeing. She said she never saw so much water in one place! Other athletes from schools out of state volunteered to fill and carry sandbags after their track events.

I guess it isn't quite the same situation, but to see the difference in attitude between this and what we have seen during some other weather events is amazing -- there is such a volunteer effort. Some help is actually being turned away and sent to other locations.

The storms that came across the state slammed into a Boy Scout Camp on the Iowa/Nebraska border. The camp took a direct hit and 4 scouts were killed. According to the news, there were many young heroes at that camp. Most of the trees and debris blocking the lanes into camp were cleared by the scouts -- they located the maintenance shed, grabbed the chain saws and went to work. One of the rescuers commented that many of the victims had been given some first aid by the time they got there. Those young men need to be rewarded for their efforts and heroism.

After all of the flooding, storms, rain and more flooding, most of the people still have a sense of humor. Oh, yes, they are depressed and tired, but they still find the sunny spots and the humor! And they just keep volunteering to help others even when they have watched their home submit to the river.

One lady commented, as she was looking at her home with 4 feet of water on the first floor, that she lived through the 1993 flood that they called the "100 year flood" -- she thought this must be the '115 year flood' since it came so soon after the other. Others, looking over their destroyed property tell you, "This is the price you pay for a view of the river."

Oh, they are getting tired and cranky, but they are still volunteering to help. The schools donated buses (and that's a lot of diesel/gas expense!) to haul volunteers from parking lots (used as meeting places) and take them where they were needed to fill and pile sandbags.

Iowa certainly hasn't let the floods get them down -- Des Moines was scheduled to have an Olympic-trials Triathlon event -- but the area was under water -- so they moved it to West Des Moines and have been running, biking and swimming all weekend. Thousands are in town for that -- half of the motels, hotels, restaurants are still out of commission but they are having the triathlon! AND, the Iowa Speedway is having a scheduled Indy Car Race -- some of the roads to the speedway are washed out -- but the race is going on! Free tickets and transportation are given to some of the people still in shelters and all of the events are asking for donations for the food pantries as you enter. Then they pass the bucket and collect $$$ for the Red Cross or some other church charity that is sending people in to help with clean up. Amazing -- many are still under water and will need their money, but in the meantime, they are donating to the "cause" and helping others until they can get to their own place.

There have been numerous fund raisers and radio-thons to raise money. Seems strange to be asking those that have lost so much to give -- but they do and they are!

A radio station in Minnesota had a "Send It South" radio-thon to raise $$$ for Iowa -- and all of the minor league baseball teams that can get to their fields to play games are passing the bucket at the games for donations. Can't go anywhere without some kind of can or bucket to collect your change.

Hey, I'm impressed -- they seem to have it under conrol -- some areas have tents or awnings set up with counselors and pastors to help with the emotional stuff. Sounds like they are trying to cover all of the bases.

The media was providing near 24 hour coverage. Crawling along the bottom of the TV screen was a constant list of phone number and locations for assistance. I'm sure valuable lessons were learned from the Big Flood of 1993 and more lessons will be learned this year. When it comes again -- and it will come again -- the volunteer efforts will be there and the work will get done.

Although the flooding and severe tornado damage that occured in Iowa this spring is no longer on the news, the heartache and recovery work is on-going.

Iowa in June 2008, Part VII

My attitude on June 27 is SCREW THE WEATHER! Over 5 inches of rain yesterday! Do you know what that did to the rivers and creeks around here AGAIN! There isn't any place for the water to go -- it just goes wherever it wants to go! More rain expected later today and tonight -- then again tomorrow -- maybe some sun by Sunday.

There is a BBQ champioinship cook-off going on in town. There are over 100 RVs and smokers and cookers set up at the fair grounds. They started coming in Thursday. Most have tents or some kind of awning they set up -- well, I bet the wind got them last nite -- winds were 15-25 mph sustained with gusts up to 50 mph. I hope the rain holds off long enough so they can get things up and going.

The weatherman says the storms will last until the 'sun goes down and we loose the afternoon heating' -- well, he was WRONG -- it stormed through the night and finally slowed down about 4 AM. I'm really tired of this -- and there is more of the same coming. I guess, because there were so many really pleasant days about a week ago and Li'l Bit and I so enjoyed just being able to be outside -- this being 'cooped up' in the RV with the winds whistling and blowing is about to drive me nuts! Can you believe -- June 27 -- and I'm wearing a sweater!

The truck goes in 7/7. That is the soonest they could look at it -- only one diesel mechanic -- this isn't Texas Truck Country!

I'm not accomplishing any of the little jobs I wanted to do -- I think I'm just bored, lazy and have a rotten attitude. If I can't go outside and play I'm not going to work inside!!

The month ends with a prediction of nice weather "tomorrow but more rain on Wednesday and Thursday. Then a nice holiday weekend." And here comes July -- as my attitude waivers with the weather, the people in the State of Iowa stay strong.

Iowa in June 2008, Part VI

Just when I brag about paradise and heaven, June 26 brings rain, rain, rain, wind, wind, wind -- but no tornado warnings. We really don't need the rain! The creeks and rivers are just now going back into their banks. So I'm inside with my weather radio and Dopplar weather radaloop on my computer screen! Here we go again!

With all of the wind and weather I've been through this spring, I'm really glad I have this ol'heavy RV that is made of so much metal. I often complain it is next to impossible to get a good cell phone or WiFi connection inside the heavy metal tube I call home, but I don't 'wobble' in the wind like the one next to me. I can look out my window and see some the the new lighlt-weight RVs really shaking! WHEW -- I'll keep this ol' out of date, heavy contraption for awhile!

Jeannie is more content in his cage than out -- I get less screaming from him when he is inside the cage -- so I let him out for a short time in the AM and then put him back. When the screaming starts, I tell him, "Go home Jeannie" and he responds "go home, go home." He seems content in the cage for several hours -- then he comes out for a short time and the PM and back to the cage for "night-night."

Of course Tinga wants to be out all of the time -- and that little monsgter has learned to get behind the screening and hides. She has also learned how to turn on the light on the wall behind the sofa!

Zamba, the Grey, just seems content to do anything! That is the most even-tempered, mellow Grey Parrot I've ever seen.

Li'l Bit was quite upset when the came to mow -- they came back and took the weed-eater to her little wild Iowa hemp plant that she was eating! No wonder Li'lBit is so mellow! And she still has all of her fur. Maybe I need to sprout hemp seed and keep a pot growing -- I can call it an herb! Maybe Li'l Bit's vet will write a prescription for medicinal marijuana! RIGHT!!!

Iowa in June 2008, Part V

As the sun breaks forth on the 15th, Li'lBit and I go for a walk -- without boots, rain slicker and umbrella! I work outside -- put up the flag windsock, finish potting and repotting the plants. I have a small herb garden planted and hanging on the back of the RV. I have a tomato plant and a pepper plant by the steps. Mom's old cracked cookie jar now holds a geranium and some ivy and has a home on the picnic table. The bird feeders are up.

Li'l Bit and I spend most of the recent nice days at the picnic table -- I call it my "office" -- I set there and do paperwork -- try to get stuff in order and bring my diary up to date. Found a 'shade' for the computer screen that works quite well to reduce the glare. Li'l Bit and I enjoy listening to the radio, I have my ice tea in the afternoon, my coffee in the morning. Li'l Bit has her little lawn chair so she doesn't have to lay on the grass with her sensitive skin! The grill is assembled -- Life is Good! We are Retired & Lazy!!

It gets into the 50s at night and up to the mid-70s during the day...gradually moving into the 80s. Mybe some "scattered showers" Thursday afternoon and Friday. The rain predicted for Thursday and Friday started out as a "Rain Event" (meaning watch out for more flooding!) -- but has gradually been downgraded.

I tried to get Holly into a harness so I could take her out, but the 'one size fits all cats' is too small for the fatty! I know I cannot take her outside with just a collar on - - she will slip out of that in a minute! She really wants to go out--sets by the door all the time Li'lBit and I are out. Breaks my heart not being able to bring her out. This is the look I get - daring me to try that harness!!! Gotta love that cat!

Sunday my sister's friend brought her daughter and we washed and waxded the RV. Most of the black streaks and heavy dirt is off. Since the park runs from a well, it is too much pressure on their pump to have water running continuously with a hose for washing RVs and vehicles. I still have the water in my holding tank and that needs to be changed anyway. So we fill our buckets from the holding tank.

Bea had her Summer Soltstice luncheon -- no dancing naked around the bonfire -- just a nice lunch with friends.

More RVs coming in -- soft ball tournament in town. Life goes on even with tornados and flooding!

I'm having more trouble breathing here than in Rockport but so far it isn't as bad as in Gatesville -- don't know if it is because of all of the pollen from the trees or from all of the moisture/mold/green slimy stuff left over from the flooding. It is just difficult for me to walk any distance without the walker. I'm OK breathing if I'm just setting or doing light stuff, but when I start moving, I just about crap out!

Of course it may not have been a wise move to stay in an area with so many trees! But I sure do enjoy the shade and the breeze and when we get these nice sunny, breezy days -- just another day in Paradised! You know the movie -- Is this Heaven? No, this is Iowa!

Iowa in June 2008, Part IV

They have had to evacuate the Riverside RV park and there was a big group of RVers in for a convention.' They were moved to a parking lot at a vacant grocery store.

Bea is still high and dry -- her sump pump works alot, but at least she isn't suffering any water damage. In fact, the entire town, with the exception of water in basements, seems to have lucked out. A few closed roads getting into town and now that water has been going down.

There isn't anything on TV but 24 hour coverage of the flooding. It has been so severe in some places that they have had to evacuate the hospitals -- they are constantly calling for sandbaggers. It would be a good way for me to get a lot of good exercise if the lungs would handle it!

The had a levee breeched in DesMoines and were evacuating people at 3AM. The National Guard and city workers have spent hours building another levee behind the area to hold back the waters. Trucks and trucks of dirt hauled in and earth movers pushing it into place, sand baggers by the hundreds. And after all of that work, they had to evacuate those workers at 8:30AM -- the river was breaking through again. The river in that area had already crested and was going down -- but the pressure on the levees just couldn't hold.

Some of the flooded areas aren't looking for any relief for several days. They have closed a large portion of Interstate 80 due to flooding and the detour adds about 110 miles to the trip. It has been reported that over 36,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. Several smaller rural communities have been evacuated -- the entire community is under water. This will probably be the demise of some of these small towns.

June 15th brought more tornado sirens about 3AM but just ended up being a lot of wind -- no rain or hail -- so the rivers held. By daylight, the sun was shining -- life is good!

Cedar Rapids is allowed to take showers! Many communities were on "water only for drinking" to keep from over loading the sewer systems -- no showers, laundry, etc. Today they started an odd-even policy -- if your address is an odd number, you do laundry and shower on odd dates. If your address is an even number, you do laundry and shower on even dates -- Hey, if it works for snow removal maybe it will work for laundry and showers!

There are 99 counties in Iowa and 83 of them were considered disaster areas due to flooding. Iowa isn't a very big state and there are 9 major river basins (all ripe for floods) -- the rivers flow into theMississippi or into the Missouri Rivers.

Iowa In June 2008, Part III

UNBELIEVABLE -- The weather radio tower has drown! On June 11th, I get this informational note from the National Weather Service:
The Marshall County/Marshalltown National Weather Service Radio transmitter tower is out of service due to the water being over the building in Marshalltown near the Alliant station. YOU MUST reprogram your radios to either the Des Moines NWS NOAA radio frequenty or the Montezuma radio frequency.

June 12th was anoher rockin' and rollin' night. I was a little more worried than other nights since the transmission tower for he weather radio in Marshalltown isn't functioning. I didn't have the security of knowing the radio would go off and warn me! Still going to bed dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and my little "get the hell out" bag next to my bed.

In the morning, the water from the creek was back up into the park.

To the right is the side of the old lodge (white building) and my "go to" spot for bad weather.

The beige building is one of the 'tourist' cabins from the days of the Lincoln Highway when this was a cabin and campground. The cabin is being renovated.

You can see the water from the creek coming up beind the buildings. My RV is located just across the driveway from these buildings.

I'm turning green with moss, grey with mold and I smell like a slim-covered backwater!

Even Li'l Bit doesn't want to go out. A new hobby is watching the flood reports along with the Doppler Radar. The media is doing a terrific job of keeping people informed on flood stages, river levels, road closures, etc. and relaying information on where to go to get help.

The major flooding is off toward Waterloo, Cedar Rapids and Iowa Ciy. Des Moines is flooded quite heavily. Fortunately there isn't much serious flooding in Marshalltown. The roads going into town have been run over by the river to the north and the creek to the east. I can get into town and there doesn't seem to be any flooding to disrupt the business district and the stores are open.

June 13th brings more night winds. The winds start to blow and the RV rocks back and forth and the rain is pounding from all directions. Like a scared child, I just lay in the bed with the covers over my head, holding onto my Li'l Bit, listening to the radio for weather alerts, scared to death! I've done all I can do!! I have my 'get out' bag by the bed. My power-pals are full charged. I'm afraid to cry -- I might not hear a change in the wind and rain outside.

So, you ask -- why didn't I hook up and move out? Where? I'd have to go nearly back to TX to get out of the Iowa/Missouri/Kansas/Oklahoma section where all of these storms form. Going east wouldn't help -- flooding is worse out that way. Wisconsin and Illinois and Indiana are getting hit. I'd rather be here where I know someone if I have to blow away!

God has had enough chances to come get me, so I guess I'm stuck here!