2025 - In Review ~

 Our ninth year in Iowa~  It was a bright & sunny start to the New Year! 

New Years Day~

By the middle of the month, Butch was driving a new semi!  Maverick II was almost identical to his old semi, but with a slightly longer cab & a more comfortable interior. 

1-18-25 Maverick II - Butch's new truck~

After only just over a month - Butch found a pool of oil under the truck while he was backed to the dock at a warehouse.  Under warranty, it was towed to the nearest Volvo Dealership.  Butch caught a ride back to Omaha with another driver & went right out again in his original Nationwide Volvo - Maverick.

2-5-25 Butch's new Semi breaks down~

Besides the snow mid-month, the weather was nice enough I managed three rides at Lake Manawa.  I also finished a latch hook project I'd started in September of 2020.  Finn & I were taking our winter walks on the Wabash & most afternoons at home.

2-13-25 Snow in the woods~

March, I started burning the brush pile.  I also caught a day when the Wabash was dry enough & rode from Malvern to Silver City & back.  This was just two days before the biggest snowstorm of the season.  The wind drifted the snow & I dug through 2' drifts just to get to the Bronco.

3-5-25 Snow anyone?

Butch made it home three times in March.  The 11th he flew to Columbus to pick up his semi from the dealer who'd replaced the engine.  Twice he pulled in at home for overnight stays & the last of the month for a few days home time.  On the 19th, we received our last snow of the season.  

3-27-25 Butch & Finnigan~

April, I mowed for the first time.  It was the earliest in the season I'd ever seen a Swallowtail butterfly!  The Daffodils, Grape Hyacinth, Tulips & Trout Lily's were all in bloom.  On the 17th we had a wonderful heavy rain!  Mother Nature's perfect timing.  

Butch was home for Easter & reached 400,000 OTR miles!  I managed to get in five rides, most on the trail.  

4-8-25 A Swallowtail comes to visit!

May, my red Clematis finally produced its first bloom.   The wild Iris was in bloom & the woods were positively lush.  We made our usual Memorial Weekend trip to Greenfield & Creston.  We rode our bikes at Green Valley St. Park.  We also found a small microbrew - Hot Air Brewing - only to discover they were closing due to a lack of business.

5-24-25 Butch at Green Valley~

June, the Daylilies were spectacular & Garden Phlox were almost 4 ft. tall.  My Hydrangea bushes were blooming as were all the Zinnia's.  I was mowing the front yard twice a week to keep up & alternated between mowing the woods & marsh.

I ended up in the hospital later in the month, a surprise to me.  Butch was rerouted to get home.  The day after he arrived my condition improved enough, I was discharged.  On the 24th we had another good rain & the next day Butch was back on the road.

6-27-25 Full on Lush~

July, I was back to riding my bike.  The plantings in the woods looked the best they ever have.  All the Hosta's are maturing, growing larger each season & really filling in.  Butch came home the 5th & again on the 19th.  Summer was as usual, very hot & very humid.

7-21-2025 Mulberry limbs cut~

We hired Fermincho Tree Services & Landscaping of Omaha; to cut down the large limbs two big windstorms had broken from the Mulberry tree.  They started early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat - but couldn't escape the humidity.  

Fermin was interested in purchasing both the horse trailer & the utility trailer.  We hadn't used either one in years.  We'd bought the horse trailer new in 1995 & it was hard to see it finally go.  Instead of hauling horses, it will be hauling a rock crushing machine!  

8-10-2025 The horse trailer is sold~

August, Butch & I went shopping for another storage building & found a Tuff Shed at Home Depot the size we needed.  Fermin & his crew leveled the area where the trailers had been parked & hauled in several loads of rock.  By the 21st, the two-man crew from Tuff Shed arrived & had the small building built in half a day. 

9-16-2025 Shop painted~

When Butch came home in Sept., he painted the Shop building to match the Cabin.  I mulched & planted Hosta's around the side & back.

9-27-2025 Skyla in Greenfield~

The highlight of the year was when Granddaughter Skyla flew out from WA to visit!  We spent almost a week having a wonderful time.  When we moved from WA, Skyla was only five years old.  We'd visited the family just last summer & she & her family had visited us in 2023, but it seems like the years in-between went by in a flash.  Now, she's a young lady & getting a chance to know her was a gift!  It was so much fun to have a teenager in the house & So quiet when she left...

10-17-2025 - Our 9th Anniversary on the Home Place~

Butch made it home a day early this year, for our 43rd anniversary.  We spent three wonderful days at Lake Okoboji.  We rode our bikes on the new trail, had dinner at our favorite restaurant & didn't come home empty handed after I found a must have antique shopping.  

10-31-25 In the Caves~

The end of the month was Butch's 2nd anniversary driving for Nationwide.  He was enjoying his new semi & made a trip to the caves in MO.  This Volvo is just a bit longer than his other truck, but he managed to fit!

11-29-2025 First Snow~

November was a beautiful month.  We had one cold snap, but otherwise it was dry.  Perfect weather for being outside.  No bugs & cooler temperatures.  Butch was home for Thanksgiving & we received our first light snowfall.  Finn & I hiked at the Glenwood Preserve.  

12-23-25 Butch & Finn at Glen Cunningham Lake~

December, Butch was called for jury duty.  He asked to be excused & after two attempts, his term of service was reduced from a month to Christmas week. The weather cooperated & we had our first ride in forever at Glen Cunningham with Finn.

The new furnace we purchased the first of the month required more venting, so Butch tore out the old doors on the utility closet & installed new louvered bifold's.  He ended up having to reframe most of the closet & redo the sheetrock.  

Garden Club formed a committee to work on next year's program schedule.  Officers from last year, plan to continue in their positions.  We have some great excursions planned.  The mat making group continues to meet & crochet Wednesday mornings at Trinity Lutheran.  I hope to get my bike out a little more often, I was just under 150-miles behind this year.  

Butch too, has plans for this coming year.  He'll be starting his fifth year of OTR driving.  He wants to find time to organize his Shop & work on projects he's had in mind for several years.  He's coming very close to the OTR half-million-mile mark!

Wishing our family & friends a healthy, safe & prosperous 2026~  Happy New Year!

Past year 2024 ~

Our Anniversary Trip~

 By 11 a.m. on our 43rd anniversary, Butch was backing Maverick into the Cabin's driveway!  I'd made reservations at Okoboji for the following night & we planned to leave Friday morning.  His dispatcher didn't seem to know the difference between one day & the next, having scheduled him to make a delivery before midnight, the 9th.  He would have had a wait to be unloaded, then have a three-hour drive to Omaha. After an intense phone conversation, his dispatch changed & he dropped the loaded trailer at Nationwide for another driver to deliver.  This is the one time he expects to get home when he's scheduled home time weeks in advance.  It's been an on-going issue & it's difficult to make reservations.

Butch is Home!

I didn't know for sure when he'd be home & was mowing when he arrived.  Butch got out of the truck, after hours of driving & finished the job for me!  I finished packing & made lunch.  Later, we enjoyed a rare evening sitting out on the deck, before dinner.

Friday morning, we dropped Finn off with Doris. He was a little unsure when he met Doris's daughter & niece - who were visiting too! (Celebrating Doris's 94th Birthday!) Doris said later, it didn't take Finn long to make new friends. 

 It was a perfect fall day & I was looking forward to the drive. We stopped in Spencer for lunch before arriving at our hotel to drop off our things.  We drove to East Lake Park on the shore of East Okoboji Lake.  We unloaded our bikes & left on the Great Lakes Spine Trail.  I realized I'd forgotten my Garmin...  (I took a photo of my bikes odometer mileage & used that to log our rides.)  Our first goal was the Tatanka Trail head.

At the Tatanka Ska Trailhead~

Admiring the views, we noticed things appeared dryer here than at home.  The colors we'd enjoyed last year weren't in evidence.  The leaves were dry & littered the trail.  It was just before 6 p.m. when we reached the Dickinson County covered trailhead in Spirit Lake.  Taking the same trail we had last year, we didn't have too far to go.  We were out about five miles when we came to the barrier in the photo below.

Trail Closed...

We'd seen pipe going in several places along the trail, but there was no notice of a closed trail posted.  We turned back, disappointed.  It was just before 7 p.m. by the time we'd returned to the Bronco.

Back at the shore of East Lake Okoboji~

Our plan for Saturday, was to leave from the Tatanka Trailhead & take the newest trail due east to Silver Lake.  According to the map, 14-miles one way.  We'd ridden out a few miles last year & hoped to complete the route this time!

2024 - In Review ~

 Eight years have gone by so fast. The morning of the New Year dawned, crisp & clear.  (Butch had pulled in at 11 a.m. on New Year's Eve.  We enjoyed spending the evening together at home.)  I mixed up a batch of cornbread. We'd been invited to a chili dinner!  We played our favorite game & even though we were all a little rusty, Butch won!  It was really a fun way to spend the first day of the new year!

Maverick - 1/1/24

Butch left the following morning.  Mid-month a blizzard moved in & covered us with several inches of snow.  Things warmed up enough by the end of the month, that I enjoyed my first ride of the year on the 31st. at Lake Manawa.  

Finnigan is enjoying his home with us & his new life.  He & Doris were friends from their first meeting.  He loves going to visit her when I go riding. He attends mat making every week & is our mascot.  He now owns the yard, Doris's yard & the neighborhood! 

2-26-2024 New walkway

February, I started burning some of my brush pile.  When Butch got home, he helped me trim up a couple of the trees, so we had that to burn too.  

The loss of our Grandson Mason was a difficult time.  Especially so for me.  I hadn't seen him in several years.  Butch had been lucky to see Mason in March of last year & met again with daughter Courtney, Mason & Cassidy in North Bend, last fall.

By month's end, the concrete work we'd planned was completed ahead of schedule.  The ground hadn't frozen & the weather was warm enough for the walkway to cure. 

3-29-2024 Butch & Finn on the White Cloud Trestle~

In March, we'd made the decision to buy e-bikes.  We went shopping & tried riding a couple at REI in Gretna, NE.  Butch found the one I needed & ordered it on-line.  He had purchased a different bike & after a long ride, didn't like it.  He ended up returning it & ordered one like mine.  Even Finn got new wheels!

4-26-2024 Tornado that hit Creston, IA

April, it seemed like nowhere was safe from a string of Tornado's. I couldn't believe my ears when I was listening to the noon news.  Creston & Greenfield had been hit.  It was a helpless feeling to know so much destruction was going on & think of all the lives affected.  

It was a great month for bike riding & I was on the trails a lot.  The tulips were blooming & our world was turning green again.  

May, I was busy keeping up with the mowing.  Even though we have Troy to mow the backyard, I do the marsh, front yard & woods.  Butch convinced me to try a self-propelled mower & I love it!  

5-26-2024 Greenfield, IA

Over Memorial Day weekend, we made our usual trip to Greenfield.  The "Sew & Sew" quilting club at Trinity Lutheran sent me with ten quilts to donate to Greenfield.  We were admitted through the check point & signed in at the DOT trailer.  It was a huge relief to see my grandmother's house on the highway still intact.  My A. Evelyn's prior home wasn't so lucky & sustained quite a bit of damage.  

The end of the month, I made the drive again, to attend my 55th High School Reunion.  We lost one member to the tornado.  Our group was subdued as we discussed the long road to recovery.  (We made donations to several organizations helping with the recovery efforts.) 

6-27-2024 The Marsh~

June ushered in the summer months.  We'd been getting more rain than usual, which kept things green & my mower going at least twice a week.  Butch crossed the 300,000-mile mark driving OTR!  

7-21-2024 Flowers~

July was very warm & very humid, as usual.  The flowers loved it & the wetter summer contributed to plenty of color & less watering.  I fell getting out of the Explorer when Butch was home & managed to damage my knee.  That kept me off my feet for most of two-weeks.  Thankfully, friends helped with watering outside, taking me to Dr. appt's & keeping me in groceries! 

8-7-2024 Goodbye Bronco~

Early August, the Bronco sold.  I'd had it on the market for over two-years.  I was thrilled it was purchased by a mechanic at the Creston School Bus Barn.  It was sad though to see him drive it away.  The last of the vehicles that made the trip with us from WA.  We'd owned it for over twenty-years.

8-11-2024 Mason's Celebration of Life~

Early August, we packed the Explorer & left for WA.  Butch wanted to make the drive & I was looking forward to seeing the country again.  Daughter Jentry, arranged for us to stay in her camping trailer at a beautiful private park on Camano Is. just blocks from her house.  

Mason was a bright spot in so many lives, his H.S. friends drove long distances to be there & the turnout was a testament to all the people he had touched.  His mother had reserved the beautiful Novelty Hill Farm & provided a catered meal of Mason's favorite foods.  There was live music & many of Mason's favorite songs were played.  A fitting tribute to our courageous grandson.

9-23-2024 Hughes Private Sewer Project

Fall, was the most unpleasant we've experienced in Glenwood.  A private sewer project, to connect a new low-income housing development at the edge of town, started construction. Yards were torn apart, lawns destroyed, fences taken down; streets were closed & dirt was flying for weeks & weeks.  There was no consideration given to residents.  It was sheer luck the city easement was on the far side of the street from our properties.  Even so, after weeks of no rain, the dust & dirt had me making a visit to the Dr., unable to breathe.

10-12-2024 Spirit Lake~

By October, I was more than ready to get away from it all, for our Anniversary trip.  We spent a few days at Lake Okoboji.  The beautiful bike trails to Spirit Lake & beyond were outstanding.  The weather was a combination of sunshine days & clouds.  Perfect to enjoy the fall colors.

11-24-2024 - My Germaniums, Nika's tree & Finnigan~

Back home, November was a beautiful month.  We finally received rain, after a dryer than normal September & October.  The watering chores I thought I'd missed during the summer, fall made up for! 

The sewer construction kept on & on & on. Heavy equipment making a mess of the roads.  Yards that had been covered with beautiful green lawns, were left dirt for the winter months... 

Butch & I spent Thanksgiving at home.  

12-25-2024 Bronco Sport, on the Plattsmouth Trestle~

December, Butch surprised me when we turned in to a dealership on our way to lunch!  We found a Bronco Sport.  Just my size & with so many new to me features that make driving easier & more fun.  

Finn & I walked the Wabash again & walk our woods daily.  The weather turned cold, gray & mostly gloomy.  Very few days did the sun appear.  Regardless, we had a beautiful Christmas day & I finally got in a bike ride on the 30th.  (It had taken a while to get the hitch installed on the Bronco & for Butch to get home to put on the lift & rack.)

Butch will be starting his fourth year of OTR driving.  This last year with Nationwide has been smooth sailing.  (In October he received the "Driver of the Month" award!)  It's also wonderful to have him home on schedule & an occasional extra night or two each month.

I've agreed to act as President for our Glenwood Garden Club.  I'm looking forward to the programs scheduled for this coming year.  I still attend mat making & love the friends I've made there.  More time on the trail is always a goal, too.

We're looking forward to 2025!  

Wishing our family & friends the Happiest of New Years!

Past year 2023~

Arnold's Park ~

 After getting home late in the day on our anniversary, (a day earlier than we'd expected!) Butch still had to make a delivery in Omaha Thursday morning.  We had reservations at Okoboji for Friday.  I thought it would be better to drive up today & enjoy an extra full day tomorrow.  Past the end of the season, our room was available.  While Butch was gone, I packed us up & by the time he was home, we were ready to leave.  

Lights of the Promenade~

We dropped Finn off with Doris & were on the road.  It didn't seem like a long drive; we stopped to eat at the China 1 Buffet, just south of Spencer.  The outside of the building didn't put us off, we were hungry!  Inside was neat, clean & the buffet was excellent.  

We arrived at the Vintage Block Inn & Suites in Okoboji about 6:30 p.m.  The motel reminded us of something from the Motel Rescue on Discovery Plus.  Who knows when it was built, but the current owners have made many improvements.  Our room was cute, with plenty of room for the bikes & had the bonus of being within walking distance of local bike trails.

Arches lighting the path~

After checking in, we drove to Arnold's Park.  The new arches over the lit pathway were beautiful in the gathering darkness.  The restoration of this area was started the first year we visited, 2017.  The pathway was new since our visit last year.  The lights cycled through a change of color every minute or two.

Covered Pavillion~

The path directed us toward the waterfront.  All the improvements have made a huge difference in the area.  On our visit & late afternoon walk last year, we'd wondered what was being constructed in the area below.

State Pier~

The sails were a beautiful addition & I'm sure they can be seen from quite a distance out on the lake.  It was as nice a fall evening as we could have asked for.  Just a light breeze off the water & amazingly quiet for being so close to town.  

Our little motel~

Returning to our motel, the little Block Party retro pub was open.  A few people were sitting out enjoying the warm evening & view of the lake. I borrowed the photo below from the web site.  It looked inviting, we walked over to check it out.

Outside seating~

We ordered drinks, Butch tried a new to him brew.  We found a quite table toward the back. The owner came by to welcome us.  We discussed the weather; the entire state & I think the whole of the Midwest is as dry as it's ever been.  Sitting out in the fresh air, on such a beautiful fall evening, it was the perfect place to unwind.

2023 - In Review~

 The seventh year in Iowa - on the Home Place!  The New Year dawned chilly & gray, but the temperature was moderate, especially for January!  What little snow we had left on the ground was melting.  

New Years Day - Tinkle Branch Trail~

Mari Jo & I decided if the weather was decent, we'd start the year with a bike ride.  Even without sunshine, it wasn't too cold.  It was great to get out in the fresh air & it felt pretty amazing to be on our bikes so early in the year.  Butch pulled in at home by 8:30 p.m. in the evening.  It was a short stop, but he managed to come by again a day later & a total of three times during the month. The last time was the saddest - we lost Nika...

2-16-23 Lots of snow!

February was a tough month for me.  Nika had helped to buffer the loneliness of having Butch gone.  Without her, it was so quiet, so still & so lonely.  Butch completed his first year of OTR driving on the 25th.  (He made it home for our birthday weekend, but Nika's recent loss cast a long shadow.)  During the winter months, Butch made some interesting drives through snowstorms in WY, CO & CA.  The weather cooperated enough I could do some riding at Lake Manawa.

3-9-23 Beautiful Snow~

March gave us a couple good snowstorms with several inches of white stuff.  I met Mari Jo & Gracie for a few walks on the trail, but it wasn't the same...  Luckily, when I saw the first of the tulips emerge from the ground, my spirits lifted.  Butch made it home & we had fun riding our bikes at the Lake.   By month's end, the Wabash was open again & we loved getting back out in the countryside.

4-7-23 New trees planted~

April - with nice spring days - I decided to get some long overdue projects done.  The first, was to get all the old Mulberry tree trunk & limbs we'd had stacked against the east fence since May of 2017 - removed!  That was a nightmare.  The fence ended up with a $800. repair.  The yard was torn from end to end, but having the mess finally gone was worth it.  Butch came home & we took Traveler to pick up new Emerald Green trees to plant along the now bare looking east fence. 

5-18-23 The Marsh~

May, the most beautiful month of the year, didn't disappoint.  It was dry, I did spend a lot of time watering, but it was so rewarding to see the flowers I've planted grow & bloom!  The end of the month I took my yearly trip to Greenfield & Creston.  The weather cooperated & the flags flew at the Memorial Day Service in Greenfield.

6-1-23 Rain!

June roared in with 3.1" of badly needed rain!  The novelty of it kept me outside watching most of the morning.  The month was wetter than usual.  It didn't make up for the deficit - but it was a huge relief anyway.  I almost was caught out in a thunderstorm on the trail.  Beautiful, but scary at the same time.  On the seventh - a bad hailstorm hit.  It was hard to watch as the vehicles got plummeted.  Two of the three sustained major damage.  Only the Bronco - solid steel - had a few minor dents.

7-12-23 Skyla, Josie & Jentry Visit!

The highlight of the year was a long overdue visit from our daughter Jentry & granddaughters Skyla & Josie!  Butch made it home & we enjoyed every minute they were here.  We visited our favorite attractions, Fontenelle Forest & the Henry Doorley Zoo.  As always, it's so hard to see them leave. 

8-8-23 New Gravel~

With Butch parking the semi on the drive by the cabin - it was ready for another layer of gravel.  Pat, one of the volunteers who keeps the Wabash trail passable, was available to do the job. Since we were hauling gravel, I decided to add rock along the drip line of the Cabin's roof.  On his home time, Butch installed new shutters on the front of the house.

6-18-23 Picking up a Jacko Trailer~

September, Butch passed the 200,000-mile mark driving OTR.  After just over a year with Blake Scott, the owner turned over Authority to Jacko LLC.  Butch had been pulling Jacko trailers since the middle of June, but now Butch would be driving for them.

 Later in the month, the front hose spicket broke. While the plumber was here, I had a new hose bib installed at the back of the house. Next, the AC quit cooling.  Mari Jo's husband repaired it & replaced parts in the compressor, along with an overhaul of the furnace.   

10-11-23 Butch, Lake Okoboji 

For our 41st Anniversary, we drove up to revisit the Lake Okoboji area.  Our first time here had been for our anniversary in 2017.  A favorite restaurant with lake views had been torn down, to make way for expensive high-rise condos.  The main street through town was completely torn up & the two detours took us through some beautiful residential areas.  

Returning home, the garden style tub in the master bath developed a crack.  We hired a contractor to tear it out & replace it with a walk-in shower.  The same week, my Speed Queen washer quit, we replaced it & the water heater too.

11-27-23 Butch & Maverick~

Butch gave notice to Jacko in October & started driving for Nationwide out of Omaha November first.  He was ready to be done with the winter driving in the west.  He enjoys his new truck, Maverick.  A 2022 Volvo with a large interior & more amenities. Dispatches have taken him to IL, IN, OH, KY, MI, WI, NE, KS, MO, TX, etc.

12-20-23 - Finnigan~

As the winter months approached, I found myself browsing dog adoption sites.  When someone would ask what kind of dog I was looking for - I couldn't answer.  I just knew if the right one came along - I would know.  Well...  That happened & December fourth, Finnigan came home!  I feel very lucky to have found him & it's wonderful to have a companion again.

__________________________________

12-31-23 - Butch takes us for a ride!

The 31st., Butch came into Omaha.  He dropped a trailer at Nationwide, Maverick was serviced & he arrived home before noon!  He left again on the second.  Soon his second year of OTR driving will be in the rearview mirror & he'll be starting his third.

I continue to pedal the trails & rode just shy of 700-miles, mostly on the Wabash.  Working outside is still my favorite pastime.  

Happy New Year!  Welcome 2024! 

Past Year - 2022~