Thanksgiving ~

Happy Thanksgiving!  We woke to a stunning morning on the Home Place~

Mid-morning~

Butch arrived home Monday afternoon.  Tuesday, he had appointments at the VA & in Tabor for an overdue haircut.    

Our traditional favorites, Southern Chess & Pumpkin~

Wednesday, we took the Explorer in for scheduled maintenance & to have the winter tires put on.  When we returned home, I baked pies & made some of our favorite side dishes ahead of time.

Our morning~

We decided to cheat this morning & have a piece of pie to go with our lattes!  Butch could not wait until I got the picture before taking his first bite!   It was so warm on the deck; we sat out in the sun.  Both of us grateful for time together.

Thanksgiving - 2010 on the Homestead~

We miss the girls & their families every day, but especially when the holidays roll around.  The photo above was taken the year before Skyla was born.  Ben, Mason & Cassidy were what we've always called the first generation of our grandchildren.  Skyla wasn't born until the youngest of the first three, Cassidy - was eight. Josie arrived the following year.

Thanksgiving 2015~

The picture above was taken our last Thanksgiving on the Homestead, the year before we decided to sell out & move to Iowa.  Cassidy, Connie, Butch, Ben & Mason, with Nika & Rascal.  Jentry, Joe & the girls had moved to Astoria, OR. 

Butch ready for our meal~

The table, set for the two of us, was full of food!  We're very thankful for our family, friends & many blessings~ We continue to mourn the untimely loss (in February) of our Grandson Mason~

A Happy Thanksgiving!

 It took a 40-mile taxi ride & three flights for Butch to get home - but - he's Home for the Holiday!  It took me three-days, but we made it out onto the trail yesterday!  We found Mari Jo walking Gracie in the first mile & she took our photo :-)  At first she was worried a stranger was following me!  :-)

11-23 On the Trail~

Butch had put in for home time & was dispatched this direction last week.  He was in Boise on the 18th, heading to Gooding, ID to pick up a load of cheese.  Arriving in Gooding, he found that the load wouldn't be ready until the scheduled pick-up date of 11/19.  With an extra day to wait, he had time to take Blue over to D&D's shop for an oil change.  It took all day to get the truck into the shop & by evening when the mechanic looked at it, they found a slight oil & coolant leak.  

11-18 Blue in the shop~

The company owner had already made arrangements for a different truck for Butch, coming in December.  Rather than the wait to have Blue repaired - since the semi was due to be traded in next month - he sent Butch home until the new truck arrives in Salt Lake.  The date for that delivery has been moved up - to hopefully this coming week.

Corrine, UT - Blue on his last run with Butch~

Friday evening, I spent on-line, finding flight connections to bring him home.  Everything was pretty well booked up this close to the holiday.  The first flight out, wasn't until Sunday.  He spent Saturday packing up his things, disconnecting all his electronics etc.  Sunday, Butch's day started with a taxi drive to the small airfield in Twin Falls. (The Taxi owner/operator had been an OTR driver!) The first flight took him back to Salt Lake, the next to Minneapolis/St. Paul.  The final flight brought him home to Omaha.  I picked him up just before 11 p.m. Sunday night.

Butch on the trail~

The weather this week has been as incredibly wonderful as it was cold & awful last week.  I've often said, all I have to do is schedule any kind of appointment & the weather will be nice!  It happened again & I ended up loosing a perfectly good ride day.  I was ever So happy the mild weather continued!

On the Trestle~

A ride to the Trestle & back was all I had time for, with pies yet to bake!  I did put cookies in my pack & Butch was surprised when I pulled them out for our treat!

Bikes back at Happy Trails~

All was quiet back in town, everyone home enjoying the perfect day & probably cooking!  Just what I should have been doing!

Pumpkin & Southern Chess~!

It took me until early evening - I don't think Butch would ever let me get away without baking pies!  I do enjoy it though & never deviate from our seasonal favorites.

When I got up to get the turkey in the oven this morning - it was another glorious day.  We miss the kids & Grandkids especially during the holidays, but it's great to have time together.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Holiday Weekend~

Thanksgiving weather in Iowa, was as close to perfect as could be imagined.  Sunshine, high 40's with a light breeze.  We stayed home & cooked a turkey!  The house smelled wonderful & with Butch's help in the kitchen - our meal was a success.  

Friday, I took down my fall decorations & started putting up the things we enjoy during the Christmas holiday.  Butch was on the roof - putting the lights up!  We drove over to Greenfield & Creston on Saturday.  The Greenfield Christmas parade is usually the Friday after Thanksgiving.  This year, it was cancelled due to the virus, so there was no need for us to spend a night in town.  We did enjoy shopping on the square & came home with a couple treasurers. 

11-28-2020 Explorer on the square~

 Even this weekend, the square was quiet.  Only a few people shopping.  The Grand movie theater has closed.  Very sad, we enjoyed seeing a movie there so much when we visited Memorial Day of 2017. 

Adair County Courthouse, Greenfield

It was late in the day by the time we visited my parents, brother's & paternal Grandparents graves at the Cemetery.  The wind had picked up & it felt cold.  The artificial grasses & flowers we'd put in the vases in May, had held up well to the heat of summer.  

Back in Glenwood, Butch dropped me at the house, before going over to pick up Nika.  Doris told me later she really thought Nika was worried I would be gone for a long time - again...  I was waiting when Butch brought her in the door & she was so exited to see me home!

Sunday, we finished decorating the house.  We decided not to put up the big tree, but did most of everything else.  More than enough to wear me out, even with Butch's help!

11-30-2020 Our mantle~

This week has been one of firsts for me.  At least a couple first's I'd been unable to do in a long time.  I slid the Explorer's driver's seat all the way back & got my leg in!  I drove to the YMCA.  I did every piece of equipment for the upper body.  There were a couple I could do with my thighs too - but I paid the price the following day...  It's crazy how long it takes to build muscles up & what a short time to lose the gain...  (When Butch walked into the school bus barn on Tue. morning - all the drivers asked him; "Is Connie driving?!"  :-)  I can't go anywhere in this town!  :-)

11-2-2020 Back at it!

Not to be discouraged - I'm giving myself a couple days off.  The stiffness in the knee & ankle are my biggest concerns, but Butch keeps reminding me I'm in this for months, not weeks...

Next week, I see the knee Surgeon!  My local GP didn't bother to read any of the records I had Skagit Valley send his office from WA - so had sent us to the far side of Omaha to see a Ankle specialist!  He was a great guy & went ahead with X-rays of both the knee & my ankle. He forwarded them over to the Surgeon I should have been sent to.  They discussed my case over the phone.  Dr. Phillips said everything looked GREAT!  I've been allowed to put 25% of my body weight on the leg.  (No, I don't know how to figure that 25%!)  I will see him in person the end of next week.  I'm really counting on being done with the brace & walker.  At least done unless I feel I need the protection the brace offers.  My walking sticks will come in handy too.