DeKalb #2: THE Mansion

Becky and I had stumbled onto the grounds of the Isaac Ellwood mansion. He made his fortune in barbed wire. The building behind us is the carriage house -- which now houses a barbed wire museum and a large public space that can be used for special events. There was a luncheon going on during our visit.

Becky and I walked the beautiful grounds -- which are maintained by the DeKalb Parks Department.

The tour was $8 each -- and we were the only two people on it that day. Our personal tour guide, handsome Scott, is a recent graduate of Iowa State University...this view is the back of the house...The three large windows above his head would be the upstairs Grand Ballroom....

This is my best picture of the front of the mansion. I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside (Scott was watching us like a hawk). But we got to see every single room, upstairs and downstairs. I was especially interested in the basement laundry area. Of course, anybody who could afford a mansion had servants...MANY servants...

This sweet little building was built by Mr. Ellwood as a gift to his wife -- so she would have a special place for her "collectibles". (John only WISHES he could move me AND my collectibles to a separate building!)...

AND this little model Victorian house was built by a contractor as a "sample". Mr. Ellwood bought it and put it on his property as a playhouse for his children.(it has always been good to be rich).

There was a gift shop, too. I was surprised there wasn't more barbed wire jewelry. No -- wait...

Becky and I did one selfie before my camera ran out of juie...

WHAT A GREAT DAY WE HAD. I feel like a broken record -- but - if you're not doing this -- having a girlfriend outing every now and then -- YOU SHOULD START. It is like recharging your battery. There is a connection between women friends that just doesn't exist between a man and a woman.

You can be your own true self. No agenda, no pretense, no pressure. Just acceptance and laughter and catching-up. Becky and I weren't together for five minutes before we were talking about the stuff that REALLY MATTERS. How we feel, where we're at in our lives, the joy and disappointments, the fear and the heartache...Nobody "GETS US" like a girlfriend...

This summer, I got an email from a woman who doesn't have girlfriends.  She got married at 20, and she kept saying what a "good man" her husband was.  But now -- her kids are raised and gone -- and she is lonely.  Their lives revolved around his work and his hobbies, and she said "their lifestyle prevented her from developing friendships with other women"...

She was wondering what she could do to "make friends at this stage of my life"?

Beats me.

In my own life, women friends have always been a priority -- and that means spending time together.  It has never been a chore -- IT IS A JOY.  And, if I'm being honest, John was not a fan of my priorities.

If that woman is in her 60's -- and having girlfriends has never been a priority -- it will be hard.  Because other women her age already have a full plate...

I'm just saying...