Tipton: What we did...

After our wonderful breakfast, and a little catching-up visit -- the four of us set out to walk around this charming little Iowa town.

We tried to get the Tipton water tower in our first selfie of the day...

There's a huge bicycle...Tipton is often a stop on RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa).

Tipton is the county seat for Cedar County. So, there's a town square -- you can see the courthouse in the background. They also have a Freedom Rock.

WHICH GAVE ME A GREAT IDEA...Bubba Sorensen's goal is to paint a Freedom Rock for every county in the State of Iowa. I wonder how many of them we can visit this summer?

Every Rock is different. This one featured Herbert Hoover (born in Cedar County)

The Underground Railroad came through here...

Our BEST SELFIE of the day...Good Job, girls!!

Their town square boasts a clock which reminded Lilly of the Tiffany's clock in Grand Central Station.

The abandoned theater, of course, has seen better days.

Lilly found a Tipton rock...

PERFECT!!  This reminds me -- we've got some rock-painting to do!!

We stumbled into an old bank building that is now an art gallery.

The focus was on recycling ordinary things into art...like pop tops from cans

Empty water bottles become a work of art...

old books

Our final stop of the day HAD TO BE THIS LITTLE BAKERY...

This place was actually the REASON WE MET IN TIPTON!!

It's a tiny little one-woman shop which has seating for 6 people. This is where Anne and Sarah come when they need a REALLY GOOD doughnut fix...

AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT..!!  TIFFANY'S DID NOT DISAPPOINT..!!

Lilly chose the Bismark filled with pudding, topped with bacon maple frosting...

Oh, yeah -- this was THE PERFECT ENDING TO THE MOST PERFECT DAY..!!

Thanks again Anne and Sarah!!  We're off to a great start -- and decoratable facemasks are SUCH A GOOD IDEA -- you should be selling them on Amazon!!

I'll post pictures after Lilly paints them...

Road Trip #1: Tipton, Iowa

Lilly and I were off to Tipton, Iowa -- to visit with my young friend, Anne and her daughter, Sarah. The drive was a straight shot west on I-80.

Lilly was the official co-pilot/navigator...and it was a boring job for the Google Maps girl.  (only one turn)...

I may have been to Tipton when I was a kid -- but I don't remember anything about this town...

Anne and Sarah were coming from Cedar Rapids -- and they beat us to the breakfast joint.

We exchanged gifts (a tradition we started many years ago)...I gave Anne a book, some Schmetz needles and some sewing machine oil.  She gave us six designer FACE MASKS...

Anne and Sarah have made over 800 facemasks, and they also sewed dozens of isolation gowns...

I love the way she makes the one-piece, adjustable tie -- and these masks are special.  THEY ARE MEANT TO BE DECORATED...

Of course, we were traveling with a few game options...

This place had Nutella Crepes!! OMG...

With my phone, I'm taking a picture of Sarah taking a picture with her phone.

It was Anne inviting us to meet in Tipton that made me realize ROAD TRIPS are the perfect solution to this year's problematic Grandma Camp.

HAMILTON

So -- TODAY IS THE BIG DAY. We get to watch HAMILTON. Again. This time, it will be from the comfort of our own home...thanks to Disney Plus.  Also, this time, we'll be watching Lin-Manuel Miranda in the starring role...

I was lucky enough to see this wonderful play in Chicago -- TWICE.

The first time, I went with my friend Linda and her daughter Kim.

Lilly was 8 years old, and she became obsessed with the music. She learned every word of every song, and I was so shocked and proud...she sang Hamilton songs in three different talent shows, at the dentist's office, the bank, in restaurants...it was SO MUCH FUN.

So, the second time I saw Hamilton was with LILLY and my friends Jackie, Sandy and Jeff. We took the train to Chicago -- and, well -- it was, without a doubt, one of the BEST days of my life.

Alas, Lilly got over Alexander Hamilton.... And I haven't heard her sing a Hamilton song for over a year...

But that was a very happy time for us...and tonight, for our viewing party, I'll be getting out all our Hamilton paraphanelia...shirts, jackets, pants -- even a purse!!

Oh, yeah -- this is gonna be fun!!

Grandma Camp 2020: Road Trip #1

Okay. Grandma Camp 2020 has officially begun. The date and location of our first road trip was determined by the PEOPLE WE WOULD BE HOOKING UP WITH...

I mean -- every good road trip has to have a PURPOSE. A DESTINATION is what makes it fun...

It was just me and Lilly on this day.  In our new car.  Taking selfies with my new phone...oh, yeah -- this is gonna be fun!

Iowa's only President. Herbert Hoover. Hey -- he has a library not far from here...but that's not our destination.  Altho, I'm definitely gonna put it on the list of possibilities.

In front of our first Visitor's Center of the summer.

Iowa has some VERY IMPRESSIVE Visitor Centers. Sparkling clean, with a janitor on sight, and well stocked with FREE ROAD MAPS...

There is art everywhere...gee, we are a very prosperous State...

Lilly spent the night on Monday. Just Lilly. No Warren for this first Road Trip adventure...(he'll get his turn next week). We woke up at 7:00...and were on the road by 8:00. We stopped at Casey's for our BACON BREAKFAST PIZZA...then we were OFF.

I had an excellent book for us to listen to during our drive. Kristin Hannah, The Great Alone...I knew Lilly would love it...

Our drive will take at least an hour...to a small town I've never visited...to meet some friends coming from the other direction...

*********

P.S. YES, LAURA, I have subscribed to Disney Plus.  TOMORROW WE'RE HAVING A HAMILTON WATCH PARTY..!! 

People -- If you haven't seen Hamilton -- THIS IS YOUR CHANCE.  Disney Plus is only $6.99 per month -- and you can cancel any time.  Even though we don't have a smart TV --  I can hook our television up to the internet with my Amazon Firestick.

The First Porch Party of 2020

Every spring, I look forward to having a porch party to welcome the CHANGE OF SEASONS.

Because of the virus, a lot of things just didn't happen this year. For the last four months, people have missed birthday parties, weddings, vacations, EASTER...

By the time I got around to having my first Porch Party of 2020 -- it was almost July -- and too hot and humid to actually eat out on the porch...ugh...

So, this porch party actually started inside....It was very interesting to compare notes on what everybody has been doing during the pandemic.  Also, we talked about which things are going to stay part of our lives...even after this thing is over....(I'm looking at YOU, Amazon)...

My sister Ronda has been busy letting her hair go back to it's natural color. (she had NO IDEA it was going to be white)...

These are my peeps...Sisters Deena and Ronda, Cal's wife Jeanne and cousin Kim.  Lilly was our official photographer...

I made Mom's summer chicken salad (the one with the green grapes and sweet pickles). And we talked about how our families have been surviving the pandemic. Deena gets the most Grandma Points for doing daily school lessons with her grandkids FOR THREE MONTHS...(none of us could comprehend the "new math").

WE HAD A LOT TO CATCH UP ON...and Lilly helped me get ready for the party, so it was only fair she got to attend.  She sat with us, and contributed to the conversation. She set the table, and got drinks...

We compared notes about our various pandemic activities...and, since it was my party, I provided the entertainment with a Pandemic Fashion Show...

The Pandemic Sewing Show was fun -- but the MAIN EVENT was, of course, the unveiling of my improved, useable basement. Holy Cow...pictures to follow...

And, then, Lilly gave a tour of the artistic new floor in our upstairs bathroom...

We all have dealt with major changes and attitude adjustments during this difficult time.  Some good -- others kind of disappointing.  And -- hey -- ain't that just life, people??

It was good to talk about it from a silver lining kind of perspective....and I think that's the key to this thing.  Hang on to the good -- and let the disappointments fall away.

That Frozen girl had it right....just LET IT GO....