Muscatine -- Here We Come!!

I asked Lilly and Warren to pose for a picture at our Weed Lake gazebo...they were in good spirits -- we just enjoyed a Kwik-Star breakfast...and it was a stunningly beautiful day.

We were OFF -- to the unknown city of Muscatine, Iowa. (about a 60 minute drive).

Our first stop (and the only thing I had planned for SURE) -- was going to be the National Pearl Button Museum at the History and Industry Center in downtown Muscatine.

From their website:

 The Gold Rush of the Midwest It wasn’t gold, it wasn’t silver, it was mother of pearl. Shells taken from rivers of 19 states around Iowa were shipped to Muscatine by railcar bargeloads to make 1.5 billion buttons annually.

Museums haven't been our first choice this summer.  For one thing -- THEY ARE MOSTLY CLOSED...

But this one was a very pleasant surprise...and sooo well done!!

Lilly and Warren both read about the history of making pearl buttons from clam shells.

There were several stations where the kids were encouraged to do hands-on things...

Like -- this paddle is actually a button-counter!!  Imagine how long it would take to count out exactly 144 buttons of this small size...

There was an interesting 6 minute movie, and many wonderful photographs that showed how this "industry" worked.  For decades...

The fisherman brought in the clams, and, in large outdoor camps, the women and children steamed them open...then, in alley's and homes -- the men cut out the button blanks...

Everybody in the family would be involved...and sewing the buttons onto the cards was done at home, often by older women or young children.

I'm afraid Warren wouldn't have made much money for the family...

Day Trips and Convenience Store Wars

You've gotta wonder how the children of the world are going to remember 2020...

I'm hoping Lilly and Warren remember it as the "Year of the Road Trips"...

Last week, I picked up the kids on Friday -- and suggested we hang around the house and work on some projects.

Lilly lamented, "Grandma, Warren and I have been in the house for seven days...we haven't seen anybody, we haven't done anything, we haven't gone anywhere..."

Check.  I hear you....Okay....Roadtrip. Again. AND I'M FINE WITH THAT...

So, we got out our Iowa Map -- and reviewed our options...

The colored line represents a 90-mile radius...and the town we picked this week was Muscatine

Our first stop was Casey's Convenience Store in Princeton, Iowa. Gas was $1.88...LET'S GO...

To quote Warren, "We are Kwik Star people"...so we went to a SECOND convenience store to pick up our road trip breakfast.

Kwik-Star is AMAZING...so many wonderful choices...

Their baked goods are delicious, and reasonably priced.

EVERY DAY -- they have bananas, potatoes and onions for 39 cents a pound!!

And -- are you ready? FREE ATMS....I haven't been to my bank for over a year...

They have fresh hamburger...taco meat, bacon...

They have their own dairy farms in Wisconsin -- so their dairy case is ALWAYS FULL...get this -- a gallon of milk is $1.69

AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ABOUT THEIR COFFEE..

Fresh fruit, cheese curds, yogurt

But, really -- the kids are ALL ABOUT THE DONUTS...

Perhaps the VERY BEST THING about Kwik-Star is their fabulous, big, sparkling restrooms!! Honestly...I cannot say enough about their beautiful, State-of-the-ART restrooms...They have four stalls, a baby-changing area, and a full-length mirror...

There is a light switch on the wall that says, "if this bathroom needs attention, please notify us by flipping this switch..."

Go, Kwik-Star!  Its a great way to start any Road Trip...

My intention was to stop at beautiful West Lake, just outside of Davenport, where we'd eat our breakfast overlooking the water. Turns out, they drained the lake last year...so this was our "view"

The kids called it "Weed Lake"...

But we didn't care. It was a beautiful day, and we had the place all to ourselves...

BACON PIZZA...seriously...

Sitting in that gazebo, I said something to the kids that I say all the time...

"There's no place I'd rather be...and there's nobody I'd rather be with..." And you will not believe what we found in Muscatine, Iowa...!!

Kim's Porch Party

We've been very lucky this summer -- to have some cool days in between the usual HOT AS HELL Iowa July weather. Cousin Kim's birthday last week was an unusually cool day -- PERFECT for her surprise Birthday Party on the porch..

Cousin Kim, Sisters Ronda and Deena...

It was a STUNNER of a summer day...cool with a wonderful breeze (yes, there were sheets out on the line)...My menu for lunch was basically the same as the MDF lunch (Kim's birthday was the next day)....except I made Porketta sandwiches (using ciabatta buns)...

OMG -- delicious!! Thanks again, Mary and Nancy (and the State of Minnesota) for providing me with the Porketta knowledge and spices. I cut the roast myself, and rolled the spices in -- then tied it up...and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD...sooo tasty and tender.

Kim, of course, got a set of new sheets for her bed...complete with beautiful embroidered pillow cases somebody had been saving for her for about 50 years...

Ronda and Deena got some sewing accessories I picked up during my recent visits to Quilting In The Valley (LaSalle, Illinois)

Then, our mission was to go through two boxes of Mother's recipes...This one (barely legible) is for her famous "Mahagony Chiffon Cake"

You've gotta wonder why, after it was so discolored and destroyed -- she decided to put it in a recipe protector?  I mean -- AT THAT POINT? Why not just write out a new one, Mom??

Ronda and Deena both have daughters who well remember their Grandma Little....and I thought the girls should have her recipes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Kim...!!

Carol's Last Gift

The gift of the MDF is that these women totally understand the meaning of LIVING IN THE MOMENT.

 

Sandy's husband died when he was 52 years old, Sue recently lost her only daughter to cancer, and Evie lost the love of her life when he was only 55. Those kind of losses change the way you look at life....and their perspective has really helped me get through this pandemic.

Our trip to New York City.....is when I really bonded with these women...

In 2009, some of us struggled to PAY for that trip. And we had an expensive, WONDERFUL lunch at Tavern On The Green -- even though it was more money for one meal that we usually spent in a week...

At that lunch -- I took these pictures -- and afterwards, started calling them the MDF...(My Drinking Friends)...

Last November,  we lost Carol to pancreatic cancer.

Last fall,  Carol came wearing a turban. We knew she was sick...but she had so much hope...

Losing Carol blew a giant hole into the MDF, that's for sure. But -- losing her also made us realize how important it is to enjoy every moment...because nobody is promised tomorrow.

The Artsy Fartsy Cushion

When the MDF came for lunch the other day, my menu was right out of a 1950's cookbook:

• Popovers
• homemade ham salad (using bologna)
• Helen's Italian potato salad
• orange jello salad
• watermelon (which I forgot to put on the table, but I'm counting it anyway...)
• and my new favorite thing: LEMON ICEBOX PIE..!!

We had a wonderful time...(I'll tell you about the entertainment in another post.)

But -- right now -- I'm going to share my one little artsy-improvement...

Remember those Permanent Markers we've been playing with?

We've used them to decorate masks, and floor tiles...

THIS is definitely something the MDF lives by...

It occurred to me that my porch chair cushions really are BORING...

So, one night, while watching television -- I more or less doodled on a cushion...

And this is what happened...

My Credo..."Most days, you don't know your good luck from your bad..."

Summer Lunches...

Hey -- THERE'S A VIRUS -- I get it. I get it. YOU KNOW I GET IT.

I have a handsome collection of facemasks...and I have become a master at practicing social distancing.

But, early on -- I decided I was not going to put my life on hold.  So, even though our choices have been VERY limited...and I avoid large parties and I've given up looking for new guys in busy bars -- I have been getting together with my family and friends in the place where I feel most safe....

On my own screened-in porch...

So -- it's been a very busy summer -- and the porch has NEVER LOOKED BETTER -- or BEEN BUSIER...

The BEST time on the porch is in the morning -- when the hummingbirds are all coming for breakfast.  But, late in the day -- as the sun moves -- the porch benefits from the shade our mature trees provide...

The other day I made --well -- OF COURSE -- POPOVERS..!!  I'm telling you -- it's a wonderful thing to have a "signature dish"...

A few weeks ago, we had Elliott's birthday party on the porch, and Lilly decided we needed a tablecloth. I love it...

But, today was 90 degrees and humid...so I also had a Plan B...

Although we started on the porch -- with a bottle of wine -- we moved inside for lunch, to enjoy the air-conditioning...

These girls are my trusty MDF....My Drinking Friends. (Sandy, Sue and Evie).  We've been hanging out for a long time -- and I have WONDERFUL memories of our 2009 trip to New York City.

For many years, we'd get together once a month or so for lunch. At a restaurant, or in each other's homes. But since the pandemic hit -- without even discussing it -- we stepped up our game...and we "lunch" almost every week. (although I won't order steak again, after I realized none of them could do the Heimlich).

Last week, Lilly joined us for our fancy restaurant lunch at Rastrelli's...

When her Mom asked if she had a good time, Lilly said, "they were so nice, Mom...and I got a lot of compliments..."

Because none of them sew -- they act like everything I do and make is MAGICAL.  lol...

The MDF had already seen the new bathroom floor...which they all RAVED about (Lilly is right about their compliments)....but I had one additional little creative surprise for them on this day...