BUSY in Iowa

That's Gary (Gregg's brother) and Judy's whole family gathered together for their 50th Wedding anniversary weekend. Big party. Lots of fun.



Gregg with his Grandpa's '55 Chevy. We took it to a car show in Le Mars, Ice Cream Capital of the World.










Hay rakes make the BEST photographic subjects...








The Schindel Family farm. Three Schindel families living here when we are here. Gregg grew up here.

Cowboy the gorgeous farm Collie

Gary is training this pretty white filly -Bing's Blanca - 2 years old.

Beautiful to see him work her out in the yard outside our RV window.

This twin was abandoned by its mother who favored the other so we get to feed her. She finishes that huge bottle in no time flat and begs for more.

9:40 at night on the longest day of the year, June 21st.

Gregg managed to get 5 of his high school classmates and spouses together for a cookout.

Got to see our Prescott friend Mary Mordino who was in town for a High School Reunion in Le Mars. She's waving from the float in the Ice Cream Days Parade.

Mary and I had a dream of meeting up in Iowa some day to eat together at Bob's Drive In (there since 1949), home of The Bob Dog...we did it!!!

Omaha Dance Recitals and Soccer Tournament

The post we had never wanted to make...

Afternoon burglary in a city campground in Omaha - NP Dodge Park. Lost a lot of stuff (bike, computer, camera, electronics, check books) but it could have been worse. They missed a lot and apparently left in a hurry since they left our printer and a frozen pork roast in the living room.

Now we know, to avoid burglary, it is better to:
- park near other campers rather than be isolated.
- park in the center of a campground, rather than against a woods.
- have an alarm system.
- don't become complacent


Lessons:
- hide valuables well, just in case.
- back up computer files.
- be able to retrieve and quickly change all passwords.
- have records of valuables, when purchased and purchase price.
- have pictures of insides of cabinets so you can recall what was in them.






We learned most RV burglary entries are by broken window, not jimmied door locks like ours. We are lucky to now be at Gregg's brother's farm in Iowa where we can wait, unlocked, for the 2 weeks it will take to get the door locks replaced.

Memorial Day weekend

Memorial Day Eve in the beautiful Shelby, NE cemetery.

Grandpa and Jake on Memorial Day morn.

(Jake paid us a compliment. "You guys look old but you seem so young, like in your twenties, because you go so many places.")

Josh, drummer in the high school band.

Nick and Jordie.

Jordie helps her Grandma plant flowers.

Brandon, master chef.

Brandon and Katie.

One of our very favorite campgrounds at Brandon and Katie's - see us in there? We were here a week and saw the corn grow every day.

Watching and waiting for the forecast golf-ball sized hail. Lucky we only got the pebble-sized and few of them.

Nebraska - Grandkid Land

This is the farm where Brandon, Katie and Jordie live. Beautiful.

These're the guys...most of whom work part-time at the steakhouse down the road from home. Nick, Jake, Brandon and Josh.

These're the girls most of whom also work part-time at the steakhouse ...Katie, Jordie and Michelle.

This is the star of the show...
Jordie, almost 14 months old.







Always on the go, usually smiling and laughing. Talks up a storm in her own language but several words are now understandable.

She likes giving kisses.
Loves to eat...

loves to explore ...

loves the RV and its gadgets and hiding places.

Another leg of this journey completed...

We are now in Nebraska, on our way to Grandkid-land ...
We've covered 6,500 miles in 3 months in 16 states. Still having a great time.

Chaparral High School graduation - Class of 2010, Parker, CO - the throwing of the streamers. They aren't allowed to throw caps there.

Brother Bill and Sister-in-Law Lisa. Graduate Molly had had enough of looking into the sun for dozens of photos by this time...

Nephew Alex, Molly, niece Amy and her fiance Justin

Molly was such a celebrity, we flocked around her for photos. You can see how late in the day it was getting and how hard it was for all the photographees to look into that sun.

One of my favorite cats ever - Daisy. Soft as a bunny.

This is the Columbine High School memorial in Littleton, CO, memorializing the April 1999 shootings and deaths of 13 students/faculty. Very nicely done. Plaques with quotes from students, family, faculty are very stirring and make you remember, think and have concern about the future.

My sister Jeri almost blowing away in the winds of the Rockies Front Range.

Bill, Jeri, Alex and I, in true Blakslee fashion,

did a lot of yard-sale-ing in Parker. Treasures galore! Shopping for infant clothing for Alex's baby-to-soon-be and for P.E.O. bag sales for both Jeri's IL chapter and my Prescott chapter. But maybe my favorite part of yard sales is finding the young entrepreneurs and their lemonade stands...I love those kids!