Happy Birthday to Me

I'm 77 today!

Amy took this picture last May at Mother's Day lunch with my kids.

They asked me what I wanted for my birthday.

A bubble bath.

 A spa treatment.

 Chicken Tortilla Soup Supper

and

empty shoeboxes.

Shoeboxes?

Blake and I are about to launch into our part of the

JOPPA Christmas Celebration for 400 homeless

folks in Des Moines. Each party-goer will receive a shoebox

containing $10 worth of gift cards from Hy-Vee or fast food places,

and another $10 worth of bus tokens, thick socks, flashlights,

hand warmers, duct tape, lip balm, hand sanitizer, or small

packs of tissues. Christmas wrapped in empty

shoeboxes collected from friends and neighbors.

We're doing 15 boxes.

Delivering on December 16.

For one who doesn't need more stuff,

 this is a fun way

to become 77.

Senior Night at Valley

It was too cold for Grandpa Al and me to attend the last game of the season.
 Valley trounced the North Polar Bears so they ended the season as #1.
 Now for the Playoffs.

Meanwhile, we have a picture to toss onto the blog.

Tradition has Senior football players walking across the field with their parents at half-time.

It's a one last time thing, a source of pride...and we are all proud of Blake for his

solid and winning performance as a middle linebacker. Last night, he even managed a touchdown!!

Double Date for Homecoming Dance/Party

 

 

After dinner with 30 classmates at a home, these four went off to the Homecoming Dance.

I don't know the couple on the left but that's Blake sitting in the pink shirt and red tie.

His date is Jacey...standing behind him.

 

Blake at Cedar Rapids

Blake's tackles turned the Cedar Rapids game around...

from Valley losing 14-7 at 3rd quarter to Valley winning 28-14.

Blake's in a Sack

 

 

 #21. That's our guy.

The Des Moines Register let us have this picture.

The best way for me to track him on the field

are his signature orange shoes.

 

Hunter's Moving On!

Love texting.

Receiving pictures.

We're not there but can see what's happening.

Hunter's moving into his dorm room with a high school buddy.

Friley Hall.

 

 

Last Rose of Summer

We spent some time at the Rose Garden

 where Landon could play Pokémon Go on his computer.

I followed the butterflies and bees in the garden.

 

Too much magnification but just wanted to show my busy bee.

 

Summertime...and the living is fishy

I'm a "Poolie."

That's what Becky Blackman, the pool manager,

calls those of us who volunteer to help her check the quality

 of the water in our West Park pool.

Every weekday at 5 p.m., I enter the code to the mechanical room,

read the meter and write the numbers in the big yellow book.
Water is checked by "Poolies" four times a day.

Landon says he is growing his hair to look like a surfer dude.

Landon spent a few days in the pool this summer

 One day, the numbers looked off so I texted Becky.

 She headed to the pool and saw that the chlorine line had gone dry.

I was rewarded with a text, "Excellent volunteering!!!"

Who knew something so simple could bring me such pleasure!
Retirement.



 

And They're Off!

 

Dave, Hunter, Paulina, and Grandpa Al are heading west.

Sioux City to Sioux Falls for the first leg, then Rapid City

where G Al's sister, Kathy, lives. She and Jeff will give these Iowans a

home for four nights while they explore the surrounding neighborhood.

 

 

Hunter planned this trip but Dave will do the driving, given Hunter's

arm in a sling after surgery on some muscles that he threw out of whack while lifting weights.

The Underwood Boys are Busy

Blake is in Hawaii with his buddy, Cael, and Cael's family...

on the island of Kawaii, to be exact.

Finger-Licking Delicious food truck.

Best beach he's ever seen, says Blake. I guess that takes out Siesta Key in Florida...




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 Meanwhile, back home, Hunter is recovering from shoulder surgery.

He is being patient.

 

 

 

Birthday Treat to Share

Allen is now 77! We went off to Bravo! for dinner to celebrate on the patio overlooking Jordan Creek's manmade lake. The weather was perfect...a breezy 85 degrees.

And the warm sponge cake was topped with gelato and fresh berries.

Way to top off a beautiful day!

 

Happy Birthday, Al!

 

 

Going to Church

OK, so it's Cathedral Rock near Sedona, Arizona.

 Where the Jerdees spent time on Sunday.

Now they're on the way to the Grand Canyon,

 the focus of this summer's family vacation.

 

 

Remember When?

Sarasota. About fifteen years ago...

Long ago and faraway, Adam and I worked as a team producing magazine stories.

In this photographed moment, we were styling and writing a shopping story

on Main Street in downtown Sarasota, Florida.

 

OK, so I'm sitting in my rocking chair,

looking back through pictures of the past.

A rather fun armchair travel.

Last of the Lilies

Turns out, the class flower for the 2019 Class of Valley High School is the Tiger Lily.

It said so in Hunter's Commencement Program.

Who knew? I chose them for Hunter's party because Valley's colors are orange and black

and they call their teams the Tigers.

The party's over; here are the last of the fading flowers.

 

They ended up on my kitchen counter, perfect for the family breakfast the following am.

 

Hunter Graduating

Part of graduating from Valley High School is throwing a party

 for family and friends.

 Hunter graciously greeted everyone at the Glen Oaks' clubhouse.

I'm guessing about 200 people attended the Ice Cream Bar
and the venue was busy with the sounds of happy people.

My part in preparing for the celebration was assembling table bouquets.

 

Cinco de Mayo

Hunter and Paulina treated us all to a feast of handmade burritos, tacos, churros, guacamole and all the trimmings. We dressed up for the occasion!

Poor Dave was in Connecticut for work so he missed it.

Maybe next year for Cinco II...

 

 

It's That Kind of Day

The Adam Jerdees are having a slow stroll

through the inside of the Minnesota Zoo today.

Staying warm, taking it easy...

Like this guy lying on a comfy branch.

 

 

We Have A Winner!

Blake stepped up to the podium again,

 this time in 4th place over last year's 8th place.

 

Blake stepped up to fourth place in 3A schools.

Mom and Dad with their winner!

Grand March of 1A, 2A, and 3A winners. A sea of fans made it impossible to single out Blake.

Family fans from West Des Moines, Ollie, Runnells, and Waterloo

 

Back to Wells Fargo Arena!

Blake qualified for Iowa's State Wrestling Finals again and

we're all going to the arena to watch him score another award.

He earned one in 2018, pictured here.

 

 

I have my fan shirt ready for the Finals on Saturday night!

 

 

Snow Day

We've been waiting until now for snowfall that amounts to something measureable.

The perfect day to put on a new pair of boots and crunch around in what seems to be about 2.5 inches. Although our sidewalks are shoveled for us,

I felt the urge to push the soft, white blanket myself.

 

 

I won't push the snow from the deck floors...it's too pretty this way.

Blake scored a #1 ranking in wrestling

Ames was the Saturday site for the latest wrestling tournament.

 Blake wrestled at his 170 lb. weight and won first place. 

 6.6 minutes.

 Yep, pinning all four opponents.

And, his Valley Tigers team won first place.

 

The Valley Tigers wrestling team.    Blake is the one wearing his signature white in the back row.

 

Another version of the team. Blake in white