WEEKEND GUESTS

VILLAGES OF VAN BUREN

THIS WEEKEND WE HAD STAYOVER GUESTS AT OUR HOUSE.  MOM’S GRANDBOYS , NAMED TY AND JACKSON CAME TO VISIT ON SATURDAY.  TY BROUGHT HIS BEAR JEKE.  HE USED TO BELONG TO TY’S DAD WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE BOY…JEKE IS AN OLD BEAR..HE IS 28 YEARS OLD..WOW!  MOM SAID SHE HOPES SHE STILL LOOKS THAT GOOD AT 28…?????...MOM IS DELUSIONAL AT TIMES!

ANYWAY TY DECIDED TO STAY THE NIGHT WITH US AND ON SUNDAY MORNING IT WASN’T A GAZILLION DEGREES OUTSIDE SO WE WENT FOR A LITTLE WALK THROUGH OUR VILLAGE.  THERE ARE SEVEN VILLAGES IN VAN BUREN COUNTY AND WE LIVE IN THE BIGGEST.  WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTY IN IOWA THAT DOES NOT HAVE A STOP LIGHT AND MOST OF OUR INCOME IS FROM TOURIST ACTIVITIES WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.  MOM LIKES LIVING HERE COS IT REMINDS HER OF GERMANY…THIS YEAR COS OF THE HEAT IT REMINDED HER OF ARIZONA.

MOM PUT ME IN MY STROLLER AND WE TOOK OF FOR THE RIVER.  THIS SIGN TELLS THE BOATERS HOW FAR IT IS BETWEEN ONE VILLAGE TO ANOTHER...MOMS CAMERA IS A CHEAPIE SO ITS HARD TO GET CLOSE UPS...TY IS BEING A GOOD SPORT ABOUT PUSHING THE STROLLER WITH ME IN IT!

WE DON'T KNOW WHY THE HOTEL MANNING LOOKS LIKE A FUN HOUSE PICTURE..UM...MAYBE IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE THIS AND WE AREN'T AWARE OF THAT...UM...IT IS RIGHT BESIDE THE RIVER.

THIS IS ME IN THE SWING...I AM NOT ENJOYING IT AT ALL!

TY AND I TAKING A BREAK ON THE PARK BENCH..HE MAY BE SMILING BUT WHAT HE IS SAYING IS, "GRANDMA AREN'T YOU DONE IT!"

THIS IS THE NEW FLOWER MARKET IN TOWN WHERE MOM GETS HER FLOWERS ON SATURDAY...NOTICE THE TEA IN THE STROLLER...WE HAD TO STOP AT THE GAS STATION AND GET SNACKS..I AM REFUSING TO LOOK AT THE CAMERA COS MOM AND TY DID NOT GET ME MY OWN SWEET TEA!!

THIS IS THE FRONT OF OUR HOUSE...IT IS 150 YEARS OLD, WHICH REALLY MEANS ALL THE FLOORS AREN'T LEVEL ANYMORE.  WE HAVE THE OLDEST WINDING STAIRCASE IN TOWN...PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO BUY IT! (THE STAIRCASE) WEIRDO'S ....

THIS IS THE WARDAN PATROLING THE YARD.  HE HAS REALIZED ONE OF US (ME) HAS EXCAPED FROM ALCATRAZ AND HE SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE!  HA!

LATER MOM TOOK TRUDIE FOR HER OWN LITTLE WALK AROUND THE BLOCK..THAT IS AS FAR AS SHE CAN GO COS OF HER BREATHING PROBLEMS..YOU WILL NOTICE NO WHERE IN THESE PICTURES IS MY TUB OF LARD BROTHER TO BE FOUND!  HE WAS LAZYING IT UP IN THE HOUSE WITH DAD!
STELLA ROSE