University of IA football game and More tailgating

Tailgating was fun both before and after the game--even though Iowa lost the game. After being ahead for three quarters, they had some turnovers in the 4th quarter and Northwest ended up winning 23-17.

Tailgating in Iowa City

We left Lena, IL, and drove to Iowa City to meet up with Scott & Dianne Pickford and Jimmy & Becky Buxton for the weekend and to go to a Univ. of IA football game. Since Jimmy and Becky live in Iowa City, they had arranged for us to park our RV in a university parking lot so we could tailgate before and after the game.

Last Few Days at Lena KOA

Although we forgot to take pictures, we had a fun last few days in Lena. 

On Tuesday, Roger golfed with Stan Bruegger, and I went to Galena with Jackie Bruegger. (friends from McNess in Freeport where Roger used to work) In Galena, we shopped, had lunch, and found C.C. Dithers where my friend Cathy Boldt (wife of a friend of Ellen's from high school) works. I bought a very unique pair of capris in Cathy's store.

Tuesday night, we went out to Coaches in Lena for pizza with Jeff and Cathy Boldt.  We bumped into Kathy Aurand Diaz and her husband Dan and son Zachary (Kathy is a high school friend of Ellen's sister)

Wednesday, Roger got up early and golfed with Steve Smith (friend from Freeport) in Freeport. I slept in and had a lazy morning. Then Roger came back for a few minutes and then left to golf with Jim Graham (friend from Freeport) in Lena. While Roger was gone, I prepared a guest lecture I am giving for a Univ of Nebraska professor. When Roger got back, we went into Stockton to see my Aunt Glenda and get ice cream. 

Wednesday night, we had dinner at Rafters with Jim and Deb Graham. Before we left to meet Jim and Deb, we learned that a San Antonio neighbor, Bernetta Haden, was at Apple Canyon Lake, which is about 20 miles from our campground. She invited us to come out for a visit, but since it was our last night and we already had plans, we were unable to meet up with her. Nevertheless, it was quite a coincidence that we almost met up with our San Antonio neighbor while we were in Illinois!

Right now, it is about 12:30 on Thursday afternoon. Check out time is noon, and we are a little late, but will leave in a few minutes and head to Iowa City. Hopefully we'll get back in our picture-taking mode there!

Sue and Greg

On Sunday, Sept. 21, we watched the Bears lose in overtime at my Ellen's brother Ryan's house. Then we went to a couple of parks in Freeport and out for ice cream with our friend Sue Fredel and her boyfriend, Greg.

Family CookOut

On Saturday night after the Alumni Breakfast, we had a family cookout at our RV. Four of my brothers and their wives were there plus my one brother's five-year-old stepson. The weather was absolutely perfect and we had fun roasting hotdogs and marshmallows with sticks--just like when we were kids!

More Alumni Breakfast and Stockton Museum

Since Ellen is the chairman of the Alumni Breakfast Committee, she was interviewed by both the local newspaper and the local radio station. The picture shows her being interviewed by the radio station.

After we left the Breakfast, we stopped by the Stockton Museum, which was quite fun and interesting. The large Kraft sign is in the museum because Kraft Foods was started in Stockton, IL....Ellen's little hometown that has only recently reached the 2000 census count. 

Ellen was quite pleased to discover that her high school year is too "current" to have her yearbook included in the museum. It is nice not to be considered museum-worthy just yet!

Homecoming Game and Alumni Breakfast

On Friday, Sept. 19th, we went to the Stockton Homecoming game. The team is not having a good year, so even though we did not win, we were able to celebrate the first score of the season!

On Saturday morning, we were at the high school at 7:00 a.m. to set up for the 4th annual Stockton Alumni Breakfast, which was held in the school gym. The first picture shows Ellen talking to Mary Stayner who helped Ellen gather the door prizes and pull the event together. The second picture shows Ellen with the door prizes table. The third picture shows a general shot at the event. The fourth picture shows Ellen calling door prize numbers. The fifth picture shows Mary taking pictures of the alumni attendees' names from the graduation year timeline.

Homecoming Parade

On Thursday, after we left Karl's place, we went to the Stockton homecoming parade with our friends Jeff and Cathy Boldt.

After the parade, we went to the pep rally in the gymnasium, and watched Jeff and Cathy's son in the junior class skit. 

After the pep rally, we went out to Jeff and Cathy's house for a weiner roast under a beautiful sky full of stars.

Stockton Antique John Deere Tractor Museum

Karl's collection of antique tractors is amazing. He has several barns full of them. Parker loves climbing into the seats and "driving" all of them!

Karl's Cabin and Pond

On Thursday, Sept. 18th, we visited Ellen's brother Karl's cabin and pond. The pictures show his grandson Parker letting two turtles loose into the pond and sitting on the porch.

After we left the cabin and pond, we visited one of Karl's barns full of antique John Deere tractors. The last picture shows Parker and Ellen in the middle of the barn.

Dinner with the Ellsworths and Shields

On Monday, Sept. 15th, we were planning to have two of Ellen's classmates, Lynette and Janet, and their husbands for a cookout at our campsite. But, the ongoing rain put an end to that plan. We switched the dinner from outside to inside and from our campsite to Lynette and Dick's lovely new home.

A day or two later, Roger snapped this picture of the camper next to us. If you look closely, you  will see that the driver isn't exactly human. It doesn't take a special license to drive an RV, but having your dog drive might be taking it a little too far!

This week, we spent a lot of time collecting door prizes for the Alumni Breakfast that is coming up on Sept. 20th. I (Ellen) did the initial canvassing with Mary Stayner, another person on the Alumni Breakfast Committee. The, Roger and I did a lot of going back to recheck and/or collect.

Cannova's Dinner

On Wednesday, Sept. 10th, we ate at Cannova's Italian restaurant (our favorite Freeport restaurant) with Steve Erin, Steve Smith and Janaan Smith (friends from Freeport), and Louanne Vedra Glisan (friend from Freeport and also our sister-in-law)

Sightseeing and Visitors

On the way home from Ryan and Lana's house, we stopped at the Blackhawk Monument--an Indian war marker near where Ellen grew up.

On Tuesday, Sept. 10th, we went into Freeport and checked out a couple of changes since we lived in Freeport: Little Cubs Field and the Lincoln/Douglas debate site. Although the debate site was marked with this statue when we lived in Freeport, the area has been changed into a nice little park.

On Tuesday night, Jim Graham (friend from Freeport), stopped by our RV. On Wednesday afternoon, Steve Erin (friend formerly from Freeport, now from California) arrived in the area. 

Nephew Karver's Workplace

On Tuesday, we also went to my nephew, Karver's, workplace--a quarry/rock cutting facility. The huge cutters and rocks were amazing and almost frightening!