These are the Days of our lives...

The Padget Family Reunion was held in Floris, Iowa and Mom and I went.  I picked up my Mom in Rushville and we traveled to Floris via Keokuk.  We had a beautiful day for traveling.   Davis County Court House and Mom Mom and I went to see Grandpa and Grandma Padget's grave in Floris.  I was glad that I had been there the week before with Connie and we had cleaned them up. Mom looking at her parents grave.  Not many attended the family reunion.  I would like to go again next year.  It will be on September 11, 2011. Wilmer and Edith Padget had 10 children.  Uncle Don is the only one living.  Aunt Jean was there too.  She said Uncle Charles has been gone 13 years. Mom and Uncle Don Padget   LaBerta, Mom, Hilldred, Hannah (Aunt Reba's daughters)    Standing: Betty Covert, Bill Covert's wife Sitting: Aunt Jean, Shirley Padget, LeRoy's wife; Pat Covert, Floyd's wife  Jack Kirby, Hannah's husband, Bill Covert, Reva'a son, Bill

On the way home from the Padget Reunion, Mom and I stopped in Eldon to see the American Gothic Home where Grant Wood painted his famous painting.  Connie and I had stopped there years ago when we were on the way to Tom Arnold and Rosanne Barr's house. Anyway, that is a different story..... Connie and I stopped at the post office in Eldon.  The postmaster said that he lived in the house and asked us if we would like to see his collection of pottery.  How crazy was this, we met him at the house and went inside.  We were really trusting.  He had a beautiful collection of a special kind of pottery that I had never heard of, but it was impressive.  He showed us clothes on the back porch that people can borrow to have their picture in to look like the old man and women. They have built a Welcome Center that is very nice and has a lot of history of the house and Grant Wood. Did you know that the picture models were father and daughter? Mom and I had the guide take our picture

We were lucky to be home for the City of Moline Employee Softball game.  Mike got to play on the retired Firefighters team.  He caught.  I wasn't surprised that he could squat, but I was surprised that he could get back up again! Chris played on Mike's team.  We did not have very many spectators.  But I am not sure if they came to talk or to watch the game.  Front row: Trudy and John Knaack, Mike Ducey, Debbie Ducey Back row: Trudy Green and I am not sure.  Jeff and Pam Miller, Lynn Strandlund and Michelle Vize   Colin, Jeff and Pam's Grandson I don't need to say who won.  It was not the older team. After the game, we hung out in the parking lot with some of the other firefighters and their wives.  Just like old times. Lynn and Mike Strandlund, Bill Gramling, Ed and Michelle Vize Michelle Vize, Gary Mattis, Rick Jewell, Jeff Miller Norma Jewell, Michelle Vize, Gary Mattis, Kelly Jewell, Rick Jewell, Ed Vize, Bill Gramling Lynn an

My brother Scott and his wife, Sherry, could not attend the family party at Todd's so I invited them to come to the motor home for dinner.  My Brother Tony and his wife, Susan, was coming the next day.  My Brother, Bob and his wife, Jean, had been in Iowa and left August 30th. So I got to see all my siblings except Bob.  I will be spending the winter near Globe, so I hope to see them often. It was a little cool and it was fun to see how many people you can fit in our motor home.  Not as many as a phone booth.  We even had one seat left. Melinda, Todd, Scott, Mike, Sherry Lizzy, Deb, Laura, Connie, Donna, Dad, Andrew Donna and Dad.  Oops there's Andrew! Andrew, Laura and Lizzy having fun. Deb, Laura, Connie.  Oops, Andrew shows up everywhere! Connie, Todd, Laura, Scott, Deb. Brother Bob and Brother Tony are missing. Taken from the Archives.  Brother Bob in Globe.  He really looks like Tony. Tony and Susie came to Todd's the next day!

While we were taking a trip down Memory Lane, we stopped by three cemeteries.  Dad, Donna and Todd are on the board for the Mars Hill Church.  It is a log church out in the country.  It was vandalized and burnt a few years ago and it has been fully restored.  My brother, Todd and Melinda were married there. This is taken through the window. Check out the awesome reflection of the tombstones. We cleaned up my Grandpa and Grandma Padget's grave and my Uncle Carl and Donna's at the cemetery in Floris. I try to stop by once a year. This is where Mike and I want to be buried. It is so peaceful. You can hear the cows mooing. The flowers were faded, but still intact.  When I come back in the spring, I will bring new flowers. We miss them every day! We stopped by Sherman Chapel where my Dad and Donna are going to be buried. They had the stone set last year. It is cool that they have the children's names listed on the back. As a child Connie and I used to go to chu

We left Rushville on Thursday, September 2nd and headed to Ottumwa, Iowa to see my Dad, Les, step-mother, Donna and my brother's and sister.  We had dinner at Dad and Donna's new apartment in the high rise in Ottumwa.  I am sure they will not mind me telling their ages.  Dad was 85 on February 9, 2010 and Donna was 80 on August 8, 2010.  They know so many people in the highrise and are enjoying life.  Dad frequents McDonalds and Walmart to have coffee with his buddies.  We went sight seeing with Donna on Friday and went past Grandpa and Grandma Padget's old farm. Connie and I have so many happy memories from "down on the farm." Soap Creek Bridge.  I remember when it was two planks going across it with small boards in the middle. Soap Creek where Uncle Les, Connie and I would go swimming. The old barn is still standing.  There is two hay lofts with a drive through in the middle. A pulley system pulled came from the Cupola on top of the barn down to