Friday - October 2

 

 Chilly morning....Mark and Big Red went into town to get Flo's propane tank filled at Love's.   I sorted laundry and left for town in Ruby.   Stopped at Dollar Tree for a few things and then met Claire at Biaggi's for lunch.    What a big surprise to see my cousin Dick and Mary there.   They are in town for a wedding tonight.    

Dick and Mary

Claire and I had a lot to catch up on - she and Mike just returned from a 2 week river cruise in France.   So....we yakked and yakked and 3.5 hours later....we said our good byes (with leftovers) and hugs.    We'll get together in Florida in January.

Excellent pumpkin creme' brulee which we shared

 

Claire and Pat catching up!!!

On home.    Mark and I loaded up the car, I changed clothes and off to the laundromat in Normal to do 3 loads.   And finally on home.    It was a gorgeous fall day - perfect for a wedding!    

Enjoyed some leftovers for supper....

Have a great weekend!

Thursday - October 1

 Another fun day....we left home around 8:30 stopping at Holy Cross Cemetery to visit Patrick's gravesite.   Then to Starbucks to pick up coffees for Donna Rae and me.    We had a 2 hour visit with her at Westminster Village - what a delight she is at 94.    She is in the midst of writing her memoirs and so enjoyed hearing about her growing up years and at this point, she's just starting high school.    What a treasure this will be for her children, grands, and great grands    And then bye bye and hugs for our dear friend.

Mark, Donna Rae, Pat

Then to Anne's to drop off some stuff (including the printer) and visit for a bit.   She was working from home so we didn't stay too long.   We'll see her again Saturday.

Last stop was Chili's to meet long-ago neighbors John and Linda.    They moved to the country in 1984 and now selling their beautiful home and property and downsizing back in Bloomington.    Always enjoy our time together and so much to yak about!   Hope to see them in May in their new home.

Us with John and Linda

So, 2 long leisurely visits with our former neighbors (Donna Rae, John and Linda) were so much fun!

The rain that was predicted kept missing us and we just got some sprinkles.   We walked around KK and met a couple from Colorado who had just arrived and were out walking.    They came from Minnesota visiting friends and now on their way to Titusville, FL for the winter.    They had the neatest British accents.

The rain finally started around 7:15 and wow...really came down along with strong winds!

Wednesday - September 30

 Another month almost gone - where oh where did September go???    Now down to our last 3 months of 2026!

Icky rainy day....and a good one to hit another new coffee shop for us thanks to Allie and Owen's recommendation.    This one is Four30 Scones in Morton.    The couple who own it were married on April 30th and have 4 daughters.   It's in an old service station that's been totally remodeled and big windows to watch the gals making scones in the kitchen.    So many choices of scones - Mark had the lemon blueberry and I had lemon raspberry - delish along with our coffees.    We sat for a while enjoying our treats and I-pads as the rain came down.

Decided we could drive to East Peoria early and walk at Costco and get some steps.    So, what a surprise to walk inside and NO one was checking out where there's usually LONG lines.    We didn't buy a thing but just walked up and down every aisle.   Then we left, got some gas for Ruby and onto The 520 Cafe a few miles away.   We met Jane, Allie and Owen for lunch - new place for all of us and popular.    We had a nice round table and sat and yakked while enjoying our lunches.   So good to be with them,   Said our good byes (hate good byes especially when we don 't know for sure when we'll be together again)!

Mark, Pat, Jane, Allie, Owen 

Last stop was Braker's Market in Eureka for some meals - all made in house and so good.  They were very busy - while I browsed around, Mark took a nap in Ruby.   It's definitely a good day for a nap!

Mark got a notice that our new printer had been delivered to KK - Micci was waiting with the big box in her arms when we came in past the office.    We bought another one not too long ago, but it wasn't a good fit in Flo - works much better on Catrina.    So, we'll store that one at Anne's till we can use on Catrina and will be one less thing to transfer from home to home.   Mark got it all set up and we're good to go.  

 There's an Airstream across from us here from Alaska, so that's definitely a new state.

Tuesday - September 29

 Wow, we reached 82 today!    Summer is not over yet!    We worked outside between Ruby and Big Red organizing our stuff before leaving next week.....rain is in the forecast for the next 3 days.    Then we left at 10:30 for Bloomington to meet Marlys for lunch at Egg Republic.    Marlys cried, I cried and we had a 2 hour, 15 minute visit over delicious patty melts (all of us) that she had recommended.    Marlys' long-time friend since the 1960s and our friend for a long time passed away July 5th.   Paul was 90 and such a great guy - our kids went to school together and Paul's wife Margie was a dear friend (she passed away in 2015).    We shared many stories and memories with laughs and tears.    It was a bittersweet visit but so glad we could get together.    Hoping to meet in Florida this winter.

Pat, Marlys, Mark

Stopped at HyVee, Dollar Tree and Binny's and on home.    Quiet afternoon with our I-pads and then after supper, walked around the campground.   New Mexico is a new state.

Monday - September 28

 Absolutely gorgeous day - love fall especially out in the country and KK is in the heart of harvesting as we are surrounded by corn and bean fields!    We were off to town with a stop at WalMart and then met the Monday morning group at House of Yolk for delicious breakfast - really like this place in a former Bob Evans location.

Ken, Sigrunn, Darrel, Sue, Pat, Mark

Ken and  Sigrunn, Sue and Darrel, Mark and I together one last time before we leave next week.   Stopped at Farm 'n Fleet and on home.

We walked around KK this afternoon and visited with a guy from California.   He and his wife are doing the Route 66 tour.    They are having a great time.    They left CA on August 21 and won't be home till mid November.    This is the 100th anniversary of that famous route.

Oklahoma is a new state.   This camper has been in the campground for a few days but not sure how many people live there?

A real "tiny" house!

I went back to town this afternoon and picked up a Rx at WalMart and then met the Monday Night Friends at Panera for supper.   We always have a bunch of laughs and tonight was more of the same - great group of gals....missing Nadine and Donna.

Ruth, Pat, Sue, Jody, Marsha and her daughter Laura

Our daughter-in-law, Erin, spent the weekend with 2 girlfriends in Vermont at a golden retriever farm - "Wines and  Wags".    They had a great time!

Erin and "friends"

I was burning a very pleasant candle in Flo today - "Pumpkin Spiced Latte" !  😄

FOUR years ago today, hurricane Ian left so much devastation on Fort Myers Beach