Friday - October 3

 Beautiful sunny day here in Iowa but 87 for a high!    So crazy for October.    Mark and I left at 8:30 and drove to Walford, IA to pick up his college friend, Mike at his home in the country.   Mike and Mark graduated in 1969 from Loras College, Dubuque, IA and have kept in touch thru the years.   We visited a few other times when we've been in the area.    Mike lost his wife Dorothy to cancer in 2014.  They have 3 children and 6 grandchildren.

Mike

Mike wanted to treat us to breakfast in the Amana Colonies - long time since we had been there (celebrated Michael's graduation from U of Iowa in 1993 here).    This weekend is Oktoberfest so lots going on.   We ate at Ronneburg restaurant and enjoyed good hearty food and a great visit.    Back to Mike's home and got in his truck and he took us around his property to a lovely pond with lots of trees and big building with full kitchen, lots of tables and chairs for entertaining their large family and friends. 

                                       Pretty country setting                                       
                                       

We came back to the hotel - several guests for the wedding were arriving.   Mark and I left at 3:30 for Iowa City to pick up Liam.   Back to the Big Grove Brewery for rehearsal dinner.   We had a big room reserved and so much fun visiting and enjoying the buffet.

Some of the family...
Brooke, Anne, Pat, Blair, Tessa
Liam, Connor, Drew, Davis, Brady, Mark, Michael
Erin and Ryan 
4 handsome grandsons
Brady, Liam, Connor, Davis












  


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