WEEKEND AT LAKE AHQUABI

We spent the weekend with Kathy and Pat Fitzgerald and Colette and Larry Wilson at Lake Ahquabi, and a good time was had by all. We split the meals and Wilsons did the breakfasts.

You notice men require supervisors.

One day we had biscuits and gravy and eggs and bacon on the second day.

All the food was good and of course-had no calories!

MULERT'S MISHAP!

Yesterday we moved on to Lake Ahquabi, south of Indianola, where we're going to spend the weekend with Wilson's and Fitzgerald's. The day went well until Don tried to go around this corner to pull into our site. He suddenly made friends with a culvert! (I found out later from one of the young workers that this happens a couple times a year at this particular turn, along with another one in the park. I later made a suggestion in a calm, polite manner, that a warning sign might be nice-or a note on the website would be appropriate. That went right over the guys head!) Anyway, the road service had trouble getting someone-the guys in Des Moines would charge $2500 to wench us out, so they finally found a guy in Monroe, about an hour away. Here's our home hugging the culvert!

From another angle.

Help finally arrived.

He thought he'd try some cribbing first.

Yea! On the second try it worked! But-we did provide entertainment for fellow campers for the afternoon.

Away he goes! Thank God, it worked out well, with only slight damage. (However, the next time Don tells me not to worry, because everything in back follows in the same tracks as the front tires, well-look at the pictures-you decide!)

CENTRAL GARDENS

While we were in Clear Lake, we stopped at the Central Gardens for a walk.




There was a small waterfall with water lillies in the pond. Their colors were a little different than usual.



It looks like they have a few weddings in the arch area in the background.

They have a butterfly garden also. Notice the sun dial.

It's a pretty place!

ON TO CLEAR LAKE

When we had Mulertfest a year ago there was a beautiful sunset which Jodi enjoyed. These are for her!

BRIAN'S FOOTBALL PRACTICE

We won't be there for the first couple football games, so we went to Brian's practice. They're all trying new positions-here he's playing center.

He loves playing football, and the position doesn't matter. If he could just grow taller-I'm sure he'll catch up with his brothers and sisters soon. Then he could carry the ball-you see what happens if he gets the chance.

More fun ahead!

BRIAN'S LACROSSE GAMES

Wow, time flies when you're having fun! We were in Omaha for six days for Brian and Dan's birthday's and to see Brian's games. He's playing LaCrosse with the 5th and 6th grades, and also with the 7th and 8th grades. Russ helps coach, and Jake and Dan ref. In the first game he's in red and his number is 22.

In this picture, you can see the cute refs!

In the second game he's in yellow, and is #5.

He scored in both games and was fun to watch.

And now, we've moved on to Clear Lake. On Wednesday, we drove up to Rochester in the jeep and spent the day at the historical library doing research. Yesterday we drove up to St. Paul and did more research there. Afterwards we went to dinner with Scott and Jeff and returned home. Today we did some shopping and plan on resting the rest of the day. Life is really tough!

THE TRAIN STATION

The train station is across the street and is being used as an information center.


Lincoln left to go to Washington on a train from this station. He then returned on the funeral train after being assasinated. Inside they have a model of that train.