AZ/IA GET TOGETHER

By two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, all the campers were settled in, and others started to arrive, and sat on the porch of the barn.

When the porch was full, we moved to the Holstein Room, which has more cows than some of those big lots in Arizona!

After some serious chatter, we attacked the potluck table, and enjoyed the delicious dishes of our fantastic cooks. Our only problem was choosing how many of the nine desserts we could handle, after all the other goodies! Isn't life rough?

BREITBACHS

Willie and Karen Brown arrived at the campground early, so we went to the new Breitbachs Restaurant for dinner. It's had two fires in its recent past, but is open again, and has a beer garden also.

Inside it's decorated nicely and the food is great as usual!

Afterward, we enjoyed the scenery and took a little ride around Dubuque, showing them a few highlights. It was a nice evening.

MORE REUNION PICTURES

Some of the guys are from Don's old neighborhood and all went to elementary school together at Sacred Heart. Dave Howe is in the black shirt and Denny Baumhover is in red. They're part of the "old gang". The blond haired woman is Dave's friend and Don Meyer is the other guy who is married to my cousin Joan.


We really enjoyed spending time with Roger and Sarah Smith and it was another instance of "it's a small world". As we talked, we discovered that she knew my cousin, and she stayed at her house with my godparents when her brother was born. When I remembered her maiden name, I also remembered that our brothers were friends, when they were young. It's not as though we needed things to talk about, because we're both Mercy nurses, and both worked at the hospital at one time. Actually, it was like old home week for me too-it was amazing to see how many of those Loras guys married Mercy nurses. Of course, it just proves how smart they are!

I had to put Bill Kamps' picture on-he's the cute guy with the beard. He was my partner twice playing euchre and it was an experience that is beyond description. I think he went alone with one trump and suggested I should "brush up on my euchre skills". It was a hoot! It's hard to believe he's a retired judge! (If he looks at this, I hope he can't figure out how to make a comment!)

Sorry this is fuzzy, but I was too close. Even Fr. told stories- he recently had a cornea transplant and he can't see very well yet. He told the guys they all looked good to him!

This was taken too fast, but it's the two artists from the class-being creative.

Don wasn't the only one that had a good time-they all did, including the women. First they talked about having the next one in 25 years, but as they thought about it, they decided five years might be a good idea. May they all live for their 75th!

LORAS ACADEMY 50TH REUNION

One of the reasons we're in Dubuque now, is for Don's 50th reunion from Loras Academy. He was in the last graduating class before it closed and Wahlert High School opened. For those of you that don't know, Loras Academy was an all boys school, and their sports teams were known as the "GUBS". Now, in my humble opinion, being a "GUB" is enough to make a guy proud for a lifetime! (Maybe Don should be writing this blog entry?) Anyway, it's kind of an infamous group of guys, and it's probably better if there exploits remain unsaid. A couple of us wives decided it's a good thing to be married to one of them, but we'll never admit it in their presence. Around 80 attended out of 169, 29 have passed away. As a group they looked pretty good. Lots of grey hair, a few bald spots, and a few extra pounds-this was all explained by one of the speakers who proclaimed them, "mature men". As usual, they had a lot of fun! On Friday, they met at Lacona Golf Club where some golfed and others played euchre. After a barbecue, they had their picture taken and then spent the evening telling stories. Here are the last of the "GUBS"-if you double click on the picture, you might be able to see them! Don's 5th from the left in the second row.

On Saturday, we had Mass at St. Joseph's Chapel in the old academy building on the Loras College campus. One of their classmates, Jim Chapell, is a priest, so he said the Mass, in memory of their deceased classmates. It's a beautiful little chapel. I'm sure the guys spent time on their knees in there-if the walls could just talk!



After Mass we went to the Grand Harbor Convention Center for dinner in this overhanging part that looks out on the Mississippi.

The view from inside.

Some of the "GUBS". (By the way-I hope someone reading this, will ask Don what a "GUB" is-it's a really dumb story!)

MORE OF OUR WALK

As we continued walking, we passed the old, newly remodeled, Dubuque Star Brewery, which now consists of a winery and a restaurant.

As you walk along, there are many pretty flowers along with some sculptures. Don liked this fish.

Here's another interesting piece of art.

It's easy to see the new Diamond Jo Casino in the background.

The Mississippi River Musem is the building in the background and the construction semis are there, because they're expanding to the building in the foreground. Behind all that is part of downtown, followed by our beloved bluffs. As you can see, this is an interesting place to walk.

THE PORT OF DUBUQUE

We moved on to Couler Valley RV's where we parked for two nights while they did a few minor repairs, yearly upkeep procedures, and cleaned the carpet. While we waited, we visited Grandma, went for a walk, visited brother-in-law John at the hospital, did genealogy research at the library, and ate lunch at Bricktown. It was kind of a rainy day, but we squeezed a walk between spurts. There is a riverboat called the Twilight that runs a two day cruise from Dubuque to Davenport and back, and it was docked, so we got to see it.

Looking ahead at the Grand Harbor Hotel and WaterPark, the Convention Center, the old Dubuque Star Brewery and the railroad bridge.

Looking back at the Twilight and the bridge to East Dubuque.

A little wildlife along the way.

A train came across the track.

We could see the train coming through the tunnel in East Dubuque.

FROM MY FRONT DOOR

Since my house has wheels, the view out my front window or door changes all the time. Can't beat that! We went on to Dubuque and stayed one night at Miller Park. Here's a view of the Mississippi out my front door in the morning.



Here's one of my new neighbors.