2019 July 16 Tuesday

rvingfulltimewithtomandella.com2019 July 16 Tuesday in Altoona, Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

68° and 93% humidity at daybreak is why there is still an EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING!

Teach us to number each of our days so that we may grow in wisdom. Return, LORD! How long…? Change your plans about us, your servants. Satisfy us every morning with your mercy so that we may sing joyfully and rejoice all our days. (Psalms 90:12-14)

Iowa

Texas

Once again the weather in our two homes is similar.

Ten of us gathered at prairie meadows casino for their senior breakfast buffet. The food was good, varied, and plentiful. The waitstaff were prompt, polite, and professional. The price was much higher than I had been led to believe. Apparently, there is special pricing if you are a card carrying clu member. Ella and I are not. Nor does our budget allow for such extravagances. The $5 meal for two with a Burger King coupon, is something of a treat for us.

We have quite a large family of house finches that visit our finch feeder. We only occasionally are treated to the bright yellow flash of visiting goldfinches.

Can I claim spousal abuse if Ella repeatedly beat me today … at Fast Track?

I like the camera flais from the bright sunlight throughthe trees.

However, the sunset was so much more amazing. It aroused a conforming feeling a campfire in a cave to drive back thedark unknown.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 71

2019 July 15 Monday

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2019 July 15 Monday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

70° and sticky this morning. Weatherbug claims the humidity is at 80% but it feels higher than that! We slept with the doors open during the night but it never really cooled off inside. We will be gone until afternoon so I’m leaving the air conditioner off until we return.

Gracious good morning.

The lake as viewed from the clubhouse windows.

Due to the change of cafe hours (see yesterday’s post), some of the coffee gang gathered at Cutty’s clubhouse this morning. We made plans to meet at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino for breakfast tomorrow. Evidently they have a senior buffet that is good and reasonable. It will be the first time for Ella and me.

The Grimes senior center crowd today. The Wii bowlers were bowling the gamers were gaming, the puzzlers were puzzling, the talkers were visiting, and the pianist was preparing to play.

After leaving the center. We stopped at Wal-Mart for some staples such as milk, eggs, and bacon. Plus some less staple items that were desired but not needed.

Once we were home the a/c went back on and we chilled out all afternoon.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 70

2019 July 14 Sunday

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2019 July 14 Sunday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

There were no clouds to capture the various colors of the sunrise, just some leaves to lessen its intensity.

Once a year our worship service is moved from the Adult center to the Clubhouse. Because once a year they use the adult center to count and tally all of the votes for board members. Since we were in the clubhouse we made use of the large round tables and used them to serve communion “family style.”

We had just returned home from worship when Heather called. She and Austin had just returned home from Alaska. While they were hiking in a glacier, they were married.

Liberty Hill, TX

Grimes, Ia

I received the following email today.

Due to the job market and the low unemployment all around us, the issue of attracting people to our seasonal part-time positions has forced us to temporarily reduce hours at Cutty’s Store & Cafe.

NEW HOURS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Store & Cafe Hours:

Monday 11am – 7pm

Tuesday 11am – 7pm

Wednesday 11am – 7pm

Thursday 11am – 7pm

Friday 11am – 10pm (Food until 9pm)

Saturday 8am – 10pm (Food until 9pm)

Sunday 8am-3pm

That means that the Cutty’s Coffee Gang will need to find a new morning watering hole.

I worked 2-9 at the fee booth. It was a very slow day. Sue was here covering the middle shift. As we weren’t busy, I asked if she wanted to leave early. She did. So slow that I asked Ella to bring a board game and help me pass the time.

As the day started, in like manner, it ended.

But wait! At the last some stray clouds wandered near the sun.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 37/69

2019 July 13 Saturday

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2019 July 13 Saturday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

Burnt orange sky this morning and even though Weatherbug says “partly cloudy” in reality it is completely overcast.

The lake isn’t quite as calm this morning as it was yesterday. However, it is still peaceful to my soul.

We were missing some of the regulars at coffee this morning. Tom called this morning to say that Sue had be sick early this morning so they wouldn’t make it to coffee. The core group includes Tom and Sue, Ted and Nancy, Keith and Jean, Francis and Sandy, as well as Ella and me. We occasionally are joined by any combination of the following, Jim, Bob, Dean, Lila, Luella, and others.

There were some interesting clouds in the afternoon sky.

One advantage to working until ten at the fee booth is being able to keep an eye on the setting sun.

I got home and found Ella ready to play a round of Fast Track before bed.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 36/68

2019 July 12 Friday

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2019 July 12 Friday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

70° and cloudless at sunrise

Look how calm the lake was this morning. It was nearly a perfect mirror.

I worked the first shift today and so missed the gathering at the cafe. Likewise I will miss lunch at the senior center.

However, I was present for Card Jackpot this evening. Ella won a nickle round.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 35/67

2019 July 11 Thursday

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2019 July 11 Thursday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

65° and mostly cloudy overnight. The clouds opened, the sun came out, the angels sang, and it reached a pleasant 83°.

Cutty’s coffee group was larger than normal today.

Grimes Senior Center group was also larger than usual. It must have been the pumpkin pour thatbrought them I .

Every Thursday The Cutty’s cafe had a special full meal. Tonight it was spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic toast, and salad. I ordered 3 so threat is have some for my lunch tomorrow. Then Ella only ate half of hers.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 66. 2.2

2019 July 10 Wednesday

rvingfulltimewithtomandella.com2019 July 10 Wednesday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

Weatherbug is kinda giving’ mixed signals this morning. Mostly sunny with rain!

Although The sky is kinda givin’ mixed messages also.

Not many pearls of wisdom from the Cutty’s coffee clutch this morning. Everyone appeared tired.

After coffee Ella and I went to the Grimes senior center. It was my first time this month.

It was nice to play Fast Track with four people for a change. With four we could play partners. By the way, my partner and I won.

While Ella ate liver and onions and then played bingo, I went into Union Park UMC for Sunday’s bulletins.

From The senior center w went to Village Inn for pie.

My legs were really hurting today so as soon as we’d eaten, we came home. I swallowed some Tylenol and slept for an hour or so.

Soon it was time to meet up with some friends for Train Dominos. We drive along the lake I the way. The sun on the lake looked so nice. I went with Ella but did not play. I stretched out on the couch on the adult center and worked some more on this week’s sermon.

What is the jolly green Giant’s favorite hymn?

There will be peas in the valley!

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williamsday 65

2019 July 09 Tuesday

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2019 July 09 Tuesday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

69° overnight and mostly cloudy. No sunrise photo this morning because I slept in. I work the late shift today. I woke up tired and stayed tired.

We had a breakfast pizza at the cafe this morning. Not as big of a crowd today.

Came home after breakfast and slept until 1 pm.

Got to work about 1:45 and worked until 9. Finally a normal day at the fee booth.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 36/64

2019 July 08 Monday

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2019 July 08 Monday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

68° overnight and hazy in the morning.

Today was a work day and it is beginning to wind down to a more normal craziness. I opened today and tomorrow I work the late shift. All of those people who had thought ahead about not moving sites until the mass exodus on Sunday, after Saturday night’s firework display, hadn’t counted on so many other people thinking the same thing. So today was very busy in the fee booth with peopleshifting to new areas of the park.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 35/63

2019 July 07 Sunday

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2019 July 07 Sunday in Cutty’s, Grimes, Iowa

65° overnight and 70° at day break. Sky mostly clear. 2019 July 07 Sunday

We had a small and mighty crowd for our worship service. We Read scriptures, sang hymns, had (I hope) an insightful message, and commune at the Lord’s table. At times I become discouraged at the small turnouts for worship. However, at the end of each season when I calculate how many different people have been served during the course of the camping season, it has always added to be 100 or more. That is the nature our of campground service, not many at a time but it adds up.

For lunch we went to Arbys for some good roast beef sandwiches and some horrible curlyfries. I feel bad for the potatoes who gave of their lives to make those horrible things.

Several times throughout The day we played games against each other. Sometimes Ella won and sometimes I did. The winner only matters until the start of the next game.

After The last few days of work, it was nice to have a Sabbath.

God bless and g’nite

All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams

day 62