Sunday, January 4, 2026
Grateful... for 'The Mountains'... and 'Broken Roads'.
Stumbled across the above image of
a
little sugar bowl,
that dates from the 1870's or '80's, yesterday.
<3
It's from a Child's Tea Set.
<3
I've collected that pattern, for many years.
'Old Mother Hubbard's Nursery Rhyme'
pattern.
It's kind of difficult to find.
Several years ago... found many, many pieces.
So wanted to keep the set, but... always have bills to pay, so...
I put it all in the shop, for sale.
Had it in a little display, by the door of The Rabbit Hole.
<3
One evening, I was struggling to get a Massive Store Counter, out the door, that had sold.
If anything could go wrong, moving that Mountain, it did.
I was So Frustrated!!
Sweatin' Up a Storm!!
but...
there was No Way...
I was going to let
'The Mountain'
win.
Inch by inch... I got 'The Mountain'....
maneuvered, closer to the door.
Just when I thought I was Home Free...
The Mountain, barely touched a chair, the chair...
barely... touched a shelf....
heard a
Crash...
: (
The Tiny.... little Tea Set, took a tumble.
My heart sank.
: (
Without 'seeing' what had 'Crashed',
I knew....
what was on the floor, in a hundred pieces.
: (
Didn't stop... to view the carnage.
Kept movin' The Mountain, until...
I finally got it outside.
Then...
threw my body over 'The Mountain'...
and wept.
: (.........
Exhausted.
Physically....
and,
Emotionally.
Angry with myself, for not being more careful.
Sick... in my heart, knowing that little Tea Set had Survived more than a hundred years, then...
it fell into my hands, only to meet it's demise.
After a Good Cry...
I mustered up the courage, to go back inside... and clean up the carnage.
As I swept up... the broken little Tea Set, decided to salvage what I could.
Glue... the pieces back together... that I could, and keep them.
<3
In a way... kind of saw them as a 'Gift'.
I... then, could 'keep' the little Treasures.
<3
Thought to myself...
'God knows I will Love these Little Pieces, be they in One Piece, or a Thousand.'
<3
That... I do.
<3
Ran across the above image, yesterday.
: )
It was during 'Sale Time'...
Long Ago.
; )
Mountains.
; )
Simply...
Iowa.
<3
Saw the above quote... this morning.
Very True.
; )
The only part I'd argue with...
a
True
'Friend'
would
Never...
make you feel bad about yourself.
Not Ever.
; )
There's Your Sign.
; )
It's... always been mine.
If someone makes Ya feel bad, when you're around them...
they
Ain't Your 'Friend'.
They ain't your 'Pal'.
; )
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
Friday, January 2, 2026
Vanishing Act.
Oh... my.
; )
Was going over the most recent... lengthy conversation I shared with Bernie, Fairfax's former mayor...
throughout the night.
Several topics, kept me up.
1. Bernie mentioned an IDOT highway 151 survey, on FB that he'd commented on.
{from exactly a year ago. who knew... it would 'crop up' again, in my head... today?}
Told Bernie... I saw his comment, and screenshot it.
Good thing I did.
It's Gone.
IDOT took that 'survey' down shortly, after posting it.
Shared that, with Bernie.
Told him... I'd sure like to see that 'survey'.
It... should be 'Public Record'.
2. Bernie said he'd visited with Deputy Sheriffs, concerning why they don't write more speeding tickets, in Fairfax, on 151.
They told him, as I told Councilman Daly... long ago,
"It's far too dangerous to pull people over on 151 in Fairfax."
My comment to Daly... at a public meeting,
"Asking a Deputy to pull people over on 151, during heavy traffic hours, which is pretty much, 'always' in front of our home... would be like trying to 'Rope a Steer, in a Stampede'. Far too dangerous."
{Great place for a 'Bike Trail'... next to a 'Stampede'.}
3. Bernie said he just can't understand why IDOT has never fixed my flooding issues.
{me either. I shared a conversation I had with a certain IDOT rep., who stated...
"If you wouldn't have hired a 'Lawyer', we {IDOT} might've been 'nicer' to you."
Told Bernie... perhaps, that's the reason.
?
I know where that IDOT rep, lives/lived. Next to a major highway. Told him, even He... had better hire The Best Attorney he can find, should IDOT come around his land.
4. Bernie said a group of people from the IDOT lied to him, in front of the city clerk, when he was mayor.
Bernie said they {Fairfax} recorded that conversation.
{interesting.}
5.
I could go on, and will... later.
Below... is part of the IDOT's vanishing survey.
'Part' of it.
; )
hmmm.
Gone.
It was Gone... shortly after I screenshot it.
?
{again... great place for a 'Bike Trail'.}
; )
true.
With every conversation... Bernie and I share, he always brings up the fact, that 'people' around Fairfax, just... can't understand, how he and I... can possibly 'get along'.
: )
Bernie, goes on... says he tells them, "Why not. She's a nice lady. I have no problem... with Barb."
: )
I... feel the same way, about Bernie.
We don't personally agree, on many things... especially 'Suicide Bike Trails' that have turned us into a Flooding Pit,
but...
we get along.
I... feel sorry, for Bernie.
His health isn't good.
The last few years have been pretty tuff, for Bernie.
Bernie can't understand... why IDOT has done what they did... at the South end of our land.
Me either.
I asked him... why, when he drove past the project, day after day... watching them... do, what they've done... he didn't once stop... and question them, as I did... before, during... and after.
His reply...
"It wouldn't have done any good. The IDOT does whatever they want."
wow.
: (
Bernie... always reminds me, with every conversation...
"I let ya bury your Horse, here... didn't I?"
; )
yes...
he did.
Bernie... was still mayor, when Scout died.
Tho... Bernie and I... were at Major Odds, when Scout died, I called him, to get permission, to bury Scout here.
Bernie, and I both called the health department, to get the go ahead.
Still can't get around Fairfax fining me 104, 000. for having 6 chickens, and a turkey, and forcing me to sign a document stating we can NEVER have another Horse, here... after Scout dies.
{Bernie's memory... get's a little 'cloudy' when we discuss 'Chickens'. Just... a little.}
; )
IDOT/Fairfax's Bike Trail... has caused many, many... Folk's a lot of hurt.
The 'hurt'... is long from being over.
The North side of our land, along with many other's... are going to feel the Hurt, as well.
It's just begun for them.
: (
I'm already hearing many 'grumbles'... from Land Owners, to the North.
They Ain't Seen NOTHIN'... Yet.
: (
{They should've gotten a Lawyer.
Lawyer Meardon Saved our Land, to the North.
Without him, Fairfax would've taken More of our Land, and... our Barn.
as it is... now,
because of Lawyer Meardon,
'Fairfax'...
doesn't set a 'breath'... on our Land.
Beyond...
Grateful for Lawyer Meardon.}
In... my humble opinion, had IDOT not breached our agreement, Fairfax's 'project' to the North...
{West Cemetery Road, and Bridge}
would've been a Fraction of the size it is, now.
Impacted... few.
My opinion.
It all ties together.
: (
but...
what do I know.
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
{I'd sure like to see that IDOT FB Survey, concerning 151.
See 'all' of the 'feedback'.}
Thursday, January 1, 2026
New Year... New... Direction.
maybe.
Over the years I've 're-invented'...
many times.
; )
Perhaps... with 'this'
New Year,
'Cross Roads',
it's
Time...
to
change direction, again.
Fighting Fairfax, and The Iowa Department of Transportation...
for so many Years, well...
they took me away from what I Love, and do...
best.
Remember, years ago... at a Fairfax, Iowa... council meeting,
concerning Fairfax's 'Suicide Bike Trail'...
standing at the podium, addressing them all....
telling the council, and, Bernie... the mayor, back then...
"I can't do 'Your Job', and mine... too."
I... couldn't.
Can't.
I begged them all, to 'Do Their Homework', concerning the 'Safety'...
of a
'Bike Trail' next to the Most Dangerous Stretch of Highway, in Linn County, Iowa...
'Highway 151, in the urban area of Fairfax'.
{See IDOT's 'Highway Safety Study' from 2008, concerning this stretch.}
I chose... 'The Fight'...
over
'The Rabbit Hole'.
{Gratefully... Lawyer Meardon, did too.}
; )
Why???
Because I've seen People, and Animals... die here.
: (
I've lived next to this Highway, for over 40 years.
I heard a woman's head... hit a light pole, and split... like a watermelon being hit by sledgehammer,
when the man driving his motorcycle, with her on the back... lost control.
: (
Highway 151, in Fairfax, Iowa... is no place for a
'Bike Trail'.
Fairfax, and IDOT...
got it through, by The Iowa Department of Transportation...
breaching
Lawyer Meardon's... and mine...
'Signed, and Recorded Agreement'.
'No Bike Trails' concerning the taking of our land.
Here's the sad deal... for Everyone, dealing with The Iowa Department of Transportation.
The Iowa Department of Transportation...
has...
'Immunity'
to
'Fraud'
: (
Let 'that'... sink in.
and...
Remember That.
: (
When The Iowa Department of Transportation
comes knockin' at 'Your' door.
I'm guessin'... Your Signed, 'recorded' agreement, just like mine...
with them...
is
'Worthless'.
: (
Better used as 'toilet paper'.
: (
THAT...
must change.
In a nutshell...
that's why...
I have, and have to change direction.
I So Miss... The Wonderful Days...
'Halcyon Days'.
<3
Those days... are over, in my life.
: (
Trial Date... with The Iowa Department of Transportation is Set.
; )
September 22, 2026.
New Year...
New Direction.
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Wishing All... A Happy New Year!!
; )
; )
: )
; )
True!!
; )
Hahahahahaha!!!
Indeed.
Wishing Everyone...
The Happiest New Year.
<3
; )
Love to Ya...
Prayers, for All.
Barb C.
<3
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
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