Hope.

Had to Laugh...

when the above, 'Memory'... popped up, this morning.

: )

{That... Jodi, posts some Fun... and, True... Stuff!! ; ) }

Heading to work at Sister, Jo Ann's Estate, today.

Got a few things, buttoned up, at Home, this morning, so I can stay at her Home, a little later.

Meeting with Niece, Julie, and her Family... there, late afternoon.

<3

Seems so strange... not to be working on The Memorial Day Weekend Sale.

: (

just... don't have it in me, this year.

First time... ever, in decades.

: (

May try and be Open... sometime over this Holiday Weekend.

Not makin' any promises.

Remember, years ago... when I first addressed Fairfax, Iowa... City Hall, at a meeting, when....

things just weren't making any sense, concerning the IDOT's condemnation... of our land.

I...asked the council, and clerk, to do their 'homework'.

Something... wasn't right.

{2017}

I'd spent so much time... digging, and getting Nowhere, with them, or... IDOT.

: (

I was beating my head against the wall... constantly chasing my tail.

Both, Fairfax, and IDOT, would point fingers, at the other, but...

Neither, would come to the table, 'together'.

I, remember... begging the council, mayor... and clerk. to look into this Mess.

said...

"I can't do my job, and yours... too."

: (

Guess that's what they were counting on.

: (

Lawyer Meardon, climbed on board, later... 

and...

made things right.

: )

or...

so we thought.

: (

{It seems 'recorded agreements' between us, and IDOT, would be better used as Toilet Paper.}

: (

There's so very much, I haven't written about, yet.

The 'tactics', from Fairfax.

: (

The many documents, that... totally contradict the entities that have been involved, in this Mess....

over the many, many... years, in my opinion.

Others will be 'deciding', when they have the opportunity to read through them.

: (

This has been a grueling challenge, over the last several years.

On...so many levels.

Many... attacks.

I'm not a lawyer.

Have Often felt incredibly helpless, while dealing with city hall, and IDOT.

Not... a good feeling.

: (

Grateful... for Charles Meardon, for continuing to ride this Insane...

Crazy Train, that... 

ought not be.

: (

just think...

had IDOT Kept...

 our

 Signed, Recorded... Agreement, and... Only have Condemned what they actually 'Needed'... for a Highway/Bridge Project, with No Trail Accommodations, well...

'Life'... I believe...

would be so much Different, for Many, today.

Yep.

Elevations... would be Different, by far.

Encroachment... would've been Different, by far.

Flooding Issues, would've been Different, by far.

The  City's Hired Engineering firm, Hall and Hall, designed Size, and Elevation...

 of The {also, adjoining our land} West Cemetery Road Bridge...

would, be Different, by far.

{to me... It All Ties... Together. Took me until recently, to finally 'see' that. : (}

The Cost... to Fairfax, Iowa, and... The US, would be 

considerably Different, by far.

The Need... for the realignment for West Cemetery Road, would... be 

Different, by far.

Neighbors' Loss of Land, would also... be Different, by far.

Safety... next to Highway 151, would also... be Different, by far.

: (

All... in my humble opinion.

again,

 we'll have to see what the Experts come up with, before, and during the Trial, next year.

This seemingly.... never ending battle, has been mind consuming.

Fairfax, in my opinion... and, according to the documents, have been quite a Mess, to deal with.

: (

Nobody... should be treated this way... by Any Government Entity.

We, as citizens... should be able to trust our elected officials.

: (

At nearly every turn, Fairfax, and IDOT has forced me, to call on Lawyer Meardon.

Without him...

remember,

we would've lost Every Tree, on the east side of our land.

IDOT's ROW would've been 12 feet from our Home.

: (

Without Lawyer Meardon...

Fairfax may have gotten their way....

with Hall and Hall's.... West Cemetery Road Bridge Project.

Taking our Barn, and much more Land...

or, as Hall and Hall Engineering, also... designed, 

take 'The Rabbit Hole'.

{my 'life'}

One of Engineer Wicks' Design's for the city... to consider... was to go Straight Through 

'The Rabbit Hole'.

: (

I have 'that',

 Fairfax's...

Hired Engineer's

Hall, and Hall's...

 'design',

burned...

 into my brain.

: (

sadly...

can't get past Hall, and Hall's.

Fairfax's 'Hired Engineer's'

'Threats'...

 to me, and mine.

: (

I... believe it was Lawyer Meardon, that made 'Fairfax', 'rethink'...

 taking any more of us.

 Fairfax...

Moved...

their West Cemetery Road Bridge/Bike Trail... 

'Away'

from us, 

and, on to Land Owners, to the North.

: (

Sad... for Them.

: (

They Should've... had a 'Lawyer Meardon'. 

Tried to advise them... to Hire a 'Lawyer'. 

in my opinion...

when a city, state... or a government...

'official' comes knockin' at 'Your Door', 

asking for your... Land,

: )

be kind,

 smile.. 

: )

 Thank 'em. 

; )

then,

 close the door,

 and call a Lawyer.

A Damned Good One.

The Very 'Best'. 

because...

You're Gonna Need The Best. 

It's the Elevations, from that Hall and Hall Engineering 'West Cemetery Road Bridge/Bike Trail' Project, that worry me Sick.

For all of us.

: (

It's been nearly impossible to get public records, from Fairfax.

: (

Nearly impossible, to get copies of Elevation studies by Hall and Hall Engineering.

: (

Those studies were paid for by the City of Fairfax.

They... I believe, should be Public Record.

I... don't believe, I should have to pay Hall and Hall Engineers,

Thousands to get those records, that.. Fairfax... has already paid Hall and Hall for.

: (

A Dear Pal... said something, the other day... that made sense to me.

Every time... Fairfax, and Hall and Hall, force me... to call on Lawyer Meardon, 

with 'things' like they have, in the past....

THEY...

should receive a

 Bill,

 from 

Lawyer Meardon.

In my opinion... it's pretty obvious, now...

 exactly.... 

what Fairfax is trying to do.

: (

{won't even get into the 104,000 fine from Fairfax, for 6 chickens and an Old... Tom Turkey, when I kept questioning a 'Bike Trail' requested by Fairfax, that they all repeatedly DENIED, They Ever Wanted, until...of course,

they couldn't.

Public Records... don't lie.}

Fairfax City Hall, forcing me to sign agreement to NEVER have a Horse, on our property again, before they'd lift the fines.

 So... if anyone wonder's why... when Scout passed away, we didn't bring in another Horse, like has always been here, for over 50 years, Thank Fairfax, Iowa... City Hall. It's All On Them.}

Time, and The Public Records... 

Costly... as they are,

will tell.

Again, Grateful... to Lawyer Meardon.

my... worry, and why... I keep fighting, when so many... wish I'd quit,

 is...

what would've 'happened' here, without 

Lawyer Meardon???

What would people, like me... do, 

without a

'Lawyer Meardon'.

???

That...

my Friends, is what keeps me fighting, holding on.

This 'Mess'... should NEVER Happen to Anyone, ever...

Again.

: (

Above is a comment concerning an Iowa Supreme Court decision.

Oh my.

Great Read... by Randy Evans.

'Supreme Court spikes an excuse for hiding public comment.'

{May 20, 2025}

{Thanks to 'Simply Iowa' FB Friend, Laura, who shared it with me.}

: )

Gives me hope.

Hope...

for Transparency.

: )

Hope... for The Rule of Law, too.

<3

Without Them...

'We'

 have

 Nothing.

Love to Ya...

Prayers for All.

Barb C.

{From 'Bullitt' car chases, to ugly... 'Once Upon a Time in The West'... movie clips.

Throw in, a little, or... a lot,

 of... 

'Gone With the Wind'... 

; )

'Life'....

down the rabbit hole,

 livin' in 'Fairfax'.

'Home Sweet Home'.}

: )