Grateful.

Enjoyed a Lovely...

Supper, with Jon, Heather... and William, at

Edith Lucielle's, in Cedar Rapids.

; )

Can't BELIEVE How Much... William has Grown!!!

<3

It was 11 years ago, that we conducted Wally's Amana, Iowa...

Sale.

{Jon's Dad's Estate}

{How Can That Be??}

William, and Granddaughter, Scarlett... became Best Buddies.

: )

They were about, 4... or 5.

<3

I've Got to find the video of them talking on the phone.

!!!

Priceless!!

<3

William added his Signed Dollar, to Edith Lucielle's Walls.

<3

: )

The Christens live in Minnesota, they don't get here often, but... I'll always remember this Lovely Visit, when I visit...

Edith Lucielles, and see William's 'Buck'.

<3

<3

We had a Great Time.

<3

Priceless!!

<3 <3 <3 

Didn't realize it, until I got Home... tonight, 

it's the 5th. Anniversary 

of 

The Iowa Hurricane.

'Derecho'

Oh... my.

We, here... in Central Iowa, Truly Have Much... to be Grateful For.

140 mph Sustained Wind, for over 40 minutes.

I've watched 'Gone With the Wind'... more times than I can count.

Daughter, Liz... could probably recite many of the movie lines without Skippin' a Beat.

We used to fall asleep to 'Gone With the Wind'... when she was little.

; )

Some Folks listen to 'Rain' videos... to fall asleep, I... would pop 

'Gone With the Wind' in.

; )

{Love The Movie, and The Civil War era.

Many parallels, in my opinion... yet, today.}

Liz, would most often... be 'Out'... by the time the Tarleton Twins, were visiting Scarlett, on 

Tara's Veranda.

: )

I could usually make it through...

The BBQ, at Twelve Oaks.

; )

but, 

Really... liked to stay awake long enough, to watch the clip...

'All We've Got is Cotton, Slaves... and Arrogance.'

 Often, over the many decades...

I've...

 referred to our property, as 'Tara'.

: )

I remember a Scarlett 'quote', after The War, at Tara... 

when the 'Slaves'... and 'Southerner's' had nothing, they were all leaning on each other.

The Yankees, and 'Carpetbagger's'.... had destroyed everything, for 'all'... in The South.

Scarlett said, to Pork... a former Slave, at Tara.

{They were All Equal, at That Point, All... trying to Survive, after The War.}

They'd just spent every cent they had... to shoe a Horse, so it could work.

Scarlett said... to Pork,

"It's a Fine a Time, when a Horse can have Shoes...

and 

People

Can't!!!"

: )

{hmmmmm.}

Yes...

Grateful.

We lost some. But, nothing like So Many.

Miracle.

I didn't have power, or water... for over a week.

Many... waited far longer, and lost... far more.

: (

Son, Justin... and his Friends, Helped So Much, with The Clean Up.

<3

Justin Lost a Ton, at his Home... too.

: ( : ( : (

{can't get past the beautiful driveway, the Iowa Department of Transportation... left us with, in the above image.

'They never compacted it'. 

{opinion from someone who works with PCI}

Everyone else... was provided a concrete drive, with the last 151 project, but me.

Even if people had gravel... to start with.

Like me.

IDOT provided Concrete.

but...

Not me.

I questioned.... IDOT, AJ... about that, back then.

His reply...

"If you wouldn't have hired a Lawyer... we might've been nicer to you."

If Ya Ever Wonder... 'why' I fight so, and... refuse to Give Up,

read, again...

what

IDOT 'AJ.'... 

said,

 on behalf of The Iowa Department of Transportation.

{Trust me... in my humble... opinion, AJ, didn't simply come up with 'That Statement', on his own.

He was just a 'kid', in my opinion... really.

 New... to IDOT, back then.

In my opinion... AJ was 'Parroting'... what he'd heard, at IDOT. 

{The Iowa Department of Transportation}

: ( : ( : (

but,

what do I know????

: (

Time... 

along...

 with

 Public Records...

 Recorded Video,

 and

 Recorded Audio,

 will tell. }

Didn't mean to get Off Track.

: )

{Carpetbagger's Are The Worst!!}

Grateful... for Today's Visit 

with

Jon, Heather... and... William!!

<3 <3 <3 

Priceless.

The Love of Old...

 has been such a Blessing.

 It has Introduced me, and Mine, to The Very Best People.

<3

Grateful.

Grateful.

Love to Ya...

Prayers for All.

Barb C.