So last night we went out to a club to see a friend’s band play.  I was sitting with Sarah catching up on a year of not seeing each other.  Suddenly a very intoxicated man came to join us.  Now to help you picture it, we are sitting at a tall bar table, but our husbands are standing a few feet away from the table.  The bar is very narrow and long.  People tend to stand close to each other. 

So our new friend is nice looking, wearing a royal blue, obviously expensive embroidered cowboy shirt.  I actually really liked his shirt.  He talks to us for a while.  We discover that he just moved back here from Chicago. 

He is a mortician.  I’ve never met  a mortician outside of the mortuary.  He choose his career path, because it was guaranteed employment.  He was a pysch major in college.  Apparently he moved back to Iowa because he was laid off–5 different times.  People are living too long he tells us. 

OK-now can’t you just see the boss calling him and saying, “I’m sorry, we have to let you go.  There aren’t enough people dying.  They are just living longer these days.”  I found this pretty funny. 

So suddenly as we are talking he realizes that Jason was hovering around him (BTW Jason was coveting his cowboy shirt-not rescuing damsels).  He asks us who is dating him.  Sarah pipes up, “Well I’m married to him.”  He rolls his eyes and uses his finger to say, “Checked off my list.”  Then he points to Todd, “And I suppose you are dating him?”  I repeat Sarah’s sentence.  He checked me off too and walked away.

We needed a break.  After a bit of discussion we decide to take the boys down to Madison County.  It is relatively close by, looks beautiful in the fall, and has some interesting historic places to visit.  We’ve been there before for the actual covered bridge festival (which by the way is next weekend.)  We did not want to go during the festival again–too many people. 

We packed a picnic and got on the road.  It was so nice to take backroads and stop at these little roadside parks where the bridges are located.  We also love the city park.  They have an interesting hedge maze and Clark’s Tower.  Climbing up the tower seems precarious, but the view is truly breathtaking.

I packed everything we would need, except I forgot one thing.  The memory card for the camera.  So I didn’t get any pictures, which was my real reason for wanting to take the boys down there.  Yet we came upon something we hadn’t visited before, the Kaser-Bevington House and Historical Complex.  This was truly an amazing find for our day. 

We paid for the tour of the museum and the mansion.  The coolest thing in the museum is this HUGE collection of rocks.  Apparently the Smithsonian tried to get them, but the original collector wanted them donated here…where they are in a basement…where it doesn’t seem like many visitors come…where they are amazingly cool to look at, but…OK I think they ought to be at the Smithsonian.  This is truly a FABULOUS collection.  My kids liked the Mastodon jaws and teeth.

The house was equally interesting, but we have seen a home very similar at Living History Farms.  Living History Farms is truly cool, but a different day trip.  One of the things we disliked at the house was this weird picture sculpture made out of human hair.  That is just gross.

Todd’s favorite part of the day appeared to be when he heard the song, Bony Fingers.  That was as strange as the hair picture. 

All in all it was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed the countryside.

Our little children’s theatre is starting a new venture tonight!  I am so excited about this and hoping that we have a good turnout!.  We are beginning a Teen Improv Night from 7-10.  I have absolutely NO idea of how many kids are coming.  This could be wonderful or could completely backfire on us. 

The fun thing is that everyone (adult volunteers) is really excited about this event.  Now if only the kids share our enthusiasm…

I have been impressed with Shawn Johnson every time that I see or hear her.  I think what I like most about her is that she is really a happy kid.  She has a gentle charm about her whether she wins or loses. 

Tonight we took the boys to see her “Welcome Home” celebration at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.  They expected 4,000 people and over 6,000 showed up.  It was a fun show.  OK, most of it was fun.  E did not care for the opening band at all (too loud.)  It was too loud for me and I don’t have sensory issues. 

She shared some funny stories.  Apparently the pilot of her plane to NY (she was on Letterman), was so excited that she was on his flight, that he ended up hitting his head.  He had to be taken to the hospital for stitches. 

She let all the little girls that asked her questions touch her medals.  She also shot out 20 autographed t-shirts.  N almost caught one, but it was grabbed out of his hands. 

My favorite moment was when one of the kids asked her advice, and Shawn’s answer, “No matter what you do, make sure you are having fun.”  That is why I like Shawn.  Win or lose, Shawn is ALWAYS having fun.