Journal

Tuesday, E, J, K & C headed to KC to go to Science City. J had been twice before and remembered it as a fun thing to do. E was driving and not impressed with my directions once we got to KC, but I thought I recovered well and she saw some of KC she would not otherwise have seen - mainly firework shops. We had a very nice lunch at Union Station a wonderful old railroad station in the grand style. We then set off to buy our tickets but couldn't find a ticket booth so we finally asked. It turned out Science City is closed on Monday & Tuesdays. (Okay, so you would have thought one of the adults would have checked, but...) J took the disappointment with good grace and we trekked across a long skywalk to Crown Center a complex of hotels, shops, restaurants and apartments. We went through the Hallmark visitors center which needless to say was all about Hallmark cards and products. Hallmark started in KC and is a big deal here. J enjoyed punching a button and watching a bow being automatically made; he waited until the ribbon had been changed to red so he could make a red bow for his Mum. We then found a store with model train displays which entranced J. So even tho' it wasn't as planned, we had a nice time. We'll try Science City next week.

We fared a bit better on Thursday when we qll headed to the Combat Air Museum in Topeka. Jonathan is fascinated with planes and there is a big collection of fighter planes here as well as a Jenny used early on for aerial acrobatic displays. There were a couple of planes that you could walk into and several that you could view the pilot's seat. Jonathan knows far more about all of these planes than all of the rest of us.

Finally the coveted green bag was put to excellent use. July 4th we packed a cooler and the coveted green bag with picnic goodies and headed to Warnock Lake outside of Atchison for a picnic and fireworks display. The weather was very pleasant and Jonathan and Kayleigh had a great time running around on the hills before the fireworks started. We ooohhed and aaahhed at the fireworks - a lovely evening.

Pat power washed the deck and deck furniture yesterday and it is astounding how much nicer everything looks. I had been told that teak becomes gray as it ages so thought it was normal. Everything looks almost new.

We've had fresh corn from the garden twice now - it is sooo good. Tomatoes are also ripening and we're getting beans, squash and peppers now; two bags of potatoes (some of which Jonathan helped me dig) and two bags of onions are in the basement for future use.

The basement finishing is progressing. The sheetrock is all up, the shower installed and almost everything is painted. Next comes the flooring.

Friends from northern Germany, on their annual vacation in the U.S., arrived Friday evening after a five day stay in Chicago. On their drive through Iowa they found a 1660 "Hausbarn" that had been dismantled in Germany and moved to Manning, Iowa and reassembled. Who would have thunk it - a real German building with thatch roof in western Iowa! We had a great visit with them - two late nights sitting around the table after dinner and talking. Yesterday, they headed off on the remainder of their trip. They will spend the last two weeks in Florida - northern Germany doesn't get much sun and they always look for sunny spots to visit.

I was having supper in the hotel restaurant this week and was sitting way back at the end of the restaurant on the opposite side of the bar. An older man (probably my age but he looked older!) came by my table and said "The bar isn't down here, is it?" I helpfully pointed in the right direction and he said, "Oh, yes - there it is, would you care to join me for a drink?" What a pick-up line! I haven't had a pick-up offer in 15 years. Oh yes, I said no thank you. Now if it had been Sean Connery...