Iowa again in October

Flew off to Iowa last Friday and saw my daughter and her family, and friends, the next few days - again a nice time, and different than all the previous (almost) annual visits to Iowa.

Got on the plane in Charlottesville Friday morning as Deej took me to the airport around 10 am - a three leg trip.  Into Charlotte, lunch at a BBQ counter, on to Chicago and walk walk walk from E concourse, through F concourse, to the hub, then down and a long underground walk to the B / C concourse, starting at B's high numbers going though to C's high numbers to get to the end of the concorse at C4, my gate.

Had to wait a little while for Julie to pick me up, but she did - good to see her, and we decided we'd try an Indian restaurant.  Called a couple places and headed for the nearest one, Namaste, but there was construction which made us go and go way around it.  But finally found it, restaurant with bare stalls on the left and Indian grocery store on the right.  Didn't know if we should stay - only two other groups in the place.  But decided to try it out, and the Bombay trained Indin chef came out and talked with us, helped us decide; talked also to the Goa waiter.  The food was superb.  In spite of the sparse sourroundings - and the dirty, bare restroom (Julie didn't like at all). 

Then the drive back to Jefferson with lots of talking about our lives and others, etc.

I'll try to fill in more later - Saturday was going out to Deal's apple orchard and Halloween stuff, going to the grocery store (buying stuff for Monday evening's India meal), and off to an evening of pot luck and costumed kids running around outside at a Halloween party. 

Sunday - going to church for a couple hours, bicycle ride to the football field and watching 7-8 grades play, back home, and Julie cooking big beef roasts for a supper celebrating Lauren's birthday.

Monday - teaching 3 of Julie's French classes about India, then going to Andrew and Sarah's to cook up the India meal from 3-6, with Jan and Donna and others arriving to for us to eat it all together.  With a ride back to Ames with Jan and Donna, and talking for a couple hours before bed. 

Tuesday up late (9) with breakfast by Jan, walking out back and talking, and more talking as he drove me back to Jefferson around noon - Going to get Eliza at 345, and take her to dance, as Lauren had already gone there on her bike.  Pick up Eliza at 7, eat delicious left overs.  Julie getting back around 8:30 from parent-teacher confrencing.  Worked on setting up her scanner on her computer. 

Wed - packing at 645, breakfast, byes, and Andrew picking me up around 815 to get me to the airport around 925 - nice ride and talk with him.  Then a two-leg trip to Madison.

Nice time in Iowa -- being with the growing granddaughters, changes with Julie, being some with Matt, greeting new people, seeing old family and other friends - sharing with them.