Homeward Bound

15.IX.07 - Saturday

My "Road Manager" for this show really outdid herself today. I am going to hate to leave tomorrow. We left Elizabeth's late in the afternoon with no reservation and hoping for a room overlooking the "Ole Miss" after a very full day.

Sandy and Charlie spent last night in Iowa City and I was at Margaret's south of there in Washington. We managed to all meet up with Fred and Fran at HyVee in Fairfield at 11:00. Somehow, all sitting around a table in the grocery store buffet area, it was decided to eat there instead of a restaurant. Don't have the energy to go into too much detail, but it was an experience. I had a chance to talk with Fred even with his hearing problems, Fran was a little overpowering, and Margaret is delightful. (I was fresh off my overnight with her and almost loosing my voice -- both of us inherited the Bauman gift of gab.

Margaret was going back home and F&F left to visit Elizabeth. We made a detour there to drive by the old house. We paused to look at it and the young man on a riding mower cutting the grass rode over to see if we were lost and he could help. He was quite excited to find our link to the house and asked if we would like to see what he has been doing over since he bought it. Will go into more detail about him and the fantastic work he has done on it. He is passionate about the work on the house and it sounds as if that has played a part in the recent breakup of his marriage. I could not believe that such a young man would be so dedicated to this. The barn is gone and that lot is carefully cut so it looks like an extension of the lawn of the house. He wanted to keep the front the same and added on to the house at the back including an attached 2-car garage. I hope you get a chance to see it some day, Suzy. He loves to show it off. I was able to make it up the front steps and even upstairs with help from Charlie. However, I didn't try to do the steps down to the basement.

We went on to see Elizabeth and George. It was good timing as we met F&F leaving on the road not far from the house, so we had time with just us with them. She is 95 and using a walker from her hip accident. She is recovering from a blood clot in her leg that had put her in the shospital earlier in the week, but she is as sharp as ever -- better hearing that Fred and still her old self.

We started north a little late in the afternoon, still will no 3-A book or reservations. Sandy's aim was a place where we could see the water. In Davenport, we stumbled on a high rise Raddison Hotel that looked like it would fill the bill. My "manager" (or perhaps I should call her our tour guide) went in and made the arrangements for a spectacular "suite" for me, and a large room with the same glass and big bed for them.

As we frequently do, they went down to the restaurant to eat, while I enjoy my room service. I can hardly keep my eyes open and can hardly wait to get into that king sized bed. It isn't going to be easy to sleep with one eye open to enjoy the river, but I am going to try.

Goodnight!