Spring!

What beautiful weather we're having this week! I've cleaned the ornamental pond and the fish are so happy to be back in it! I've raked 3 loads of leaves today, clearing out the cages of leaves around the two magnolias as well as the leaves on the hydrangeas and rhododendrons. All in the front yard.
We bought a new light for the outside of the house today but I think I'll have to take it back as it will be too tall for the space. It will fit but won't look right.
Our ceiling fans however, are just perfect. I really like them.
I have paint samples propped up all over the pantry. I think I'll finally paint it a lighter shade of green and paint the laundry room to match as I can see them both at once from my favorite chair and it seems unbalanced with one room white and one room a fairly dark green.
I'm still chasing lady bugs out of the house. Sigh...But, the good part of that is that the house is really vacuumed well!
Tomorrow Mom and I will go shopping for Easter dinner at Mom Weyer's. It's Spring Break at school so I won't have to wake at 6 waiting on edge for the phone to ring. :-)

Visit to the Governor

Monday evening John received a call requesting him to hurry in to town to sign the labor agreement that had been so hard fought. He had spent three days the previous week in negotiations which had seemed to be at a stalemate. So it was great news that the Project Labor Agreement (http://www.governor.iowa.gov/index.php/press_releases/single/407/) was to be signed. He came home and asked if I wanted to go with him to Des Moines the next day, March 16th, to see Governor Culver sign the agreement. Of course, I was really excited to be able to go along. I had never been inside the State Capitol, which I think is a beautiful building with its 23k gold leaf dome and its four copper domes with gold lines. The Capitol is on a hill and can be seen for a good distance but it's a windy spot on a cold day!
It was quite crowded yesterday, with a small Tea Party gathering outside being filmed for public TV. Girl Scouts, the Mayor's Youth Commission, and the Christian Homeschoolers were inside, along with members of the Central and Southeast Iowa Building and Construction Trades Council :-). I also saw Ms. Wheelchair Iowa and former Governor Branstead. Gov. Brandstead had come to sign nomination papers as he's running again. So it was an interesting day, although busy and noisy.
The signing ceremony was at 2 in one of the lower level meeting rooms instead of in the Governor's office. Possibly that was in order to be done and out to his car more quickly as he was scheduled to be in Johnston, Iowa for a National Guard send off at 3--I'm sure he was late! We were each given a signing pen (not actually used but a beautiful boxed pen with the Seal of Iowa and the Governor's signature.
So, Saturday we saw the Lt. Governor, Patty Judge, at the Convention, yesterday John was photographer with the Governor, who signed an agreement which will put so many Iowans to work, and tonight we'll be at a fundraising St. Patrick's Day dinner for the County Attorney. ! What's up with us!!??!!
After Spring Break, Elizabeth will travel to Des Moines as her IPro class prepares for next semester when they'll do research for the Legislators.

March marches on

I forget whether March came in like a lamb or a lion but since we had lots of snow on the ground at the time maybe it was lion like. Today it's to be in the 60's and the sun is shining!!! I will certainly be outside for part of the day!
Elizabeth is enjoying the warmth of AZ so she will be smiling about our enjoyment of 62 degrees.
John is getting settled into his new apartment. JT is getting used to the new house and obviously was thrilled to see that all his trains made the move! The apartment is quite nice and a great value, with very clean carpeting, pristine paneling, ceramic tile in the bathroom and a roomy step down shower that has a built in bench and will hold a plastic tub of toys. There are large windows in the living room and higher but sunnier windows in the kitchen and bath. John has a new futon, has put up shelving in the large, walk-in closets, and will be adding a storage unit in the kitchen when he can. He's been busy with classes to certify in life-guarding and WSI (swim teaching) and that has filled up the last two weekends, with one more to go, but he got some of his certification cards last night. The Y in Kenosha is fabulous.
George and Beth find out soon where they'll be residents next year and the next year and...After long years of work I'm sure it will be satisfying this summer to say Dr. when they introduce themselves.
Charles will start classes soon. He's training on the Apache Longbow.