Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family to all of you! We wish you a blessed holiday season and new year.

We’re enjoying time with our kids and my mom. We visited Kevin’s sister and niece on Monday, and are also visiting with some friends while we’re in town.

Today we attended the Christmas Eve service at the church I grew up in, and we were members at while our kids were growing up. It was nice to worship in a familiar setting again. It felt like coming home.

Tomorrow we’re going to see the Hobbit movie and then having dinner at my mom’s with our kids and my brother and his wife.

We’ve had another wonderful year as full time RVers and enjoyed making new friends as we travel to new destinations.  Kevin and I sure appreciate the freedom this lifestyle has given us. We continue to value our time together exploring and enjoying so many beautiful places.

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Congrats to Dr. Cathryn Breutzmann

We are so proud of our daughter-in-law who graduated with honors on Friday from Creighton University with a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy.

We arrived in Lincoln on Wednesday night after two long, but uneventful, days on the road from Yuma. On Thursday evening we attended senior project presentations by the Occupational Therapy Doctorate candidates. There were about 54 people in her class, but we only watched three of the presentations.

Cathryn’s topic was “What is the effectiveness of Dinavision training for improving performance in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in clients who experienced a stroke?”. I may be a bit biased, but I thought she did an excellent job. She was very professional, yet engaging with the audience. By earning a doctorate rather than just a master’s degree, she can teach if she wants to. After seeing her in action, I think she would make an awesome professor.

On Friday we attended her commencement ceremony. Doctoral graduates are hooded during the ceremony, which means a type of sash is placed over their heads to hang down the back of their gown. Here she is being hooded. The gold cords around her neck designate she was in the honor society and in the top 15% of the class.

Then she received the diploma. I’m sure she was ecstatic at this point. Her program was  3.5 years of rigorous studies and field work and internships. She has one more step in the process. In about a month she will be taking her boards exam to get her license to practice. She has begun the job search process. Korey is very happy with his job in Nebraska, so she is hoping to find a position in Lincoln or Omaha for at least a few years so Korey can spend a few more years at his workplace.

We’re all proud of Cathryn!!

After the ceremony we went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant in downtown Omaha with Cathryn’s parents and sister and one of Cathryn’s good friends and her family. We had a great time. Then back home for a little more family time before we left early Saturday morning to continue our trek north.

We arrived at Eric’s house in Wisconsin late Saturday afternoon. We went out for dinner at a Mexican place near his house and watched a movie when we got back.

Today is all about football. I made one of Eric and Kevin’s favorite snacks, taco dip, for during the Packer game. For dinner I’m making lasagna, another favorite. We’re staying with Eric until Tuesday evening. Then we move over to my mom’s until the end of the week where Korey and Cathryn will join us for Christmas. I’m loving my family time!!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Mountain Climbing

We met up with the hiking group again this morning for a five mile hike that was advertised as being moderate except for a short stretch at the end where we would have to scramble over rocks to get to the top of a summit.

If these seniors that are ten to fifteen years older than us can do it, so can we. NOT!! I wasn’t even sure if Kevin was going to go as he’s been battling a cold since last Wednesday. But, he said okay so off we went.

The first few miles were through washes scrambling over rocks and walking in deep gravel. There were really no trails anywhere on this hike. Just picking our way through the rocks. Then we got to the end where we were going to climb up a steep cliff to Power Line Pass. There was no trail, just carefully trying to find your way up the rocks.

We made it a little more than half way up. A few people didn’t try at all, and I don’t blame them. It was quite steep. The higher we got, the more concerned I was about how was I going to get back down. I finally decided it just was not worth the danger involved.

Just as we stopped and were resting before we turned around, a man slipped on a loose rock a short ways above us and fell about ten feet before grabbing a big boulder. He was quite banged up on his arms and legs, but luckily nothing worse. That clinched it; we were going back.

Here’s where we came from. Some people were already heading back. It went around to the left and was quite a bit further down.

Here’s where we were trying to go. It just kept getting steeper.

As I look at the pictures, it doesn’t look that bad. Trust me, it was no fun! We made it back down and waited for the those who kept going. We had 25 people on this hike and 12 of them went to the top. I think some of them were part mountain goat :)  I would not call this hiking as much as mountain or rock climbing.

Here we are happy that we made it back down enjoying our trail mix.

From this point we still had a few miles climbing over rocks in the wash to get back to the truck.

We saw this cool natural arch up at the top of one of the cliffs. It’s so nice to have a camera that can zoom in as it was quite a ways up.

It ended up that the hike was longer than five miles. Our leaders hand held GPS said it was just over six miles, but two other people with cell phones said their apps said it was closer to eight miles. So, we hiked between six and eight miles, and it took six hours. I felt bad for Kevin. He was not feeling 100%, and he was dragging.

Luckily, tomorrow we will be sitting in the truck for about fourteen hours as we begin our trek north for family events. Our sore muscles will have a chance to rest.

On Wednesday evening we will arrive in Lincoln, Nebraska. We’re staying with Korey and Cathryn for three nights so we can attend Cathryn’s graduation events. She is graduating from Creighton University in Omaha with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. We’re so proud of her.

On Saturday we will leave Nebraska and drive on to Wisconsin for Christmas with the family. Korey and Cathryn will join us on the 23rd for a few days. Lots of wonderful family time coming up!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Happy Birthday Kevin

Today is Kevin’s 59th birthday. One more year, and he will reach a milestone. I told him we would do whatever he wants on his birthday, so I’m not sure what we’ll be doing today. Maybe nothing. I’ve been keeping him pretty busy with hiking, pickleball, shuffleboard, bike riding, swimming and walking. We are going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. It’s one of his favorite places, and he loves the Onion Blossom. Whatever we do, I’m glad to spend another birthday with the best husband in the world!

The weather has been a bit odd the last week. Lots of clouds which is unusual for Yuma, but highs still in the mid to upper 70s. The clouds do make for some beautiful sunrises.

…and sunsets.

We actually had .25 inches of rain last week. The next morning started out with some fog in the mountains.

On Monday we joined the hiking group for another hike into the surrounding desert and mountains. It was a three mile hike with lots of climbing up and down on rocky ground.

Our first stop was a cross that someone erected on top of a peak.

There is also a bench up there. A beautiful spot for some reflection. Although it was cloudy, we could see for miles. Somewhere down there is our RV park. This is the foothills area of Yuma. The trails you see are used by hikers and ATV riders.

 

 

 

We climbed back down and crossed a wash a few times. Then we headed up another peak. At the top was an abandoned gold mine. I was expecting some type of structure like you see in the movies, but it is just a hole in the ground. Pretty dangerous, actually.

Four years ago when we were in Yuma with our friends Al and Joan, we tried three times to find this mine. I don’t think we ever came close. Good thing we had our hiking leader because I’m sure I would never find it again.

This picture shows where we came from although you can’t see if unless you zoom in. In the front is the mine hole. The peak behind the couple in the red and light blue shirt is where the cross is. We scrambled up and down like a group of mountain goats. Well, some of us scrambled better than others. Although the hike was only three miles, it felt much longer with all the climbing.

There are lots of hummingbirds flying around the RV resort. I have a small feeder attached to the side of the fifth wheel outside the window where my chair is. Every morning I have visitors.

I think these are Anna’s hummingbirds. If the light hits them right, their heads are a beautiful fuchsia color. Other times they just look green. My feeder is mostly in the shade. When the sun hits them, they are even brighter and more beautiful. I never knew hummingbirds made noise, but you can hear them all over the park. I never tire of watching them.

Please remember that if you click on the go button in the Amazon box at the top right of this blog, you will pay the same prices you normally would, and we will get a small credit from Amazon. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Rain in Yuma

We’re getting the first rain we’ve had since we arrived in Yuma on October 16th. Its actually just a little drizzle and has been very sporadic, but the news people are quite excited about it. It has been cloudy since Monday, which is very unusual. Normally, the sun shines every day.

The clouds and drizzle are due to a front that has been dumping significant rain in California. They certainly need it, and I’m glad they are getting some drought relief. Unfortunately, it sounds like they are getting too much of a good thing and experiencing some floods and mudslides. I’m looking forward to the sun shining again.

On Monday we joined the resort’s hiking club for their first hike of the season. It was advertised as being easy. We ended up hiking a total of six miles into the foothills, including some scrambling up rocky inclines and walking along a wash. I would have rated it as a more moderate hike.

We had a good time and enjoyed the workout. I have to take my hat off to some of the older people. The leader of the group, Everett, and his wife Nancy are in their 70s. I think they could hike circles around us.

We’re going to join the group again next Monday when we’ll be doing a eight mile hike back into the foothills. There is an abandoned mine out there that we will be our destination. Last time we were in Yuma, we tried three times to find that mine with our friends Al and Joan, and never had any luck.

We ordered some pickleball paddles and yesterday was the first day we were able to play with them. They are a little lighter than the ones you can borrow from the resort. I don’t think they improved my game any, but I still had fun.

I’ve been doing some sewing here in Yuma. I finished a set of placemats for us. I’m happy with how they turned out. I used some different fabrics on parts of them, so they would not be exactly the same. Kind of like in those Highlights magazines when I was a kid. Can you find the three differences :)

Thanks to those of you that have ordered from Amazon using the link above. Just click on the go button at the top right in the Amazon box and you will be taken to their site. The prices you pay are the same, and we get a small credit. Your support is greatly appreciated!!!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Happy Thanksgiving

Kevin and I want to wish all of our family and friends a very Happy Thanksgiving.

We have had another great year and have so much to be thankful for including our family, friends, good health and being able to enjoy our full time RVing life. We are nearing the fifth anniversary since we began this adventure, and can’t believe how lucky we are.

We don’t have much planned for today. Since the RV park put on a Thanksgiving dinner last Saturday, we aren’t going to cook a big turkey dinner. Most of the people here are Canadian. They celebrate Thanksgiving in October, so for them it is not a holiday.

We will talk to our family, Kevin will watch some football, and we’re playing pickleball this morning with our friends. Since it is supposed to be 84 degrees today, I’m sure we’ll be heading to the pool later in the afternoon.

Also, for those of you who will be shopping at Amazon for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, please remember that if you click on the go button in the Amazon box at the top right of this blog, you will pay the same prices you normally would, and we will get a small credit from Amazon. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Thanksgiving RV Resort Style

Yesterday was the Thanksgiving dinner sponsored by the RV Resort. People had been encouraged all month to sign up at the activity office in groups of 20 per table.

Our table included Bernie and Cathy, a couple from Saskatchewan whom we have been spending time with playing pickleball and swimming in the pool. There were also a few other couples that we had met before and some people we didn’t know at all. This is a nice way to get to make some new friends.

The resort supplied the turkey and gravy. Everyone at the table signed up for a dish to pass. Each group could also decorate their table with a chance to win a pizza party for the best decorations. Our group gathered together items we had in our RVs and had a very nice table, but we didn’t win. Some of these groups really went all out.

The food was all delicious. Many of the people here are Canadians so we had some food items that are not traditional for an American Thanksgiving like meatballs and pirogues. It’s nice to experience other traditions. I brought a sweet potato casserole, a favorite in our family.

The weather here in Yuma has been beautiful the last few weeks. Highs in the mid to high 70s and sunny every day. The sunrises and sunsets in the desert are often breathtaking. Here are a few examples from the last week.

We have been keeping busy with activities at the resort. On Mondays we go to shuffleboard. Tuesday and Thursday mornings we’ve been playing pickleball with Bernie and Cathy and other couples who want to pick up a game. Some days we go to the pool in the afternoon for some swimming exercise and a nice soak in the hot tub.

We also walk or bike an hour most mornings for our daily exercise. With all of this exercise, you’d think the pounds would just fall of, but that’s not happening.

We also went to the Yuma flea market and found LED bulbs at a good price. I think this coming week we may go to Los Algodones, Mexico and see what we can find there. I’ve been hearing about people who have gotten great deals on new glasses, so I may just get a new pair of prescription sunglasses for driving.

The fall is flying by. In three weeks we’ll be heading to Nebraska for Cathryn’s graduation from grad school and then on to Wisconsin for Christmas. We are very much looking forward to seeing our family, but not looking forward to the cold and snow!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

A Beautiful Moon

Last week we had a couple of evenings with beautiful full moons. Here is the moon rising over the foothills just to the east of us.

A little later it was still gorgeous. Other than gazing at the moon, we’ve been busy attending activities here in the park. We’ve played shuffleboard a few times and went to a pickle ball lesson. We met a nice couple from Canada and this morning we got together to play pickle ball with them. We played three games in an hour and got a very good workout. We have plans to play with them again on Thursday morning. We also went to a Welcome Back dinner on Saturday evening. The resort supplied a spaghetti dinner with beer, wine, soft drinks or water and cake for dessert.

Yesterday they had a WOW (Welcome to our World) party for first timers at the resort. They had cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, fresh fruit and beer and wine. They sure do a nice job entertaining their customers. We were also given a free round of golf.

Last Sunday we went to Quartermaster Depot State Park in Yuma for a farmer’s market. There were just a few vendors, and none of them were selling anything we were interested in. We did look around the visitor center. The site was a military supply depot back in the day. They had a display about water usage and dams in Arizona. It was quite interesting to learn about how important water is and how it is supplied.

This car is sitting on part of a remaining plank road which was built in the early 1900s to travel across the sand dunes west of Yuma. Can you imagine driving for many miles on these bumpy boards.

As the dunes shifted, the road would have to be cleaned off or even moved. If you drove off the edge, you were bogged down in sand. I’m glad roads have been improved! An older gentleman was standing next to me as I was reading the plaque. He told me that he remembered seeing the remains of the plank road as a small child when his family drove from California to Arizona.

The weather the last few days has been in the high 80s. We’ve been making use of the pool almost every afternoon. The next week is forecast to cool down a bit with highs in the low 80s to high 70s. Perfect. I hope all of you being affected by this cold front covering much of the country stay warm!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Sur-prise, Sur-prise, Sur-prise!!

Those of you old enough to remember Gomer Pyle will recognize the above title as one of his expressions. That’s how I felt last Friday evening.

We met a couple from Alberta that had a 2015 Jayco Pinnacle. Of course, we had to compare each other’s units. Ian stopped over here first and Kevin brought him inside to see ours. Then he invited us over to see their one year newer unit.

It is beautiful with some nice changes, but there are also a few things in ours that I like better. One of the main changes is that it has a residential refrigerator. It really didn’t seem that much bigger than ours, and they’ve been having trouble with it not having enough battery power to last overnight if they want to stay at a truck stop.

However, as we were sitting and chatting Ian asked us if we knew about the drawer and cabinets surrounding the fireplace. No, we thought those were just wood trim pieces.

Well, sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise. There is a large drawer above the fireplace and two cabinets on the sides. How exciting. More storage!!!

Last Saturday we played 9 holes of golf at the course here at the park. It is a regular par 36, but not very difficult. No water or sand traps. Lots of narrow fairways. It was actually cheaper to play on the weekend. The price was not bad, but the course was just okay. Maybe we’re just not used to desert golf.

The weather has cooled down. We’re getting a breeze from the North, so our highs have been in the upper 70s and lows in the 50s. Don’t worry about us though. By the weekend it is going to be back in the 80s.

There was happy hour at the pool this afternoon. Many people were wearing jackets. We went swimming. The pool water is very warm, and the hot tub is even warmer. We heard some comments about those crazy northerners.

This week starts a list of many activities in the park. We’re going to try pickle ball, shuffleboard, and I’m going to check out the quilting group. This morning was the first of monthly craft fairs in the park. We walked around, but nothing grabbed me. There were a few people with small quilted items. It just amazed me how inexpensive they sell their work for.

I got my sewing machine back from the repair place last week. Apparently, it needed the timing fixed and a tune-up. I’m back to working on some projects, and my machine is humming along just like new. That makes me happy, happy!!

So, we’re finding plenty to keep us as busy as we want to be. Hope our northern friends are keeping warm. We saw there was that nasty four letter word (snow) for some of you :(

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Good Job Kevin

Since we began our fulltime RV adventure in 2010, we’ve had a standard definition DirecTV satellite dish and DVR. We’ve been debating for a few years that we might want to upgrade to HD.

Back in 2010, the installer that set up our system told us that it was much harder to zero in on the HD signals, and we should stick with standard definition. Since then, we’ve seen plenty of people with the HD dish on a tripod, and they told us it was not that hard to set up each time they move.

Yuma is an RVers mecca, and there are several satellite TV businesses. We stopped at RV Connections and spoke to a salesman about what we were thinking. He told us we should have no problem with the HD satellite, and recommended the wireless Genie from DirecTV so I could watch what is on the DVR from the bedroom.

Only problem was that we were not “qualified” for any free upgrades from DirecTV. I called and spoke to two people at DirecTV and got frustrated very quickly. Here’s where Kevin comes in and saves the days. After an hour on the phone with six different people and threatening to go to Dish Network, he got us a free upgrade to the HD system with a wireless Genie. We had to pay $99 for the wireless router, but that beats the over $400 they originally quoted us.

The installer came yesterday and everything went very smoothly. He even provided the eight cinder blocks for the stand. We will be getting a new tripod for this dish. We’re not wanting to haul around all those cinder blocks.

We’ve been relaxing at the resort, riding our bikes in the morning and swimming in the afternoon. All this exercise has helped me lose a few pounds. A never ending battle. There’s a group of people that hang out at the pool most afternoons. We’ve met some very nice Canadians.

It’s still in the low 90s during the day, but next week highs are predicted to drop into the 80s and lows in the high 50s. We have a tee time for Saturday morning at the golf course here at the resort. We’ve also been invited to a party given by the resort for first timers, and pickle ball lessons will start soon.

I’ve been working on some sewing projects during the heat of the day, but my sewing machine was acting up. It’s been giving me trouble all summer, so I found a repair place here in Yuma and took it in. Hopefully, it just needed a tune up. I’m supposed to pick it up tomorrow.

I’ve seen some really beautiful sunrises and sunsets while we’ve been here. Here’s just an example of one of the sunrises. I can never get enough of them!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Fortuna De Oro RV Resort

We sure found a great place to spend a few months. After we decided not to go to Amazon this year, we needed someplace to spend a few months until our reservation in January at Palms RV Resort in Yuma. I happened to see an ad for Fortuna De Oro RV Resort (FDO) on Facebook with a fall special of $595 from Sept. 2 through Dec. 31st. Even though we didn’t arrive until mid-October, that was still about $60 a week for the time we would spend here. Can’t beat that price.

FDO was purchased by the Cal-Am company a few years ago. Since then, the company has spent around $4 million dollars on improvements, and have turned this property into a fantastic resort with over 1,200 sites. There are some pretty old RVs and park models, but they have all been painted and are in very good shape. The common areas are beautiful.

Here we are at our site. As you can see, there is no one else around us. We are in the newer section with about 400-500 sites. Right now about 10 of those sites are occupied. The park model in the background is a model.

Here’s our view of the foothills. In a few months all of those empty sites will be occupied.

Here is the new sports complex that was completed last year. There are courts for shuffleboard, bocce, horseshoes, tennis and pickle ball. I’m looking forward to learning how to play pickle ball. Kevin and I played a little last night (the courts have lights for night play), but it was hot, so we didn’t play long.

There are two pools with hot tubs in the resort. The main pool is nice and big with a beautiful deck area. We’ve been told that in January you’ll be lucky if you find a place to sit. We’ve been swimming every afternoon, and only have to share the pool with a few people. Right now the resort has happy hour with local musicians twice a week. Last Friday they were serving free margaritas. Yum! Starting in November there will be happy hour with entertainment every afternoon. Notice the couch in the foreground of the picture. That is a gas fire pit in front of it. Don’t need that right now.

The landscaping at the resort is beautiful. There are flowering bushes and trees throughout with lots of colors including reds, pinks, yellows, and oranges. I think this is a bougainvillea. Love the flowers!!

The downside so far has been the heat. Temps have been in the low 90s during the day, and the low 70s overnight. Who would have guessed that it would be humid in the desert. Dew points have been in the 50s to low 60s. I like it warm, but this is HOT. I sure wouldn’t want to be here in summer. The next few days are forecast to be near 100, and that’s not even a record. The good news is that next week is supposed to be in the 80s during the day and low 60s at night. Heading in the right direction.

We sure are glad our new RV has two air conditioners. They’ve been very useful this past week. I’ve been using the inside time to do some sewing. A few new quilt projects are in the works.

We’ve been swimming and riding our bikes for exercise, but are really looking forward to participating in some of the sports complex activities. It needs to cool down a bit for that.

Our trip from Lincoln, NE to Yuma took us four days. We stopped for one night each in Cheyenne, WY; Las Vegas, NM; and Camp Verde, AZ. I’ve updated the campground reviews page of this blog to include all of the campgrounds we’ve stayed at.

We’ve seen some wonderful sunsets in Arizona. Here’s one from our night in Camp Verde.

Just a reminder about the link to Amazon under the header picture on the right side of this page. If you click on the go button, it will take you to our Amazon affiliate page. Your prices will be exactly the same, but we will get a small credit if you shop through this blog. We really appreciate the support the readers have given us through this link.

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Summer is Back!

We had a wonderful time with Korey and Cathryn last weekend. On Saturday we golfed on a beautiful fall day. The only downside was that Cathryn lost her iPhone on the golf course. She didn’t realize it until we were done. They gave the pro shop Korey’s number in case someone found it.

Sunday morning we attended church with Korey and Cathryn and then went to the local farmer’s market. Cathryn called the golf course, and the phone had not been turned in. She asked if they could use a cart to drive around and look for themselves. The guy in the pro shop was nice enough to let them use a cart for free.

We stayed at their apartment and watched football while then went off on the search. We thought it would be virtually impossible to find it as she wasn’t sure which hole she lost it on. A miracle happened and Korey spotted the phone in an area he remembered they both were in. Cathryn was so happy!!!

The two of them are on a fall co-ed softball team, and the playoff games were Sunday afternoon. We went along to watch. They played a really good team in the first round, so were done after the first game. It was still fun to watch them.

Cathryn’s waiting for a fly ball in the outfield.

Korey playing third base.

We enjoyed dinner at a Mexican restaurant and watched some TV back at their house. Then it was time to say goodbye until December when we return to Lincoln for Cathryn’s graduation from grad school.

We left on a cool and rainy Monday morning. After about an hour the rain stopped, but it was quite a windy drive to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Our fuel economy was not very good that day. We don’t like to drive more than four or five hours when towing, but we’re pushing it a bit on this trip so we can get to Yuma faster.

We saw several semis transporting live turkeys. I’m guessing Thanksgiving dinners are on the move. Notice the one on the top left. I think he’s trying to fly the coop!!

Today we drove from Cheyenne to Las Vegas, New Mexico. Most of the day we were on I-25 through the entire state of Colorado. The scenery was gorgeous. Snow on the mountains and fall color in the trees. It was sunny all day and no winds. Much better fuel mileage today.

Another bonus was that the temps got into the 70s. The forecast for tomorrow is near 80, and then near 90 in Yuma. Summer is back!!!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Family Time & Another Capitol Visit

We left Wisconsin on Monday, October 6th. This was the first time we’ve closed up the new fifth wheel and travelled any distance with it. Everything came together just fine, and Kevin said it tows beautifully.

Our first two nights on the road were in Iowa at George Wyth State Park in Waterloo. We’ve stopped in Iowa the last four Octobers to visit Kevin’s brother and his family. We had an enjoyable visit with everyone. Our nephew Robert works for the Kwik Star company and was promoted several months ago to manager of a brand new store. They are currently celebrating their grand opening, and he has been working MANY hours. We’re thinking the company must have lots of confidence in him to put him in charge of a store from the ground up. Great job, Bob! Here’s a picture of his new store.

 

We arrived Wednesday afternoon at Pine Grove RV Park in Greenwood, Nebraska. It’s an okay campground about 20 minutes from our son and daughter-in-law’s place in Lincoln. Korey stopped by Wednesday after work for a little while. There was a beautiful sunset Wednesday evening.

 

On Thursday we drove into Lincoln to tour the Nebraska State Capitol. What a beautiful building. It is definitely a different design from most capitols we’ve visited. It was built from 1922 to 1932 at a cost of $10 million and was completely paid for when it was finished. No debt, what a novel concept.

 

The statue on top is 19 feet high and weighs 9 tons, and is called the Sower. We thought it looked like a discus thrower, but he’s actually throwing seeds to represent Nebraska’s agricultural history and future.

The entire building has an art deco feel to me which makes sense as it was designed and built in the 1920s. The tower is 14 stories tall with a beautiful rotunda. There are many mosaics inside representing the history of Nebraska with an emphasis on nature, Native Americans, early settlers and spiritual life.

The capitol was built with chambers for the senate, legislature and supreme court. In the 1930s voters passed a law that required a one-house Legislature, the Unicameral. This means all the politicians meet in one room and work together to get things done. What a great idea.

Our excellent tour guide explained that they work 90 or 60 days each year at an annual salary of $12,000. The rest of the year they go back to their regular jobs. They also pass a budget every two years that is required to have a surplus at the end of each year. It seems to me that Nebraska has learned how to make government work more efficiently for the people.

We’ve also noticed that there are very few political ads on TV, and none of the negative ads we see in many other states. How refreshing!!

Last night Korey and Cathryn came over for dinner. It is so great to see both of them again. We have several outings planned with them this weekend. I’m sure it will be fun, and the time will fly by too quickly. I am grateful to be able to travel to where they live, and have the luxury of staying for a few days to visit.

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!