A ride on the "Operation Lifesaver" train today.

My hubby (John) called late this morning and asked if I wanted to 'ride' on a train! He had talked to the guy who was presenting the program and we were able to get on and ride in the 'bubble' car of this passenger train.

Dave was easy to listen to and cheery, while delivering the message about keeping EVERYBODY safe around railroad tracks.

These are pictures of things as we traveled through Ames (IA) this afternoon.

This is new housing buildings for Iowa State University. Certainly a step up from the old metal huts that used to house married students!

That's the passenger train we rode on today.

This is just two trains meeting east of Ames. (They are not on the same track.)

More State Fair pictures from last weekend...

(From left:) Tim, Margaret, Uncle Charlie and David enjoy the butter cow! (Margaret and Tim are married to each other, and Margaret and David are my cousins--Uncle Wayne and Aunt Sue's kids.)

Margaret and Tim on the glider.

David and Uncle Charlie on the glider.

We went to the Iowa State Fair on Veteran's Day, and there was a parade on the Grand Concourse.

A jeep in the Veteran's Day parade at the Fair.

More Sunday fun...

Izaac wanted to take pictures with my camera. This apparently is his self-portrait!

Alex and Izaac enjoying a little time with Bruno (Michelle's new puppy).

Bruno, chewing on something...

Mema, Shirl and Margaret, planning on what they will eat at the Iowa State Fair (there ARE lots of choices!).

Getting ready to eat spaghetti on a fabulous-weather day in Iowa! (from left: David, John, Marty, Samantha, Allison and Alex)

Bruno, sleeping in the little console part of the car when Michelle arrived.

Part of a fun weekend!

My cousins, Margaret (and her hubby, Tim), and David came to town this weekend and today we all went to the Iowa State Fair! Margaret, Tim and David have never been to the Fair. (They didn't grow up in Iowa.) In the picture is: Mema, Uncle Charlie, David, Margaret and Tim.

We went through the Agriculture Building to see the butter cow (the 100th anniversary!). Margaret wanted her picture taken with it, and timed the twirling cow in an interesting position!

Marty and Izaac are still glad to see each other!

Sunday we had brunch first at Mema's (my mom's) in Des Moines, and then spaghetti and meatballs later in the day. YUM! Alex and Allison and Marty and Samantha came then, too.

This is a cake decorated by the folks at Hy-Vee in Pleasant Hill. Wow.

I have "Graduated" from Bliss!!!

I couldn't find a picture of the Bliss Cancer Center in Ames (well, I didn't look very long), so I used this one of Mary Greeley Medical Center.

My doc said I don't have to come back EVER again!! It's past 5 years now for my diagnosis of Stage IV ovarian cancer, and I had another clean CT scan last week (I HATE drinking barium!!!!). I'll only have to get a blood test with a normal physical once a year. YAHOO!!!!

It's still too warm for the furry kids....

Even though the heat index warnings are over (for now, at least), the cats aren't happy with the slightly lowered temperatures. It's still humid, too.

That's Bogart above, and Georgey, below, trying to keep cool while napping.

Crop dusting "up close and personal"!

I think I uploaded the 11 second video that shows the plane pretty close to the house. There have been a couple of planes cropdusting almost every day for a week or so around here.

Scenes near the Missouri River from 7/28/11