TV Stars and Wind Generators

When we left Des Moines, we stopped at a rest area on I-80 that had a wind generator blade as an attraction.  It was huge and very impressive.  In fact it was so impressive that KTIV, a Des Moines TV station, was there to do a spot on it for the evening news.  Bob and I both got parts.  Bob, of course, got speaking parts, but I just got shots of me looking up at it and trying to take impressive pictures of it which I will share here.  It is amazing to see all the wind generators that are here in Iowa.  Iowa is a state with a diversity of resources, fossil fuels, hydro, bio fuels, wind generators, solar, etc.  There is even a nuclear plant just north of Omaha, Nebraska, just across the border from IA.

Click on this to see the video.

http://www.kcci.com/news/central-iowa/New-wind-blade-display-turning-heads/-/9357080/13535434/-/1d3mqx/-/index.html

This is the picture I was taking when they taped me trying to take the picture.

To celebrate coming back home, we stopped at Palmer Candy Outlet Store to get some "vitamins" for me,  dark chocolate covered peanuts and almonds.  Mmmm good.  I'm just showing off one of my swans to make a nice picture.

AbraCORNdabra in Des Moines

Bob attended his first magic convention, and he had a great time.  It was at Adventureland and we stayed at Adventureland Inn.  He did his thing and I did mine.  I did go to the Saturday night magic show that was open to the public.  It was very entertaining.

This was the view from the window of our room.  It was very relaxing.

Here are some pictures of a 5 year old  magician who was walking around doing magic for the audience before the Saturday night magic show that I attended.  They start young.

 This isn't a good pictures, but the woman magician in the back is the daughter of a magician for the sultan in Saudi Arabia.  Because she was a woman, she wasn't allowed to perform magic there, but disguised herself as a clown so she could work with her father for the sultan.  She was at the Sat. night  magic show and was also doing magic tricks for the audience.

This man did an impersonation of Bill Clinton and told jokes at the Sat. night show.

Here are some select pictures to show that Bob was at the convention.  He really enjoyed it and had a chance to visit with lots of magicians.  He only bought one magic trick to add to his repertoire. 

This was a play on words for Field of Dreams.  Clever.  Huh?

Visit With Pat, Chris, and Marilyn

Another great opportunity that arose because of Bob's magic convention, was getting together with three of my great friends, Chris, Pat, and Marilyn, friends from Boone, IA since 1975 or so.  Chris and Pat drove down to Adventureland Inn to stay there since that's where we were staying.  We talked and talked and did more talking pool side.

I presented a gift to Chris.  She collects cups and saucers and has lots of bird feeders so when I saw this at an art show, I had to get it for her.  It was just her.

 One of the pools at Adventureland has a swim up bar so Pat had to take advantage of that.

Chris mostly lounged and relaxed.  I joined her after doing some water exercises with Pat.

 Bathing beauty pose.

We ate at a nearby restaurant that Dave and Cari recommended, Jethro's.  It was pretty good.  Here we are waiting.

Sat. Marilyn joined us to go to the  Farmers' Market downtown.  Lots of interesting things to see, taste, and enjoy.

Then Marilyn had read in the paper about the Chinese Acrobats performing at the Civic Center, which is also downtown.  We weren't completely sure about this, but since we were ready to sit for a while, we agreed, and it turned out to be another great activity for us, kind of like when, several years ago, Marilyn talked us into  going to the Spam Museum.  That turned out pretty good too.

This young lady was playing beautiful music on an unusual instrument.

Since this was mainly a children's activity sponsored by Wellmark, they also had all kinds of activities for kids, and we joined in for the button making.

One area they had for kids was a reading corner.

You could even enjoy some beverages.

Afterwards we went to a German restaurant downtown.  We mostly had brats and sauerkraut.  I don't usually eat that, but it was pretty good.  No beer for me, but Pat and Chris had to enjoy some.  That's what you should do at a German restaurant.  Right?

We had a great visit.