So now, after weeks of too wet, we need rain because it's too dry --- or it may just be Iowa. But we need a modest downpour to try out the new drainage system applied last week --- along with repairs to damaged fascia --- by Peterson Construction to the Stephens House roof.
Drainage had become an issue because the earlier drainage system was in no sense seamless, not sealed efficiently either, and every time it rained water was cascading down the masonry and wood exterior of the building.
These guys are so good that nary a flower in the beds and planters around the old house was disturbed. This was a concern, since Kay, Cathy, Angie and others had invested considerable time and effort in all those blooms.
Thanks to our friends at the South Central Iowa Community Foundation for co-funding this major project with us. The next step is to paint all of the building's wooden trim, hopefully before fall arrives.
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Inside the Lewis Building on Friday, 2013-14 student intern Karoline Dittmer sat Dick and Lucille Young down for an extended interview about Chariton's and their own histories that will be added to our oral history archive.
Karoline will be headed off to college before many more weeks pass --- and a few other interviews are in the offing.
Although invited, I did not stick around Friday morning for the interview. I have mouth issues, in that I can't keep mine shut --- and this was Karoline's project. So I'm anxious to slip the resulting DVD into the player and take a look.
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Be kind about my red nose, please. While descending a tallgrass embankment with what I thought was considerable grace yesterday morning, a foot tangled in concealed underbrush and I fell flat. On my face. In the dirt.
No damage whatsoever, other than a slightly abraded forehead and a red nose, which will happen when you try to shovel dirt with one of those appendages. Now if I could just stop singing, "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer." Don't you dare ....
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