June 20 The Last Train To Clarksville

Well now, you younger readers won't recognize that title as an '80's song by the Dave Clark 5.  Actually, our Ram and camper went to Clarksville, IA. this morning so we could stay with my college roommate, Jan, and her husband, Bob Longmuir.  We hadn't seen each other since I drove across Iowa to their wedding in 1967-43 years!  I told her we can't wait that long to see each other next time.  We've always exchanged Christmas cards, but that's all.   She said I haven't changed except my hair color and I said she hadn't changed at all since she uses a bottle on her hair color!  We enjoyed meeting Bob, a School Superintendent.  Jan just retired after a life of teaching and being high school librarian.  She and another good friend of mine have been librarians all their lives, when I am the one who worked in a public library and college library from age 14-19 and then went to school to become a librarian, but gave it up when I decided to marry Tom - best choice I ever made!
     They took us to a friend's farm to see his train collection and memorabilia.  He was recently laid off from a railroad job, but collected lots of stuff over the years that was being thrown out.  He has a section of track laid next to a small outbuilding, plus a small signal and the RR crossing sign.  That building is full of stuff, as is a larger building.  He has collected 17 sets of toys by Marx that were popular in the '50's and '60's and is currently assembling the Disneyland one to incorporate into his train layout in his basement.  He already has many set up:  military bases, Cape Kennedy, farms, airport, etc.  Has many train sets that can go simultaneously.  He gives tours of this layout and also of area railroads as a part-time job.  His website is Trainsonthefarm.com.
    While the guys were in the outbuildings Jan and I enjoyed visiting with Carol and looking at her beautiful flowers from the front porch swing.  I commented on the big quilt block that was painted on one end of the barn and she said she and Francis had painted it on huge squares of plywood and then he nailed it to the barn.  We had seen quite a few of those in eastern Iowa.  When we entered the house to see the trains, I noticed a quilted wallhanging and asked if she had done it.  Yes, so she pulled out finished ones and quilts and unfinished projects.  I didn't know quilters ever had unfinished projects -  Ha!
    Back to Jan's for pizza and teaching them a card game.