In Search of the "Gunder Burger"

In the midst of one of the heaviest rain storms this year or the last five years for that matter, we drove with friends to try a Gunder Burger.  Now, this HUGE burger is made with 20 oz. of ground beef, fresh ground that day, by the taste of it.  This sandwich has been featured on ROAD FOOD. 

Check out their website and you will find lots of suggestions for great places to eat in little towns and big all over the USA.

The Gunder menu



We have heard about this burger for quite awhile, so to celebrate our retirement with them, the four of us decided to take a road trip.  (We might be saying that phrase for a while; "to celebrate our retirement"). 

I thought about trying the SOW Melt



From our house to Elgin, Iowa is about an hour and half and the entire drive it rained so hard Dave could barely see the road!  But we were determined!!  Now this sandwich is served at the Irish Shanty in Gunder, which is so small a village if you close your eyes for about 30 seconds and you will miss it.  Their menu was impressive for so small a place and everything looked good!  :)



Each couple decided to order a version of the burger; one had cheese, bacon, sautéed onions, and mushrooms and the other was a bacon and cheese burger.
They were split between the spouses.  Good thing too because each burger really could have fed four people. Besides the burger it came with a side of your choice of potatoes which could have fed at least two people.  So between the four of us we tried their American fries, French fries and hash browns.   Oh my! Needless to say we had leftovers.  We finished the meal with their Rhubarb cobbler, which was ok, but not great, but that's fine because everything else was!

You'll notice the bun doesn't cover but maybe a fourth of this burger.

 

Splitting the sandwich!

One half of the bacon cheese Gunder!

These hash browns covered a dinner plate!  More than 1/2 was brought home!

Well that was our adventure yesterday along with finding the trailer very wet inside from a leaking air conditioner when we returned from Gunder.  That situation has to be fixed immediately so we can leave for Santa Fe soon. So off Dave went this morning to RV Revive with it in tow for Ryan to work his magic.   Hopefully, the kit for the door handle and lock will arrive soon also, because until it's repaired we won't be leaving!  :(

Memorial Day Weekend - SE IA

Friends and Family,
Thank you to all who have served our Country.  Because of you, we all have freedoms that we enjoy due to your sacrifice and service.  We honor you!!!

Our plan was to travel to spend the weekend with dear Friends from our home church, Edgewood Baptist in Rock Island, IL.   Thursday night after purchasing groceries, I prepared to load them into the trailer and as you know it was locked and broken; you know the details if you read the previous blog entry.  Here we are pulling out of our street.

Well, Friday, after getting the trailer loaded we rigged up a combination that included a long nylon rope and bungee cords. Just about 12 miles on the road and the suction from a passing semi had us pulling off the road to reassess the contraption.  After some further refining we pulled back on the road, but determined to go slow to avoid the risk of the door being sucked open again.  Traveling only 50 miles per hour sure lengthen a 2 1/2 hour trip to over 4 hours, but we arrived safe and everything inside was fine.   Here we are set-up in our personal campground with full hookups, next to our friends cabin. 

 

They have a beautiful park like setting behind the cabin.

 

I was in charge of breakfast each morning and Joanie handled the lunch and dinner.  On our first breakfast we received this cute card from everyone.

 

It reads: D & C Jones, Retirement City, Layback Town, Any where.

 

We have so much fun with these couples, chatting and catching up on each other's lives as it has been over a year since we have seen them,........ way too long!!!!  Good thing we all like chatting away as rain was in the area for the whole weekend.

 

Saturday night, Mike had promised an Amish family, their friends in the area, that he would fix a squirrel fry.  Some of us were less enthusiastic about the main dish, so hamburgers and hotdogs were also on the menu.   Here's Mike doing his thing, cooking up the squirrels (30 of them)!

 



 

Now, Mike is a hunter obviously, and he has traveled all over the USA hunting and leading other hunters.  He hunts turkey, elk, antelope, deer and of course, squirrel.  They don't buy meat, he usually hunts for all they eat, but he also donates or gives to those who need meat.  So I enlisted Mike to give me my first lesson on how to use and shoot my first gun, Sig Sauer 9mm P938.

He also, instructed me on how to use the other gun we purchased, Ruger SR22.   I think I like the 22 much better, not so much kick and not quite so loud.   As you can see from the target below, I didn't do too bad for my first time ever shooting.  :)  It was positioned about 15 yards out.

 

I hit the target on each shot!!!! I'm impressed with myself!!!!  :)  Dave is really good though, so I will have to practice more!!!  Mike was really impressed with Dave's shooting!!! :)

 

So.... Mike insisted that I am now Miss Annie Oakley, and that I should try his rifle.  Here he is setting it up.

 

 

 

Mike giving me some instruction on how to position myself behind the gun.

 

 

 

 

I hit the target!!!!!!! From 100 yards!!!!

The three green spots are my three shots!  That gun is really heavy and there is no way I could have held it and fired.  I won't ever be shooting one of those!



I am feeling a bit better about owning a gun, now that I have had my first lesson and I promised Mike I will get more lessons and practice, so I can be a Very responsible gun owner. Target shooting is definitely in my future. 

We attended a nice little church, had wonderful meals, my first shooting lesson, attended a couple flea markets and fellowshipped with dear friends.  Despite the rain, it was a very enjoyable weekend!  Thanks Mike & Joan for hosting!!!  For our first weekend as a retired couple, we sure had a lot of fun and our friends from the Quad-Cities made it a great start!!! 

 

 

Well now it begins.....trouble

So yesterday we start prepping the Airstream for our weekend jaunt to SE Iowa to see our Edgewood friends.  I got groceries and went to open up the Airstream and the door would NOT unlock. Dave tried numerous times, then panic on my part started to set in. 

So in I run to post an emergency request on Air Forums to see if anyone can give any advice.  Dave calls Ryan at RV Revive and he gives him a few tips.  So while I'm reading on the forums regarding broken door locks, Dave is working with a thin putty knife (per Ryan's suggestion)  to wedge the door open and IT WORKED!!!  Only now what to do as after numerous attempts with me inside and him outside, we could not unlock the door.  It would open from the inside, but from the outside no luck!!  :(

After only about 15 minutes, we had a response to my plea on Air Forums with a recommendation to call a man in California.  Dave made a quick call and after explaining to the lady who answered the phone what our predicament was exactly, she put Dave through to Andy.  He told Dave if he could get the lock and handle mechanism out of the door and overnight it to him he would get it fixed and sent back to us before we leave on 3 June.

Dave's outside struggling with the door when none other than my Manager, World Wide Customer Support, rides by on his bike (he lives two streets over from us, but we have lived here for 5 years and this was the first time we have seen him); he stops and asks Dave how our first 1/2 day of retirement is going and Dave proceeds to tell him what is happening with the door and show him the problem. John looked at the lock for about 3 seconds and leaned over and unscrewed a latching mechanism and immediately the handle came out!!!  And off John rode remaking that is what Product Support is all about!!!  :) 

Now you need to remember, our Airstream is 40 years old, so this is a really old door handle and lock and from what I have been reading on the forums, that when the lock breaks, you pretty much have to replace the whole thing!  We have had this trailer for 12 years and this is the first time we couldn't get in, so we are guessing the whole thing will need to be replaced, not just fixed.   Ouch, assuming about $500.  

We packaged it up and shipped it off by Fed Ex air express to arrive in California by 10:30 a.m. Friday morning (today).  Now I call Inland RV Center to thank them for taking our call and to alert them that the lock was on the way. The same Lady answered the phone and I explained the situation again and asked her if I could talk to Andy the "Service Manager", she responded with shock in her voice, "Ma'am that is the owner of the company, NOT the service manager.  Now on Air Forums, we weren't told who he was only that he had lots of knowledge of Airstreams and has made hundreds of posts regarding them and trouble shooting.  No wonder she was reluctant to put Dave through when he called the first time!!!!

So if you have RV trouble, particularly with an Airstream and you are in California, go to Inland RV Center in Corona, CA.  They, like my Manager, live Product Support.

Now to figure out how to keep the door closed while we travel to SE IA!!  Another day begins and I'm sure a new adventure.   More later!!

Candy

Today is the Day!

Well, dear Friends and Family, today we went to work, turned in our badges, parking passes, keys, and computers and walked out hand in hand to our vehicles with smiles on our faces.  Wow, we did it together, it was the neatest feeling. 

My department just wowed me with their warm send-off; so many people came to the cake and coffee that I was truly overwhelmed and I think Dave was also moved by the turnout.   We received a beautiful Native American Pendleton blanket, my "Leaping Deere", cards and a gift certificate that will be used probably towards my week long camping at "Camp Gone to the Dogs" in Vermont this fall.  Everyone was so nice and complimentary!  I am so moved by it all, I just can't express my feelings for the wonderful group that I have been fortunate enough to spend my last years with at John Deere. 

Here is our blanket:

 

Just as I was snapping the picture, Nacho had to jump up and try it out.  :)  Also notice in the first picture the beautiful bouquet of flowers that John and Shan presented to me at our meeting last week.  They smell wonderful!!!  So thoughtful of them!!!  I worked for wonderful Managers!!!!!  I have been blessed.

 

 



This is my "Leaping Deere".  Dave will be receiving one also, but they had the wrong number of years and start date on his, so it is being redone.  Very sad, they couldn't present it to him and have the correct information on his with his many years of dedication to the Company.   Well, he will receive it soon.

Last night we had Dave's retirement dinner with his departmental co-workers at Ferrari's in Cedar Falls.  It was a small turnout, just as he requested, but it was very nice.  They made a thoughtful presentation to him with his "Leaping Deere", memory booklet, work history and a few gifts of a JD fishing hat and lure.  What I think was moving for him is that the last couple weeks he has been receiving emails with the warmest wishes and congratulations, but also very flattering and overwhelming compliments (which as his wife, I think he strongly deserved), of his knowledge, his help to so many over the years, his friendships to people all over the world, and his commitment to John Deere. In particular, the JD employees from India and China were so nice and thoughtful in their presentations to him.  I think he was overwhelmed and a bit surprised, but I know he will be greatly missed, not only for his wealth of knowledge on foundries, castings and processes, but for his willingness to share that knowledge and the friendships he enjoyed developing with fellow John Deere employees all over the world, and suppliers also from around the world. 

Now it's time to get prepared for our weekend.  We are heading to SE Iowa to spend some time with dear Friends from Edgewood Baptist church.  We love these couples, they have been a blessing to us over the years and we highly value their friendships.  We laugh, eat and talk for hours, and walk around their beautiful property in the hills of Bonaparte. 

I wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day as we remember those who have gone before us and those who have served this Country in their dedicated years of service and many who sacrificed their lives so we could have the freedoms we enjoy in this great Country.  Hopefully, people will become more aware and truthfully informed of the corruption in this wonderful Nation and return it to the values and morals with which this Country was formed.  God has blessed us and we should remember that without HIM the USA would not be here.

Hugs to you all!
Candy and Dave

Our baby Emmett

Me, holding my precious new great nephew.  Isn't he sweet? 

Here he is cuddling with cousin Mary, I don't think she wanted to part with him.  :)

Here he's getting kisses from Aunt B, my sister. 

Last weekend before retirement

3 more work days and then we are RETIRED!  Woohoo!  Are we excited or what?

It has been a busy week; Dave was in China and I was coordinating a week long department meeting, so today has been rather lazy.  Though I did go out an pick some rhubarb; my patch is huge and the rhubarb looks great.  Here's a pie I just took out of the oven.  It's not in a pie plate however as I have already packed them away, so this was made in my handy round Pampered Chef baker.  I use this pan for so many things, I love it.

This pie is huge with 8 cups of rhubarb.   Can hardly wait to taste it.  I made it a bit different this time with minute tapioca as the thickener instead of flour and also added two eggs for a bit of a custard texture.  So if you want the recipe send me a note and I will add it to the blog.  

Now I am out to the driveway where the Airstream is parked to start cleaning it before I get it loaded for the summer and beyond.  

Have a wonderful Saturday! 

Waiting, waiting, waiting

Yes, we are waiting.  Waiting for the next 3 weeks to go by and then we can shout "WE ARE RETIRED!!!"   WOOHOO!!  Can you tell we are excited? 

Waiting for the right buyer for the house.  Haven't found them yet.  We had one viewing but since we haven't heard back I'm assuming they aren't interested.  We showed the house on Wednesday.  We have had an additional 3 inquiries, but no additional requests to see.  :(

Waiting for the weather around here to improve, but isn't everyone?  :)

Waiting for when the temps improve so we can de-winterize the Airstream.  I'm planning on getting it cleaned up this weekend, but not de-winterizing yet.  Just can't trust the temps yet, since the obvious weird weather, snow in May?  How weird is that?!

Waiting to go visit my new great-nephew; I'm so looking forward to holding him and having some cuddle time. Oh, and catching up with my niece and her hubby, the parents.  :)

Waiting to sell the house, so we can give the go-ahead to the builder that we are ready to start when he is.....oh when will that be?

Did I say this post was about waiting? 

Have a great weekend, despite this crazy weather.