It was a busy week but we somehow managed to survive. I started off the week with a haircut a Pope's. It's always good to relax, have a drink and catch up on gossip with Becky.
Wow, Mom's new iPhone is really easy to use. She got it this past weekend but I just "discovered" it when I was rummaging around looking for one of the iPads so I could watch garbage trucks on YouTube. Mom and Dad were both shocked that I unlocked it, scrolled over to find an app that was interesting and launched it. (Mom said something about hiding it. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I'd probably find it anyway.)
All week I've been excited for the Iowa Cubs game on Saturday. There was a lot of rain as we drove to the stadium but it stopped just in time ... huh?! No baseball game?! DRAT! Well, let's go home and we'll try again tomorrow. (I wasn't as nice about it as this blog post makes it sound. Let's just say Mom and Dad got an ear full on the way home.) 
Sunday dawned bright and a new day was at hand. Sure Mom, I'll help get lunch ready. Let me dish up (or in this case dish out) the lettuce.
Sunday afternoon after I took a killer nap with Dad the family loaded up and headed downtown to watch the Hy-Vee Triathlon. We got there just in time to catch the start of the men's elite race. These guys are in really good shape! Behind me you can see where they were just about ready to start the swim.
(Here I am modeling my "concerned for the swimmers' safety" look.)
Not the best picture I've ever taken but I was glad to run into Steve. He knew a lot about triathlons and was a good person to watch with. 
For my followers far and wide behind me is a picture of the state capitol. (Remember, the state capital is the city. The state capitol is the building.) We started out on the bridge to watch the swim and ended up all the way at the capitol to watch the bike/run transition. It was a long way.
Ah, the long walk home begins. I wonder where I left my sippy cup.
Mom's probably going to get mad that I put this photo in but I think it's pretty cool. (She was thinking about a holiday card cover but I think we'll come up with something better before the design phase this year.)
Sunday we used our tickets from the rained out game and I finally got my popcorn. There isn't anything better than ballpark popcorn! (It also was nice to wear my baseball hat to an actual baseball game even though I had to take it off for the l-o-n-g-e-s-t version of the national anthem EVER. Seriously, I know the singer probably had family there and his Mom was proud and all but let's go up-tempo next time!)
Ah, this is the life. Go Cubs!
Yesterday we headed to Chariton for a long overdue visit. I slept most of the way there and was ready to see the farm!
Ah, Grandma Margaret. She is always so much fun. We worked a bit on my ABCs and also shared a cookie. I can see why Dad thinks she's so cool!
Dad's Aunt Pat was visiting, too. It was very nice to see her and hear about her upcoming trips.
Dad wishes they would have had a cool forage harvester like mine when he was on the farm. Papa Jack liked seeing it and wondered how many acres of carpet I could cover in a day. (I told him it depended on how many wagons I had, whether we were dumping in a trench silo or blowing into an upright silo and the yield/moisture of the corn.)
Y'all have seen it before. The shot we get every visit to Chariton and the farm ... Papa Jack's 4020. I love this old gal!
It appears as though all the cool kids now have zero turn radius mowers. I must have one.
Ugh. After riding on Papa Jack's new mower I can tell ya that this walking thing is for the birds.
After mowing Mom, Dad and I grilled burgers and had a nice dinner. (For some reason Mom declined to be in the "look at our burgers" picture.)
Finally, I wanted to share a picture Uncle Chris sent from San Francisco. Apparently, in anticipation of my arrival next May the citizens of this great American city have named a street in my honor. I look forward to the parade upon my arrival. (I've been practing my parade wave for the God's Portion Day parade in Denmark next month so I'll be ready.)
Onward! (Next week I'll see what I can do about Mom avoiding the camera and we'll get some shots of her in the blog.)
P-man
